Trailer construction

Claim 1

In a trailer body having a pair of side panels, and a floor positioned above and supported by a plurality of beams extending transversely of said side panels, the improvement comprising a pair of connecting assemblies for securing opposite ends of said beams to said side panels, each of said connecting assemblies including an elongated vertically extending channeled rail for receiving and supporting the lower margin of one of the said side panels, said rail having spaced walls for supporting opposite sides of said side panel, and fastening means extending transversely through said side walls and associated side panel and connecting with common ends of said beams for securing said beams to said rail and therefore said side panel, said fastening means being below said floor whereby not to interfere with cargo placed on the floor of said trailer, each panel comprising a form sustaining core and plastic-containing layers bonded to opposite surfaces of the core, each panel being relatively elongate with said core comprising a plurality of relatively rigid, generally flat core elements that are in transverse face-to-face contact and in edge-to-edge abutting relationship, the plastic of said layers spanning the abutting edges of the core elements, said core elements each also having a multiplicity of holes closely spaced throughout the length and width of the core and extending from one of said surfaces to the other and providing internal air bubble escape areas and with the plastic of each layer extending into said holes so that the plastic in said holes including those closely adjacent said abutting edges cooperate to rigidify the body panel.