Granular-floor supported cargo hauling trailer apparatus

Claim 1

A trailer apparatus, comprising: a trailer frame, having a first side, a second side, a forward end, a rearward end and a trailer frame opening formed through a portion thereof; a first side wall connected to the first side of the trailer frame and extending a distance upwardly therefrom having ventilation openings formed therethrough; a second side wall connected to the second side of the trailer frame and extending a distance upwardly therefrom having ventilation openings formed therethrough; a forward end wall connected to the forward end of the trailer frame; a rearward end wall connected to the Rearward end of the trailer frame, the first side wall, the second side wall, the rearward end wall and the forward end wall each cooperating to form a continuous wall extending about the trailer frame; a hopper, having an open upper end defining a hopper inlet opening and an open lower end, the space between the upper end of the lower end defining a hopper material bin space for retainingly storing granular material and the like, the upper end connected to the trailer frame in communication with a portion of the trailer frame opening; a hopper door connected to the hopper and positionable in a closed position substantially closing the open lower end of the hopper cooperatingly retaining the granular material and the like within the hopper material bin space and an open position discharging the granular material and the like from the hopper material bin space via the open lower end of the hopper; and a trailer floor assembly positionable in a floor supported cargo hauling position and a granular material hauling position, comprising: a first floor section, having opposite ends, opposite sides, and an upper and a lower face, one side pivotally connected to the trailer frame generally near the first side of the trailer frame and extending a distance generally between the forward and the rearward ends of the trailer frame, the first side pivotally movable in one direction generally toward the first side of the trailer frame to a granular material hauling position and pivotally movable in one other direction generally toward the trailer frame to a floor supported cargo hauling position, a portion of the lower face of the first floor section supportingly engaging a portion of the trailer frame and covering a portion of the trailer frame opening in the floor supported cargo hauling position thereof, the first floor section being disposed generally adjacent the first side wall and covering the ventilation openings in the first side wall generally adjacent the first floor section in the granular hauling position of the first floor section; a second floor section, having opposite ends, opposite sides, and an upper and a lower face, one side pivotally connected to the trailer frame generally near the second side of the trailer frame and extending a distance generally between the forward and the rearward ends of the trailer frame, the second side pivotally movable in one direction toward the second side of the trailer frame to a granular hauling position and pivotally movable in one other direction generally toward the trailer frame to a floor supported cargo hauling position, a portion of the lower face of the second floor section supportingly engaging a portion of the trailer frame and covering a portion of the trailer frame opening in the floor supported cargo hauling position thereof, the second floor section being disposed generally adjacent the second side wall and covering the ventilation openings in the second sidewall generally adjacent the second floor section in the granular hauling position of the second floor section; a forward floor section, having opposite ends, opposite sides, and an upper and a lower face, one side pivotally connected to the trailer frame and extending generally between the first and the second sides of the trailer frame, the forward floor section pivotable in one direction generally toward the rearward end of the trailer frame to a granular material hauling position and pivotable in one other direction generally toward the trailer frame to a floor supported cargo hauling position, a portion of the lower face of the forward floor section engaging a portion of the trailer frame and covering a portion of the trailer frame opening in the floor supported cargo hauling position thereof; and a rearward floor section, having opposite ends, opposite sides, and an upper and a lower face, one side pivotally connected to the trailer frame and extending generally between the first and the second sides of the trailer frame, the rearward floor section pivotable in one direction generally toward the forward end of the trailer frame to a granular material hauling position and pivotable in one other direction generally toward the trailer frame to a floor supported cargo hauling position, a portion of the lower face of the rearward floor section engaging a portion of the trailer frame and covering a portion of the trailer frame opening in the floor supported cargo hauling position thereof, the first and the second floor sections and the forward and the rearward floor sections each cooperatingly forming a material bin space retaining granular material and the like in the granular material hauling positions thereof and each cooperatingly forming a portion of a trailer floor surface supporting floor supported cargo and the like in the floor supported cargo hauling positions thereof, a portion of the material bin space formed via the first and the second floor sections and the forward and the rearward floor sections communicating with the hopper material bin space.