Body liner assembly

Claim 2

In a cargo transport container body having an outer shell with vertical side walls and a plurality of spaced-apart vertical interior support posts, a body liner assembly comprising a plurality of liner sheet elements each having top, middle and bottom portions, and inner and outer surfaces with said inner surface being smooth to face the interior of the container body, each said liner element having a normally arcuate profile between said top and bottom portions, first means for detachably clamping said bottom portion of said liner elements against said support posts, and second means for detachably clamping said top portion of said liner elements against said support posts and for allowing vertical expansion and contraction of said liner elements, said arcuate profile of each liner element causing said top and bottom portions of said liner element to bias inwardly toward the interior of the container body against said first and second clamping means respectively and said middle portion to bias outwardly toward said support posts, said plurality of liner elements being mounted in adjoining disposition to form a smooth continuous interior wall surface.

Claim 3

The container body of claim 1 wherein said first clamping means comprises a channel member extending longitudinally along the lower portion of said support posts and rigidly connected to said container body, said channel member having an upwardly opening channel to receive and retain said bottom portion of said liner elements.

Claim 4

The container body of claim 1 wherein said second clamping means comprises a clamp element having a first portion detachably mounted to said support post, and a second portion offset from said first portion to form a channel between said support post and said second portion to receive said top portion of said liner element with said second portion engaging said inner surface of said liner element, said channel extending sufficiently above said top portion of said liner element to allow vertical expansion of said liner element.

Claim 5

The container body of claim 1 wherein said outer surface of each said liner element has a number of outwardly extending studs to transfer impact forces inflicted on said inner surface of said liner element away from the vertical side edges of said liner elements.

Claim 6

The container body of claim 1 wherein each said liner element is an extruded integral sheet.

Claim 7

The container body of claim 1 wherein each said liner element has a plurality of spaced apart horizontally extending rib elements on said outer surface.

Claim 8

The container body of claim 1 wherein each said liner element has a plurality of spaced apart vertically extending rib elements, said rib elements being disposed remote from said support posts.

Claim 9

In a cargo transport container body having an outer shell with vertical side walls and a plurality of spaced-apart vertical interior support posts, a body liner assembly comprising, a plurality of liner sheet elements each having top, middle and bottom portions, and inner and outer surfaces with said inner surface being smooth to face the interior of the container body, each said liner element having a normally arcuate profile between said top and bottom portions, first means for detachably clamping said bottom portion of said liner elements against said support posts, and second means for detachably clamping said top portion of said liner element against said support posts and for allowing vertical expansion and contraction of said liner elements, said second clamping means having a mounting bracket rigidly connected to the upper portion of said support post and a clamping element having an upper portion detachably mounted to said bracket and a downwardly extending leg in spaced-apart disposition from said support post to retain said liner element between said leg and said support post, said arcuate profile of each liner element causing said top and bottom portions of said liner element to bias inwardly toward the interior of the container body against said first and second clamping means respectively and said middle portion to bias outwardly toward said support posts, said plurality of liner elements being mounted to adjoining disposition to form a smooth continuous interior wall surface.

Claim 10

In a cargo transport container body having an outer shell with vertical side walls and a plurality of spaced-apart vertical interior support posts, a body liner assembly comprising, a plurality of liner sheet elements each having top, middle and bottom portions, and inner and outer surfaces with said inner surface being smooth to face the interior of the container body, each said liner element having a normally arcuate profile between said top and bottom portions, first means for detachably clamping said bottom portion of said liner elements against said support posts, and second means for detachably clamping said top portion of said liner element against said support posts and for allowing vertical expansion and contraction of said liner elements, said second clamping means having a mounting bracket rigidly connected to the upper portion of said support post and a clamping element having an upper portion detachably mounted to said bracket and a downwardly extending leg in spaced-apart disposition from said support post to retain said liner element between said leg and said support post, said arcuate profile of each liner element causing said top and bottom portions of said liner element to bias inwardly toward the interior of the container body against said first and second clamping means respectively and said middle portion to bias outwardly toward said support posts, said plurality of liner elements being mounted to adjoining disposition to form a smooth continuous interior wall surface.

Claim 11

The container body of claim 8 wherein said mounting bracket has an elongated tongue portion and said clamping element has a slot portion to slideably mount upon said tongue portion of said bracket.

Claim 12

The container body of claim 8 wherein said leg abuts the inner surface of said liner element to retain said liner element against said support post, said clamping element has a shoulder extending between said upper portion and said leg, and said shoulder is in sufficient spaced-apart disposition to said top portion of said liner element to allow vertical expansion of said liner element toward said shoulder.

Claim 13

In a cargo transport container body having an outer shell with vertical side walls and a plurality of spaced-apart vertical interior support posts, a body liner assembly comprising a plurality of liner sheet elements each having top, middle and bottom portions, and inner and outer surfaces with said inner suface being smooth to face the interior of the container body, each said liner element having a normally arcuate profile between said top and bottom portions, first means for detachably clamping said bottom portion of said liner elements against said support posts, and second means for detachably clamping said top portion of said liner elements against said support posts and for allowing vertical expansion and contraction of said liner elements, said second clamping means having a clamp element with an upper portion for mounting to said support post, a retaining clip connected to said upper portion to retentively engage said support post, and a leg connected to said upper portion and extending downwardly in spaced-apart disposition from said support post to retain said liner element between said leg and said support post, said arcuate profile of each liner element causing said top and bottom portions of said liner element to bias inwardly toward the interior of the container body against said first and second clamping means respectively and said middle portion to bias outwardly toward said support posts, said plurality of liner elements being mounted in adjoining disposition to form a smooth continuous interior wall surface.

Claim 14

In a cargo transport container body having an outer shell with vertical side walls and a plurality of spaced-apart vertical interior support posts, a body liner assembly comprising a plurality of liner sheet elements each having top, middle and bottom portions, and inner and outer surfaces with said inner suface being smooth to face the interior of the container body, each said liner element having a normally arcuate profile between said top and bottom portions, first means for detachably clamping said bottom portion of said liner elements against said support posts, and second means for detachably clamping said top portion of said liner elements against said support posts and for allowing vertical expansion and contraction of said liner elements, said second clamping means having a clamp element with an upper portion for mounting to said support post, a retaining clip connected to said upper portion to retentively engage said support post, and a leg connected to said upper portion and extending downwardly in spaced-apart disposition from said support post to retain said liner element between said leg and said support post, said arcuate profile of each liner element causing said top and bottom portions of said liner element to bias inwardly toward the interior of the container body against said first and second clamping means respectively and said middle portion to bias outwardly toward said support posts, said plurality of liner elements being mounted in adjoining disposition to form a smooth continuous interior wall surface.

Claim 15

The container body of claim 11 wherein said support post contains spaced-apart apertures to receive a retaining clip and said retaining clip has a pair of opposing tabs with each tab having a retaining lip, each said lip extending into an aperture to retentively engage said support post.

Claim 16

The container body of claim 11 wherein said clamp element has a shoulder extending between said upper portion and said leg, said leg abuts the inner surface of said liner element to retain said liner element against said support post, and said shoulder is in spaced-apart disposition to said top portion of said liner element to allow vertical expansion of said liner element toward said shoulder.