CA1088121A

CA1088121A - Aluminum platform trailer

Info

Publication number: CA1088121A
Application number: CA282,595A
Authority: CA
Inventors: George Chieger
Original assignee: Fruehauf Corp
Current assignee: Fruehauf Corp
Priority date: 1977-07-12
Filing date: 1977-07-12
Publication date: 1980-10-21

Abstract

ALUMINUM PLATFORM TRAILER

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to a novel construction for a platform trailer. The trailer comprises a plurality of extruded aluminum floor boards, which are approximately four inches in thickness centrally of the trailer. The floor boards outwardly of the center portion taper to a thickness of approximately two and one-half inches at the side edges of the trailer platforms.
The floor boards have top and bottom panels which are joined by angularly disposed webs. The floor boards have mating weldable edges that are joined to form a continuous horizontal substantially planer platform, A floor board spaced inwardly from each side edge of the platform has a downwardly extending web portion on the bottom thereof to which the web portion of an inserted T-shaped longitudinal frame member is secured. The platform and frame members, when combined, form an I-beam.
Pockets are welded in openings through the top and bottom pan-els of the outermost floor boards for the acceptance of stakes in any desired longitudinally spaced relation. The outermost floor boards are provided with openings spaced along the length thereof for access to a wood filler member secured therein to permit nailing to the platform.

Description

BACKGR OUND OF THE I NVENTI ON
Reference may be had to the following patents which were developed in a search of the art and which are pertinent to the disclosure of the present invention:
U. S. Patent No . 1,696 ,039 IJ. S. Patent No . 2 ,1~78 ,993 U. S. Patent No. 2,631,900 U. S. Patent No. 2,753,018 U. S. Patent No. 3,000,021 U. S. Patent No. 3,705 ,~32 U. S. Patent No. 3,1a5,112 U. S. Patent No. 3,132,604 U. S~ Patent No. 3,195 ,1l77 U. S. Patent No. 3, 319, 393 U. S. Patent No. 3,361,l~01 SUM~IARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a platform trailer `
having a platform constructed from a plurality o-f floorboards at least two of which are o-f different -types of extrusions Joined in alternately disposed relation, -the floor board of one type having spaced -top and bottom panels joined by angular:Ly disposed webs I'orming a triangle, the base of which forms the top panel and the apex therebelow being connec-ted to the center of the bottom panel, the other -type of floor . .
board has top and bottom panels constructed from a central upright triangle and two in~er-ted triangles transversely outward thereof with the side webs of -the inverted triangles 28 formin~ triangles wi-th the webs of -the one type of floorboards

- 2 rw/`~-~

,. ::
. . , , .: , . . . ~

to have the top and bottom panels of the platform spaced by-the angularly disposed webs when the one and other types of floorboards are in aligned, abutted, welded relation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~INGS

. . . _ . _ Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of a platform trailer embodying features of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken sectional view of one-half of the platform illustra-ted in Fig. 1, taken on the line 2-2 thereof, and ~i~. 3 is an enlarged broken sectional v;ew of one-half of -the platform illustrated in Fig. 1, taken on -the line

3-3 thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIME~T
~ trailQr pla-tform 11 is construc-ted from a p:lurali-ty of ex-truded aluminum floor boards, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 The board 13 is centrally located, the boards 14 to 18 being secured thereto on the lefthand side -thereof and, when inverted end for end, on the righthand side thereof. Edges 19 of the boards 13-lo are welded to one another. The hal~ views illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 indica-te -the cons-truc-tion of both sides o~ -the pla-tform 11.
The boards 13-lo have -top panels 23 and bot-tom panels 24 joined together by diagonal webs 25 to provide w,~

.. - -. :. . :: - . : . . . : :

- . .
: . - : - : : ~ - -.- ' ~ : - . ,, :

~8~Z~L -resistance against crushing and bending loads.
In accordance with the present invontion, a vertlcal web 27 on the board 15 has a portion 28 extending below the panel 24 which is welded to a web portion 29 of an inverted T-9haped frame mernber 31. Thus, the frame member 31 ln conjunction with the platform 11 defines an I-beam.
A series of transverse members 32, 33 and 34 form a support structure for a kingpin 36 ati the forward central l~ortion of the platform 11 for releasab~le connection to a tractor In the conventional manner.
The floor board 17 has spaced e~tending flanges 37 .
wh{ch are welded to flanges 38 and 39 of the box section edge board 18. Before the ~velds are made. a length of wood ~2 ls ~n3erted between the flange3 38 and 39 so as to be encased therebetween. A plurality of opènings 43 are provided along tlle top flange 38 of the board 18 through which nails can be dr~ren for securing cargo to the platform 11. The edge boards 18 are provided with hollow stake,supporting sockets 44 having a ~apered aperture 4~therethrough. The stake supporting socket~ 44 a~e shown in the stde ~ie~ of Fig. l as being spaced along the outer edges of the platform 11.
From the foregoing, it should be apparent that the platform 11 f orms the top nange of an I-beam aq opposed to prlor art con~structions wherein the platform ls secured to a dlscrete framo n~crnbor of I-cross sectlon.

.

.
. . .
.
, . . ~ , . .

.. . , :: . ,,. . . , . - . ~ - ~ . : : : . , ,

Claims

1. A platform trailer having a platform constructed from a plurality of floorboards at least two of which are of different types of extrusions joined in alternately disposed relation, the floor board of one type having spaced top and bottom panels joined by angularly disposed webs forming a triangle, the base of which forms said top panel and the apex therebelow being connected to the center of said bottom panel, the other type of floor board has top and bottom panels constructed from a central upright triangle and two inverted triangles transversely outward thereof with the side webs of said inverted tri-angles forming triangles with the webs of said one type of floorboards to have the top and bottom panels of the platform spaced by the angularly disposed webs when the said one and other types of floorboards are in aligned, abutted, welded relation.

2. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 1, wherein the alternate sides of the triangles are substantially in parallel relation to each other.

3. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 2, wherein the adjacent sides meet to form angles of substantially 90°.

4. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 1, wherein the central portion of the platform has top and bottom panels disposed in parallel relation to each other.

5. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 4, wherein the bottom panels of the floorboards which are disposed transversely outward of the center portion slope upwardly toward the outer edges.

6. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 4, wherein the transversely floorboards of the platform have the top and bottom panels joined by a vertical web having two parallel outwardly extending flanges.

7. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 4, wherein the endmost triangles at the central portion of the platform where the top and bottom panels are parallel, each having a vertically disposed web dividing the two triangles in equal parts with said vertical webs extending downwardly below the bottom panel of the floorboards, and a pair of inverted T-shaped elements each of which is joined to a vertical web extending below said triangles to form a pair of spaced supporting frame members at the spaced sides of the central portion of the platform.

8. A platform trailer as recited in Claim 6, wherein the transverse outermost floorboards further comprises an inwardly presenting channel section the sides of which are engaged with the transversely outward extending flanges at the outer side of the sidemost floorboards, and a length of wood within said channel section which has openings in the top side through which nails may be driven into the wood.