GB2250005A - Trailers - Google Patents

Abstract

A trailer particularly for use with an ATV (all terrain vehicle) has a wheeled body and a draw bar (3). The body has a floor (1) on which the wheels are mounted via axles. The draw bar (3) projects forwards and has longitudinal members (7) joined by cross-members (9). The cross-members are fixed to the floor (1) so that the draw bar (3) is integrated structurally with the body. The draw bar (3) may be in the form of an A-frame. The body may have side walls formed from corrugated panels. <IMAGE>

Description

TRAILERS This invention relates to a trailer, particularly although not exclusively for use with an ATV (all terrain vehicle).

For certain applications ATVs are now often used instead of agricultural tractors. Though usually less powerful, ATVs may be faster than tractors and this can give rise to problems with regard to the manufacture of inexpensive trailers. That is, a trailer which is made inexpensively by welding together a minimal number of structural elements to form a welded body and then fastening a draw bar to the body, may have insufficient structural strength to withstand the torsional stresses which arise when the trailer is drawn at speed over rough ground behind an ATV. The strength can be improved by addition of a rigid body panel structure but this is expensive and limits flexibility in selection of body panel arrangements.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple inexpensive trailer structure which has good structural strength particularly in relation to torsional stresses without requiring undue contribution of body panel structure to strength of the trailer.

According to the invention therefore there is provided a trailer having a wheeled body and a draw bar for connection of the trailer to a motor vehicle, wherein the body has a floor structure on which the wheels are mounted and the draw bar is fixed to the body so as to project forwardly therefrom, characterised in that the draw bar is an elongate structure having longitudinally extending members interconnected by spaced apart transverse members, said transverse members being fixed to the floor structure of the body respectively at forward and rearward positions thereon.

With this arrangement it will be appreciated that the draw bar, instead of being merely an attached appendage of the vehicle body, is integrated therewith as a structural component which contributes significantly to the torsional strength of the trailer. Excellent torsional strength can therefore be attained in a particularly simple and inexpensive manner. In effect, the draw bar and floor structure define together a rigid platform.

The draw bar may be generally in the form of an A-frame, the said longitudinally extending members being the mutually inclined side limbs of the A-frame, and the transverse members being cross-pieces thereof.

The forward transverse member may be fixed to a front edge of the body e.g. by bolts or otherwise. The rearward transverse member may be fixed to flanges or the like forming part of (or attached to) axle structures for the wheels or mountings for such axle structures.

The floor structure of the body may be a frame or monocoque or any other suitable structure.

The body may have upstanding side walls to define a partial or complete enclosure. Conveniently these side walls may be defined by corrugated panels, and in this case the corrugations may run longitudinally of the respective side edges of the floor structure, smooth abutment at the upright corners being achieved by staggering the corrugations. Such corners may be finished by attachment of angle members therearound. Since the floor structure and draw bar define a rigid platform as mentioned above, the body panel arrangement can be selected and attached as desired, considerable flexibility of choice being afforded because the panels do not have to contribute significantly to overall strength of the trailer.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of a trailer according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the trailer; Fig. 3 is a side view of the trailer with its draw bar shown detached; Fig. 4 is a front view of the arrangement of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of side panels of the trailer; and Figs. 6 & 7 are further views of the side panels.

Referring to the drawings, a trailer, particularly for use with an ATV, comprises a monocoque base 1 to which are attached upstanding side panels 2, a forwardly projecting draw bar 3, and two ground wheels 4 mounted on stub axle assemblies 5.

The base 1 is in the form of a rectangular one piece board or an assembly of planks bounded by angle irons 11 at the sides, front and rear, the side and front irons being welded together at the front corners. There is also a transverse box-section member 10 welded at its ends to the side irons 11. The stub axle assemblies 5 are mounted on the member 10 and there are flanges 6 attached to the member 10.

The draw bar 3 is generally in the form of a rigid A-frame and has two longitudinal side limbs 7 joined at the apex of the frame to a short extension 8.

The limbs 7 are also linked by forward and rearward cross-members 9, 9a. The forward cross-member 9 projects upwardly from the side limbs 7. The rearward cross-member 9a is level with the limbs 7. The extension 8 is appropriately adapted (by means not shown) for connection to an ATV linkage.

The forward cross-member 9 is fixed by bolting or welding or otherwise to the front edge of the base 1. The rearward cross-member 9a is fixed by bolting or welding or otherwise to the flanges 6. The draw bar 3 is thereby securely fixed to the base 1 to form a rigid platform therewith.

To the front and side angle members 11 are fixed upstanding front and side panels 2 made of corrugated steel. At the corners the corrugated panels 2 abut. The corrugations are triangular and are staggered as shown to permit smooth abutment. Upright angle members 12 are fixed around the abutting panels 2 at the corners. The top edges 13 of the panels 2 are turned over.

Tail gate hinges are provided on the rear iron 11.

With the arrangement described above, due to the integral incorporation of the A-frame draw bar 3 with the base 1, the trailer has excellent structural strength particularly with regard to torsional rigidity. This is achieved with a particularly simple and inexpensive construction which can be supplied as a knock down, or self assembly kit. The trailer has a strong rigid platform defined by the base 1 and draw bar 3 to which different arrangements of panels 2 or other body components and also different axle 5 and suspension arrangements can be readily attached, removed and replaced. A particularly wide range of panel arrangements is possible because the panels 2 do not have to contribute to the torsional rigidity of the trailer.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only.

Claims (10)

1. A trailer having a wheeled body and a draw bar for connection of the trailer to a motor vehicle, wherein the body has a floor structure on which the wheels are mounted and the draw bar is fixed to the body so as to project forwardly therefrom, characterised in that the draw bar is an elongate structure having longitudinally extending members interconnected by spaced apart transverse members, said transverse members being fixed to the floor structure of the body respectively at forward and rearward positions thereon.

2. A trailer according to claim 1 wherein the draw bar is generally in the form of an A-frame, the said longitudinally extending members being the mutually inclined side limbs of the A-frame, and the transverse members being cross-pieces thereof.

3. A trailer according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the forward transverse member is fixed to a front edge of the body.

4. A trailer according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein the rearward transverse member is fixed to flanges on axle structures for the wheels.

5. A trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the body has upstanding side walls to define a partial or complete enclosure.

6. A trailer according to claim 5 wherein the side walls are defined by corrugated panels.

7. A trailer according to claim 6 wherein the corrugations run longitudinally of the respective side edges of the floor structure, smooth abutment at the upright corners being achieved by staggering the corrugations.

8. A trailer according to claim 7 wherein angle members are attached around the corners.

9. A trailer according to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A trailer according to any one of claims 1 to 9 when used with an ATV (all terrain vehicle).