IE990521A1 - A trailer - Google Patents

Abstract

A semi-trailer (1) has a chassis (2) with a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal chassis beams (3,4) extending between a front end and a rear end of the chassis (2). A rubbing plate and king pin assembly (5) is mounted between the longitudinal beams (3,4) at a front end of the chassis (2). A number of wheel axle assemblies (6) are mounted at a rear end of the chassis (2). A forward transverse beam (2) of the chassis (2) in addition to being a chassis member is elongated and forms a forward bolster for supporting a container and has twistlock assemblies (11) at outer ends. The longitudinal beams (3,4) pass through the outer ends of the forward transverse beam (10). Thus, the chassis (2) in plan has bow-shaped longitudinal beams (3,4) at a front end of the chassis (2). This construction allows the weight of the chassis (2) to be reduced. <Figure 2>

Description

A semi-trailer (1) has a chassis (2) with a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal chassis beams (3,4) extending between a front end and a rear end of the chassis (2). A rubbing plate and king pin assembly (5) is mounted between the longitudinal beams (3,4) at a front end of the chassis (2). A number of wheel axle assemblies (6) are mounted at a rear end of the chassis (2). A forward transverse beam (2) of the chassis (2) in addition to being a chassis member is elongated and forms a forward bolster for supporting a container and has twistlock assemblies (11) at outer ends. The longitudinal beams (3,4) pass through the outer ends of the forward transverse beam (10). Thus, the chassis (2) in plan has bow-shaped longitudinal beams (3,4) at a front end of the chassis (2). This construction allows the weight of the chassis (2) to be

Claims (11)

1. A trailer (1) having a wheeled chassis (2), the chassis (2) comprising a pair of spaced-apart longitudinal chassis beams (3, 4) interconnected by a plurality of spaced-apart transverse beams (10, 20), a rubbing plate and king pin assembly (5) being mounted between the longitudinal beams (3, 4) at a front end of the chassis (2), one or more wheel axle assemblies (6) being mounted at a rear end of the chassis (2) , the chassis (2) having a pair of container carrying bolsters (12),. namely, a front bolster and a rear bolster, each bolster having attachment means to releasably secure a container or the like thereon, characterised in that a forward transverse beam (10) of the chassis (2) forms the front bolster with container attachment means (11) at each end of the forward transverse beam (10) and the longitudinal chassis beams (3, 4) pass through the outer ends of the forward transverse beam (10).

2. A trailer (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the longitudinal beams (3, 4) taper outwardly and rearwardly from each side of the rubbing plate assembly (5) to the ends of the forward transverse beam (10) and taper inwardly from a rear of the forward transverse beam (10) to a rear chassis portion (8) in which the longitudinal beams (3, 4) are substantially parallel.

3. A trailer (1) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein container attachment means (11) is integrally formed with the forward transverse beam (10) at each end of the forward transverse beam.

4. A trailer (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, - 8 wherein the container attachment means (11) is a twistlock assembly.

5. A trailer (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the forward transverse beam (10) is of boxsection construction.

6. A trailer (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the longitudinal beams (3, 4) are of Isection comprising a horizontal top flange (41) and a horizontal bottom flange (42) interconnected by an upright web (43), a front end (45, 46) of each flange (41, 42) being tapered.

7. A trailer (1) as claimed in claim 6, wherein the forward transverse beam (10) extends between the webs (43) on the longitudinal members (3, 4).

8. A trailer (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein one or more diagonal braces (23, 25) are mounted between the longitudinal beams (3, 4) and between spaced-apart transverse beams (10, 20) on the chassis (2).

9. A trailer (1) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein side guards (27) are mounted at each side of the chassis (2), each side guard (27) extending rearwardly from a position below an outer end of the forward transverse beam (10) .

10. A trailer (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the trailer is a gooseneck trailer.

11. A trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.