US2143955A

US2143955A - Frame for use in bodies of trailers, semitrailers, and trucks

Info

Publication number: US2143955A
Application number: US194821A
Authority: US
Inventors: Meshane Jack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-03-09
Filing date: 1938-03-09
Publication date: 1939-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1956-01-17

Description

Jan, 17, 1939. J. M SHANE 2,143,955

FRAME FOR USE IN BODIES OF TRAILERS, SEMITRAILERS, AND TRUCKS Filed March 9, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN BY- I z n A TTORNEY.

Jam. 17, 1939. J. M SHANE FRAME FOR USE IN BODIES OF TRAILERS, SEMITRAILERS, AND TRUCKS Filed March 9', 1958 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J, MCSHANE 2,143,955

SEMITRAILERS, AND TRUCKS Jan. 17, 1939.

FRAME FOR USE IN BODIES OF TRAILERS,

5 Sheets-Shed a Filed March 9, 1958 wz m Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT cries FRAME FOR USE IN BODIES F TRAILERS, SEMITBAILERS, AND TRUCKS 3 Claims.

The invention relates to the improvement in the body frame, in which steel-wire fabric is used in conjunction with equalizer-supports, and a base frame; and the objects of the invention are;

first, to provide a steel frame whose parts are welded together to form a unitary structure; second, to afford a frame that cushions and absorbs the road-shocks and weaves; third, to relieve the joints of the strain put upon them through continual racking and twisting; and fourth, to provide a more efficient frame with a maximum strength required, at a minimum weight.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the 15 accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side view on an enlarged scale of one of the side panels of the frame; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 20 are respectively longitudinal and transverse sectional views of a portion of the arched panel member forming the top and ends of the frame; Figs. 6 and '7 are elevational and vertical sectional views, respectively, showing the manner in which 5 certain of the upper frame members are secured to the base frame; Fig. 8 is a View showing the manner in which the sides are connected to the base frame; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing the manner in which the side, end and base por- 30 tions of the frame are connected together; and Figs. 10 and 11 are fragmentary face and vertical sectional views, respectively, of one of the sides, showing the manner in which a door frame is built into the structure.

35 The wire fabric comprises a welded structure having longitudinal wires 2 to which are welded transverse stay wires I. Three sheets of mesh are provided, one sheet A being bowed to arch form and the side sheets 3 and C welded to the 40 edges of the sheet A as hereinafter described. The sheet A serves as top and end walls for the trailer body.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 9, the strand wires 2 of the sides B and C and the stay wires I 45 of the top sheet, are welded to corner wires or rods 5, at each side of the body, the wires 5 each extending from end to end of the body, along the arcuate line of juncture between the top and the side sheets. In each sheet of fabric the longi- 50 tudinal wires 2 may be spaced apart about four inches and the stay wires I two inches apart. In order to reduce the rigidity of the structure so that it may weave and flex somewhat during traveling conditions, the mesh sheet A has its 55 closely spaced stay wires I extending in generally horizontal directions, so that the top and end portions of the body may flex somewhat in vertical directions. In the case of the sides, where greater vertical rigidity is desired, the closely spaced stay members I extend vertically. 5

In order to prevent excessive strain upon the welded connections of the mesh sheets, with the corner wires 5, and to reduce danger of such welds breaking through weaving movements of the mesh sheet A; at each corner I weld a stiffening 10 wire to the stay wires i, as shown most clearly in Fig. 9. I also show a similarly arranged stiffening wire 25 welded to the side sheets, at each corner of the body, although these latter-mentioned stiffening wires are not so important. 15

stiffening strips '5 of spring steel are welded at various points to the sheet A interiorly thereof and extend from end to end of the body. These stiffening members are of sufficient flexibility to bend somewhat under Weaving motions of the body, but are of sufficient strength to assist in supporting the top of the vehicle and to prevent sagging thereof, besides spreading or equalizing the stresses imparted to the sheet A.

Cover plates 6 of thin metal are provided over the wires 3, t and 5 at the corners of the body and serve as a joint shield to protect against wear by the corners of the canvas coverings or the like that will be applied to the body.

Angle members 8 are provided on the side B of the body, such members being welded to one another and to the mesh B, a door frame and a window frame being formed by said angle members, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. The mesh is cut away at the door opening and a cloth flap or a door of more permanent nature can be employed.

At the window opening I2, the wire mesh can be cut away or not, as desired, and such opening can be simply covered by a canvas flap or have window glass inserted therein. Similarly, angle irons 9 are Welded to the mesh sheet C, and are shown as forming a large rectangular opening 53 for a window. The

angles

8 and 9, of course, also serve to give rigidity to the side walls of the structure.

The upper body members heretofore described are carried by a rectangularlyarranged base frame IE) of angle irons, the lowermost edges of the sheets A, B and C being welded thereto, as shown most clearly on Figs. 6 to 11 of the drawings, the protective strips 5 and the stiffening strips I being also welded to the base frame It]. The sheet A is deflected inwardly at its ends, as shown in Fig. 7, so that its lowermost wires I I are disposed inwardly of the strips I, to permit the strips to be welded directly to the frame It. 55

Suitable flooring boards are provided on the base frame and suitable water-proof cloth or canvas covering provided for the mesh elements. The base frame It also serves as a chassis frame to which axles and their wheels may be connected.

I claim as my invention:

1. A frame for a vehicle body, comprising a base, a flexible wire mesh sheet of arch form secured at its ends to the ends of the base, side portions of Wire mesh secured at their upper edges to the longitudinal edges of the said mesh sheet, and secured at their lower edges to the base, and a spring-metal stiffening strip welded to the firstnamed mesh and extending from end to end thereof, intermediate the longitudinal edges of the first-named mesh and in position to yieldably reinforce the first-named mesh sheet along a line adjacent to its longitudinal center line.

2. A frame for a vehicle body, comprising a base, a flexible wire mesh sheet of arch form secured at its ends to the ends of the base, side portions of wire mesh welded at their upper edges to the longitudinal edges of the said mesh sheet and secured at their lower edges to the base, a spring-metal stifiening strip welded to the firstnamed mesh and extending from end to end thereof, intermediate the longitudinal edges of the first-named mesh, in position to yieldably reinforce the first-named mesh sheet along a line adjacent to its longitudinal center line, and reinforcing wires Welded to the first-named mesh sheet along lines adjacent to the lines along which the said side portions are welded thereto.

3. A frame for a vehicle body, comprising a base, a flexible wire mesh sheet of arch form secured at its ends to the ends of the base, side portions of wire mesh secured at their upper edges to the longitudinal edges of the said mesh sheet and at their lower edges to the base, and a plurality of spring-metal stiffening strips welded to the first-named mesh and the ends of the base and extending from end to end of the mesh, along lines intermediate the longitudinal edges of the first-narned mesh and in position to yieldably reinforce the first-named mesh sheet.

JACK McSI-IANE.