US2945721A - Truck body construction - Google Patents

Description

Jul 19, 1960 Filed Oct. 8. 1957 D- W. CHANEY TRUCK BODY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

July 19, 1960 D. w. CHANEY I 2,945,721

TRUCK BDDY CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 8. 195'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. pan/41 M fi/mns/ "Wil -Liza.

nited State Pa TRUCK BODY CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 688,933

1 Claim. (Cl. 296-28) The invention set forth herein relates to a construction of a truck dump body, a straight truck body or truck trailers or semi-trailers. The invention specifically relates to the interrelationship and interconnection of a side wall with the floor of the body.

Normally the side wall of a truck is set in a slight distance from the outer edge portionof the body so as to provide space for vertically disposed stakes or ribs as reinforcing members along the side wall extending vertically thereof, and this construction heretofore has left a flat so-called running board extending along the length of the body at the lower ends of the reinforcing members. This provides a flat running board on which dirt and debris collects, requiring cleaning operations frequently particularly in trucking operations where dirt, gravel or other loose materials are to be hauled.

The present invention involves a unique construction of a side wall wherein the usual running board is replaced by a wall portion inclined from the outer side and upwardly into a vertical side wall and the floor itself does not extend laterally under the side wall, but to the contrary, is turned upwardly by an integral portion to merge into the side wall at an elevation above the level of the floor itself.

Not only does this construction promote normal discarding of materials falling onto the inclined wall portion, but also provides a stronger junction between the side Wall and the floor and the cross beams of the body.

One particular form of the invention is herein illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a semi-trailer embodying the invention, in partial section;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal horizontal section on the line 22 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view inside perspective.

A plurality of transversely aligned cross members or beams extending in the usual manner across and are secured to a longitudinally disposed side rail 11, it being understood of course that there is a rail 11 on each side of the body. The rail 11 in each instance is then mounted on the semi-trailer chassis 12.

A body side generally designated by the numeral 13 has a major, vertically extending planar wall 14. This wall 14 merges at its lower portion through an obtuse angle bend 15 to extend outwardly and downwardly in a sloping manner through a wall portion 16 to a lower bend 17 from which the member extends through a vertical section 18 downwardly over the ends of the cross beams and thence thereunder by a foot 19. The distance between the bend 17 and the foot -19 is substantially equal to the height of each of the cross beams 10 so that the cross beams may fit by their end portions substantially against the section 18.

The wall 14 will normally be reinforced by means of vertically extending stakes or posts 20 spaced at inter- 2,945,721 Patented July 19, 1960 vals along the outside of the wall 14, these posts 20 having lower ends 21 beveled to conform with the slope of the wall portion 16 so as to fit snugly thereagainst and approximately the entire distance thereacross, to be welded thereto. The post 20 in each instance is likewise welded along its edge to the wall portion 14. In the present form, each of these posts 20 has a crosssectional shape approximately in the form of a V. Preferably the upper end of the wall portion 14 is formed to have a laterally, outwardly extending top panel 22 extending across the upper ends of the posts 20 and thence downwardly by a lip 23. The lip 23 is welded to each of the posts 20.

A gusset 24 herein shown in Fig. 3 as having a substantially diamond shape fits against the under, inner side of the inclined wall portion 16 and also against the inner side of the vertical section 18, and is positioned to lie against a cross member 10 and is welded not only to the cross member, but also to the wall portions 16 and 18. The use of the gusset 24 may of course be had at each of the cross members 10, but if preferred, may be at selected ones only of those cross members. The purpose of course of the use of the gusset 24 is to reinforce the side wall to resist bending along the bend 17 and also to secure the side wall to the cross member 10, in addition to the weld between the foot 19 and the cross members on the under sides thereof.

The floor of the body constitutes a sheet of metal 25 resting on the cross members 10, and at the longitudinal sides thereof extends upwardly by a substantially vertically disposed flange 26. This flange 26 extends vertically from the cross members 10 a distance sufficiently to reach the bend 1-5 of the side wall 14, and is welded to the side wall to form in effect an integral part therewith. The floor 25 is fixed to the cross beams or members 10 by any suitable means such as by welding, so that the upturned flange 26 cooperates with the side wall 14 to maintain that wall in its vertical alignment and in rigidly fixed position not only relative to the cross members 10, but also to the floor 25.

Thus it is to be seen that an inclined wall portion 16 is provided throughout the length of the side of the body, and at the same time a very rigid and durable construction is had between the side wall 14 and the floor 25. It is to be understood of course that the construction as shown in Fig. 3 and as above described is repeated on the opposite side of the truck body as would be understood by those versed in the art. The gusset 24 may of course be varied in area to extend entirely inwardly from the vertical section 18 of the side wall 14 to the floor flange 26 if so desired.

Therefore while the invention as herein shown has been described in the one particular form in minute defixed on top sides of said cross members and terminating.

short of the ends of said cross members; a flange along each side edge of said floor turned upwardly and vertically therefrom a distance; a side wall extending upwardly from and joined to an upper edge portion of said flange in each instance; an inclined planar wall joined by its upper edge portion to and along said wall and flange at said flange upper edge portion and sloping therefrom outwardly and downwardly to and fixed to the outer ends of said cross members, said inclined wall merging through a bend into a portion extending downwardly across the ends of said cross members, and thence around thereunder by a foot fixed to those cross mem bers; a plurality of straight line, vertically disposed, and horizontally spaced apart posts located along and fixed tothe outer side of each side wall, and-bearing by lower" ends on and fixed to said inclined wall above its said downwardly extending portion; and a gusset under said inclined wall across said bend and along said cro'ss member ends and fixed to the inclined wall, said Wall portion,

and a cross member end portion, resisting bending in said bend.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (US. Corresponding 2,886,374 filed May 12, 1959)

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