Frameless half-round trailer with butt joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10814766-B2
Application number	US-201916451896-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2019
Priority date	Apr 7, 2017
Publication date	Oct 27, 2020
Grant date	Oct 27, 2020

Abstract

A frameless dump trailer is provided. The frameless dump trailer includes a forward body portion and a rear body portion. Each body portion is formed from two or more panels joined together with butt-joint welds. The forward portion is first formed by welding planar sections together. After the body portion is formed from the plurality of planar panels, the larger planar portion is rolled in a rolling system to define the arcuate shape of trailer body. Then, the forward and rear body portions are welding together with a transversely extending butt-weld.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A half-round dump trailer comprising:
a forward end spaced apart from a rear end defining a longitudinal direction therebetween, a first side opposite a second side defining a transverse direction therebetween;
a trailer body formed from a plurality of arcuate plates welded together at butt seams collectively defining an outwardly and downwardly facing convex outer surface on the trailer body and defining an inwardly and upwardly facing concave inner surface on the trailer body adapted to retain bulk materials;
a longitudinally extending bottom butt welded seam between transversely adjoining arcuate plates, wherein the bottom butt welded seam defines a lowermost portion of the concave inner surface on the trailer body;
a trolley supporting the trailer body from below adjacent the rear end; and
a structurally supportive brace member positioned exterior to the convex surface adjacent the bottom butt weld; wherein the supportive brace member is configured to support the trailer bottom when the dump trailer is raised from a lowered first position to a raised second position.

2. The half-round dump trailer of claim 1 wherein the longitudinally extending bottom butt welded seam is centered between the first and second sides.

3. The half-round dump trailer of claim 1 wherein the longitudinally extending bottom butt welded seam extends between the forward end and the rear end.

4. The half-round dump trailer of claim 1 further comprising:
a first arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the first side from the bottom butt weld;
wherein a portion of the convex outer surface on the first arcuate plate is continuous across a transition region where the plate arcuately transitions from generally horizontal adjacent the bottom butt weld to generally vertical adjacent an upper terminal end.

5. The half-round dump trailer of claim 4 further comprising:
a second arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the second side from the bottom butt weld;
wherein a portion of the convex outer surface on the second arcuate plate is continuous across a transition region where the plate arcuately transitions from generally horizontal adjacent the bottom butt weld to generally vertical adjacent an upper terminal end.

6. The half-round dump trailer of claim 5 wherein the convex outer surface is free of any longitudinally aligned external supports attached thereto.

7. The half-round dump trailer of claim 5 wherein the concave inner surface is flush across the bottom butt welded seam between the first and second sides.

8. The half-round dump trailer of claim 7 further comprising:
a radius of curvature associated with the concave inner surface, wherein the radius of curvature is equal for the first arcuate plate and the second arcuate plate on opposite sides of the bottom butt welded seam.

9. The half-round dump trailer of claim 1 further comprising:
on the trailer body, the outer surface including a first portion near the bottom butt weld generally horizontal and parallel to ground when the trailer is in a lowered position, and the outer surface including a second portion near an upper terminal end generally vertical and perpendicular to ground when the trailer is in the lowered position;
wherein the trailer body is curved between the first portion and the second portion; and
wherein there is no angled support member extending exterior relative to the outer surface between the first portion and the second portion of the outer surface.

10. The half-round dump trailer of claim 1 further comprising:
a forward frameless trailer body portion defining the forward end; and
a rear frameless trailer body portion defining the rear end.

11. The half-round dump trailer of claim 10 further comprising:
a transversely extending union between the forward frameless trailer body portion and the rear frameless trailer body portion.

12. The half-round dump trailer of claim 11 wherein the forward frameless trailer body portion further comprises:
a forward first arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the first side from a centerline of the trailer;
a forward second arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the second side from the centerline of the trailer; and
a longitudinally extending first union formed from a first butt weld connecting the forward first panel and the forward second panel.

13. The half-round dump trailer of claim 12 wherein the rear frameless trailer body portion further comprises:
a rear third arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the first side from a centerline of the trailer;
a rear fourth arcuate plate extending upwardly and arcuately towards the second side from the centerline of the trailer; and
a longitudinally extending second union formed from a second butt weld connecting the rear third panel and the rear fourth panel;
wherein the first and second butt welds are longitudinally aligned and further defines the longitudinally extending bottom butt welded seam.

14. The half-round dump trailer of claim 11 wherein the transversely extending union further comprises:
a transversely extending butt welded seam between the forward frameless body portion and the rear frameless body portion.

15. The half-round dump trailer of claim 14 wherein the transversely extending butt welded seam defines a flush alignment of the forward frameless trailer body portion, and the rear frameless trailer body portion across the butt weld.

16. The half-round dump trailer of claim 13 further comprising:
an external arcuate support member directly connected to the outer surface of the dump trailer and covering the transversely extending union between the forward frameless trailer body portion and the rear frameless trailer body portion.

17. The half-round dump trailer of claim 16 wherein the support member only has arcuate edges.

18. The half-round dump trailer of claim 16 wherein the support member is symmetric about the longitudinal axis.

19. The half-round dump trailer of claim 16 further comprising:
a leading apex on the arcuate support member; and
a trailing apex on the arcuate support member opposite the leading apex.

Assignees

• Mac Trailer Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Maiorana James A

Classifications

• B62D33/023

  Sideboard or tailgate structures {(vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02)} · CPC title

• B62D53/06

  Semi-trailers · CPC title

• B60P1/286 Primary

  Loading buckets · CPC title

• B62D35/001

  For commercial vehicles or tractor-trailer combinations, e.g. caravans · CPC title