Dump trailer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9315136-B2
Application number	US-201313954512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2013
Priority date	Jul 30, 2013
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A dump trailer comprising a U-shaped trailer body having a bottom wall and opposing side walls. The trailer includes a curved front wall and a pivotable tailgate. The front wall is U-shaped when viewed from the top and angles upwardly and forwardly from the bottom wall. A support structure provided adjacent the front wall operatively engages hitch and lift assemblies. The support structure includes spaced-apart supports secured to the front wall; and spaced-apart horizontal beams secured to the supports. The beams extend through apertures in the front wall and into the compartment. This enables the trailer body to be lowered relative to the ground, thus lowering the center of gravity of the trailer. A wheel assembly mounts to the rear end of the trailer via a mounting plate curved complementary to the bottom wall. Cut-outs in the plate reduce the overall weight of the trailer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dump trailer comprising:
a trailer body having a bottom wall and two opposing side walls that are disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending between a front end and a rear end of the trailer body;
a front wall extending between the two side walls at the front end of the trailer body; wherein the front wall and side walls of the trailer body each have an upper edge; and wherein the front wall is arcuate when viewed from a lateral side of the trailer body and includes:
a peripheral edge which connects to each of the two side walls and to the bottom wall; and
an area bounded and defined by the peripheral edge and extending between the two side walls; and wherein the area is curved;

a tailgate pivotally mounted to at least one of the side walls at the rear end of the trailer body;
a compartment defined and bounded by the trailer body, the front wall and the tailgate, said compartment being adapted to carry a load therein; and
a shield extending rearwardly from the upper edge of the front wall and towards the tailgate and from the upper edge of a first one of the side walls to the upper edge of the other of the side walls; said shield terminating a distance away from the tailgate; and wherein the shield is arcuate when viewed from the rear end of the trailer.

2. The dump trailer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the shield is a metal shield that is welded to the upper edges of the front wall and the side walls.

3. The dump trailer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the shield is convex in shape.

4. The dump trailer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the shield extends for a distance outwardly beyond one or both of the side walls of the trailer body.

5. The dump trailer as defined in claim 1 , wherein the shield is welded to the upper edges of the front wall and side walls in such a manner that there are substantially no gaps between the shield and the upper edges of the front and side walls through which air will flow.

6. A dump trailer comprising:
a trailer body having a bottom wall and two opposing side walls that are disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending between a front end and a rear end of the trailer body;
a front wall extending between the two side walls at the front end of the trailer body; wherein the front wall is arcuate when viewed from a lateral side of the trailer body and includes:
a peripheral edge which connects to each of the two side walls and to the bottom wall; and
an area bounded and defined by the peripheral edge and extending between the two side walls; and wherein the area is curved;

a tailgate pivotally mounted to at least one of the side walls at the rear end of the trailer body; and
a compartment defined and bounded by the trailer body, the front wall and the tailgate, said compartment being adapted to carry a load therein; and
wherein the front wall is secured to each of the side walls along a curved edge and, when the trailer is viewed from the lateral side, the curved edge originates proximate the bottom wall and angles forwardly therefrom for a first distance; then arcs rearwardly toward the tailgate of the trailer for a second distance; and then angles forwardly toward the front end for a third distance.

7. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the front wall is disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is generally U-shaped when viewed from above.

8. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the area of the front wall includes a central region flanked by two side regions; and wherein the central region is generally planar and the two side regions are curved in opposite directions to each other.

9. The dump trailer as defined in claim 8 , where an exterior front surface of the central region is inclined at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the bottom wall of the trailer body.

10. The dump trailer as defined in claim 9 , wherein the angle of incline of the central region surface is from about 50 degrees up to about 75 degrees.

11. The dump trailer as defined in claim 9 , wherein the central region has an upper edge and a lower edge, where the lower edge connects to the bottom wall; and wherein the upper edge of the central region is longitudinally displaced relative to the lower edge thereof.

12. The dump trailer as defined in claim 11 , wherein the upper edge of the central region is located a greater distance from a rear wall of the trailer than is the lower edge of the central region.

13. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the area of the front wall bounded by the peripheral edge is oriented at an angle transverse to the longitudinal axis of the trailer.

14. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the area of the front wall bounded by the peripheral edge is generally convex in shape.

15. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , wherein the peripheral edge of the front wall is convex in shape.

16. The dump trailer as defined in claim 6 , further comprising a strengthening rail provided inwardly of an upper edge of each of the side walls; each rail extending between the front wall and the tailgate of the trailer body.

Assignees

• Mac Trailer Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Kibler Scott A

Classifications

• B60P1/16

  actuated by fluid-operated mechanisms · CPC title

• B60P1/28 Primary

  Tipping body constructions · CPC title