CLOSED SELF SUPPORTING BODY FOR A TRUCK OR TRAILER

Abstract: Closed self supporting body for trucks or trailers com­ prising a number of mutually spaced cross beams (6), which are connected mutually at the ends, a platform (10) on said cross beams (6) and rigid side walls, each comprising at least three layers (1, 2, 3) preferably of ply-wood of which one or more inner layers (2) has or have about the same thickness as a strip (8) of steel, which layer (2) or layers extends or extend to the upper edge of the strip (8), layer (1) or layers at the inside of the inner layer (2) or layers which extends or extend to the upper side of a steel longitudinal profile (7) and layer (3) or layers at the outside of the inner layer (2) or layers which extends or extend to the lower side of the longitudinal profile (7) in which the strip (8) is glued between the inner layer(s) (1) and the outer layer(s) (3) and forms one part with the longitudinal profile (7), which longitudinal profiles (7) are welded to the head ends of the cross beams (6).

Description: Closed self supporting body for a truck or trailer. The invention is related to a closed self supporting body for trucks or trailers comprising a number of mutually spaced cross beams, which are connected mutually at the ends, a platform on said cross beams, rigid side walls, each being connected at the lower side to a flat metal stip extending along the whole length of the side wall and a rigid fixed roof connected to the upper edges of the side walls. Such bodies are in practice manufactured and sold during many years. Firstly the bottom frame is composed of a number of parallel cross beams that at the ends mutually are connected by longitudinal members. In this way a rectangular frame is obtained on which the platform can be fixed. Subsequently by riveting against each longitudinal member and along the whole length of it an aluminum profile is mounted which is provided with one or two upwardly directed flat strips. The lower part of each side wall then is connected by riveting to the inner side of the strip or between both strips. Finely the fixed roof is connected to the upper edges of the side walls. Although in this manner a strong body is obtained, the manufacturing of it is very labour intensive and thus expensive as result of the great number of rivets and moreover is expensive as result of the costs of the aluminum profiles. The invention aims to provide a body in which these objections are avoided. According to the invention this is obtained by the fact that each side wall comprises at least three layers preferably of ply-wood of which one or more inner layers has or have about the same thickness as the strip of steel, which layer or layers extends or extend to the upper edge of the strip, that the layer or layers at the inside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the upper side of a steel longitudinal profile and the layer or layers at the outside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the lower side of the longitudinal profile in which the strip is glued between the layers present at the inside and the outside and forms one part. with the longitudinal profile, which longitudinal profiles are welded to the head ends of the cross beams. It is preferred that each longitudinal profile comprises a tube with rectangular cross section of which the height is about the same as the height of the cross beams and in that the flat strip lies in the same plane as the outer vertical wall of the tube while the inner vertical wall of the tube is welded to the head ends of the cross beams. The invention is also related to a method for manufacturing a container, which method is characterized in that firstly the side walls are composed by glueing on each other at least three layers preferably of ply-wood, in which at the same time the steel strip, that forms one part with the steel longitudinal profile is taken up in the side wall by glueing, in which one or more of the inner layers of the side wall has or have about the same thickness as the steel strip, which layer or layers extends or extend to the upper edge of the strip and in which the layer or layers present at the inside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the upper side of the longitudinal profile and the layer or layers at the outside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the lower side of the longitudinal profile, in that subsequently both side walls are erected parallel to each other and at the desired mutual distances, that the cross beams are positioned between the inner walls of the longitudinal profiles facing each other, and in that finely these inner walls are welded to the head ends of the cross beams. As result of the mounting of each side wall out of at least three layers the possibility is obtained to glue the strip in the side wall as result of which all riveting is superfluous. Also the joining together of the side walls with the cross beams thereby is simple so many labour hours are saved. In the single drawing a cross section is shown of the corner between the side wall and the floor of the container according to the invention. The side wall comprises three layers of ply-wood indicated by 1, 2 and 3. The middle layer 2 for instance has a thickness of 3 mm the outer layer 1 for instance has a thickness of 6 mm and the outer layer 3 for instance has a thickness of 9 mm. Against the outer layer 3 still an aluminum covering layer 4 can be provided and also a plastic covering layer 5 against the inner layer 1. The cross beams 6 are steel I-profiles that commercially can be obtained. The longitudinal profile comprises a rectangular steel tube 7 that can be obtained on the market as also is the case with the steel flat strip 8 that is welded to the tube 7 in the extension of the right hand vertical wall. In mounting the side wall the lower edges of the layers 1, 2 and 3 3 are not at the same height. At the same time with the glueing of the layers 1, 2 and 3 the strip 8 is glued so that a rigid side wall is obtained with the rectangular tube 7 along the lower side The two side walls are directed vertically parallel to each other and on the desired distance on the floor of the work shop and are kept by a support or such (not shown). Subsequently the cross beams 6 are put down at the correct places between them on the floor after which the head ends are welded to the inner walls of the tubes 7 as indicated by 9. Subsequently the platform is glued to the beams 6 and the tubes 7. The not shown roof is connected in conventional manner to the side walls. By this mounting all riveting is avoided. With 11 still a covering strip of aluminum is indicated, which strip also is glued.

Claims: C 1 a i m 5. 1. Closed self supporting body for trucks or trailers comprising a number of mutually spaced cross beams, which are connected mutually at the ends, a platform on said cross beams, rigid side walls, each being connected at the lower side to a flat metal strip extending along the whole length of the side wall and a rigid fixed roof connected to the upper edges of the side walls, characterized in that each side wall comprises at least three layers preferably of ply-wood of which one or nore inner layers has or have about the same thickness as the strip of steel, which layer or layers extends or extend to the upper edge of the strip, that the layer or layers at the inside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the upper side of a steel longitudinal profile and the layer or layers at the outside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the lower side of the longitudinal profile in which the strip is glued between the layers present at the inside and the outside and forms one part with the longitudinal profile, which longitudinal profiles are welded to the head ends of the cross beams. 2. Body according to claim 1 characterized in that each longitudinal profile comprises a tube with rectangular cross section of which the height is about the same as the height of the cross beams and in that the flat strip lies in the same plane as the outer vertical wall of the tube while the inner vertical wall of the tube is welded to the head ends of the cross beams. 3. Method for making a body according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that firstly the side walls are composed by glueing on each other at least three layers preferably of ply-wood, in which at the same time the steel strip, that forms one part with the steel longitudinal profile is taken up in the side wall by glueing, in which one or more of the inner layers of the side wall has about the same thickness as the steel strip, which layer or layers extends or extend to the upper edge of the strip and in which the layer or layers present at the inside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the upper side of the longitudinal profile and the layer or layers at the outside of the inner layer or layers extends or extend to the lower side of the longitudinal profile, in that subsequently both side walls are erected parallel to each other and at the desired mutual distances, in that the cross beams are positioned between the inner walls of the longitudinal profiles facing each other, and in that finely these inner walls are welded to the head ends of the cross beams.

Inventors: HEIDA, ALLE
Applicants: HEIDA, ALLE
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B62D33
IPC codes: B62D33