Abstract:
A fender assembly for a vehicle transport trailer includes a fender positioned over a side wheel of the transport trailer and a spring is coupled between the fender and the trailer frame. The spring urges the fender upward into an uncollapsed position wherein a portion of the fender is a first distance above the trailer platform. The spring also allows the fender to move downward to a collapsed position wherein the portion of the fender is a second, smaller distance above the trailer platform when the weight of a vehicle is placed on the fender. The fender assembly thereby allows the trailer to have a lower deck than conventional vehicle transport trailers.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to vehicle transport trailers. More particularly, it relates to a drive-over fender for a vehicle transport trailer that will collapse when a vehicle drives over it and return back to its original position as the vehicle weight is removed. 
         [0002]    Drive-over fenders have previously been used on vehicle transport trailers. Typically, such fenders are used on trailers designed for transporting heavy equipment or automobiles. Drive-over fenders are used in order to provide a trailer with a lower deck, which provides a number of advantages, including improved trailer stability and a lower ramp height, which allows for easier loading of a vehicle onto the deck. 
         [0003]    These previously-known drive-over fenders are positioned over the trailer tires and are fixed in height so that vehicles having a relatively wide wheelbase must drive over the fenders into position on the transport trailer. This requires the drive-over fenders to have a relatively low profile with respect to the trailer deck, i.e. to have a height that is a relatively small distance above the deck. Because the fenders also must have adequate clearance above the trailer tires, the required low profile of the fenders dictates the height of the deck above the ground and restricts the ability to provide a deck that is lower than that height. 
         [0004]    It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a drive-over fender for a transport trailer that allows the trailer to have a lower deck. 
         [0005]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    To achieve the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the invention as embodied and broadly described in this document, there is provided a fender assembly for a vehicle transport trailer. The fender assembly includes a fender positioned over a side wheel of the transport trailer. A spring is coupled between the fender and the trailer frame. The spring urges the fender upward into an uncollapsed position wherein a portion of the fender is a first distance above the trailer platform. The spring also allows the fender to move downward to a collapsed position wherein the portion of the fender is a second, smaller distance above the trailer platform when the weight of a vehicle is placed on the fender. The fender assembly thereby allows the trailer to have a lower deck than conventional vehicle transport trailers. 
         [0007]    According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the fender has a generally planar top portion with downwardly depending rear ramp, front ramp and side ramp portions. The fender is coupled to the trailer frame with coil springs and a leaf spring. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of a transport trailer with collapsible drive-over fenders according to the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the collapsible drive-over fenders of the trailer of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the fender&#39;s association with the trailer and supporting wheels. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a side perspective view of the collapsible drive-over fender assembly of  FIG. 1  showing the fender assembly in the collapsed position as a vehicle is moved onto the fender. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3B  is a side perspective view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the collapsed position showing the coil springs and coil spring supports in more detail. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the collapsed position showing the leaf spring support member and leaf springs in more detail. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an end perspective view of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the collapsed position with a vehicle tire resting on the fender. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the collapsed position showing the coil springs and coil spring support in more detail. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in a partially collapsed position showing the coil springs and coil spring support in more detail. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of a portion of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the uncollapsed position showing the coil springs and coil spring support in more detail. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the underside of the fender assembly of  FIG. 1  in the uncollapsed position showing the leaf springs and the leaf spring support in more detail. 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a transport trailer with collapsible drive-over fenders according to the present invention, wherein the fenders include hinged, arcuately-shaped members. 
           [0020]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged side perspective view of one of the collapsible drive-over fender assemblies of the trailer of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged perspective view of the collapsible drive-over fender of  FIG. 10  showing the fender in relation to the trailer platform. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Reference will now be made in more detail to presently preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention is described more fully with reference to these examples and drawings, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Rather, the description which follows is to be understood as a broad, teaching disclosure directed to persons of ordinary skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting upon the invention. 
         [0023]    Referring to the drawing figures, a fender assembly according to the present invention is generally designated by reference number  10 . As shown in the drawings, the fender assembly  10  is used in association with a vehicle transport trailer  12 . The trailer  12  includes a frame  14  that supports a generally planar, rectangular load supporting deck or platform  16  for supporting a vehicle to be transported  17 , such as a truck. A supporting front wheel  18  and rear wheel  20  are arranged in tandem and located along each side of the platform  16 . The wheels  18 ,  20  are mounted to the frame  14  in a conventional and well known manner. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 2-9 , the fender assembly  10  includes a fender  30  positioned over the trailer front wheel  18  and rear wheel  20  and within a cutout of the trailer platform  16 . The fender  30  has a generally planar top  31  with a downward depending rear ramp  32  and front ramp  33 . In addition, as shown in  FIG. 5 , a downward depending side ramp  35  extends along the length of the interior side of the fender top  31  and the rear and front ramps  33 . A fender bracket  34  is mounted to the bottom of each the fender rear ramp  32  and front ramp  33 . Each of the fender brackets  34  forms a tongue that extends underneath a portion of the platform  16 , as shown in  FIGS. 6-8 . The fender is typically made of metal or another suitably durable material that will not be damaged when a vehicle tire drives over it. In one presently preferred embodiment, the fender is fabricated from 12-gauge steel that is bent to form the fender ramps  32 ,  33 ,  35 , and the fender brackets  34  are fabricated from ½-inch plate steel (or two layers of ¼-inch plate steel) that are welded to each of the fender ramps  32 ,  33 . 
         [0025]    Still referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , the trailer frame  14  includes coil spring supports  38  that extend outwardly for supporting coil springs  40 . Each of the coil springs  40  is mounted between one of the coil spring supports  38  and one of the fender brackets  34  and is held in place by a bolt  50 , which extends through the interior of the spring  40 . Each bolt  50  extends through a corresponding hole in the spring support  38  and has a head  52  positioned below the spring support and a threaded end that is screwed into a threaded hole in the fender bracket  34 . Washers  53  can be placed on the bolt  50  below the spring support  38  to provide appropriate spacing to adjust the height of the fender  30  when the fender assembly  10  is in the uncollapsed position. 
         [0026]    As can be seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  9 , a pair of leaf springs  42  extends along a length of the underside of the fender top  31 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , each of the ends of the pair of leaf springs  42  is slidably coupled to the fender  30  as described below. The center of each leaf spring  42  is bolted to a leaf spring support  44 , which is fixedly mounted to and extends outwardly from the trailer frame  14  at a point between the wheels  18 ,  20 . The leaf spring support  44  and leaf springs  42  support the center of the fender  30  and put upward tension on it. A transverse leaf spring rod  43  is connected to each of the front and rear ends of each pair of leaf springs  42 . A pair of spaced rod channels  45  is disposed on the bottom of the fender  30  parallel to the leaf springs  42 . The ends of the transverse rods  43  are disposed within the channels  45  so that as the leaf springs  42  flex up and down, the leaf spring rods  43  slide back and forth within the channels  45 . The length of the channels  45  is greater than that of the leaf springs  42 , so that when the fender  30  is in the fully collapsed position (see, e.g.,  FIG. 4 ), the transverse rods  43  do not slide out of the ends of the channels  45 . 
         [0027]    In this configuration, when no weight is placed on the fender  30 , the coil springs  40  and leaf springs  42  urge the fender  30  upward into an uncollapsed position (see  FIGS. 2 and 8 ) above and clear of the tires mounted on the side wheels  18 ,  20 . In this uncollapsed position, the fender rear, front and side ramps  32 ,  33 ,  35  contact the underside of the trailer platform  16 . When sufficient weight, such as that of the vehicle being transported, is placed on the fender  30 , the coil springs  40  and leaf springs  42  are compressed and the fender  30  moves downward toward the wheels  18 ,  20  into a collapsed position (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 4 and 6 ). Thus, the fender assembly  10  allows for movement of the fender  30  between an uncompressed position above the tires mounted on the side wheels and a compressed position closer to the tires mounted on the side wheels. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 10-12 , an alternative embodiment of a fender assembly  10  according to the invention is shown. The fender assembly  10  includes a front fender member  30   a  positioned over the trailer front wheel  18  and a rear fender member  30   b  positioned over the rear wheel  20 . Each of the front fender member  30   a  and rear fender member  30   b  is generally arc-shaped. Between the front fender member  30   a  and the rear fender member  30   b  is a middle fender member  30   c  that is mounted to and forms part of the vehicle frame so that its top surface forms a generally planar extension of the platform  16 . Each of the rear end of the front fender member  30   a  and the front end of the rear fender member  30   b  is connected to the middle fender member  30   c  with hinges (not shown). A fender bracket  34  similar to that previously described is mounted to the front fender member  30   a  at the end that is forward of the front wheel  18 . A similar fender bracket  34  is mounted to the rear fender member  30   b  at the end that is rearward of the rear wheel  20 . Each of the fender brackets  34  forms a tongue that extends underneath a portion of the platform  16 . 
         [0029]    Spring supports  38  are connected to and extend outwardly from the trailer frame  14  for supporting coil springs  40 . Each of the coil springs  40  is mounted between one of the coil spring supports  38  and one of the fender brackets  34 , in a manner similar to that previously described. 
         [0030]    In this configuration, when no weight is placed upon the front or rear fender members  30   a ,  30   b , the springs  40  urge those fender members  30   a ,  30   b  upward into the uncollapsed position (see  FIGS. 10-12 ) above and clear of the tires mounted on the side wheels  18 ,  20 , with the rear end of the front fender member  30   a  and the front end of the rear fender member  30   b  contacting the underside of the trailer platform  16 . When sufficient weight, such as that of the vehicle being transported, is placed on either of the front or rear fender member  30   a ,  30   b , the springs  40  are compressed and each of the fender member  30   a ,  30   b  pivots about its hinge downward toward the wheels  18 ,  20  into a collapsed position where the fender member  30   a ,  30   b  rests on the tire mounted on the wheel  18 ,  20 . When the vehicle weight is removed, such as when a vehicle drives off the fender members  30   a ,  30   b , the fender members will return to their original uncollapsed position. 
         [0031]    A further aspect of the alternative embodiment of  FIGS. 10-12  is that the front and rear fender members  30   a ,  30   b  also can serve as a chock for a vehicle positioned on the trailer. Each of the front and rear fender members  30   a ,  30   b  can compress to allow the vehicle tire to rest on the middle fender member  30   c  and then the compressed fender member  30   a ,  30   b  will pop-up to abut the back of the vehicle&#39;s tire, effectively automatically chocking the vehicle tire between the front and rear fender members  30   a ,  30   c.    
         [0032]    From the foregoing it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that a drive-over fender assembly and vehicle transport trailer in accordance with the present invention have numerous advantages. The drive-over fender provides adequate clearance above the trailer tires while at the same time allowing the transport trailer to have a lower deck. 
         [0033]    Having read this disclosure, it will also be understood by those having skill in the art that the modifications may be made to the invention. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative devices, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept.