Abstract:
A goose neck trailer with a pair of side rails has a goose neck hitch attached to the side rails and defined by two side members extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and converging inwardly and forwardly to the hitch coupling with a series of cross-members interconnecting the side members to form an integral rigid structure. The side members are formed from two shaped plate elements including an inner plate element and an outer plate element both of which are bent to follow a generally parallel path with a space therebetween with each plate element being cut as an integral sheet portion from a sheet of metal and a varying space between the two plate elements being at least partly closed by a top cover plate and by a bottom plate each welded at its edges to the plate elements and leaving a bottom opening between the plates to receive the side rails.

Description:
[0001]     This invention relates to a goose neck trailer and particularly to a novel construction of the goose neck hitch which extends from the side rails of the trailer to the hitch coupling.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Typically goose neck trailers include a trailer frame having two side rails which are carried on suitable ground wheels and which provide support for whatever load carrying elements are required on the trailer.  
         [0003]     The hitch section itself comprises a welded structure attached to the side rails at the forward end and extending there from upwardly and forwardly to a central hitch coupling at a position raised above the side rails and forwardly of the side rails.  
         [0004]     Conventionally the hitch structure itself is formed from welded rectangular tubular members including side members which extend upwardly, forwardly and then generally inwardly to the coupling together with transverse connecting beams which form the hitch into a rigid structure.  
         [0005]     The arrangement has been used conventional and widely for many years and is widely accepted. However opportunities remain for an improved structure which has potential advantages of improved strength, improved economies of manufacture and improved aesthetic appearance.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is one object of the invention to provide a goose neck trailer having an improved construction of goose neck hitch.  
         [0007]     According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a goose neck trailer comprising:  
         [0008]     a trailer frame including a pair of side rails;  
         [0009]     a goose neck hitch attached to a forward end of each of the side rails and extending therefrom to a center hitch coupling at a position forwardly from and at a height above the side rails;  
         [0010]     the goose neck hitch comprising:  
         [0011]     two side members each connected to a respective one of the side rails and having a first portion extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and a second portion converging inwardly and forwardly to the hitch coupling;  
         [0012]     and a plurality of cross-members interconnecting the side members to form an integral rigid structure;  
         [0013]     the side members each being formed from two shaped plate elements including an inner plate element and an outer plate element both of which are bent to follow a generally parallel path with a space therebetween;  
         [0014]     each plate element being cut as an integral sheet portion from a sheet of metal;  
         [0015]     the space between the two plate elements being at least partly closed by a top cover plate welded at its edges to the two plate elements and by a bottom plate welded at its edges to the plate elements.  
         [0016]     Preferably the space between the two side members varies along the length thereof.  
         [0017]     Preferably the space between the two side members is increased at the respective side rail so as to receive the respective side rail therebetween.  
         [0018]     Preferably the top cover plate and the bottom plate stop at a position spaced from a lower most edge of the side members so that the side members are open at the lowermost edge so as to receive the respective side rail therebetween.  
         [0019]     Preferably the outer plate element is larger in width than the inner plate element at at least one position along the length of the plate elements such that an edge thereof extends beyond the top cover plate.  
         [0020]     Preferably the side members define a raised horizontal section above the side rails and wherein at the raised horizontal section the outer plate element has a top edge which is higher than the inner plate element at such that an edge flange portion thereof extends beyond the top cover plate.  
         [0021]     Preferably there are a plurality of rails connecting the side members at the horizontal section and where in the rails have a top surface substantially coincident with the top plate.  
         [0022]     Preferably the edge flange portion includes a series of longitudinally spaced holes.  
         [0023]     Preferably each of the side members includes a generally upwardly extending section at the bottom of which is attached the respective side rail and a generally horizontally extending section extending forwardly from a top of the vertical section and wherein each of the inner and outer plate elements has top and bottom edges which are smoothly curved from the generally upwardly extending section to the generally horizontally extending section.  
         [0024]     Preferably each of the inner and outer plate elements is bent at a junction between the first and second portions of the side members.  
         [0025]     Preferably each of the inner and outer plate elements increases in width at a junction between the generally horizontally extending section and the generally upwardly extending section.  
         [0026]     Preferably the top and bottom plates are divided into separate sections along their length.  
         [0027]     According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a goose neck trailer comprising:  
         [0028]     a trailer frame including a pair of side rails;  
         [0029]     a goose neck hitch attached to a forward end of each of the side rails and extending therefrom to a center hitch coupling at a position forwardly from and at a height above the side rails;  
         [0030]     the goose neck hitch comprising:  
         [0031]     two side members each connected to a respective one of the side rails and having a first portion extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and a second portion converging inwardly and forwardly to the hitch coupling;  
         [0032]     and a plurality of cross-members interconnecting the side members to form an integral rigid structure;  
         [0033]     the side members each including an outer plate element which is cut as an integral sheet portion from a sheet of metal;  
         [0034]     wherein the side members each includes a generally upwardly extending section at the bottom of which is attached the respective side rail and a generally horizontally extending section extending forwardly from a top of the vertical section;  
         [0035]     wherein the outer plate elements have top and bottom edges which are smoothly curved from the generally upwardly extending section to the generally horizontally extending section;  
         [0036]     and wherein the outer plate elements are bent at a junction between the first and second portions of the side members.  
         [0037]     According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a goose neck trailer comprising:  
         [0038]     a trailer frame including a pair of side rails;  
         [0039]     a goose neck hitch attached to a forward end of each of the side rails and extending therefrom to a center hitch coupling at a position forwardly from and at a height above the side rails;  
         [0040]     the goose neck hitch comprising:  
         [0041]     two side members each connected to a respective one of the side rails and having a first portion extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom and a second portion converging inwardly and forwardly to the hitch coupling;  
         [0042]     and a plurality of cross-members interconnecting the side members to form an integral rigid structure;  
         [0043]     the side members each including an outer plate element which is cut as an integral sheet portion from a sheet of metal;  
         [0044]     wherein the side members each includes a generally upwardly extending section at the bottom of which is attached the respective side rail and a generally horizontally extending section extending forwardly from a top of the vertical section;  
         [0045]     a plurality of rails extending across between the side members in the generally horizontally extending section;  
         [0046]     wherein the outer plate elements have, in the generally horizontally extending section, a top edge which is raised above a top surface of the rails to define an upwardly extending edge flange portion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0047]     One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0048]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view from the bottom and one side of a hitch structure for the trailer according to the present invention.  
         [0049]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view from the top and one side of the hitch structure of  FIG. 1  including the side rails of the trailer.  
         [0050]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the hitch structure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 4  is a front elevational view of the hitch structure of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged front elevational view showing the connection of the side frame members to the bottom of the hitch structure.  
         [0053]      FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the hitch structure of  FIG. 1  and including the side rails of the trailer.  
         [0054]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view along the lines  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6  on an enlarged scale. 
     
    
       [0055]     In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0056]     Turning primarily to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown the front section of a trailer where the trailer itself is constructed of two side rails  10  and  11  which area attached at the forward end to a hitch construction  12  providing a hitch coupling  13  for the trailer. The hitch coupling is in the form of a tube or sleeve which engages over a suitable pin on the tractor vehicle. In general arrangements of this type are well known and are formed from welded tubular elements to form the required structure which has sufficient strength to communicate the loads from the side rails  10  and  11  of the trailer to the hitch coupling  13  sitting on the pin of the tractor.  
         [0057]     The hitch construction forms a rigid integral structure defined by two side members  14  and  15  which include a first generally upstanding section  16 , a second generally horizontal section  17  and a second portion defining a forwardly and inwardly extending portion  18  which extends from the width of the side rails  10  and  11  inwardly and forwardly to the hitch coupling  13 .  
         [0058]     In addition the side members  14  and  15  are interconnected by a plurality of transverse beams  19 ,  20  and  21  together with a plurality of transverse rails  22 . The transverse beam  19  is arranged across the front portions  18  and is welded at its ends to the portions  18 . The cross sectional shape of the transverse  19  can be selected as required depending upon the strength required and the in the embodiment shown it is angle iron. The transverse beams  20 ,  21  and  24  are located in the generally upstanding or vertical sections  16  with the transverse beam  20  being located to span across between the rails  10  and  11  on the inside of the side members. The transverse beam  20  is located just above the beam  21  and the transverse beam  24  is located at the top or the junction between the generally upstanding section  16  and the generally horizontal extending section  17 . Again the shape of the beams  20 ,  21  and  24  can vary in dependence upon requirements and these may be tubular, I beams, channels or the like depending upon the structural requirements.  
         [0059]     The rails  22  extend across between the horizontal section  17  and are formed as angle irons with a top horizontal flange of the angle iron in a top plane of the side members so as to form therewith a common horizontal surface for supporting decking. The vertical flange of the angle of each rail  22  extends vertically downwardly and the ends of the rails are welded to the inside surface of the side members.  
         [0060]     Each of the side members is formed from an inner plate  30 , an outer plate  31 , a top cover plate  32  and a bottom plate  33 . The two side members are identical and symmetrical so only one will be described. The outer plate  31  and the inner plate  30  are both formed from a singly element cut form a sheet metal plate so as to extend as a continuous sheet metal plate from the lower end at the rails to the upper end at the coupling. The outer plate  31  is cut to form an upper edge  35  and a bottom edge  36 . As shown best in  FIG. 6 , the upper edge  35  commences at a flared portion  35 A at the side rail so that bottom apex  35 B is spaced along the rail from the main vertical portion  35 C of the top edge  35 . This defines an incline section  35 A which increase the width of the bottom edge  37 . The top edge  35  thus extends vertically upwardly in the vertical section  35 C to a top curve  35 D which smoothly turns from the vertical section  35 C to the horizontal section  35 E. The horizontal section  35 E extends forwardly to the forward edge  38  of the horizontal portion at which there is a bend line  39  to form the second potion  18  which extends inwardly to the coupling  13 . Thus rearwardly of the bend line  39  the remainder of the outer plate  31  lies in a common plane which is coincident with the plane of the outside surface of the rail.  
         [0061]     Forwardly of the bend line  39 , the forward most portion of the plate  31  is also planar and extends inwardly in a portion  35 G. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the portion  35 G is inclined from the top edge portion  35 E forwardly and downwardly to the coupling  13 . Thus the apex  35 H is below the height of the portion  35 E of the top edge and located below the top surface of the rails  22  and the adjacent section of the top plate  32 .  
         [0062]     The bottom edge  36  generally follows the top edge  35 . However the width of the plate varies along its length by different shaping of the bottom edge  33  relative to the top edge  35 . Thus the top edge  36  includes a bottom section  36 A adjacent the portion  35 A but that portion does not follow the inclined shape of portion  35 A so that the width of the plates increases toward apex  35 B and the corresponding bottom apex  36 B. In the vertical section the width remains substantially constant except that the curvature at the section  36 D is of a larger radius so is curves more slowly thus increasing the width of the plate between the portion  35 D and  36 D so as to provide increase strength in this area. The bottom edge includes a further horizontal section  36 E generally following the path of the top edge  35 E extending again to the bend line  39 . In the section in front of the bend line, the bottom edge  36 G generally follows the top edge  35 G to the coupling  13  but is inclined at a slightly greater angle downwardly so that the width of the plate slightly increases as it approaches the coupling  13 . This again provides increased strength at the forward area.  
         [0063]     The inner plate  30  follows substantially exactly the shape of the outer plate  31  with two exceptions. Firstly the top edge  30 E in the horizontal section is lower than the top edge  35 E so that the top edge  35 E forms an upstanding flange portion  40  above the top plate  32  and the tope edge  30 E. This flange portion is visible on the outside and covers edges of the decking extending across the cover plate  32  and the rails  22 . The flange  40  commences at the portion  35 D so that the curvature is slightly less than the curvature of the inner plate  30  thus causing the edge to rise to a height greater than the height of the edge  30 E of the plate  30 . The raised flange  40  continues to the bend line  39  and then gradually declines from a common height along the horizontal section to the forward end of the second portion  18  at the coupling  13 . This provides an attractive appearance of the structure. Holes  41  are provided in the flange  40  at spaced positions along the flange again to provided an attractive appearance. The holes are elongate with bridge sections between the holes. End ones of the holes are shaped with inclined top edges to match the incline of the corresponding top edge of the flange.  
         [0064]     The second difference between the inner plate and the outer plate is that the inner plate  30  is bent at a first bend line  42  and a second bend line  43  so that the spacing between the plates increases by an inclined section between the bend lines  42  and  43  and by a vertical section parallel to the outer plate  31  at the rails  10  and  11 . Thus the outer plate  31  lies in a common plane with the outer surface of the rails where as the inner plate  30  is located outwardly of the inner surface of the rails with the bottom portion only below the bend line  43  and indicated at  44  inside the rail so as to be attached to the inside surface of the rail.  
         [0065]     In addition the spacing between the outer plate  31  and the inner plate  30  is slightly modified at the bend lines  39  since the bind line  39  of the outer plate  31  is spaced slightly forward of the bend line  39  to the plate  30  thus increasing the spacing between the plates in the area at the rear of the second potion  18 .  
         [0066]     The top cover plate  32  is formed in a front section which covers the top of the second potion  18  and forms an apex section  32 A at the coupling  13 . The apex section  32 A includes a rearwardly extending tab  32 B rearward of the coupling  13 . A bend line  32 C is located at the forward end of the flange  40  since there is a bend at that point extending downwardly to the apex  35 H. The top plate further includes rearwardly extending sections  32 D which extend backwardly from the bend line  32 C to the rear end of the second portion  18  to a rear edge  32 E of the front cover plate portion. The V-shaped section is thus formed in one plate by cutting from sheet metal. The cover plate is then formed by a second section  32 F which extends form the edge  32 E rearwardly along the horizontal section of the side members and through the vertical section of the side members to a bottom edge  32 G. The cover plate is finally formed by rear small section  32 H which passes through the bend lines  42  and  43  and thus is shaped to match increase in width between the plates  30  and  31  at the bend lines  42  and  43 . The bottom edge  32 H is positioned to sit on top of the respective side rail.  
         [0067]     The bottom plate is manufactured in similar sections matching the section previously described in respect of the top plate. However the bottom portion  33 A of the bottom plate extends downwardly to a bottom edge  33 B which is coincident with the bottom edges of the side plates  30  and  31  to close off the front of the side plates to the bottom to receive the rail behind the plate portion  33 A.  
         [0068]     Each of the plates  30 ,  31 ,  32  and  33  is individually formed from sheet metal by cutting and bending to the required shaped described above. Thus the sheet is initially planar and is cut to the required shape initially and then bent using commercially available equipment. The plates are then welded at the respective edges to form the side members each defined by a box section. However the box section structure thus form can take the complex shape set forth above to provide the attractive shape, strength characteristics and convenience of manufacture available from the cutting and bending techniques.  
         [0069]     Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without department from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.