Patent ID: 8708636

Claim:
For use in combination with a plurality of reciprocating floor slats that unload material as a load-carrying floor between parallel side walls of a trailer, the reciprocating slats being spaced apart and carried by a plurality of stationary load-bearing slats, the stationary slats being fixed in position and non-moving relative to the material, an improved outer reciprocating slat that is positioned on the outer-most lateral side of the plurality of reciprocating floor slats, nearest the trailer's respective side wall, wherein the outer reciprocating slat is supported by at least one stationary slat, the outer reciprocating slat including a load bearing surface that reciprocates adjacent to the trailer side wall, the load bearing surface having a portion that extends laterally, along the length of the slat, and upwardly and toward the trailer's side wall, the laterally and upwardly extending portion of the load bearing surface of the outer reciprocating slat having an edge that terminates near the trailer's side wall in a manner so that the edge is above the normal load-carrying floor elevation of the plurality of reciprocating floor slats that are inward of the outer slat, to facilitate the prevention of material from being captured between the outer slat and the trailer wall.