US 5,613,726 AGranted

Livestock trailer including improved trailer slat unit

Assignee4-Star Trailers, Inc.

InventorsKenneth E. Hobbs, Kenneth R. Waller, Larry A. O'Pecko, Mike H. Collie, Jr.

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Abstract

An extruded, one-piece metal slat unit for attachment to a frame member of a trailer. The slat unit includes an elongated body portion having at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along the interior surface of the body portion between the ends thereof. The leg member includes a foot portion suitable for welding to the frame member. The foot portion is spaced from the interior surface of the body portion such that an open space is provided therebetween. The open space dissipates heat generated during the welding process thereby preventing nonaesthetic weld and heat track marks from appearing on the exterior surface of the slat unit and hence the trailer. A livestock trailer including the slat unit is also provided.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A livestock trailer comprising:

first side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit inter-connecting said first and second side posts of said first side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer;
a second side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at last one slat unit inter-connecting said first and second side posts of said second side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer, each of said slat units of said first and second side assemblies being extruded as a one-piece unit out of metal and including:
an elongated body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first edge, a second edge, a first end and a second end, said interior surface having a series of alternating longitudinally extending furrows and longitudinally extending ridges therein;
and
at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second ends thereof and positioned on said interior surface of said body portion between said first end second edge thereof, said leg member having a foot portion attached to said first and second side posts of one of said first and second side assemblies, said foot portion being spaced from said interior surface of said body portion such that an open space is provided therebetween for dissipating heat generated from attaching said foot portion to said side posts;
and
at least one cross member connecting said first side assembly and said second side assembly together.

4 more elements

A livestock trailer comprising:

a trailer body including:
a first side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit interconnecting said first and second side posts of said first side assembler and forming a side wall of said trailer body:
a second side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit interconnecting said first and second side posts of said second side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer body, each of said slat units of said first and second side assemblies being extruded as a one-piece unit out of metal and including:
an elongated body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first edge, a second edge, a first end and a second end, said interior surface said body portion of each of said slat having a series of alternating longitudinally extending furrows and longitudinally extending ridges therein;
and
at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second ends thereof and positioned on said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second edges thereof, said leg member having a foot portion attached to said first and second side posts of one of said first and second side assemblies, said foot portion being spaced from said interior surface said body portion such that an open space is provided therebetween for dissipating heat generated from attaching said foot portion to said side posts;
and
at least one cross member connecting said first side assembly and said second side assembly together;
a wheel assembly connected to said trailer body;
and coupler means connected to said trailer body for attaching said trailer to a vehicle.

7 more elements

A livestock trailer comprising:

a first side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit interconnecting said first and second side posts of said first side assembly said forming a side wall of said trailer;
a second side assembly including a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit interconnecting said first and second side posts of said second side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer, each of said slat units of said first and second side assemblies being extruded as a one-piece unit out of metal and including:
an elongated body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first edge, a second edge, first end and a second end, said interior surface having a series of alternating longitudinally extending indentations and longitudinally extending ridges therein;
and
at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second ends thereof and positioned on said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second edges thereof, said leg member having a foot portion attached to said first and second side posts of one of said first and second side assemblies, said foot portion being spaced from said interior surface of said body portion such that an open space is provided therebetween for dissipating heat generated from attaching said foot portion to said side posts;
an underlying frame connecting said first side assembly and said second side assembly together;
a wheel assembly connected to said underlying frame:
and
coupler means connected to said underlying frame for attaching said trailer to a vehicle.

6 more elements

An improved livestock trailer of the type including a first side assembly, a second side assembly, a plurality of cross members connecting the first and second side assemblies together, a wheel assembly and a coupler unit for attaching the trailer to a vehicle, wherein the first and second side assemblies each include a first side post, a second side post and at least one slat unit interconnecting the first and second side posts of the corresponding side assembly and forming a side wall of the trailer, the improvement wherein each of said slat units is extruded as a one-piece unit out of metal and comprises:

an elongated body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first, edge, a second edge, a first end and a second end, said interior surface having a series of alternating longitudinally extending furrows and longitudinally extending ridges therein;
and
at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along said interior surface of said body portion between said firs and second end thereof and positioned on said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second edges thereof, said leg member having a foot portion attached to said first and second side posts of one of said first and second side assemblies, said foot portion being spaced from said interior surface of said body portion such that an open space is provided therebetween for dissipating heat generated from attaching said foot portion to said side posts.

A livestock trailer comprising:

a trailer body including:
a first side assembly including a top rail unit, a bottom rail unit, a plurality of side posts connecting said top rail unit and said bottom rail unit of said first side assembly together and at least one metal slat unit welded to said side posts of said first side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer;
a second side assembly including a top rail unit, a bottom rail unit, a plurality of side posts connecting said top rail unit and said bottom rail unit of said second side assembly together and at least one metal slat unit welded to said side posts of said second side assembly and forming a side wall of said trailer, each of said slat units of said first and second side assemblies being an extruded, one-piece unit and including:
an elongated, corrugated body portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, a first edge, a second edge, a first end and a second end, said exterior surface and said interior surface each including a series of alternating longitudinally extending indentations and longitudinally extending ridges therein;
and
at least one leg member connected to and longitudinally extending along said interior surface of said body portion from said first end to said second end thereof and positioned on said interior surface of said body portion between said first and second edges thereof, said leg member having a pair of foot portions extending in opposite directions, each of said foot portions being welded to a side post of one of said first and second side assemblies and being spaced from said interior surface of said body portion such that an open space is provided between the foot portion and said interior surface for dissipating heat generated from welding the foot portion to said side post;
a plurality of upper cross members connecting said top rail units of said first and second side assemblies together;
a roof unit attached to at least one of said upper cross members;
a plurality of lower cross members connecting said bottom rail units of said first and second side assemblies together;
and
a floor unit attached to at least one of said lower cross members;
a wheel assembly connected to said trailer body;
and coupler means connected to said trailer body for attaching said trailer to a vehicle.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.