Trailer construction and joint for use therewith

Abstract

A wall for a truck bed and particularly for dump trucks includes planks joined to one another along their lengths and a cap member joined to the upper plank along their lengths. Adjacent planks are joined along respective connecting sides by engagement of a pivot of a first plank within a pivot-receiving slot of a second plank, rotation of the planks with respect to one another about the pivot and attachment by snap-fit engagement. The first plank connecting side includes an arcuate wing and the second plank connecting side includes an arcuate extension, the wing and extension being received respectively in a wing-receiving slot formed in the second plank and an extension-receiving slot formed in the first plank during the relative rotation of the planks. The cap member is joined to the upper plank in a similar manner except that attachment is by welding rather than snap-fit engagement.

1 . A wall comprising: 
 a first elongated member having a connecting side with a pivot and a arcuate wing; and    a second elongated member having a connecting side for connecting to the first member connecting side; the second member connecting side having a pivot-receiving slot for rotatably receiving the pivot and an arcuate wing-receiving slot for receiving the wing during relative rotation of at least one of the first and second members with respect to the other.    
   
   
       2 . The wall of  claim 1  wherein the pivot-receiving slot and the wing-receiving slot are separated by an arcuate extension; and wherein the pivot and the arcuate wing define there between an arcuate extension-receiving slot for receiving the extension during the relative rotation.  
   
   
       3 . The wall of  claim 2  wherein the first and second members are joined together by a snap-fit engagement.  
   
   
       4 . The wall of  claim 3  wherein the first member connecting side has first and second opposed edges; wherein the pivot and wing are adjacent the first edge; wherein a projection is adjacent the second edge; wherein the second member connecting side has first and second opposed edges; wherein the extension, pivot-receiving slot and the wing-receiving slot are each adjacent the first edge of the second member connecting side; and wherein the projection adjacent the second edge of the first member forms a snap-fit engagement with the second member adjacent the second edge of the second member connecting side when the first and second members are joined together.  
   
   
       5 . The wall of  claim 1  wherein the first member connecting side includes a projection spaced from the wing whereby the projection and the wing define an interior space there between; and wherein the second member connecting side includes a narrowed portion receivable within the interior space.  
   
   
       6 . The wall of  claim 5  wherein the first member connecting side has first and second edges; and wherein the pivot and wing are adjacent the first edge of the first member connecting side and the projection is adjacent the second edge thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The wall of  claim 6  wherein the second member connecting side has first and second edges; wherein the pivot-receiving slot and arcuate wing-receiving slot are adjacent the first edge; and wherein the narrowed portion includes a tapered wall adjacent the second edge of the second member connecting side.  
   
   
       8 . The wall of  claim 7  wherein the tapered wall includes an outwardly extending ledge and the projection includes an inwardly extending ledge adapted to connect to the ledge of the tapered wall in a snap-fit engagement.  
   
   
       9 . The wall of  claim 5  wherein the narrowed portion bounds a hollow interior of the second member.  
   
   
       10 . The wall of  claim 9  wherein each of the first and second members have a pair of spaced walls each extending from the respective connecting sides; and wherein each of the members is substantially hollow.  
   
   
       11 . The wall of  claim 10  wherein the second member includes a strengthening rib extending between and connected to each of the spaced walls; and wherein the strengthening rib, the narrowed portion and the spaced walls define the hollow interior of the second member.  
   
   
       12 . The wall of  claim 5  wherein each of the members is substantially hollow; wherein a pair of spaced walls extends respectively from the connecting side of each member; wherein a strengthening rib connects the spaced walls of the first member adjacent the connecting side thereof; wherein the narrowed portion includes a terminal wall which bounds a hollow interior of the second member and which is disposed adjacent the strengthening rib when the members are connected together.  
   
   
       13 . The wall of  claim 12  wherein a pair of spaced projections extend outwardly from the terminal wall and define there between a channel which faces the strengthening rib.  
   
   
       14 . The wall of  claim 13  wherein the spaced projections abut the strengthening rib when the two members are joined.  
   
   
       15 . A wall comprising: 
 a first hollow double-walled elongated member having a connecting side with first and second projections defining there between an interior space;    a second hollow double-walled elongated member having a connecting side with a narrowed portion including a terminal wall;    the first projection rotatably engaging the second member adjacent the narrowed portion whereby via rotation of at least one of the first and second members with respect to the other member about the first projection, the narrowed portion is receivable within the interior space; and    the two connecting sides being adapted to connect to one another to join the first and second members together.    
   
   
       16 . The wall of  claim 15  wherein the second projection and the narrowed portion are connected together by a snap fit engagement.  
   
   
       17 . The wall of  claim 15  wherein the first projection terminates in a pivot.  
   
   
       18 . The wall of  claim 17  wherein the connecting side of the second member includes a cantilevered arcuate extension defining a pivot-receiving slot for receiving the pivot during the rotation.  
   
   
       19 . The wall of  claim 18  wherein the first projection includes a cantilevered arcuate wing; wherein the wing and the pivot define there between an arcuate extension-receiving slot for receiving the extension during the rotation.  
   
   
       20 . The wall of  claim 19  wherein the connecting side of the second member includes an arcuate wing-receiving slot for receiving the wing during the rotation.  
   
   
       21 . A method of forming a wall comprising the steps of: 
 rotating at least one of a first member and a second member with respect to the other member whereby a pivot and a cantilevered arcuate wing of the first member are respectively received by a pivot-receiving slot and an arcuate wing-receiving slot of the second member;    connecting the two members rigidly together.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the connecting step includes forming a snap fit engagement between the two members to provide the rigid connection.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the first and second members are generally hollow; wherein the rotating step includes receiving a narrowed portion of the second member within an interior space defined between the wing and a projection of the first member; the narrowed portion including a terminal wall.