Stress distributing cross-member for trailer

Abstract

A stress distributing cross member hanger system for an aluminum boat trailer includes a welded bracket assembly on an aluminum cross member for bolting the cross member to an aluminum side rail. The side rail can be either I-beam or tube shaped with mounting bolt holes through its web or side walls respectively. The cross member can be either tube shaped or I-beam shaped with a pair of aluminum brackets welded to either side at each end. The paired brackets are bolted to the side rail at the bolt holes. The length of the weld and the weld pattern is selected to distribute the stresses thereby reducing weld failures.

1 . A stress distributing cross member for a trailer, comprising: 
 a cross member; and    a pair of brackets on each end of said cross member, each said bracket having a leg thereof being welded to a side of said cross member, wherein said weld extends around said leg of said bracket.    
   
   
       2 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 1  wherein said bracket leg is sized and shaped to the size and shape of the side of said cross member to which it is welded, wherein said weld about the edges of said bracket leg is also about edges of said cross member.  
   
   
       3 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 2  wherein said bracket is L-shaped, having a transverse leg to said weld leg.  
   
   
       4 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 3  wherein said cross member is of aluminum alloy, and wherein said L-shaped bracket is of aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       5 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 4  wherein said weld is an MIG aluminum weld.  
   
   
       6 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 5  wherein said cross member and said L-bracket are of hardened aluminum alloy material.  
   
   
       7 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 6  wherein said hardened aluminum material is 6xxx series aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       8 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 6  wherein said hardened aluminum material is 5xxx series aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       9 . A stress distributing cross member for an aluminum side rail boat trailer, comprising: 
 an aluminum cross member; and    a first aluminum bracket boltable to said side rail and welded to said cross member;    wherein said weld forms a fish plate attachment structure of said bracket to said cross member.    
   
   
       10 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 9 , wherein said weld is a boxed weld pattern.  
   
   
       11 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 10 , wherein said cross member is a tube-shaped member with a rectangular tube cross section, and wherein said first bracket is an L-shaped plate.  
   
   
       12 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 10  wherein one leg of said first L-shaped plate bracket is welded on one leg thereof to a side of said tube-shaped cross member and is boltable to said side rail on the other leg thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 12  wherein said weld extends about each free edge of said first L-shaped bracket welded leg and along the bend forming the L-shape thereof.  
   
   
       14 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 13  wherein said first L-shaped bracket is positioned at the end of said tube-shaped cross member, and also including a second L-shaped bracket welded to the opposite side of said tube-shaped cross member juxtaposed said first L-shaped bracket.  
   
   
       15 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 14  wherein said tube-shaped cross member, and said first and second L-shaped brackets are of hardened aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       16 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 15  wherein said tube-shaped cross member and said first and second L-shaped brackets are tempered to a range of T5-T6.  
   
   
       17 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 15  wherein said tube-shaped cross member and said first and second L-shaped brackets are hardened aluminum alloy is in the range of 5xxx-6xxx series aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       18 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 16  wherein said welds are MIG welds.  
   
   
       19 . The stress distributing cross member of  claim 17  wherein said welds are MIG welds  
   
   
       20 . An aluminum cross member hanger system for a boat trailer, comprising: 
 an aluminum cross member; and    a pair of juxtaposed aluminum hanger brackets each being welded to opposite sides of said aluminum cross member;    wherein said hanger brackets each have a leg extending along the cross member from the end thereof; and    and wherein said weld extends completely about each said leg which extends along the cross member, said weld joining said bracket leg to said cross member in a stress distributing manner.