Reinforced Bi-Modal Open Top Trash/Refuse Trailer

Abstract

An open top trash refuse hauling trailer as used in highway transportation, is modified for bi modal application in railway hauling in a train of other bi modal trailers or conventional railway cars. The open top trailer is structurally reinforces to compensate for the forces of torsion, bending, tension, and compression, from railway usage, with the same efficiencies as when used on the highway, in single or tandem hauling.

1 . An open top trash refuse bi-modal vehicle convertible from highway travel to railway travel and conversely, by an interchangeable highway wheel assembly, displace able from a highway use position when the open top trash refuse vehicle is adapted for railway use, and by an interchangeable railway bogie wheel assemble, displace able from a railway use position when the open top trash refuse vehicle is adapted to highway use, with the improvement comprising,
 a open top trash refuse hauling vehicle with a bottom, top, front, back and sides and partially enclosing an interior space, by connecting side panels, front panel, back panel and bottom panel;   an opening into said interior space, located at said top of said trash refuse hauling vehicle and defined substantially by said side panels and said front panel and said back panel;   a plurality of reinforcing members attached to said side panels and extending respectively from said bottom panel to said top, of said trash refuse hauling vehicle.   
   
   
       2 . The open top trash refuse vehicle of  claim 1 , comprising,
 a plurality of reinforcing members attached to said front panel or said back panel and extending respectively from said bottom panel to said top, of said trash refuse hauling vehicle.   
   
   
       3 . The open top trash refuse vehicle of  claim 2 , wherein said trash refuse vehicle enclosed a longitudinal axis parallel to said side panels and passing through said front panel and said back panel and through said interior space; and
 a plurality of said reinforcing members are orthogonal to said longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       4 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of said reinforcing members are in a cross pattern, parallel to said longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       5 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein a plurality of said reinforcing members are in a cross pattern, orthogonal to said longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       6 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 4 , wherein said reinforcing members are attached to said side panels. 
   
   
       7 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein said reinforcing members are attached to said front panel or said back panel or said bottom panel. 
   
   
       8 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing member is an open channel reinforcing member, or a closed channel reinforcing member or an I beam reinforcing member. 
   
   
       9 . The open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein said reinforcing members are attached to said side panels or to said front panel or to said back panel or to said bottom panel, by tabs, partly coextensive with a surface of said reinforcing members and partly coextensive with said side panels or said front or back panel, or said bottom panel. 
   
   
       10 . An open top trash hauling vehicle of  claim 8 , wherein said reinforcing members are attached to said side panels or to said front panel or to said back panel or to said bottom panel, by a welded connection, partly coextensive with a surface of said reinforcing members and partly coextensive with said side panels or said front or back panel, or said bottom panel. 
   
   
       11 . An open top trash refuse vehicle convertible from highway travel to railway travel and conversely, by an interchangeable highway wheel assembly, displace able from a highway use position when the open top trash refuse vehicle is adapted for railway use, and by an interchangeable railway bogie wheel assemble, displace able from a railway use position when the open top trash refuse vehicle is adapted to highway use, with the improvement comprising,
 container means for trash refuse;   said container means including side panel means, front panel means, back panel means and bottom panel means, enclosing an interior space extending from said bottom panel means and said side panel means and said front panel means and said back panel means, to the top of said container means;   said container means including a longitudinal axis means parallel to said side panel means and orthogonal to said front panel means and said back panel means;   said container means including a port means at said top of said container means, opposed to said bottom panel means, parallel to said longitudinal axis, and bounded by said side panel means, said front panel means, and said back panel means;   said container means including reinforcing means and means for attaching said reinforcing means to said side panel means, said front panel, or said back panel, substantially from said bottom panel means to said port means.   
   
   
       12 . The open top trash refuse vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein,
 said reinforcing members are parallel to said longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       13 . The open top trash refuse An open top trash refuse vehicle of  claim 12 , wherein, said reinforcing means are orthogonal to said longitudinal axis. 
   
   
       14 . The open top trash refuse vehicle of  claim 11 , wherein,
 said reinforcing means are in a cross pattern orthogonal to said longitudinal axis or parallel to said longitudinal axis.   
   
   
       15 . A method of transporting trash refuse in a bi modal convertible highway and railway use vehicle, comprising the steps of,
 loading a bi-modal open top trash refuse highway trailer;   converting said trash refuse loaded bi modal open top trailer from highway use to railway use;   coupling said bi modal open top loaded trailer to a train of railway vehicles;   transporting said bi modal open top loaded trailer over a railway;   converting said bi modal open top trailer from railway use to highway use.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , including the step of transporting said bi-modal trailer over a highway to a dump site. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , including the step of transporting said loaded bi-modal trailer over a highway to a railway.