Dump trailer

Abstract

A dump trailer comprising a U-shaped trailer body having a bottom wall and opposing side walls. The trailer includes a curved front wall and a pivotable tailgate. The front wall is U-shaped when viewed from the top and angles upwardly and forwardly from the bottom wall. A support structure provided adjacent the front wall operatively engages hitch and lift assemblies. The support structure includes spaced-apart supports secured to the front wall; and spaced-apart horizontal beams secured to the supports. The beams extend through apertures in the front wall and into the compartment. This enables the trailer body to be lowered relative to the ground, thus lowering the center of gravity of the trailer. A wheel assembly mounts to the rear end of the trailer via a mounting plate curved complementary to the bottom wall. Cut-outs in the plate reduce the overall weight of the trailer.

1 . A dump trailer comprising:
 a trailer body having a bottom wall and two opposing side walls that are disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending between a front end and a rear end of the trailer body;   a front wall extending between the two side walls at the front end of the trailer body;   a tailgate pivotally mounted to a rear wall or one or both of the side walls at the rear end of the trailer body;   a compartment defined and bounded by the front wall, side walls, tailgate and bottom wall, said compartment being adapted to carry a load therein;   a support structure disposed adjacent the front wall; and wherein a portion of the support structure extends for a distance into the compartment; and   a hitch assembly operatively engaged with the support structure.   
     
     
         2 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the dump trailer has a center of gravity; and wherein extending the portion of the support structure for the distance into the compartment lowers the center of gravity of the dump trailer. 
     
     
         3 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall is positioned beneath the portion of the support structure and is lower relative to a road surface over which the dump trailer travels than would be the case if the support structure did not extend into the compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the support structure that extends into the compartment is disposed at least partially above the bottom wall of the trailer body. 
     
     
         5 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the support structure is disposed entirely above the bottom wall of the trailer body. 
     
     
         6 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the support structure that extends into the compartment comprises:
 a pair of spaced-apart beams; and   a pair of spaced-apart apertures defined in the front wall and wherein each beam passes through one of the apertures and is positioned such that a first section of each beam extends forwardly from an exterior surface of the front wall, and a second section of each beam extends rearwardly from an interior surface of the front wall.   
     
     
         7 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 6 , further comprising a face plate that covers at least one of the second sections of the beams disposed within the compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the support structure further comprises a pair of spaced-apart supports, each support engaged with and extending upwardly from one of the beams; and wherein the supports are secured to the exterior surface of the front wall. 
     
     
         9 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a top end of each of the supports is spaced a greater distance from the tailgate than is a bottom end of each support. 
     
     
         10 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 8 , wherein a central region of the front wall and both of the supports are inclined at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the bottom wall of the trailer body. 
     
     
         11 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the trailer further includes a lift assembly and a hitch assembly; and the lift assembly includes a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder; and wherein the cylinder is disposed between the supports; and wherein an end of the cylinder is operatively engaged with the hitch assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the pair of beams are horizontally oriented and the hitch assembly is operatively engaged with the pair of beams and extends downwardly therefrom. 
     
     
         13 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the support structure includes a pair of feet, each foot extending downwardly from one of the beams, said feet being seated on a complementary shaped seat provided on the hitch assembly when the trailer body is in a lowered position; and said feet being spaced a distance from the associated seat when the trailer body is in a raised position to dump a load from the compartment. 
     
     
         14 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the support structure that extends into the compartment comprises:
 a pair of spaced-apart beams; and   a pair of spaced-apart apertures defined partially in a region of the front wall and partially in a region of one or both of the side walls; and wherein each beam passes through one of the apertures and is positioned such that a first section of each beam extends forwardly from an exterior surface of the front wall, and a second section of each beam extends rearwardly from an interior surface of the front wall.   
     
     
         15 . A dump trailer comprising:
 a trailer body having a bottom wall and two opposing side walls that are disposed substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis extending between a front end and a rear end of the trailer body;   a front wall extending between the two side walls at the front end of the trailer body;   a pivotable tailgate provided at the rear end of the trailer body;   a compartment defined and bounded by the trailer body and adapted to carry a load therein; and   a mounting plate disposed adjacent the bottom wall proximate the rear end of the trailer; wherein the mounting plate is adapted to engage a wheel assembly; and wherein the bottom wall of the trailer body is arcuate when viewed from a rear end of the trailer; and the mounting plate has a curvature that is complementary to the arcuate bottom wall.   
     
     
         16 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising one or more cut-out regions defined in the mounting plate to reduce the dump trailer's weight. 
     
     
         17 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the trailer body is U-shaped when viewed from the rear end of the trailer and the trailer body is free of corners between the bottom wall and each of the side walls. 
     
     
         18 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 15 , wherein the front wall is arcuate when viewed from a lateral side of the trailer body and includes a peripheral edge that connects to each of the two side walls and the bottom wall; and an are bounded and defined by the peripheral edge and extending between the two side walls; and wherein the area is curved. 
     
     
         19 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a support structure disposed adjacent the front wall; and   a hitch assembly operatively engaged with the support structure.   
     
     
         20 . The dump trailer as defined in  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of the support structure extends for a distance into the compartment and the bottom wall is lowered relative to a road surface along which the dump trailer travels.