Convertible flatbed utility stock trailer

[0002] None

[0003] 1. Field of Invention

[0004] The invention is a utility trailer incorporating a flatbed trailer combined with a detachable stock trailer shell, a removable center divider and a removable fabric roof cover, allowing use of the trailer as an open flat bed, an open stock trailer with one or two stalls, or a covered stock trailer.

[0005] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0006] The following United States patents were discovered and are disclosed within this application for utility patent. All relate to trailers, some even having conversion features. In U.S. Pat. No 3,473,679 to Weichel, a multi-purpose agricultural vehicle is disclosed having several variations on a basic trailer frame. However, none of the variations disclose a stock trailer conversion unit with a removable fabric roof segment, nor do they include a removable divider within the stock trailer unit. A portable stock corral is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,836 to Smith. A convertible livestock trailer and grain trailer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,044 to Hoffman having a plurality of movable ramps with a second purpose of defining a grain hopper, the device including a removable tarp during use as a grain hauling trailer.

[0007] A convertible horse-drawn wagon convertible to a two wheeled towing trailer is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,046 to Rutherford. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,498,418 to Chumley, a cattle car which is also suited for grain transport especially suited for poor weather transport, the invention including a climate control system for maintaining a suitable environment within the invention. A truck trailer with a removable rack for loading and unloading livestock.

[0008] The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a singular trailer which may be used as a flatbed trailer or a stock trailer, the invention having a basic flat bed trailer with side rails and a floor, but also including a streamlined stock trailer shell which is attached to the floor of the flatbed trailer by a plurality of shell clip, attached to the stock trailer shell inserted and locked into an equal plurality of shell clip receivers embedded within the floor of the flatbed trailer. Additionally, the stock trailer shell contains a multiplicity of fastening devices which engage an equal multiplicity of fasteners affixed to a removable fabric cloth allowing for the covered and dry transport of the livestock in in climate weather conditions. At least two removable arched stays attach to the stock trailer shell to provide support to the removable fabric cloth when engaged upon the stock trailer shell.

[0009] The stock trailer shell includes a pair of hinged doors at the rear of the stock trailer shell and also includes a removable central divided panel to separate the stock trailer shell into separate compartments within the stock trailer shell for hauling more than one animal.

[0010] The following drawings are submitted with this utility patent application.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a view of the shell attachment means, including a shell clip, a clip pin and a wire cotter and the clip receiver in the floor of the flatbed trailer.

[0013] FIG. 3 is a view of the shell anchor bracket in the interior wall of the contoured front panel, and the removable center divider, including the reinforced divider slot, a connector pin and a wire cotter.

[0014] FIG. 4 is a view of a removable roof cover, including a snap collar affixed to the removable cover and a snap base attached to the upper perimeter of the stock trailer shell.

[0015] The invention, as shown in FIGS. 1-4 of the drawings, is a convertible utility and stock trailer utilizing a base flatbed trailer with detachable components providing optional use as a stock trailer for the transport of livestock, the invention comprising a flatbed trailer 10 having a trailer hitch 12, a floor 14, a perimeter railing 16 and at least two two-wheeled axles 18, a stock trailer shell 30 having a contoured front portion 32, two side panel portions 34, an upper perimeter 36 and a bottom perimeter 38, a means 50 of attaching the bottom perimeter 38 of the stock trailer shell 30 to the floor 14 of the flatbed trailer 10, a removable center divider panel 80 attaching to the stock trailer shell 30 and to the floor 14 of the flatbed trailer 10 and a removable roof cover 90 attaching to the upper perimeter 36 of the stock trailer shell 30.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the flatbed trailer 10 includes brake lights 20 and tail lights 22 so that when the flatbed trailer 10 is operated with the stock trailer shell 30 attached, the flatbed trailer 10 meets with traffic regulations. In this preferred embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the means 50 of attaching the bottom perimeter of the stock trailer shell to the floor of the flatbed trailer includes a plurality of shell clips 60 having an upward angled retaining tab 62, the shell clips 60 extending from the bottom perimeter 38 on the contoured front portion 32 and two side panel portions 34 of the stock trailer shell 30, an equal plurality of clip receivers 64 mounted within the floor 14 of the flatbed trailer 10, the shell clips 60 being received within a slot 65 provided in the clip receivers 64, the clip receivers also having two arched hoops 66, wherein a clip pin 67, having an insertion end 68 with a hole 69 to receive a wire cotter pin 70, is inserted and retained within the arched hoops 66 by at least one wire cotter pin 70, the placement of the clip pin 67 in the arched hoops 66 locking the upward angled retaining tabs 62 of the shell clips 60 within the slots 65 of the clip receivers 64. Thus attaching the stock trailer shell 30 to the flatbed trailer 10 involves lowering the stock trailer shell 30 onto the floor 14 of the flatbed trailer 10, aligning the shell clips 60 with the clip receivers 64, inserting the upward angled retaining tabs 62 within the slots 65 of the clip receivers 64, applying the clip pins 67 through the pair of arched hoops 66 on each clip receiver 64, and locking the clip pin 67 within the arched hoops 66 using a wire cotter pin 70. The invention, in this assembly, may be used as an open stock trailer for short distance livestock hauling and transport.

[0017] The invention may be used as a split compartment stock trailer by application of the removable center divider panel 80 to the stock trailer shell 30 and flatbed trailer 10 assembly. The contoured front portion 32 of the stock trailer shell 30 has an interior wall 33 onto which is attached at least one shell anchor bracket 40, as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. This shell anchor bracket 40 has a base plate 42 and two outward extending flanges 44, each outward extending flange 44 having a pin hole 46. The removable center divider panel 80 has a vertical edge 82 including at least one reinforced divider slot 84 having a pin hole 85. The pin hole 85 of the reenforced divider slot 84 is aligned with the pin holes 46 of the outward extending flanges 44, at which time a connector pin 86 is inserted through the pin holes 46 of the aligned flanges 44 and the pin hole 85 of the reenforced divider slot 84. The connector pin 86 may be retained by use of a wire cotter pin 87. In addition, the removable center divider panel 80 has a bottom portion 88 from which extends at least one shell clip 60, identical to the shell clips 60 on the stock trailer shell 30, having the same upward angled retaining tab 62, which is received within another clip receiver 64 in the floor 14 of the flatbed trailer 10, retained by the same clip pin 67 and wire cotter pin 70.

[0018] Along the upper perimeter 36 of the stock trailer shell 30 are a multiplicity of equally spaced snap base members 95. The removable roof cover 90 is preferably a weather resisting fabric having an outer perimeter 92, to which is applied a multiplicity of equally spaced snap collar members 94. These snap collar members 94 engage the snap base members 95 which provide the attachment of the removable roof cover 90 to the upper perimeter 36 of the stock trailer shell 30, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings. This removable roof cover 90 is used when transport of livestock may be conducted in poor weather conditions to protect the transport livestock from full exposure to the elements. Arched removable staves 98 may be mounted between the side panel portions 34 of the stock trailer shell 30 to support the removable roof cover 90, as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

[0019] As indicated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the stock trailer shell 30 may also include a hinged door 100 attached to the side panel portions 34 of the stock trailer shell 30. This hinged door 100 may be a single door, or it may include a pair of doors, as shown in FIG. 1, including attaching hinges 102 and a retractable handle 104 and handle clip 106.

[0020] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.