Universal sleeve for T-stakes in a flatbed trailer sidewall system

• US 20100007164A1
• Filed: 07/10/2008
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hapco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hapco, Inc.
• Inventors: Harrison, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US12/217,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007164A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/43
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/0207 Connections of movable or detachable racks or stanchions to platforms

Abstract

A sidewall system for receipt by pockets of a flatbed trailer includes a T-stake having a post portion and a wall panel retaining portion. A sleeve has a body of a selected size to be received in the pocket of the flatbed trailer and has a channel sized to receive the post portion of the T-stake. The sleeve may also include an outwardly projecting flange, and may be attached to the post portion of the T-stake. The sleeve is adapted to convert a variety of pocket sizes into a single universal size for receipt of a standard T-stake.

Claims

1. A universal sleeve for use with a T-stake and a pocket of a flatbed trailer sidewall system, the universal sleeve comprising a body of a selected size to be received in the pocket of the flatbed trailer, and a channel forming an opening in said body, said channel opening being sized to receive the T-stake therein.

2. The universal sleeve of claim 2, further comprising a flange extending outwardly from said body.

3. The universal sleeve of claim 2, said channel having an inner surface facing said opening, a pair of side surfaces, and a pair of transition surfaces connecting said side surfaces to said inner surface.

4. A sidewall system for receipt in pockets of a flatbed trailer, comprising a T-stake having a post portion and a wall panel retaining portion, and a sleeve having a body of a selected size to be received in a pocket of the flatbed trailer and having a channel sized to receive said post portion of said T-stake.

5. The assembly of claim 4, said channel in said sleeve forming an opening in said body, giving said sleeve a generally U-shaped profile.

6. The assembly of claim 5, said post portion of said T-stake having an exposed portion extending along a majority of said T-stake, and an insert portion, said insert portion being received in said channel of said sleeve.

7. The assembly of claim 6, said wall panel retaining portion extending longitudinally along said exposed portion of said T-stake.

8. The assembly of claim 7, said channel in said sleeve having an inner surface facing said opening, a pair of side surfaces, and a pair of transition surfaces connecting said side surfaces and said inner surface.

9. The assembly of claim 4, said sleeve being attached to said T-stake.

10. The assembly of claim 4, further comprising wall panels adapted to be received by said wall panel retaining portions of said T-stakes.

11. The sidewall system of claim 10, said post of said T-stake having a recess therein at an end opposite said sleeve.

12. The sidewall system of claim 11, further comprising an arched roof member adapted to be received in said recess in said post, and a roof tarpaulin supported by said arched roof member.

13. A method of constructing a sidewall system for a flatbed trailer having pockets comprising the steps of providing a plurality of sleeves of a size selected dependent on the size of the pockets of the flatbed trailer, providing a plurality of T-stakes adapted to fit within a channel in the sleeves which is sized to receive the T-stakes, attaching the sleeves to the T-stakes, and inserting the sleeves and the T-stakes into the pockets of the flatbed trailer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of providing a plurality of wall panels sized to fit between adjacent T-stakes, and inserting the wall panels between the T-stakes.

15. The method of claim 14, the T-stakes including a recess therein, the method further comprising the steps of providing a plurality of arched roof members, and inserting the arched roof members into the recesses in the T-stakes to form a roof frame.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of providing a tarpaulin and attaching the tarpaulin over the roof frame.

17. A method of attaching a sidewall system to a flatbed trailer having pockets comprising the steps of providing a plurality of sleeves having different sized bodies and the same shaped channels, selecting sleeves having a body sized to fit within the pockets of the trailer, and attaching T-stakes shaped like the channel of the selected sleeves to the selected sleeves.