Abstract: A utility trailer with a movable bed floor includes a trailer frame supported by a plurality of wheel assemblies. A bed panel is coupled with the trailer frame and defines an upper support surface. A live-bed flexible member spans the length and width of the upper support surface. A load chain is coupled between forward and rearward ends of the live-bed flexible member and span the length of the bed panel below the bed panel. A drive system is supported by the trailer frame. The drive system has a sprocket engaged with the load chain and is operable to drive the live-bed flexible member in forward and rearward directions over the upper support surface for loading and unloading items from the utility trailer.

Abstract: A wheel supported grain wagon includes a box or container with sloping side walls extending to a bottom wall, and a discharge opening is formed within one of the side walls adjacent the bottom wall. An inner metering door or panel and an adjacent outer closure door or panel are supported by parallel spaced dual tracks for movement between lower positions closing the discharge opening and retracted upper open positions. An actuator first raises the outer closure panel to permit grain to flow through a metering passage defined by the bottom edge of the metering panel and to release grain pressure on the metering panel. The metering door is then elevated in response to further elevation of the outer closure panel so that grain flows smoothly under both panels without obstructions.

Abstract: An open top vessel containing bulk or liquid material comprising an inclined front wall, an inclined rear wall, and inclined opposite side walls. The walls of the vessel extend downwardly and inwardly from the upper ends thereof towards the lower ends thereof towards a discharge opening formed at the lower end of the vessel. A support frame is provided for supporting the vessel and includes at least a pair of horizontally spaced-apart, horizontally disposed support frame members which receive inverted U-shaped supports on the upper end of the vessel. The vessel is ideally suited for use as a hopper bottom in a hopper bottom trailer. The vessel is comprised of a fiber reinforced plastic material.

Abstract: A bottom dump trailer having a trailer body for accepting and hauling load material having a front and rear walls, opposing and parallel side walls and a floor formed by front and rear doors is disclosed. The sides of the front and rear doors are slidably mounted on the side walls of the trailer body so that the doors can slide between the front and rear of the trailer body. In order to dump the load material, a hydraulic cylinder connected between the trailer frame and the rear door slides the rear door from the rear to the front of the trailer body, dumping the load material from the rear of the trailer body. The second hook end of a latch member pivotally attached to the front door hooks to a pin attached to the rear door thereby attaching the front door to the rear door so that the doors may slide in unison between the front and rear of the trailer body.

Abstract: A vehicle hopper construction having longitudinally spaced hopper end slope sheets and hopper cross ridge slope sheets formed prior to assembly in the vehicle hopper so as to provide integral interior hopper corner plates with associated transversely spaced hopper side sheets.

Abstract: An elongated hollow tube extending between the forward and after ends of a hopper trailer serves as a ridge pole for a protective tarpaulin covering a commodity, such as rice or wheat, forming the trailer's cargo.Conduits connected to the ends of the tube extend downwardly below the margin of the tarpaulin so as to conduct atmospheric air into the tube. From the tube the air discharges downwardly through an opening in the tube vertically above the hopper door and thereby equalizes the air pressures on both sides of the tarpaulin as the commodity is withdrawn from the hopper and tends to form a "vacuum" beneath the tarpaulin.

Abstract: Baffles are provided in transportation hoppers to solve the problem of upper bulk lading exerting pressure and causing damage to lower bulk lading in the hopper by reducing load density of the lading. The baffles are preferably inclined with respect to the horizontal. More than one layer of baffles may be provided. Supports for the baffles are preferably fixed to the sides and/or roof of the transportation hopper. The baffles may be provided with openings to facilitate circulation of conditioned air through the hopper. The baffles may be provided with larger openings which facilitate loading the hopper. The baffles also may be provided with doors which facilitate loading the hopper by means of a loading chute. The baffles may be used in a wide variety of transportation hoppers. In a preferred embodiment the transportation hopper is a railway hopper car.