GB2347652A

GB2347652A - Trailer for automobiles

Info

Publication number: GB2347652A
Application number: GB0005082A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Boel Olesen
Original assignee: Brenderup Trailers AS
Current assignee: Brenderup Trailers AS
Priority date: 1999-03-08
Filing date: 2000-03-02
Publication date: 2000-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2020-03-02
Also published as: FR2791941A1; DE10013239A1; FR2791941B3; GB0005082D0; GB2347652B; DK174887B1; DK199900321A

Abstract

A trailer comprising aluminium profiles as sides which serve as bracing for the trailer so that its chassis can be dispensed in which the profile sides 6, 8, 10 having upwardly-facing free edges are protected by fenders 36 of shock-absorbing material, where the side of the profiles facing in towards the bed 4 comprise cavities 42 with grooves 44 for the insertion of perforated plates 46 for the lashing-down of loads, and where the front wall and rear wall 8, 10 comprise countersunk closing mechanisms co-operating with hollow corner profiles (70). Furthermore, by means of cylindrical retaining elements (102) which are secured in the corner post profiles (7), the trailer can be equipped, for example, with a side-heightening element (18).

Description

Trailer The present invention concerns a trailer for automobiles, especially a trailer of the type which comprises a flat bed with parallel, upright side walls, an upright front wall and an upright rear wall mounted on an axle arrangement provided with wheels, and connected with a tow-bar connection with coupling means, said side walls consisting of profiles comprising cavities for, or which have cut-outs for accommodating the side edge of the bed and are arranged for direct or indirect fastening of the axle arrangement.

Such a trailer is described in detail in German Gebrauchsmuster DE 295 09 410 U1, and the main principle behind this is a trailer construction without a proper chassis, which is rendered superfluous in that the bed of the trailer and a possible load on said bed are supported by the longitudinal, profile-structured sides of the trailer, and in which bed, inserted in the above-mentioned cut-out and secured to a projecting first angle web oriented in towards the bed, there are inserted a number of said side profiles, and where the second angle web of said angle profile extends downwards parallel with the profiled sides and is intended for fastening to the axle element. The said cavity for the accommodation of the bottom plate can moreover be formed by providing the inner side of the side wall profiles with a longitudinal, extending web parallel with the first angle web of the angle profile. With the view to minimising the tare of the trailer construction, said side profiles can with advantage consist of extruded profiles of aluminium, use being made more specifically of weather-resistant aluminium, whereby the side profiles are given good resistance against corrosion.

The said profile-structured sides have a substan tially straight inner side from the top of the bottom plate to the upper edge, and with the object of achieving profiles with a sufficient rigidity and carrying capacity, these have one or more integrated cavities, typically an upper cavity and a lower cavity which manifest themselves in closed or partly closed projections on the outer sides of the side profiles. Furthermore, from the above-mentioned publication it is known to provide the outer side of the upper cavity with a downwards-extending web with a projection on the inner side for the fastening of hooks on elastic lines for securing, for example, a tarpaulin on top of the trailer. Said web for fastening of the hooks can also consist of a web on the outer side of the upright side wall itself. The construction of the front and rear profiles is almost identical with that of the side profiles, though with the essential difference that the front and rear profiles do not comprise angle profiles in connection with the lower box profile.

However, the above-mentioned type of trailer leaves a lot to be desired with regard to expedient arrangement, and what is in mind here is the possibility of equipping and diverse aspects from the point of view of security.

The object of the present invention is to provide a trailer of the kind disclosed in the preamble which in comparison with known trailers of this type embodies essential improvements regarding equipping possibilities, and protection of the profiles against wear.

With the object of protecting said side edges and rims against damage, the upper box profile of the side profiles and the front and rear profiles can be configured near the upper side with locking grooves on the outer sides for the accommodation and engagement of co-operating latches on opposing sides of the webs of an inverted U-shaped fender of shock-absorbing, wear-resistant material, said U-shaped fender in its mounted position surrounding the upper sides of said upper box profiles. There is hereby achieved an effective protection of the upper sides of the trailer box in con nection with loading and unloading, and the presence of the fender will moreover prompt the use of the fender protected upper sides, by change of lifting position, for the temporary supporting of a heavy burden which is to be loaded in the trailer. This will not be the case with the loading of trailers without top fenders, in that the temporary supporting of heavy burdens, e. g. bricks, tiles etc., will give rise to a scratching of the aluminium material. The presence of the fender hereby gives rise to a very positive effect from the working environment point of view, in that it thus invites the carrying out of the necessary change in the lifting position, which in many cases is necessary when heavy articles are being loaded on the trailer.

The fender can with advantage be configured from a tough elastic plastic material, and a preferred material can be PEH.

Out of regard for the protection of various necessary statutory reflectors and marking lights, the downwardsextending second web of the angle profile can be drawn back in relation to the vertical projection line of the outer side of the side profile's lower box profile, and in the area at its free end this drawn-back web has a substantially rightangled edge extending outwards along the whole of the profile length, the extent of which at least corresponds to the drawing-back in relation to said projection line. There is hereby achieved a cavity which serves as good protection for said reflectors and lights which are disposed in the drawn-back profile, in that the outer side of the box profile and the projecting edge of the profile will provide protection against impact.

Traditionally, at least the tail-board of the trailer can be lowered down, and gradually the front-board of modern trailers can also be lowered. Said front-and tailboards are normally secured to the sides of the trailer by means of external, quite traditional retaining means in the form of securing brackets, for example a lever which is pivotally mounted either on the front-or tail-board, with a hook-shaped part at the opposite end which is intended to be swung into an eye secured on the end of the adjoining side of the trailer. This configuration gives rise to the risk that the retaining means can grip fast in irrelevant articles, and is therefore unfortunate. Moreover, the corners of the trailer box are often sharp-edged, which can be unfortunate e. g. if a person bumps into them.

The tail-board and possibly the front-board of the trailer can thus with advantage comprise countersunk closing brackets with opposing sides which comprise U-profiles for receiving the front-board and tail-board profile respectively, and whose opposing sides towards the corner posts comprise a contact web for contact with the corner posts in the closed-up position of the front/tail-board. All risks with regard to projecting parts of the closing brackets getting caught up in various articles during use of the trailer are hereby eliminated.

Moreover, with the invention it has been realised that the corner parts of the trailer can with advantage consist of upright, hollow posts, the one side part of which comprises a U-profile for receiving the ends of the side profiles, and where the outer corners of said posts are roundedoff between the sides and the tail-board, and moreover are configured with a recess for receiving the contact webs of the closing brackets. It is hereby achieved that the trailer is given a completely uniform transition between the corner posts and the front/tail-board respectively.

The known trailers normally comprise lashing hooks placed lowermost on the outer side of the trailer sides. This can be inexpedient, in that the distance between the lashing point and the articles which are to be lashed down becomes too great, and for this reason it has been realised with the invention that an improvement of the lashing possibilities is achieved by forming the inner sides of the side profiles with at least one cavity in the upper box profile, in which grooves are provided for insertion and fastening of a perforated rail inserted herein. The lashing possibilities achieved hereby are closer to that or those articles on the trailer bed which must be lashed down during transport.

In order to provide a greater freedom of choice with regard to the lashing possibilities on the trailer according to the invention, the inner sides of the front and rear sides can similarly comprise at least one cavity in the upper box profile, in which grooves are provided for the insertion and fastening of a perforated rail inserted herein.

It must be mentioned that with the invention it has also been realised that the lashing possibilities can be further increased by forming the inner sides of the side profiles with at least one cavity in the lower box profile, in which grooves are provided for the insertion and fastening of a perforated rail inserted herein.

In order to provide a greater freedom of choice with regard to the lashing possibilities on the trailer according to the invention, the inner sides of the front and rear sides can similarly comprise at least one cavity in the lower box profile, in which grooves are provided for the insertion and fastening of a perforated rail inserted herein.

It will be obvious that it will be possible to combine the forming of the profiles with the view to achieving the ideal lashing possibilities.

With the object of being able to achieve stable joints between the side/end profiles and corner posts, these joints can with advantage consist of a connecting element comprising a block of suitably stiff material comprising a groove for receiving an internal web in the hollow corner profile, so that the block is in contact against substantially the whole cross-section in an area substantially corresponding to the breadth of the first angle-bent part of a cooperating angle-bent joint piece in suitably stiff material, so that the block and the first angle-bent part are joined with suitable joining means inserted through holes arranged for this purpose, the second part of said connecting piece being secured with suitable joining means internally in the adjoining profile. There is hereby achieved a significantly better distribution of the effects of transverse forces in the joint area, in that the presence of the block distributes the forces over a considerably greater area than when use is made only of ordinary rivet and bolt joints.

There is often a need to effect an increase in the wall height of a trailer, or a need to mount different sideboards or plates on top of the trailer sides. These different types of side fittings have hitherto been seen mounted in different ways, but common to them all has been an impression of extreme instability.

With the invention, however, a stable assembly system for these side fittings can be provided by a retaining element in the form of a substantially cylindrical member for insertion down into the hollow corner posts, this retaining element consisting of an upper part and a lower part, where the inside of the upper part comprises an abutment for the head of a bolt which extends through said upper part, the bolt being anchored in a thread in the under part, the opposing sides of said upper parts and lower part being cut off at an angle, so that tightening together by the bolt results in a mutual displacement of the centre axes of the upper and lower part, and herewith of the cross-sectional diameter of the retaining element. It is hereby achieved that, by sufficient tightening together by means of the bolt, the retaining element is secured inside the corner post by being pressed against the inside side surfaces of the corner post, and with the upper part extending up over the upper edges of the side and end profiles.

Hereafter, it will be possible e. g. to effect an increase in the height of all four sides of the trailer with frames consisting of end profiles provided with hollow corner profiles, and by placing the frame on top of the existing trailer sides by leading the hollow corner profiles down over the upright upper parts of the side element retainers anchored in the underlying hollow corner profiles. This will result is a particularly stable increase in the height of the side parts of the trailer.

In order to create a good holding abutment at the contact surface between the rubber fender on the trailer box and the frame which constitutes the increase in height of the sides, the under side of the end profiles and preferably on the outwards-facing side are configured with a downwardsdirected edge, which results in improved stability against pressure forces on the outer side. The downwards-directed edge also covers over slots which possibly appear between the under side of the side heightening element, which could otherwise give a false impression of instability.

With the view to the protection of the upper sides and edges of the trailer side heightening, the end profiles are provided with a rubber fender similar to that provided on the upper sides of the trailer.

It will be obvious that the retaining elements can be used for securing other fittings, merely providing that these comprise cavities for receiving the upwards-extending upper part of the retaining elements.

With the view to the countering of wear between the top of the end profiles of the corner posts and the fitting elements, as accessories to the retaining elements it can be advantageous to use gaskets in the form of disks of shock absorbing material which are placed between the corner post profiles of the fitting elements and the corner post profiles of the trailer.

Trailers are sometimes used for the transport of articles which need to be protected against rain and moisture. For this purpose, use is often made of specially shaped tarpaulins with elastic cords which are fastened by means of clamping arrangements or hooks on the outside of the trailer, cf. the above. However, these arrangements do not always fulfil the requirements for protection against moisture, and for this reason so-called hardtops have been developed as accessories for trailers. These hardtops are most often in hinge connection with one of the trailer sides, and most often consist of a hollow shell of glass fibre which to some extent increases the volume of the trailer.

Trailers with hardtops are frequently used in connection with transport of effects during holiday times, and often in connection with holidays where there is a need for extra loading space. Moreover, the transport of bicycles is often effected, which are normally placed on support frames arranged for this purpose on the roof of the towing vehicle, with subsequent increase in wind noise inside the driver's cabin.

With the invention, however, a considerable increase in the trailer's loading/application possibilities can be achieved by configuring a hardtop which comprises a roof railing and is hinged to one of the upright sides of the trailer. It hereby becomes possible e. g. to place bicycles on the trailer, whereby wind noise in the towing vehicle can be avoided.

By configuring the top part of the hardtop with a suitable profile, there is also achieved a considerable increase in the load capacity of the top part, without any noteworthy increase in the consumption of material.

Without excluding other configurations of the trailer according to the invention, it can be mentioned that it can be an advantage for the side walls to consist of profiles of extruded aluminium or of profiled metal plates.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, where fig. 1 is a perspective view of a trailer according to the present invention, fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a side profile for the trailer in fig. 1, fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a front or rear profile according to the invention, fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the top of the trailer box, and a side heightening of the box, fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of a corner profile with rounded edge according to the invention, fig. 6 is a perspective view of a trailer with perforated lashing rails according to the invention, fig. 7 is a detail view of side profile with perforated lashing rails, fig. 8 is a detail view of the fastening between side parts and end parts according to the invention, fig. 9 is a detail view of the trailer corners for side heightening, fig. 10 is a detail section view of a fitting retainer according to the invention, fig. 11 is a perspective view of a profiled trailer hardtop provided with railing according to the invention, and fig. 12 is a perspective view of a trailer with hardtop according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a trailer 2 according to the invention, with a bottom 4, sides 6, front 8 and rear 10, tow-bar connection 12, coupling part 14 and wheels 16. The sides, front and rear of the trailer are also provided with heightening members 18.

As will appear from fig. 2, the sides 6 are made up of metal profiles, preferably of weather-resistant aluminium, which have a vertical side 20, on the outer side 21 of which there is an upper box-formed profile 22 and a lower boxformed profile 24.

The upper box-formed profile comprises locking grooves 26 near the upper side 28 of the box profile, cf. fig.

4, for receiving co-operating hook-shaped locking flanges 30 on the webs 34 of an inverted U-shaped fender 36 of shockabsorbing, wear-resistant material.

The outer side 38 of the box profile 22 also has downwards-extending lobes 40 for the securing of not-shown hooks in an elastic cord in a not-shown tarpaulin for the covering of the trailer's load.

On the inner side of the wall 20 there is a depression 42 with grooves 44 for receiving a perforated rail 46 which is inserted from the ends of the profile for use in the lashing down of articles placed on the bed 4 of the trailer, cf. figs. 6 and 7.

The lower box-formed profile 24 is closed at the bottom by an angle profile 48 with a horizontal web 50 which supports the bed 4. Moreover, the bed 4 is inserted between the web 50 and a projecting clamping flange 52 on the inner side of the wall 20. A good securing of the bed 4 is achieved hereby, and at the activation lever for the locking bracket said locking bracket comprises a displaceable locking pawl which, when the tail-board is opened up and in its fastened position, is housed in a recess in the corner post. The vertical web 54 of the angle profile is drawn back in relation to the outer side 56 of the box profile, and the web 54 is also configured with an edge 58 projecting at right-angles to the web. There is hereby formed a depression 60 which is well suited for protection of possible reflectors and marking lights (not shown).

In fig. 3 is shown a front or a rear profile 62 comprising a vertical side wall 20 and the same details in the upper box profile 22, and thus with regard to these details reference is made to the above description of the side profile shown in fig. 2. As will appear from fig. 3, the lower box profile 64 of front or rear profile 62 does not comprise an angle profile in the bottom, but comprises a downwards-directed lobe 66 which is flush with the outer side 68 of the lower box profile. The front and rear profiles 62 are also used for increasing the height of the sides of the trailer 2, which is shown in detail in fig. 4. Here, the lobe 66 serves as stabilisation against transverse forces on the side heightening member 18. It should be noted that the fender 36 also serves as a gasket between the two profile sides 28,67, so that metal-against-metal contact surfaces do not arise.

In fig. 5 is shown a detail view of a corner profile 70, similarly constructed of extruded weather resistant aluminium. The corner profile 70 comprises a U-shaped profile 71 for receiving the adjoining side profile 6, and further comprises a rounding-off 72 of the outer corner part, and a recess 74 for receiving a contact web 76 on the closed profile 78 with countersunk locking mechanism (not shown), the displaceable locking bolt 80 of which is introduced into the corner profile via a cut-out 81 (cf. fig. 8) in the recess 74. With this construction, the advantage is gained that the corners of the trailer do not appear as edges.

Fig. 6 shows an example embodiment of the trailer provided with lashing rails 46, and fig. 7 shows how a lashing rail 46 is inserted into the grooves 44 and pushed in so that it covers the depression 42 on the inner side of the upper box profile 22 of the side profile.

Fig. 8 shows a detail of a preferred fastening element 82 comprising a block 84 with a groove 86 for receiving an internal web 88 of a corner profile 70, so that the block is in abutment against at least 3 of the of the corner profi le's inner wall 90 for a breadth which at least corresponds to the breadth of the first angle-bent half-part 92 of a cooperating angle-bent connecting piece 94. The block 84 and the first angle-bent part 92 are assembled with connecting means (not shown) which are led through holes 96 arranged for this purpose, so that the side 90 of the corner profile is clamped between the angle-bent part 92 and the block 84. The fastening of the corner profile with side profile 6 to the adjoining side is effected with suitable connecting means (not shown) through holes 100 arranged for this purpose in the connecting piece 94. The advantage of using the fastening element 82 is that by the block on the internal side 90 of the corner profile 70, a better distribution of transverse forces is achieved in the assembly area, in that the forces are spread over a considerably larger area than when the assembly is effected with one or more rivets or bolcs.

Fig. 9 shows a section of a corner of a trailer 2 where a heightening of the sides is to be effected by mounting side-heightening elements 18, which are assembled to form box-shaped frames for mounting on the upper edges of the sides 8. The fastening of the side-heightening elements is effected by means of a retaining element 102 which consists of a cylindrical member 104 for insertion down into the hollow corner profiles 70. The retaining element 102 consists of an upper part 106 and a lower part 108. The inside of the upper part 106 has a contact face 110 (cf. fig. 10) for the head 112 of a bolt 114 extending through the contact face 110, the bolt 114 being in engagement with a threaded hole 116 in the lower part 108. The opposing sides of the upper and lower parts 106,108 are cut off at an angle, and a tightening of the bolt 114 by means of a special tool introduced down through the opening 118 in the upper part 106 will re sult in a mutual displacement of the centre axes (not shown) of the upper and lower parts, and herewith an increase in the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the retaining element. It is hereby achieved that with sufficient tightening of the bolt 114, the retaining element 102 is secured inside the corner post 70 by being pressed against the internal sides of the corner post or against projections on these. The retaining element will thus stand with a part of the upper part 106 extending up over the sides 6,8,10.

Hereafter, it will be possible to mount a sideheightening element 18 in the form of a frame consisting of profiles 62, assembled with hollow corner profiles, by leading the hollow corner profiles 70 down over the upright upper parts 106. The fender 36 serves to prevent the opposing sides of the side-heightening element 18 and the sides 6,8, 10 from wearing against each other as metal against metal. In the same manner as the sides 6,8,10, the side-heightening element also comprises fenders 36, so that the upper edges of the side-heightening element are also protected against scratches etc.

In fig. 11 is shown a hardtop 120 of glass fibre for use together with a trailer according to the invention.

The shown hardtop 120 is hinge connected to one of the upright sides of the trailer. As will be seen, the upper side 122 of the hardtop is profiled, the result being that the load capacity of the upper side is considerably increased without it being necessary to increase the thickness of the glass fibre upper side. As will also appear from fig. 11, the hardtop is also provided with railings 124 on which e. g. a rack with a bicycle holder, ski holder or traditional roof box for an automobile can be placed. By this possible presence of the railings 124 on the trailer, it hereby becomes possible to transport bicycles etc. on top of the trailer, and hereby to avoid the wind noise which arises in the dri ver's cabin when, for example, bicycles are transported by being placed on top of the roof of the towing vehicle.

Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of a trailer 2 provided with a hardtop 120 which has a profiled and herewith a strengthened upper side 122, and which is provided with railings 124.

Claims

C L A I M S 1. Trailer for automobiles, particularly a trailer (2) of the type which comprises a flat bed (4) mounted on wheels (16), and with parallel, upright side walls (6), an upright front wall (8) and an upright rear wall (10), and which is connected by a tow-bar connection (12) with coupling means (14) for coupling to a towing vehicle, said side walls (6) comprising profiles with one or more cavities, typically an upper and a lower cavity (22,24) which appear as closed or partly closed projections in the form of upper and lower box profiles on the outer sides (21) of the side profiles, and where said side profiles (6) comprise cavities for or has recesses (4), for receiving the side edges of the bed and are arranged for direct or indirect fastening of the axle arrangement, and where the under side of said lower box profile consists of the first half-part (50) of an angle profile (48) which supports the bed, and where the second half-part (54) of said angle profile extends downwards parallel with the outer side of the profile, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the upper box profile (22) of both of the side profiles (6), the front profile and the rear profile (8, 10), are configured near the upper side with locking grooves (26) on the outer sides for receiving and the clamping of co-operating locking flanges (30) inserted herein, and which are provided on opposing sides of the webs (34) of an inverted U-shaped fender (36) of shock-absorbing, wear-resistant material, said U-shaped fender in its mounted position surrounding the upper sides of said profiles.
2. Trailer (2) according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the downwards extending second web (54) of the angle profile (48) is drawn back (60) in relation to the vertical projection line of the outer sides (56) of the side profile's lower box profile, and where said drawn-back web (54), in the area at its free end, has an edge (58) which projects substantially at right-angles from the outer side of the web and extends for the whole length of the profile, which extent corresponds at least to the drawing-back in relation to said projection line.
3. Trailer (2) according to claim 1 or 2, where at least the rear wall (10) and possible the front wall (8) can be folded down, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the folded up position, the rear wall (10) and possibly the front wall (8) are detachably secured to the sides by countersunk closing brackets, the opposing sides of which comprise Uprofiles (71) for receiving the rear/front side profile (10, 8) respectively, and where the opposing sides of the closing bracket towards the corner post profiles (70) comprise a contact web (76) for abutment with the corner post profiles (70) in the closed-up position of the walls.
4. Trailer (2) according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the corner parts of the trailer consist of upright, hollow corner post profiles (70), the one side part of which comprises a U-profile (71) for receiving the ends of the side profiles (6), and where the outer corners (72) of said posts are rounded-off between the sides and the rear and front side, and are also configured with a recess (74) for receiving the contact web (76) on the closing brackets.
5. Trailer (2) according to any of the claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the inner sides of the side profiles and/or front and rear side profiles, at least in the upper and/or lower box profile (22,62,24,64), comprise a depression (42) in which grooves (44) are provided for the insertion and fastening of a perforated rail (46) inserted in said grooves.
6. Trailer (2) according to any of the claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the joints between side profiles/end profiles (6,8,10) and corner post profiles (70) consist of a fastening element (82) comprising a block (84) of stiff material which has a groove (86) for receiving an internal web (88) in the hollow corner post profile (70), so that the block (84) is in abutment against substantially the whole cross-section in an area corresponding substantially to the breadth of the first angle-bent part (92) of a cooperating angle-bent connecting piece (94) in suitably rigid material, so that the block (84) and the first angle-bent part (92) are joined with suitable connecting means inserted through holes (96) arranged for this purpose, the second part of said connecting piece being fastened inside the adjoining profile with suitable connecting means.
7. Trailer (2) according to any of the claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the cavities in the corner post profiles (70) there is inserted a retaining element (102) which is substantially cylindrical in shape, said retaining element consisting of an upper part (106) and a lower part (108), where the inside of the upper part (106) comprises a contact face for the head (112) of a bolt (114) extending through said contact face, said bolt (114) being anchored in a threaded hole (116) in the lower part (108), and where the opposing sides of said upper part (106) and lower part (108) are cut off at an angle, so that a tightening of the bolt (114) will result in a mutual displacement of the centre axes of the upper and lower parts, and herewith an increase in the diameter of the circumscribed circle of the retaining element, whereby the outer sides of the retaining element are pressed against the internal side surface of the corner post profiles, with the upper part (106) extending up over the edges of the side and end profiles (6,8,10).
8. Trailer (2) according to claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that a side-heightening element 18, which can be placed over the retaining element (102), comprises a frame consisting of end profiles (8,10) assembled with hollow corner profiles for receiving upright upper parts (106) of the retaining element, where the lower side and preferably the outwardly-facing side (68) of the end profiles (8,10) are configured with a downwardsextending edge (66) at the contact surface (67) between the rubber fender (36) on the trailer box.
9. Trailer (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that between the corner post profiles (70) of the side-heightening element and the corner post profiles (70) of the trailer, gaskets are provided in the form of disks of shockabsorbing material.
10. Trailer according to any of the claims 19, characterized in that it comprises a hardtop (120) which is in hinge connection with one of the upright side walls, said hardtop (120) being provided with roof railings and configured with profiling (122) for increasing the load capacity of the hardtop.
11. A trailer for an automobile, wherein an upper surface of at least one of a plurality of upwardly extending wall members is provided with protection means preferably inter-engaged therewith for protecting against damage being caused to said upper surface during loading and unloading of the trailer.
12. A trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.