Mounting bracket for a truck body and method for mounting a composite truck body to a chassis
View Patent ↗A mounting bracket configured to mount a composite truck body to a chassis is provided. The mounting bracket includes a first side plate having a first hole therethrough and configured to be coupled to a first side of a main beam of the composite truck body and a second side plate having a second hole therethrough and configured to be coupled to a second, opposite side of the main beam and aligned opposite the first side plate. The mounting bracket also includes a tube configured to be routed through the first hole of the first side plate, a main beam hole of the main beam, and the second hole of the second side plate, and a bar configured to be routed through the tube. The bar includes a vertical hole through each end, and each vertical hole is configured to receive a mounting rod.
1. A connector assembly configured to couple a beam of a composite floor to a rail of a chassis, the connector assembly comprising:
a first side plate having a first hole, the first side plate configured to couple to a first side of the beam;
a second side plate having a second hole, the second side plate configured to couple to a second side of the beam;
a bar configured to extend horizontally through the first hole in the first side plate, through a beam hole in the beam, and through the second hole in the second side plate;
a mounting plate configured to couple to the rail; and
at least one rod configured to couple the bar to the mounting plate.
2. The connector assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a tube configured for placement in the beam hole to support the bar.
3. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bar is longer than the tube such that an end of the bar projects outward from the tube.
4. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the at least one rod extends vertically through a hole in the end of the bar.
5. The connector assembly of claim 3 , wherein the end of the bar includes a flat surface configured to support a fastener on the at least one rod.
6. The connector assembly of claim 2 , wherein the bar is sized to move freely within the tube.
7. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first and second side plates are shorter in height than the beam.
8. The connector assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one rod includes a first rod positioned on the first side of the beam and a second rod positioned on the second side of the beam.
9. A truck comprising:
a truck body having a composite floor assembly with a beam, the beam having a first side, a second side, and a beam hole that extends from the first side to the second side;
a chassis having a rail; and
at least one connector assembly coupling the beam to the rail, the at least one connector assembly comprising:
a first side plate coupled to the first side of the beam, the first side plate having a first hole positioned in communication with the beam hole;
a second side plate coupled to the second side of the beam, the second side plate having a second hole positioned in communication with the beam hole;
a bar extending horizontally through the first hole in the first side plate, through the beam hole in the beam, and through the second hole in the second side plate;
a mounting plate coupled to the rail; and
at least one rod coupling the bar to the mounting plate.
10. The truck of claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of connector assemblies spaced apart along a length of the truck.
11. The truck of claim 9 , further comprising a wooden beam sandwiched between the beam and the rail.
12. The truck of claim 9 , wherein the first and second plates are offset from a vertical orientation to follow a tapered shape of the beam.
13. The truck of claim 9 , wherein the mounting plate is clamped against a bottom side of the rail.
14. The truck of claim 9 , wherein the composite floor assembly comprises a fiber-reinforced plastic.
15. A method for coupling a beam of a composite floor to a rail of a chassis, the method comprising:
coupling a first side plate having a first hole to a first side of the beam;
coupling a second side plate having a second hole to a second side of the beam;
positioning a bar through the first hole in the first side plate, through a beam hole in the beam, and through the second hole in the second side plate;
coupling the bar to the rail.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein coupling the first and second plates to the beam comprises adhering the first and second plates to the beam.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising drilling through the beam to form the beam hole.
18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising positioning a tube in the beam hole and inserting the bar through the tube.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising adhering the tube to the beam.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein coupling the bar to the rail comprises:
positioning a mounting plate beneath the rail; coupling a first vertical rod to the bar and the mounting plate on the first side of the beam and
coupling a second vertical rod to the bar and the mounting plate on the second side of the beam.