Granted Patent B2

US 12,638,030 · App. 18/255,938 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: Justin Kane Morgan (Anderson, SC); Parker Baxter (Greenville, SC); Zachary Alexander Merrill (Greenville, SC)

Assignee: Trailer Aerodynamics LLC

F16B2/065F16B2/12F16B2/14B62D35/005

Abstract

Claims (34)

1 . An I-beam clamp, comprising:

a first clamping member having a first flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a first flange surface of a flange of an I-beam, wherein the first clamping member has a first web engagement surface configured for engagement with a first web surface of a web of the I-beam;

a second clamping member having a second flange engagement surface configured for engagement with the first flange surface, wherein the second clamping member has a second web engagement surface configured for engaging a second web surface of the web of the I-beam, wherein the first clamping member and the second clamping member are configured for movement relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface;

a third clamping member having a third flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a second flange surface of the flange of the I-beam, wherein the third clamping member is configured for movement relative to the second clamping member toward the second flange surface;

a first fastener that engages the first clamping member and the second clamping member, wherein rotation of the first fastener is to effect movement of the first clamping member and the second clamping member relative to one another;

a second fastener that engages the third clamping member, wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member relative to the second clamping member,

wherein one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member defines a slot and the other of the first clamping member and the second clamping member includes a projection that engages the slot to slidably couple the first clamping member to the second clamping member.

2 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein an axis of the first fastener is parallel to the direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface.

3 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the third clamping member has a third clamping member inclined surface that engages a second clamping member inclined surface of the second clamping member, wherein the third clamping member is configured for movement toward the second flange surface upon movement along the second clamping member inclined surface.

4 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second fastener engages the second clamping member, wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member both in a direction perpendicular to the second flange surface and in the direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface.

5 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the second fastener in the direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface.

6 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second fastener engages the second clamping member, wherein the second fastener is constrained such that rotation of the second fastener does not cause movement of the second fastener relative to the second clamping member in the direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface, and wherein the second fastener is constrained such that rotation of the second fastener does not cause movement of the second fastener in a direction perpendicular to the second flange surface.

7 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein a space is defined between the first clamping member and the second clamping member and is configured for receiving a portion of a cantilevered beam for a trailer skirt.

8 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein rotation of the first fastener is to effect movement of the first clamping member and the second clamping member toward one another to engage the first web surface and the second web surface.

9 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 8 , wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member toward the second clamping member and away from the first clamping member.

10 . The I-beam clamp as set forth in claim 1 , wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member relative to the second clamping member between a first position, in which the third flange engagement surface is spaced apart from the second flange surface, and a second position in which the third flange engagement surface engages the second flange surface, and

wherein, while the first flange engagement surface and the second flange engagement surface engage the first flange surface, the first web engagement surface engages the first web surface, and the second web engagement surface engages the second web surface, the third clamping member is movable between the first position and the second position.

11 . An I-beam clamp for attaching a trailer skirt to an I-beam, comprising:

a first clamping member having a first flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a first flange surface of a flange of the I-beam, wherein the first clamping member has a first web engagement surface configured for engagement with a first web surface of a web of the I-beam;

a second clamping member having a second flange engagement surface configured for engagement with the first flange surface, wherein the second clamping member has a second web engagement surface configured for engaging a second web surface of the web of the I-beam, wherein the first clamping member and the second clamping member are configured for movement relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the first web surface and the second web surface;

a third clamping member having a third flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a second flange surface of the flange of the I-beam, wherein the third clamping member is configured for movement toward the second flange surface;

a first fastener that engages the first clamping member and the second clamping member, wherein rotation of the first fastener is to effect movement of the first clamping member and the second clamping member relative to one another;

a second fastener that engages the third clamping member, wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member relative to the second clamping member,

wherein the first clamping member has mounting holes that are configured to face the trailer skirt;

wherein the mounting holes are to receive mounting bolts for attachment to the trailer skirt; and

wherein one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member defines a slot and the other of the first clamping member and the second clamping member includes a projection that engages the slot to slidably couple the first clamping member to the second clamping member.

12 . An I-beam clamp, comprising:

a first clamping member having a first flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a first flange surface of a flange of an I-beam, wherein the first clamping member has a first web engagement surface configured for engagement with a first web surface of a web of the I-beam;

a second clamping member having a second flange engagement surface configured for engagement with the first flange surface of the flange of the I-beam, wherein the second clamping member has a second web engagement surface configured for engaging a second web surface of the web of the I-beam, wherein the first clamping member and the second clamping member are configured for movement relative to one another in a direction perpendicular to the first and second web surfaces;

a third clamping member having a third flange engagement surface configured for engagement with a second flange surface of the flange of the I-beam, wherein the third clamping member is configured for movement relative to the second clamping member toward the second flange surface of the flange of the I-beam;

a first fastener that engages the first clamping member and the second clamping member, wherein rotation of the first fastener is to effect movement of the first clamping member and the second clamping member relative to one another; and

a second fastener that engages the third clamping member, wherein rotation of the second fastener is to effect movement of the third clamping member relative to the second clamping member,

wherein, while the first flange engagement surface and the second flange engagement surface engage the first flange surface, the first web engagement surface engages the first web surface, and the second web engagement surface engages the second web surface, the third clamping member is movable between a first position, in which the third flange engagement surface is spaced apart from the second flange surface, and a second position, in which the third flange engagement surface engages the second flange surface; and

wherein one of the first clamping member and the second clamping member defines a slot and the other of the first clamping member and the second clamping member includes a projection that engages the slot to slidably couple the first clamping member to the second clamping member.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (10)