Chassis packing system

1. A chassis packing system, for packing one or more trailer chassis having longitudinal beams with front bolsters and rear bolsters mounted at opposite ends, said chassis packing system comprising:

a first frame assembly, a second frame assembly, and one or more spacers;

said first frame assembly including a pair of elongate first bolster retaining members, a first primary connecting member, and a first secondary connecting member;

each of said first bolster retaining members having a first end and a second end;

said first bolster retaining members being aligned in spaced apart relation, so as to define an inward facing aspect, on each of said first bolster retaining members;

each of said inward facing aspects having one or more cavities;

each of said cavities on one of said first bolster retaining members being located so as to register with one of said cavities of the other first bolster retaining member;

said first primary connecting member being joined, by first joint means, to said first ends of said first bolster retaining members;

said first secondary connecting member being releasably joined to said second ends of said first bolster retaining members;

said second frame assembly including a pair of elongate second bolster retaining members, a second primary connecting member, and a second secondary connecting member;

each of said second bolster retaining members having a first end and a second end;

said second bolster retaining members being aligned in spaced apart relation so as to define an inward facing aspect, on each of said second bolster retaining members;

each of said inward facing aspects having one or more cavities;

each of said cavities on one of said second bolster retaining members being located so as to register with one of said cavities of the other second bolster retaining member;

said second primary connecting member being releasably joined, by second joint means, to said first ends of said second bolster retaining members;

said second secondary connecting member being joined to said second ends of said second bolster retaining members;

said trailer chassis being arranged in a stack, with one or more of said spacers being placed between adjacent trailers in said stack;

said stack having a first end and a second end;

said first end of said stack being defined by a plurality of rear bolsters aligned in registration with said cavities of said first bolster retaining members and by a plurality of front bolsters aligned adjacent to said first bolster retaining members;

said second end of said stack being defined by a plurality of rear bolsters aligned in registration with said cavities of said second bolster retaining members and by a plurality of front bolsters aligned adjacent to said second bolster retaining members;

said rear bolsters defining said first end of said stack being partially received into said cavities of said first bolster retaining members and said rear bolsters defining said second end of said stack being partially received into said cavities of said second bolster retaining members, for confining said stack of trailer chassis as a unitary bundle in a space defined by said first frame assembly and said second frame assembly;

said first and second frame assemblies having corner castings;

whereby said stack of trailer chassis may be lifted and handled by said corner castings.

2. The chassis packing system of claim 1 , wherein:

said first bolster retaining members, and said second bolster retaining members are formed of elongate three-sided channels with an open inward facing aspect; and,

reinforcement plates are affixed on said inward facing aspect to define said cavities.

3. The chassis packing system of claim 2 , wherein:

said first joint means comprises two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel first install plates, one of said pairs being mounted on each end of the first primary connecting member;

each pair of said first install plates being slidably received into said channel in each of said first bolster retaining members proximate to said first end;

aligned first pivot holes are provided in said first install plates and said channels;

at least two first pivot pins are provided;

said first pivot pins being inserted in said first pivot holes for joining said first bolster retaining members to said first primary connecting members in pivoting relation;

said second joint means including two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel flanges;

one of said pairs being mounted on each end of said second primary connecting member;

said second joint means including two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel second install plates;

one of said pairs being mounted on each first end of said second bolster retaining members;

said second install plates being slidably received between said flanges;

aligned second pivot holes are provided in said flanges and in said second install plates;

at least two second pivot pins are provided;

said second pivot pins being inserted in said second pivot holes for joining said second bolster retaining members to said second primary connecting member in pivoting relation;

whereby said first bolster retaining members may pivot with respect to said first primary connecting member and said second bolster retaining members may pivot with respect to said second primary connecting member causing said rear trailer bolsters to be partially received into said cavities.

4. The chassis packing system of claim 3 , further including:

first lock holes provided in said first install plates and said channels of said first bolster retaining members;

at least two first lock pins are provided;

said first lock holes being located so as to register in alignment when said first bolster retaining members are pivoted to perpendicular relation with said first primary connecting member;

said first lock pins being inserted into said first lock holes to prevent pivoting movement of said first bolster retaining members with respect to said first primary connecting member; and including

second lock holes provided in said second install plates and in said flanges of said second secondary connecting member;

at least two second lock pins are provided;

said second lock holes being located to register in alignment when said second bolster retaining members are pivoted to perpendicular relation with said second primary connecting member;

said second lock pins being inserted into said second lock holes to prevent pivoting movement of said second bolster retaining members with respect to said second primary connecting member.

5. The chassis packing system of claim 4 , wherein said first pivot pins, said second pivot pins, said first locking pins, and said second locking pins are configured so as to be removable for dismantling said first frame assembly and said second frame assembly.

6. A method for packing one or more trailer chassis having longitudinal beams with front bolsters and rear bolsters mounted at opposite ends, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a first frame assembly, a second frame assembly, and one or more spacers;

said first frame assembly including a pair of elongate first bolster retaining members, a first primary connecting member, and a first secondary connecting member;

each of said first bolster retaining members having a first end and a second end;

said first bolster retaining members being aligned in spaced apart relation, so as to define an inward facing aspect, on each of said first bolster retaining members;

each of said inward facing aspects having one or more cavities;

each of said cavities on one of said first bolster retaining members being located so as to register with one of said cavities of the other first bolster retaining member;

joining said first primary connecting member, by first joint means, to said first ends of said first bolster retaining members;

joining said first secondary connecting member releasably to said second ends of said first bolster retaining members;

said second frame assembly including a pair of elongate second bolster retaining members, a second primary connecting member, and a second secondary connecting member;

each of said second bolster retaining members having a first end and a second end;

said second bolster retaining members being aligned in spaced apart relation so as to define an inward facing aspect, on each of said second bolster retaining members;

each of said inward facing aspects having one or more cavities;

each of said cavities on one of said second bolster retaining members being located so as to register with one of said cavities of the other second bolster retaining member;

joining said second primary connecting member, by second joint means, to said first ends of said second bolster retaining members;

joining said second secondary connecting member releasably to said second ends of said second bolster retaining members;

arranging said trailer chassis in a stack, with one or more of said spacers being placed between adjacent trailers in said stack;

said stack having a first end and a second end;

said first end of said stack being defined by a plurality of rear bolsters aligned in registration with said cavities of said first bolster retaining members and by a plurality of front bolsters aligned adjacent to said first bolster retaining members;

said second end of said stack being defined by a plurality of rear bolsters aligned in registration with said cavities of said second bolster retaining members and by a plurality of front bolsters aligned adjacent to said second bolster retaining members;

partially admitting said rear bolsters defining said first end of said stack into said cavities of said first bolster retaining members and partially admitting said rear bolsters defining said second end of said stack into said cavities of said second bolster retaining members, for confining said stack of trailer chassis as a unitary bundle in a space defined by said first frame assembly and said second frame assembly;

providing corner castings on said first and second frame assemblies;

lifting and handling said stack of trailer chassis by said corner castings.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein:

said first bolster retaining members, and said second bolster retaining members are formed of elongate three-sided channels with an open inward facing aspect; and,

having reinforcement plates affixed on said inward facing aspect to define said cavities.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

said first joint means comprises two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel first install plates, one of said pairs being mounted on each end of the first primary connecting member;

the step of joining the first primary connecting member to the first ends of the first bolster retaining members includes slidably admitting each pair of said first install plates into one of said channels in each of said first bolster retaining members proximate to said first end;

providing aligned first pivot holes in said first install plates and said channels;

providing at least two first pivot pins;

inserting said first pivot pins in said first pivot holes for joining said first bolster retaining members to said first primary connecting members in pivoting relation;

said second joint means including two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel flanges;

one of said pairs being mounted on each end of said second primary connecting member;

said second joint means including two pairs of spaced apart generally parallel second install plates;

one of said pairs being mounted on each first end of said second bolster retaining members;

the step of joining said second primary connecting member to the first ends of said second bolster retaining members includes slidably admitting said second install plates between said flanges;

providing aligned second pivot holes in said flanges and in said second install plates;

providing at least two second pivot pins;

inserting said second pivot pins in said second pivot holes for joining said second bolster retaining members to said second primary connecting member in pivoting relation;

whereby said first bolster retaining members may pivot with respect to said first primary connecting member and said second bolster retaining members may pivot with respect to said second primary connecting member causing said rear trailer bolsters to be partially received into said cavities.

9. The method of claim 8 , further including:

providing first lock holes in said first install plates and said channels of said first bolster retaining members;

providing at least two first lock pins;

said first lock holes being located so as to register in alignment when said first bolster retaining members are pivoted to perpendicular relation with said first primary connecting member;

inserting said first lock pins into said first lock holes to prevent pivoting movement of said first bolster retaining members with respect to said first primary connecting member; and including

providing second lock holes in said second install plates and in said flanges of said second secondary connecting member;

providing at least two second lock pins;

said second lock holes being located to register in alignment when said second bolster retaining members are pivoted to perpendicular relation with said second primary connecting member;

inserting said second lock pins into said second lock holes to prevent pivoting movement of said second bolster retaining members with respect to said second primary connecting member.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein, said first pivot pins, said second pivot pins, said first locking pins, and said second locking pins are configured so as to be removable for dismantling said first frame assembly and said second frame assembly.