Trailing beam for supporting an axle

1. A trailing beam for supporting an axle comprising:

an inverted channel shaped forward member extending longitudinally between and transverse to a tubular leading end which receives a pivot mounting bushing, the axle having an axle axis that is parallel to a mounting axis of said leading end;

a trailing end extending longitudinally from said forward member transverse to said axle axis, said trailing end having a top plate and opposite sides welded along adjacent edges, said top plate terminating in a pad for abutting against a resilient suspension member;

said forward member and trailing end being welded one to the other at a juncture above and below said axle;

a bottom plate extending from said leading end along the length of said forward member and said side plates and being welded to respective lower edges thereof;

an axle wrap comprising a pair of semi-tubular members for encircling said axle, said members having opposite ends with opposite side edges extending therebetween and a curved sided indentation extending into said opposite side edges to provide a window for weld securement of said axle wrap to said axle without said weld extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said axle, said curved sided indentations having spaced apart concave regions joined by a convex region;

said axle wraps being welded to each other along said side edges beyond said indentation;

said opposite ends of said axle wraps being welded about respective recesses in said forward member and said plates which receive said axle.

2. The trailing beam of claim 1 further having gusset plates welded to said forward member and said trailing end at said juncture to reinforce said trailing beam at said juncture.

3. An axle wrap for a trailer axle, said axle wrap comprising:

a pair of semi-tubular members for encircling said axle, said members having opposite ends with opposite side edges extending therebetween; and

a curved sided indentation extending into said opposite side edges to provide a window for weld securement of said axle wrap to said axle without said weld extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of said axle, said curved sided indentations having spaced apart concave regions joined by a convex region.

4. An axle wrap for a trailer axle, the axle wrap comprising:

a first semi-tubular member and a second semi-tubular member, which together form a tube configured to at least substantially surround the trailer axle, each one of the first and second semi-tubular members including:

a first side and a second side opposite thereto, the first and second sides extending between a first end and a second end of each of the first and second semi-tubular members;

a first pair of side edges extending along the first side, a first side edge of the first pair of side edges extending from the first end, and a second side edge of the first pair of side edges extending from the second end;

a second pair of side edges extending along the second side, a first side edge of the second pair of side edges extending from the first end, and a second side edge of the second pair of side edges extending from the second end;

a first curved sided indentation defined between the first pair of side edges;

a second curved sided indentation defined between the second pair of side edges; and

each one of the first and second curved sided indentations including a convex region between a pair of concave regions;

a first window defined by the first curved sided indentation of each one of the first and second semi-tubular members when the first and second semi-tubular members are mounted to the axle; and

a second window defined by the second curved sided indentation of each one of the first and second semi-tubular members when the first and second semi-tubular members are mounted to the axle;

wherein each one of the first and second windows are configured to provide for weld securement of the axle wrap to the axle without the weld extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the axle.