Title: Dimpled door hardware

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Claims: What is claimed:

1. In a trailer or like vehicle having a rear door opening defined by spaced pillars, a header and a sill, a door rotatably mounted on one of said pillars, a lock rod disposed in spaced parallel relation to the axis of rotation of the door and extending therebeyond in overlapping relation to said header and sill, means on each end of said lock rod for engaging latch means on the header and sill in vertical and horizontal stress transfer relationship, a channel shaped enclosure secured to the door in stress transfer relationship therewith and enclosing the central portion of said locking rod, and a bushing at each end of said channel shaped enclosure for supporting said locking rod for rotation between a locked and unlocked condition, said bushing being spaced from the respective top and bottom edge of said door and said lock rod having bendable end portions between each respective bushing and latch means thereby providing respective bending moment arms, application of a load on the inner face of the door sufficient to cause substantial bending of the end portions of the locking rod in cantilever from said bushings causing said end portions to move into engaging relationship with the respective top and bottom door edges thereby reducing the length of the bending moment arm at the end portions of the locking rod.

2. In a trailer or like vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein the door has a flat outer panel and an inner panel which has edges sloping outwardly to a flange and a central portion which has deflected areas therein engaging and welded to the inner surface of the outer panel.

3. In a trailer or like vehicle as recited in claim 6, wherein a flange forming the edge of the inner panel is welded to the outer panel which has a portion extending beyond the flange of the inner panel which is return bent thereover to provide further strength thereto.

4. In a trailer or like vehicle as recited in claim 2, wherein the cantilever support for said locking rod ends provide bending moment arms resisting loads on the inner surfaces of the doors which moment arms are automatically reduced in length upon application of a load of about 20,000 pounds by the locking rod ends engaging the door edges to increase resistance to an increased load applied to the inner faces of the doors.

Other info:

Inventors: Banerjea, Tara N. (Warren, MI, US)

Application Number: 814776
Filing Date: 1977-07-11
Publication_date: 1979-10-09
Assignee: Fruehauf Corporation (Detroit, MI)
Primary Class(es): 292/218
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

1214892	Feb, 1917	Budd	49/503.
1500169	Jul, 1924	Walker	292/218.
1728530	Sep, 1929	Drenning	292/218.
3778934	Dec, 1973	Fisher	49/503.
3912312	Oct, 1975	Cerutti	292/218.
3989289	Nov, 1976	Ringe	292/241.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Moore, Richard E.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney: Harness, Dickey & Pierce