# US 2017/0253442 A1 · Trailer stabilizer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0253442 A1 - Document ID: US20170253442A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/604,232 - Filed: 2017-05-24 - Published: 2017-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-19 - Assignees: Stabilock, LLC - Applicants: Stabilock, LLC - Inventors: R. Peter Kimener; Thomas Terrence Kimener; Daniel Wahlstrom - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170253442A1 ## CPC - B65G 69/003: {Restraining movement of a vehicle at a loading station using means not being part of the vehicle} - B60D 1/665: {comprising supporting wheels, e.g. dollies} - B60S 9/02: for only lifting or supporting - B60S 9/04: mechanically - B60S 9/16: for operating only on one end of vehicle (B60S9/205 takes precedence) - B62D 53/0857: {Auxiliary semi-trailer handling or loading equipment, e.g. ramps, rigs, coupling supports} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS - B60S: SERVICING, CLEANING, REPAIRING, SUPPORTING, LIFTING, OR MANOEUVRING OF VEHICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A trailer stabilizing device for stabilizing a parked freight trailer, the trailer stabilizing device comprising a frame separate from the support frame of the parked freight trailer, the stabilizing device frame having mounted thereto wheels and a hitch, the stabilizing device including a repositionable jack. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-28. (canceled) ### Claim 29 A method of stabilizing a parked semi-trailer, the method comprising: positioning a frame, separate from a support frame of the parked semi-trailer, underneath a forward portion of the parked semi-trailer, where the frame includes a semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack, and the frame has mounted thereto a wheel; floating the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the wheel using a spring concurrently operatively coupled to the wheel and to the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack, where a first spring load is applied to the spring when the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack is floating; and, decreasing the first spring load on the spring by deploying the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack in a second position to wedge at least one of the frame and the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack between the ground and an underside of the parked semi-trailer; ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack includes a first semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack and a second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein: the first semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack comprises a first screw jack; the second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack comprises a second screw jack; and, the first screw jack and the second screw jack are operatively coupled to at least one of a common drive shaft, a common transmission, and a common motor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein: the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks are operatively coupled to a motor; the motor is operatively coupled to a first clutch operatively coupled to the first semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack; and, the motor is operatively coupled to a second clutch operatively coupled to the second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein: the stabilizing device frame has mounted thereto a plurality of wheels; and, the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks are within a lateral footprint established by the plurality of wheels. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the wheel includes a braking device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further comprising repositioning a hook, operatively coupled to the frame, between a raised position to a lowered position, where the lowered position corresponds to an engaged position having the hook operatively coupled to the ground, and where the raised position corresponds to a disengaged position having the hook disengaged from the ground. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein the hook is at least one of pneumatically, hydraulically, manually, and electrically repositioned between the engaged position and the disengaged position. ### Claim 37 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, wherein repositioning the hook to the lowered position includes the hook engaging a cleat mounted to the ground, wherein engagement between the cleat and the hook operatively couples the frame to the ground. ### Claim 38 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further including providing information via a visual display located remotely from the parked semi-trailer, the visual display providing information concerning at least one of a position of the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the ground, and a position of the hook with respect to the ground. ### Claim 39 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, further including providing information via a visual display located remotely from the parked semi-trailer, the visual display providing information concerning at least one of a position of the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the ground. ### Claim 40 A method of stabilizing a parked semi-trailer, the method comprising: floating a semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to a wheel operatively coupled to a frame of a trailer stabilizing device using a passive suspension, where the trailer stabilizing device is separate from a support frame of the parked semi-trailer; wedging the trailer stabilizing device between the ground and the parked semi-trailer; and, continuing to float the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the wheel so that a load on the passive suspension decreases as a load borne by the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack increases. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, further including providing information via a visual display located remotely from the parked semi-trailer, the visual display providing information concerning a position of the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the ground. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, wherein the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack includes a first semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack and a second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein: the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks are operatively coupled to a motor; the motor is operatively coupled to a first clutch operatively coupled to the first semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack; and, the motor is operatively coupled to a second clutch operatively coupled to the second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein: the frame is operatively coupled to a plurality of wheels; and, the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks are within a lateral footprint established by the plurality of wheels. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40, further comprising repositioning a hook, operatively coupled to the frame, between a raised position to a lowered position, where the lowered position corresponds to an engaged position having the hook operatively coupled to the ground, and where the raised position corresponds to a disengaged position having the hook disengaged from the ground. ### Claim 46 (depends on 42) The method of claim 42, wherein wedging the trailer stabilizing device between the ground and the parked semi-trailer includes the trailer stabilizing device engaging an underside of the parked semi-trailer ### Claim 47 A method of stabilizing a parked semi-trailer, the method comprising: deploying a first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks in a first direction to contact the ground, the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks comprising a portion of a semi-trailer stabilizing device that also includes a semi-trailer plate and a frame separate from a support frame of the parked semi-semi-trailer, the stabilizing device frame having mounted thereto an axle and at least two wheels mounted to the axle; deploying the semi-trailer plate in a second direction opposite the first direction to engage the parked semi-semi-trailer; wherein the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks are operatively coupled to a spring that is operatively coupled to the axle and the at least two wheels, the spring is configured to allow the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks to float with respect to the axle and the at least two wheels, wherein the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks include a drive shaft extending therebetween, where at least a portion of the drive shaft extends on opposing sides of at least one of the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks, and where the frame includes a frame rail extending parallel to the drive shaft and the axle, and where the frame rail extends perpendicular to the first and second semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jacks ### Claim 48 (depends on 47) The method of claim 47, further including providing information via a visual display located remotely from the parked semi-trailer, the visual display providing information concerning a position of the semi-trailer load bearing repositionable jack with respect to the ground.