A detachable adapter fifth wheel dolly for connection to a conventional type coupling mounted on the forward lower portion of a conventional type of a fifth wheel trailer style mobile camper, the dolly intended for use in moving the camper from place to place about a campsite, the dolly comprising, in combination:
- an open type generally rectangularly configured frame member consisting of a plurality of independent sections of channel iron having their ends interconnected together to define the frame with all of the sections lying in a single plane, the frame having a back rail, a pair of parallel side rails connected to opposite ends of the back rail and projecting forwardly therefrom, and a pair of converging forward rails disposed in a general V-shaped configuration with the base thereof connected to the forward edges of said side rails and with the apex ends thereof being connected together and lying along the longitudinal midline of said frame;
- a pair of parallel transversely spaced apart longitudinally extending leaf springs, each spring secured to one of the frame side rails and extending longitudinally therealong with the ends of each leaf spring secured to the side rails by depending links associated with the side rails;
- an axle assembly secured intermediate the ends of each of the leaf spring members and extending transversely of the frame parallel to the back rail thereof with the opposite ends of the axle extending outwardly from the adjacentmost side rails of the frame, the axle disposed transversely to the direction of travel of the frame;
- a pair of wheels each rotatively affixed to an opposite end of said axle assembly for rotation on said axle assembly in planes parallel to said side rails when said frame member is transported from one location to another location;
- a tongue channel frame member extending longitudinally along the mid line of said frame and forming an integral part thereof, the back end of the tongue member affixed centrally of said back end rail with a forward portion of said tongue member affixed to the apex of said converging forward rails with the front end of the tongue member projecting forwardly of said apex portion, said tongue member lying substantially co-planar with said frame and forming an integral part thereof;
- a hitch socket formed as an integral part of said front end of said tongue member and projecting forwardly and outwardly therefrom and being of a size and configuration to readily fit a standard trailer ball hitch secured in a conventional manner to a motor vehicle for purposes of towing the frame;
- an adjustable elongated standard secured to said tongue member intermediate said apex of said converging forward rails and said hitch socket, said standard extending normal to the axis of said tongue member and passing therethrough and affixed thereto with a portion of said standard projecting above said tongue member with the major portion of said standard extending below said tongue member in a generally vertical direction the bottom end of the standard having an associated flat foot portion affixed thereto and adapted to engage the ground surface for supporting the forward end of said frame when not hitched to a towing vehicle, said standard adjustable by an adjusting means including a hand crank for manual manipulation of said standard between a position where the foot portion engages the ground and the frame is supported in a substantially horizontal plane, and a retracted position wherein the foot portion is raised from the ground with the hitch socket affixed to a towing vehicle such that the standard does not interfere with the towing of the frame by the vehicle;
- a pair of transversely spaced apart longitudinally extending inverted V-shaped angle members each lying in a vertical plane parallel to the side rails with each angle member disposed adjacent and inwardly of an associated one of said side rails and projecting upwardly therefrom with the ends of each of the angle members extending between the back rail and an end portion of the adjacent associated forward rail;
- the apex portion of each of the angle members being in transverse alignment parallel to said axle assembly and disposed forwardly of said axle assembly;
- a cross brace extending transversely of said frame with its opposite end portions resting on said apex portions of said angle members;
- coupling means secured to said cross brace and adapted to detachably engage the coupling of the mobile camper for the towing of the same;
- adjusting means for adjusting the height of said coupling means relative to said frame to enable said dolly to be adapted to fit a wide multitude of different types and styles of fifth wheel trailer style mobile campers and properly engage the dolly coupling means with the camper coupling;
- whereby, connection of said dolly coupling means to said fifth wheel trailer style mobile camper coupling allows the mobile camper to be moved and transported from place to place by a vehicle having a conventional standard trailer ball hitch affixed thereto and thus eliminating the need of a pickup style truck having a fifth wheel connection mounted in the bed thereof.