Retractable wheel suspension apparatus

A self loading retractable two wheel suspension apparatus for a trailer attached to a vehicle via an articulated linkage;

• wherein the trailer comprises a generally U-shaped frame having an open center and end, and a closed front and sides;
• and, wherein said suspension apparatus comprises:
• a downwardly depending suspension bracket operatively secured to each side of said frame and having a pair of inclined plates formed intermediate the ends of the suspension bracket;
• a pivot pin operatively secured to one end of said suspension bracket;
• a first and second suspension arm operatively and independently secured to said suspension bracket and mounted on one end to said pivot pin for relative movement with respect to one another said pin being in a plane bi-secting the angle between said inclined plates on said suspension bracket with an extension of said plane forming a stop for the arms, wherein each suspension arm comprises:
• attaching means for operatively pivotally attaching one end of the suspension arms to said frame along a first horizontal axis on said pin;
• a wheel assembly;
• means for rotatably attaching said wheel assembly to the other end of the suspension arms along a second horizontal axis;
• retracting means for selectively operably pivoting said arm means about said first horizontal axis between a first position wherein said second horizontal axis is below and to the side of said first horizontal axis and a second position wherein said second horizontal axis is to the side and above said first horizontal axis;
• wherein said retracting means are operably attached at one end thereof to respective ones of said inclined plates on said suspension bracket and operably attached at the other end thereof to an intermediate portion of the suspension arms, for the purpose of providing independent suspensions for said wheel assemblies when the terrain beneath one of said wheel assemblies is higher than the terrain below the other wheel asembly, whereby the retracting means are provided to actuate the articulated linkage intermediate the vehicle and trailer frame as a consequence of the raising and lowering of the trailer frame to effect the loading and unloading of said trailer frame.