Landing gear for semitrailers

A two speed landing gear assembly for a semitrailer, comprising:

• a) first and second upright telescopic legs mounted in a laterally spaced relationship generally adjacent to a front end of said semitrailer;
• b) in-line laterally-oriented input and output shafts rotatably mounted on said first leg, said output shaft being operatively connected to an input shaft rotatably mounted on said second leg;
• and
• c) gear means mounted on and generally adjacent to each of said shafts for operating said landing gear in a high gear and a low gear, said input shaft on said first leg being axially movable to allow for shifting between said gears, said gear means achieving a double gear reduction between the input and output shafts when in low gear and providing for direct coupling of the input and output shafts when in high gear, so that upon shifting said gear means of said first leg input and output shafts into low gear, a ratio of turns of said first leg input shaft to inches of vertical travel of said legs of from about 15 to about 50 is achieved, and upon shifting said first leg gear means into high gear by engaging a pinion gear of said first leg input shaft in a spline slot of said output shaft, said ratio of from about 2 to about 5 is achieved.

A plural speed trailer support assembly, comprising:

• a) leg means for supporting said trailer, said leg means comprising an upper leg section, a lower leg section and an elevating mechanism for extending said lower leg section relative to said upper leg section;
• b) axially in-line input and output shafts for driving said elevating mechanism, said input shaft being axially movable for changing speeds;
• c) gear means for achieving a double gear reduction between said input and output shafts when said input shaft is axially moved to a certain position, for operating said support assembly at low speed;
• and
• clutch means for directly coupling said input and output shafts when said input shaft is axially moved to a certain other position, for operating said support assembly at high speed.