Cable-driven extension mechanism for trailer slide-out

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• channel means mounted on the underside of the trailer body, the channel means comprising first and second substantially parallel channels;
• a transverse structural member connecting the first and second channels;
• rail means for supporting the slide-out portion, slidably carried within the channel means for longitudinal movement therethrough between an extended position and a withdrawn position, the rail means comprising a first rail slidably carried within the first channel and a second rail slidably carried within the second channel, each of the rails having an inner end and an outer end;
• attachment means on the outer end of each of the rails for attachment to the underside of the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave rotatably mounted on the transverse structural member;
• drive means for selectively rotating the sheave in first and second directions;
• pulley means disposed adjacent to the channel means;
• and
• cable means, operatively connecting the sheave and the rail means through the pulley means, for translating the rotational motion of the sheave into longitudinal motion of the rail means, whereby rotation of the sheave in the first direction moves the rail means from the the withdrawn position to the extended position, and rotation of the sheave in the second direction moves the rail means from the extended position to the withdrawn position.

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• channel means mounted on the underside of the trailer body;
• rail means for supporting the slide-out portion, slidably carried within the channel means for longitudinal movement therethrough between an extended position and a withdrawn position, and having an outer end and an inner end;
• attachment means on the outer end of the rail means for attachment to the underside of the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave;
• drive means for selectively rotating the sheave in first and second directions, the drive means including a shaft having a first end coupled to the sheave, and a second end having means for engagement by a hand crank;
• pulley means disposed adjacent to the channel means;
• and
• cable means, operatively connecting the sheave and the rail means through the pulley means, for translating the rotational motion of the sheave into longitudinal motion of the rail means, whereby rotation of the sheave in the first direction moves the rail means from the withdrawn position to the extended position, and rotation of the sheave in the second direction moves the rail means from the extended position to the withdrawn position.

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• first and second substantially parallel hollow channel members mounted on the underside of the trailer body
• first and second substantially parallel rails slidably supported in the first and second channel members, respectively, for longitudinal translation therein, each of the rails having an outer end and an inner end, the outer end including means for attachment to the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave;
• drive means for selectively driving the sheave to rotate in first and second directions;
• first and second vertically-aligned pulleys located adjacent the first channel member;
• third and fourth pulleys located adjacent the second channel member;
• a first cable having a first end attached to the outer end of the first rail, the first cable then passing through the first pulley, then around the sheave and through the second pulley, and then to the inner end of the first rail, the first cable having a second end attached to the inner end of the first rail;
• and
• a second cable having a first end attached to the outer end of the second rail, the second cable then passing through the third pulley, then around the sheave and through the fourth pulley, and then to the inner end of the second rail, the second cable having a second end attached to the inner end of the second rail;
• whereby the rotation of the sheave in the first direction causes the first and second cables to pull the first and second rails, respectively, in a first longitudinal direction through the first and second channel members, respectively, and the rotation of the sheave in the second direction causes the first and second cables to pull the first and second rails, respectively, in a second longitudinal direction through the first and second channel members, respectively.

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• rail means, slidably mounted on the underside of the trailer body, for supporting the slide-out portion, the rail means having an inner end and an outer end;
• attachment means, on the outer end of the rail means, for attachment to the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave;
• drive means for selectively rotating the sheave in first and second directions;
• cable means, engaging the sheave and attached to the rail means, for translating the rotational movement of the sheave into a linear, longitudinal movement of the rail means between first and second positions, whereby the rotation of the sheave in the first direction moves the rail means from the first position to the second position to extend the slide-out portion from the trailer body, and the rotation of the sheave in the second direction moves the rail means from the second position to the first position to withdraw the slide-out portion into the trailer body;
• and
• slack compensation means, attached between the cable means and one end of the rail means, for taking up slack in the cable means resulting from stretching of the cable means, wherein the slack compensation means comprises:
• an elongate member having a first end attached to the cable means, and a second end;
• a coil spring disposed coaxially around the elongate member;
• first means for placing the spring under compression;
• ad
• second means for securing the second end of the elongate member to the first means.

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• channel means mounted on the underside of the trailer body;
• rail means for supporting the slide-out portion, slidably carried within the channel means for longitudinal movement therethrough between an extended position and a withdrawn position, and having an outer end and an inner end;
• attachment means on the outer end of the rail means for attachment to the underside of the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave;
• drive means for selectively rotating the sheave in first and second directions;
• pulley means disposed adjacent to the channel means;
• cable means, operatively connecting the sheave and the rail means through the pulley means, for translating the rotational motion of the sheave into longitudinal motion of the rail means, whereby rotation of the sheave in the first direction moves the rail means from the withdrawn position to the extended position, and rotation of the sheave in the second direction moves the rail means from the extended position to the withdrawn position;
• and
• slack compensation means, attached between the cable means and one end of the rail means, for taking up slack in the cable means resulting from stretching of the cable means, wherein the slack compensation means comprises:
• an elongate member having a first end attached to the cable means, and a second end;
• a coil spring disposed coaxially around the elongate member;
• first means for placing the spring under compression;
• and
• second means for securing the second end of the elongate member to the first means.

Apparatus for selectively extending and withdrawing a slide-out portion of a trailer body, comprising:

• channel means mounted on the underside of the trailer body, the channel means comprising first and second substantially parallel channels;
• rail means for supporting the slide-out portion, slidably carried within the channel means for longitudinal movement therethrough between an extended position and a withdrawn position, the rail means comprising a first rail slidably carried within the first channel and a second rail slidably carried within the second channel, each of the rails having an inner end and an outer end;
• attachment means on the outer end of each of the rails for attachment to the underside of the slide-out portion;
• a rotatable sheave;
• drive means for selectively rotating the sheave in first and second directions;
• first and second pulley means respectively located adjacent the first and second channels;
• and
• cable means, operatively connecting the sheave and the rail means through the pulley means, for translating the rotational motion of the sheave into longitudinal motion of the rail means, whereby rotation of the sheave in the first direction moves the rail means from the withdrawn position to the extended position, and rotation of the sheave in the second direction moves the rail means from the extended position to the withdrawn position, the cable means comprising:
• a first cable having a first end attached to the outer end of the first rail, the first cable then passing through the first pulley means, around the sheave, then again through the first pulley means, to the inner end of the first rail, the first cable having a second end attached to the inner end of the first rail;
• and
• a second cable having a first end attached to the outer end of the second rail, the second cable then passing through the second pulley means, around the sheave, then again through the second pulley means, to the inner end of the second rail, the second cable having a second end attached to the inner end of the second rail.