Trailer support arrangement

A supporting arrangement for a trailer that is towable by a vehicle, in which the trailer includes a tongue for connecting the trailer to the vehicle, the supporting arrangement comprising:

• a tongue jack mounted on the tongue,
• the tongue jack, in a deployed position, vertically supporting the tongue and thereby preventing contact between the tongue and an underlying surface over which the vehicle and trailer can move, and, in a retracted position, being clear of the underlying surface;
• retraction means, which includes a release mechanism, for moving the tongue jack from the deployed to the retracted position upon activation of the release mechanism;
• a switch connecting the retraction means to an electrical system of the vehicle and forming means for sensing a dangerous trailer configuration, in which the tongue jack is in the deployed position and actual or potential motion of the trailer above a safe speed is present, the switch arrangement being activated and thereby activating the release mechanism upon actual or potential motion of the vehicle;
• manual activation means for allowing activation of the release mechanism by a user;
• in which:
• the retraction means includes an electrically activated, movable member that activates the release mechanism when the dangerous trailer configuration is sensed;
• a control rod is included for transmitting motion of the movable member to the release mechanism;
• the retraction means includes a solenoid, whereby the electrically activated, movable member is a core shaft of the solenoid;
• the retraction means includes a pressurized gas cylinder that is connected to the tongue jack and that, upon extension, urges the tongue jack into the retracted position and that is re-pressurized by manual movement of the tongue jack into the deployed position;
• and
• the switch is located in the vehicle and connects the retraction means with a voltage source in the vehicle and thereby activates the retraction means when the vehicle generates an electrical signal associated with impending or actual motion of the vehicle.