US 6,474,675 B1Granted

Stabilizer for a multi-trailer rig

OwnerMark Bockman, Tamera Bockmaninventors

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Abstract

A stabilizer for reducing, if not totally eliminating, swaying, fishtailing and/or jackknifing of a multi-trailer rig includes spring units that can be retrofit onto the rig between a towed unit and another unit towing that towed unit. Each of the spring units is operated by a lever-like pivot handle and the spring units are located on opposite sides of a dolly.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A stabilizer for use with land vehicle rigs in which a towed trailer is pivotally connected to a towing tractor comprising:

a) a towing tractor having a tow hitch thereon;
b) a towed trailer having
(1) a dolly thereon, the dolly extending from one end of said towed trailer and defining an apex which is spaced from the one end of said towed trailer and which is pivotally connected to the tow hitch of said towing tractor when said towed trailer is attached to said towing tractor, the dolly including two side edges extending between said one end of said towed trailer and said apex of said dolly, and
(2) two locking units, one on each side edge of said dolly, each locking unit including
(A) a base mounted on an associated side edge of said dolly, sa id base having a forward edge and a rear edge,
(B) a pivot handle support slidably mounted on said base and movable from a first position adjacent to said forward edge of said base of said locking unit and a second position adjacent to said rear edge of said base of said locking unit, and
(C) a pivot handle pivotally mounted on said pivot handle support, said pivot handle including
(i) an L-shaped body,
(ii) a distal end connected to said pivot handle support for movement therewith,
(iii) a proximal end
(iv) an elbow located between said distal end and said proximal end, said elbow being located adjacent to said base for abutting engagement with said base,
(v) said pivot handle being pivotally movable between a first configuration with said proximal end spaced from the associated side edge and a second configuration with said proximal end located adjacent to the associated side edge, said elbow abuttingly engaging said associated side edge to be a pivot location about which said pivot handle pivots in moving between said first position of said pivot handle to said second position of said pivot handle whereby said pivot handle acts like an over-center pivot, and
(vi) said pivot handle support being in said first position adjacent to said forward edge of said base of said locking unit when said pivot handle is in said first configuration with said proximal end spaced from the associated side edge and being in said second position adjacent to said rear edge of said base of said locking unit when said pivot handle is in said second configuration with said proximal end located adjacent to the associated side edge;
and
c) two spring units, each spring unit connecting an associated locking unit to said towing tractor, each spring unit including
(1) a spring mount which includes
(A) first and second U-shaped bodies, each U-shaped body including a base having two outer ends and two spaced apart legs, each leg having a base end fixed to said base of said U-shaped body associated therewith and a distal end spaced from said base of said U-shaped body associated therewith,
(B) said base end of each leg being spaced from an outer end of said base end associated therewith,
(C) said first and second U-shaped bodies being oriented with respect to each other such that said bases of said U-shaped bodies are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to each other, and said legs of said first U-shaped body are located between said legs of said second U-shaped body and said legs of said first and second U-shaped bodies are positioned between said bases of said U-shaped bodies,
(D) said legs of said U-shaped bodies slidably engaging each other as said U-shaped bodies move toward and away from each other,
(E) a shoulder on each U-shaped body base between each outer end and a leg, and
(F) a spring supporting foot on said distal end of each leg,
(2) a hook unit fixedly attached to each base of said U-shaped body,
(3) a coil spring surrounding each spring mount and having one end positioned to abut said shoulders on both U-shaped body bases, and a second end positioned to abut said spring supporting ends on said legs of said U-shaped bodies as said U-shaped bodies move toward and away from each other with said coil spring resisting sliding movement of said two U-shaped bodies;
d) a first tie element connecting said hook unit on said first U-shaped body to said towing tractor;
and
e) a second tie element connecting said hook unit on said second U-shaped body to said base of an associated one of said locking units.

24 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A stabilizer for use with land vehicle rigs in which a towed trailer is pivotally connected to a towing tractor comprising:

a) a towing tractor having a tow hitch thereon;
b) a towed trailer having
(1) a dolly thereon, the dolly extending from one end of said towed trailer and defining an apex which is spaced from the one end of said towed trailer and which is pivotally connected to the tow hitch of said towing tractor when said towed trailer is attached to said towing tractor, the dolly including two side edges extending between said one end of said towed trailer and said apex of said dolly, and
(2) two locking units, one on each side edge of said dolly, each locking unit including
(A) a base mounted on an associated side edge of said dolly, sa id base having a forward edge and a rear edge,
(B) a pivot handle support slidably mounted on said base and movable from a first position adjacent to said forward edge of said base of said locking unit and a second position adjacent to said rear edge of said base of said locking unit, and
(C) a pivot handle pivotally mounted on said pivot handle support, said pivot handle including
(i) an L-shaped body,
(ii) a distal end connected to said pivot handle support for movement therewith,
(iii) a proximal end
(iv) an elbow located between said distal end and said proximal end, said elbow being located adjacent to said base for abutting engagement with said base,
(v) said pivot handle being pivotally movable between a first configuration with said proximal end spaced from the associated side edge and a second configuration with said proximal end located adjacent to the associated side edge, said elbow abuttingly engaging said associated side edge to be a pivot location about which said pivot handle pivots in moving between said first position of said pivot handle to said second position of said pivot handle whereby said pivot handle acts like an over-center pivot, and
(vi) said pivot handle support being in said first position adjacent to said forward edge of said base of said locking unit when said pivot handle is in said first configuration with said proximal end spaced from the associated side edge and being in said second position adjacent to said rear edge of said base of said locking unit when said pivot handle is in said second configuration with said proximal end located adjacent to the associated side edge;
and
c) two spring units, each spring unit connecting an associated locking unit to said towing tractor, each spring unit including
(1) a spring mount which includes
(A) first and second U-shaped bodies, each U-shaped body including a base having two outer ends and two spaced apart legs, each leg having a base end fixed to said base of said U-shaped body associated therewith and a distal end spaced from said base of said U-shaped body associated therewith,
(B) said base end of each leg being spaced from an outer end of said base end associated therewith,
(C) said first and second U-shaped bodies being oriented with respect to each other such that said bases of said U-shaped bodies are oriented at an oblique angle with respect to each other, and said legs of said first U-shaped body are located between said legs of said second U-shaped body and said legs of said first and second U-shaped bodies are positioned between said bases of said U-shaped bodies,
(D) said legs of said U-shaped bodies slidably engaging each other as said U-shaped bodies move toward and away from each other,
(E) a shoulder on each U-shaped body base between each outer end and a leg, and
(F) a spring supporting foot on said distal end of each leg,
(2) a hook unit fixedly attached to each base of said U-shaped body,
(3) a coil spring surrounding each spring mount and having one end positioned to abut said shoulders on both U-shaped body bases, and a second end positioned to abut said spring supporting ends on said legs of said U-shaped bodies as said U-shaped bodies move toward and away from each other with said coil spring resisting sliding movement of said two U-shaped bodies;
d) a first tie element connecting said hook unit on said first U-shaped body to said towing tractor;
and
e) a second tie element connecting said hook unit on said second U-shaped body to said base of an associated one of said locking units.

24 more elements