Dolly for towing disabled trailers

A dolly for use with a truck trailer having a forward end, a rearward end, a pair of spaced-apart sides each extending between the forward end and the rearward end and a kingpin depending downwardy from the underside of the forward end, said dolly comprising:

• a pair of ground-engaging wheels defining a rotation axis and a frame mounted to the wheels, said frame being movable during use of said dolly to an engagement position beneath the forward end of said trailer, the frame defining a longitudinal axis that is perpendicular to the rotation axis;
• a fifth wheel assembly including a fifth wheel for connection with the kingpin of said trailer and mounted to the frame for selective, reversible movement from a raised position, whereat the fifth wheel is positioned so as to receive the kingpin of said trailer upon movement of the frame to the engagement position and to support the forward end of the trailer, to a lowered position, during which movement the forward end of the trailer is lowered to a towing position, whereat said forward end is supported on the frame for rolling movement therewith;
• and
• a clamp system including a pair of longitudinally-spaced clamp assemblies including a first clamp assembly and a second clamp assembly, each clamp assembly including a pair of laterally-spaced gripping members mounted to said frame for selective lateral movement between a locked position, whereat said gripping members are disposed relatively closer to one another in a position suitable to grip the forward end of said trailer when at the towing position, thereby to lock the frame as against rotation relative to the trailer about the kingpin and permit the trailer to be towed from the rearward end thereof, and an unlocked position, whereat said gripping members are disposed relatively further apart from one another in a position suitable to receive therebetween in spaced relation the forward end of the trailer.

A dolly for use with a truck trailer of the type having a forward end, a rearward end, a pair of spaced-apart sides extending between the forward end and the rearward end and a kingpin depending downwardy from the underside of the forward end, said dolly comprising:

• a pair of ground-engaging wheels defining a rotation axis;
• a frame mounted to the wheels and movable during use of the dolly to an engagement position beneath the forward end of said trailer, the frame defining a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the rotation axis;
• a fifth wheel assembly including a fifth wheel for connection with the kingpin of said trailer and mounted to the frame for selective, reversible movement from a raised position, whereat the fifth wheel is positioned so as to receive the kingpin of said trailer upon movement of the frame to the engagement position and to support the forward end of the trailer, to a lowered position, during which movement of the track the forward end of the trailer is lowered to a towing position, whereat said forward end is supported on the frame for rolling movement therewith;
• and
• a clamp system including a clamp assembly having a pair of laterally-spaced gripping members positionable in an unlocked position, whereat said gripping members are disposed relatively further apart from one another in a position suitable to receive therebetween in spaced relation the forward end of the trailer, said gripping members being mounted to said frame for selective, reversible, linked, lateral movement therefrom towards one another at equal rates, thereby to align the frame with the sides of the trailer, to a locked position whereat said gripping members are disposed relatively closer to one another in a position suitable to grip the forward end of said trailer when at the towing position, thereby to lock the frame as against rotation relative to the trailer about the kingpin and permit the trailer to be towed from the rearward end thereof.