Support device for articulated vehicle trailer

#The invention relates to a device for supporting a trailer of a semitrailer truck comprising a vertical spindle drive for adjusting the height of the support device, a horizontal, particularly a crank-handle-driven input shaft, and an angle drive for redirecting the torque of the input shaft to the spindle drive. The angle drive comprises at least two gears that are spaced at a distance from one another for gear positions of different gear ratios, which can be optionally engaged with a ring gear of the input shaft by horizontally displacing the input shaft.

#The support devices usually have several gears with different gear ratios, which are optionally selected by shifting. These are typically two-speed gears in which one gear, the so-called low gear, is used for lifting loads and the second gear, the so-called overdrive gear, for quick telescoping of the lifting jack without load or with a small load.

#Such a support device is described in German Laid-Open Publication DE 19 836 635 A1, which must be considered definitive. The prior art support device, in addition to the two gear positions, also has a neutral position. In this position, torque transmission between input shaft and output shaft is interrupted.

#The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the figures in which:

#FIG. 1 is a vertical section of the support device in the low gear position,

#FIG. 2 is a vertical section of the support device in the overdrive gear position,

#FIG. 1 shows a vertical section of the support device in the area of the gear in the low gear position. The crank drive 1, which is axially displaceably supported in a bearing holder 7 that is mounted on housing 12 and on a bearing plate 8, is positioned in such a way that the crank drive with its spindle-side end X is received in bearing plate 8 in a maximum insertion position and the gear teeth of crank drive 1a engage with the external gear teeth 3a of drive shaft 3 for the low gear position.

#In axial direction, offset to the external gear teeth 3a, a bevel gear 4 is also non-rotatably arranged on drive shaft 3 and in turn engages with the complementary gear teeth of bevel gear 5. Bevel gear 5 transmits the torque to spindle 6. Spindle 6 is provided with a thread 6a on which a spindle nut 11 runs. The spindle itself is supported in bearing plate 8, which is fixedly connected with shaft tube 10. The spindle nut 11 is connected with the tube of the internal leg 9. The rotary movement of spindle 6 causes an axial movement of spindle nut 11 and thus an axial relative movement between shaft tube 10 and the tube of the inner leg 9. The tubes are telescoped relative to one another.

#When the support device is operated in low gear, the forces and moments are introduced via the crank drive 1, transmitted from there via drive shaft 3 and bevel gear 4 of drive shaft 3 to bevel gear 5 and move inner tube 9 via spindle 6 and spindle nut 11.