Back to results
US 6,820,887 B1Granted
Dolly for towing trailers
OwnerRobert E. Riggleinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed embodiments of a dolly for towing trailers generally include a main framework, a tongue assembly, stabilizing shocks, an axle, an axle platform, a steering assembly, and/or tire-wheel assemblies. The use of these dolly embodiments reduce the probability of chassis and body damage, enable horizontal alignment of the trailer for level towing and greater weight distribution, and provide self-steering of the dollies as the towing vehicle turns or backs up.
Claims28
A dolly for towing trailers comprising:
- a main framework comprising:
- a steering bracket;
- a rear end plate;
- and
- a pair of side members each having a front end portion and a rear end portion, wherein the steering bracket is coupled between the rear end portions, and wherein the rear end plate is coupled to the rear end portions;
- a platform underneath the main framework comprising a top side and a bottom side;
- a steering assembly between the main framework and the platform comprising:
- a steering hub coupled to the steering bracket configured to retain a spare tire-wheel assembly atop the main framework;
- and
- a steering spindle having a first end portion rotatably coupled to the steering hub and a second end portion coupled to the top side of the platform;
- and
- a tongue assembly pivotably coupled to the front end portions of the side members of the main framework.
9 more elements
A dolly for towing trailers comprising:
- a main framework comprising a front end portion and a rear end portion;
- a ball mount adjusting member configured to receive an adjustable ball mount assembly, the ball mount adjusting member having a plurality of ball mount adjusting holes, and the ball mount adjusting member coupled to the rear end portion of the main framework;
- and
- a tongue assembly pivotably coupled to the front end portion of the main framework, the tongue assembly comprising an adjusting bracket configured to receive an adjustable hitch shank assembly, the adjusting bracket having two pairs of hitch shank adjusting holes there through.
1 more element
A dolly for towing trailers comprising:
- a main framework comprising a steering bracket and a pair of side members, each side member having a front end portion and a rear end portion, and wherein the steering bracket coupled between rear end portions of the pair of side members;
- a ball mount adjusting member configured to receive an adjustable ball mount assembly, the ball mount adjusting member having a plurality of ball mount adjusting holes, and the ball mount adjusting member coupled to the rear end portions of the pair of side members of the main framework;
- a tongue assembly pivotably coupled to the front end portions of the main framework, the hinged tongue assembly comprising an adjusting bracket configured to receive an adjustable hitch shank assembly, the adjusting bracket having two pairs of hitch shank adjusting holes there through;
- a platform underneath the main framework comprising a top side and a bottom side;
- a steering assembly comprising:
- a steering hub coupled to the steering bracket and configured to retain a spare tire-wheel assembly a top the main framework;
- and
- a steering spindle having first and second end portions, the first end portion rotatably coupled to the steering hub and the second end portion coupled to the top side of the platform;
- and
- an axle coupled to the bottom side of the platform.
7 more elements
A dolly for towing trailers comprising:
- a main framework comprising:
- a pair of side members each having tongue aligning holes through a front end portion thereof;
- a front lateral member coupled between the front end portions of the pair of side members;
- a steering bracket coupled between rear end portions of the pair of side members;
- a rear end plate coupled to the rear end portions of the pair of side members;
- and
- a ball mount adjusting member having a plurality of ball mount adjusting holes, the ball mount adjusting member coupled to the rear end plate;
- a tongue assembly pivotably coupled to the main framework, the tongue assembly comprising:
- a pair of framework mounting brackets coupled to the front end portions of the pair of side members, each framework mounting bracket comprising:
- a pair of bracket plates having main framework aligning holes corresponding to the tongue aligning holes, the framework aligning holes and the tongue aligning holes configured to receive a fastener there through to removable and hingedly couple the main framework and the tongue assembly;
- a lateral member coupled between the pair of framework mounting brackets, the lateral member comprising front and bottom sides;
- an adjusting bracket configured to receive an adjustable hitch shank, the adjusting bracket having two pairs of hitch shank adjusting holes, and the adjusting bracket coupled to the front side of the lateral member, and
- an L-bracket coupled to the bottom side of the lateral member;
- a pair of stabilizing shocks comprising front and rear end portions, respectively, each front end portion coupled to the L-bracket;
- an axle platform comprising a top side, a bottom side, and a pair of opposing shock mounting brackets, each shock mounting bracket coupled to the rear end portion of each stabilizing shock;
- a steering assembly comprising:
- a steering hub coupled to the steering bracket and configured to retain a spare tire-wheel assembly atop the main framework;
- and
- a steering spindle having first and second end portions, the first end portion rotatably coupled to the steering hub and the second end portion coupled to the top side of the axle platform;
- a torsion axle coupled to the bottom side of the axle platform, the torsion axle comprising:
- a cross arm coupled between a pair of control arms;
- a spindle coupled to each control arm;
- and
- a hub coupled to each spindle for mounting tire-wheel assemblies;
- a pair of tire-wheel assemblies, each mounted onto a hub;
- an adjustable ball mount assembly having two pairs of adjusting holes corresponding to two ball mount adjusting holes, the two pairs of adjusting holes and the two ball mount adjusting holes configured to receive a fastener there through when aligned to removably couple the adjustable ball mount assembly and the ball mount adjusting member;
- and
- an adjustable hitch shank assembly having a plurality of adjusting holes, two adjusting holes of which corresponding to the two pairs of hitch shank adjusting holes, the two adjusting holes and the two pairs of hitch shank adjusting holes configured to receive a fastener there through when aligned to removably couple the adjustable hitch shank assembly and the adjusting bracket.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.