Portable trailer stands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11077895-B2
Application number	US-201816118761-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2018
Priority date	Dec 14, 2012
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

Example portable trailer stands for supporting parked trailers are disclosed herein. Some example portable trailer stands disclosed herein comprise two telescopic posts supporting a generally horizontal beam. Some examples include spring-loaded retractable wheels for selectively installing and removing the trailer stand from underneath a trailer left parked on a driveway. After being positioned under the trailer, the posts extend to lift the beam solidly up against the underside of the trailer. To accommodate conditions where the driveway is not parallel to the trailer's underside, some example posts can be lengthened independently and have angular play that allows the beam to tilt. In some examples, the horizontal axle of the trailer stand wheels is perpendicular to the beam so that the trailer stand can be readily installed from either the front or side of the trailer. Some examples have a kingpin-receiving groove in the beam or have some other kingpin-receiving feature.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A portable trailer stand, comprising:
a first post;
a second post spaced apart from the first post, each of the first and second posts having a lower end and an upper end, the lower and upper ends of the first post defining a first distance, the lower and upper ends of the second post defining a second distance;
an elongate beam extending between the upper ends of the first and second posts, the first and second distances being adjustable to enable the elongate beam to selectively engage an underside of a trailer parked on a surface while the lower ends of the first and second posts engage the surface;
a lower beam extending between the first and second posts; and
a wheel coupled to the first and second posts via the lower beam, the wheel having an adjustable height relative to the lower ends of the first and second posts, the wheel to extend below the lower ends of the first and second posts when the elongate beam is spaced apart from the underside of the trailer, the wheel to move relative to the lower ends of the first and second posts in a straight line extending perpendicular to the lower beam.

2. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the lower beam is substantially parallel to the elongate beam.

3. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the wheel is a first wheel, the portable trailer stand further including a second wheel coupled to the first and second posts via the lower beam.

4. The portable trailer stand of claim 3 , wherein the first and second wheels are positioned on opposite sides of the lower beam.

5. The portable trailer stand of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable height of the wheel relative to the lower ends of the first and second posts changes in response to rotation of a crank.

6. A portable trailer stand, comprising:
a first means for adjusting a height of the trailer stand, the first means for adjusting having a first lower end and a first upper end, a first distance between the lower and upper ends of the first means for adjusting being adjustable;
a second means for adjusting the height of the trailer stand, the second means for adjusting spaced apart from the first means for adjusting, the second means for adjusting having a second lower end and a second upper end, a second distance between the lower and upper ends of the second means for adjusting being adjustable;
a means for selectively engaging an underside of a trailer parked on a surface, the means for selectively engaging to extend between the first and second upper ends of the first and second means for adjusting, the first and second means for adjusting to engage the surface when the means for selectively engaging is engaging the underside of the trailer;
a lower beam extending between the first and second means for adjusting; and
a means for rolling the portable trailer stand, the means for rolling coupled to the first and second means for adjusting via the lower beam, the means for rolling movable, in a straight line extending perpendicular to the lower beam, relative to the first and second lower ends of the first and second means for adjusting, the means for rolling to support a weight of the trailer stand when the first and second means for adjusting are spaced apart from the surface.

7. The portable trailer stand of claim 6 , wherein the means for rolling is to support the weight of the trailer stand via the lower beam.

8. The portable trailer stand of claim 7 , wherein the lower beam is substantially parallel to the means for selectively engaging.

9. The portable trailer stand of claim 7 , wherein the means for rolling is a first means for rolling, the portable trailer stand further including a second means for rolling, the first and second means for rolling positioned between the first and second means for adjusting.

10. The portable trailer stand of claim 9 , wherein the first and second means for rolling are positioned on opposite sides of the lower beam.

11. The portable trailer stand of claim 6 , wherein the means for rolling is to move relative to the first and second lower ends of the first and second means for adjusting in response to changes in the first and second distances of the first and second means for adjusting.

12. A portable trailer stand, comprising:
a frame;
an elongate beam extending along a top of the frame, the frame having an adjustable height to enable the elongate beam to selectively engage an underside of a trailer parked on a surface while a base of the frame engages the surface, the frame including a lower beam spaced apart from and below the elongate beam; and
a wheel coupled to the lower beam of the frame, the wheel to move relative to the base of the frame, in a straight line extending in a direction perpendicular to the lower beam, as the height of the frame is adjusted, the wheel to extend below the base when the wheel is supporting a weight of the trailer stand.

13. The portable trailer stand of claim 12 , wherein the frame includes:
a first post having a first lower section and a first upper section, the first lower section to move relative to the first upper section; and
a second post having a second lower section and a second upper section, the second lower section to move relative to the second upper section.

14. The portable trailer stand of claim 13 , wherein the lower beam is substantially parallel to the elongate beam.

15. The portable trailer stand of claim 13 , wherein the trailer stand has a configuration height defined between a surface contact point between the wheel and the surface when the wheel is supporting a weight of the trailer stand and an engagement surface of the elongate beam, the configuration height being adjustable by connecting the lower beam relative to the elongate beam with a fastener.

16. The portable trailer stand of claim 13 , wherein the wheel is a first wheel, the portable trailer stand further including a second wheel coupled to the first and second posts via the lower beam.

17. The portable trailer stand of claim 16 , wherein the first and second wheels are to move in unison relative to the base as the height of the frame is adjusted.

18. The portable trailer stand of claim 13 , wherein the base is rigidly fixed to lower ends of the first and second lower sections of the first and second posts.

Assignees

• Rite Hite Holding Corp

Inventors

• Wiegel Aaron J
• Grant Donald
• Dondlinger Jason
• Dibiase Joseph J
• Korman Jr Joseph
• Paruch Lucas I
• Snyder Ronald P

Classifications

• B60D1/66 Primary

  Props · CPC title

• B62D53/0864 Primary

  Dollies for fifth wheel coupling · CPC title