Kingpin stabilizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257356-A1
Application number	US-201615155571-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 22, 2012
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A kingpin stabilizer having a kingpin-retaining bracket having a base plate and upwardly extending walls along at least two sides of the base plate. The upwardly extending walls and the base plate forming a receiving cavity with the upwardly extending walls spaced apart to fit said kingpin therebetween. At least one upwardly extending wall has a pin retainer. The stabilizer includes three telescoping legs extending from the pin-retaining bracket forming a tripod.

First claim

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13 . A method of stabilizing a kingpin comprising the steps of:
providing a kingpin stabilizer with a retaining bracket and a leg portion, the retaining bracket being defined by one or more walls extending upwardly from a baseplate to create a receiving cavity and at least one opening, one or more of the retaining bracket walls terminating with a kingpin retainer extending into the receiving cavity; and slideably engaging the retaining bracket onto the kingpin by inserting the kingpin through the opening and into the receiving cavity; and extending the leg portion of the kingpin stabilizer to contact a support surface.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of engaging the retaining bracket onto the kingpin further comprises inserting one or more kingpin retainers within a groove on the kingpin.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of inserting one or more kingpin retainers within a groove on the kingpin further comprises orienting the retaining bracket horizontally relative to the support surface.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising the step of locking the kingpin within the retaining bracket receiving cavity.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of extending the leg portion further comprises providing the kingpin stabilizer with three telescoping legs.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of extending the three telescoping legs further comprises moving a lever comprising a spring-loaded advance plate in a first direction, the advance plate engaging a ratchet wheel operably engaging a lower telescoping leg portion, the motion in the first direction rotating the advance plate and the ratchet wheel in for forward rotation extending the lower telescoping leg portion.

19 . A trailer stabilizing assembly comprising:
a trailer kingpin comprising a main body that extends downward from a bottom surface of a stationary trailer into a flanged lower end; a retaining bracket that engages the kingpin flange and comprising a baseplate and a receiving cavity, the receiving cavity is defined by one or more walls extending upwardly from a periphery of the baseplate, at least one of the walls having an offset kingpin retainer that extends into the receiving cavity; and one or more downwardly extending legs operatively connected to the retaining bracket.

20 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 19 , where the trailer kingpin further comprises a groove that is disposed in between the kingpin main body and the flanged lower end, the groove having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the flanged lower end.

21 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 20 , where the kingpin groove is received by the retaining bracket in a horizontal orientation with respect to a support surface.

22 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 19 , where the one or more downwardly extending legs extend toward a support surface.

23 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 22 , where the one or more downwardly extending legs comprises three telescoping legs.

24 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 23 , where at least one of the telescoping legs comprises a ratchet mechanism.

25 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 24 the ratchet mechanism further comprising:
a ratchet wheel operably engaging a telescoping leg portion,
a spring-loaded lock plate that operably engages the ratchet wheel and resists backward rotation of the ratchet wheel, and
a lever comprising a spring-loaded advance plate that engages the ratchet wheel such that motion of the lever in a first direction rotates the advance plate and the ratchet wheel in forward rotation that extends the telescoping leg portion.

26 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 19 , where the offset kingpin retainer is selected from the group consisting of a set screw, a clip, a rod, a pin, a bolt, and a collar, or any combination thereof.

27 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 19 , further comprising a locking assembly comprising a lock aperture extending through the baseplate that is located adjacent to an entrance of the receiving cavity and a retainer that is inserted through the locking aperture.

28 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 27 where the retainer is selected from the group consisting of a padlock, a snap clip, a lock pin, a pin, and a clip.

29 . A trailer stabilizing assembly comprising:
a kingpin extending downward from the bottom surface of a stationary trailer, the kingpin having a main body attached at a first end to the bottom surface of the trailer and a flanged second end; and a stabilizer unit comprising a kingpin retaining bracket and a plurality of support legs, the retaining bracket having a baseplate, a wall extending a substantial distance around a periphery of the baseplate and upward therefrom, and an opening in the wall, the wall further comprising an inward facing flange along at least a part of its length, and the stabilizing unit releasably engaging the kingpin by passing the kingpin flange through the opening in the retaining bracket wall.

30 . The stabilizing assembly of claim 29 , where the kingpin flanged second end is releasably engaged within the retaining bracket in a horizontal orientation with respect to a support surface.

31 . The stabilizing assembly of claim 29 , where plurality of support legs comprises three telescoping legs that extend towards a support surface.

32 . The trailer stabilizing assembly of claim 31 , where at least one of the telescoping legs comprises a ratchet mechanism.

Assignees

• Norco Ind Inc

Inventors

• Garceau Bernard F
• Krobot Bori

Classifications

• B62D53/08

  Fifth wheel traction couplings {(tractors for handling trailers in terminals B62D49/007)} · CPC title

• B62D63/08

  Component parts or accessories · CPC title

• B62D53/0871 Primary

  with stabilising means, e.g. to prevent jack-knifing, pitching, rolling, buck jumping (stabilising in general B62D37/00; tractors B62D49/08) · CPC title

• B60D1/015

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B62D53/0842

  King pins · CPC title