Hinged fold-up landing support

Claim 2

In combination with a trailer body, landing gear for supporting an end of said body, said landing gear comprising: a pair of legs, and means pivotally attaching said legs to opposite sides of said trailer body whereby said legs can be selectively disposed in a vertical trailer supporting position or in a position folded under said trailer; and means for moving said legs between extended and retracted positions, said means including a shaft extending between and connected to said legs beneath said trailer and said shaft having means to permit its length to be shortened whereby upon folding of said legs to a position beneath said trailer said shaft shortens to a length to permit the shaft to be moved upwardly beneath the trailer.

Claim 3

The combination as defined in claim 1 and in which said extending and retracting means includes gear means carried by said shaft and carried with said legs; and means mounting said gear means to move said gear means from a position spaced below said tRailer body when said legs are in said vertical position to a position upwardly beneath said trailer body when said legs are moved to said folded position.

Claim 4

In combination with a trailer landing gear for supporting an end of said trailer, said landing gear comprising: a pair of support members pivotally attached to the trailer adjacent opposite sides thereof so as to swing transversely of said trailer; a pair of legs, each including an elongated first member secured to said support members and an elongated second member slidably mounted with respect to each of said first members and movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position; a gearing arrangement disposed within each of said first and second members for moving each of said second members between its extended and retracted positions; a pair of gear boxes each mounted on opposite support members and operatively connected to the gearing arrangement disposed in the adjacent leg; a rotatably mounted shaft extending between said gear boxes; said rotatably mounted shaft operatively connected to the gearing arrangement in one of said legs and having one end adapted to be connected to a manual crank for simultaneously moving both of said second members between their extended and retracted positions; a first means for securing said support members in a first position wherein said legs are in an unfolded position; and a second means for securing said support members in a second position wherein said legs are in a folded-up position.

Claim 5

In combination with a trailer landing gear for supporting an end of said trailer, said landing gear comprising: a pair of support members pivotally attached to the trailer adjacent opposite sides thereof so as to swing transversely of said trailer; a pair of legs, each including an elongated first member secured to said support members and an elongated second member slidably mounted with respect to each of said first members and movable between a first extended position and a second retracted position; a gearing arrangement disposed within each of said first and second members for moving each of said second members between its extended and retracted positions; a pair of gear boxes each mounted on opposite support members and operatively connected to the gearing arrangement disposed in the adjacent leg; a rotatably mounted shaft extending between said gear boxes; said rotatably mounted shaft operatively connected to the gearing arrangement in one of said legs and having one end adapted to be connected to a manual crank for simultaneously moving both of said second members between their extended and retracted positions; a first means for securing said support members in a first position wherein said legs are in an unfolded position; and a second means for securing said support members in a second position wherein said legs are in a folded-up position.

Claim 6

The combination as defined in claim 3, and including means for biasing each of said legs toward its folded-up position.

Claim 7

The combination as defined in claim 3, and including a pair of parallel U-shaped elongated channel members extending between said support members adjacent the trailer body; a pair of elongated braces each having one end pivotally mounted to the first members of opposite legs and the other end slidably mounted in opposite channel members; and a latching mechanism mounted on each of said channel members for securing the end of said brace mounted therein in a fixed position for securing said legs in their unfolded position.

Claim 8

The combination as defined in claim 5, wherein each of said braces includes a roller pivotally mounted on the end mounted in said channel member.

Claim 9

The combination as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said channel members is inwardly opening and includes an elongated upwardly extending strip secured to its lower inner edge forming an upwardly opening U-shaped slot for receiving said roller.

Claim 10

The combination as defined in claim 5, and including a pair of springs biasing said legs toward their folded-up position and having one end secured to said first members of opposite legs and the other end secured to said channel members.

Claim 11

The combination as defined in claim 5, wherein said second means includes a first pair of aligned tabs secured to opposite channel members and extending downwardly therefrom, each of said tabs having an aperture formed adjacent its lower end for receiving a latch bar that supports one of said legs in its folded-up position; and a second pair of aligned tabs secured to opposite channel members and extending downwardly therefrom, each of said tabs of said second pair having an aperture formed adjacent its lower end for receiving a latch bar that supports the other of said legs in its folded-up position.

Claim 12

The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein each of said support members is generally flat and triangularly shaped with its upper edge pivotally secured to said trailer, each of said first members of said legs is secured to the inner surface of its associated support member, and each of said gear boxes is pivotally mounted on the inner surface of its associated support member.

Claim 13

The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said rotatably mounted shaft extends outwardly from the upper end of one of said legs.

Claim 14

The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said rotatably mounted shaft extends outwardly from one of said gear boxes.