Adjustable stabilizer support for vehicles

Claim 2

An adjustable stabilizer support for a vehicle selectively engageable with a support surface for stabilizing the vehicle relative to the support surface when subjected to external loading comprising; elongated guide means rigidly supported on such a vehicle; leg means disposed in relatively movable loosely guided relation on said elongated guide means; means individually forming elevationally spaced opposed spherical bearing sockets on said elongated guide means and said leg means; and an extensible-retractable fluid motor having opposite ends individually providing oppositely facing spherical bearing surfaces respectively disposed for self-aligning load bearing contact with said elevationally spaced spherical bearing scokets when said leg means are extended into engagement with the support surface by extension of said fluid motor.

Claim 3

The adjustable stabilizer support of claim 1 including separate bearing means formed on said elongated guide means and said leg means; and retainer means formed on said opposite ends of the fluid motor and selectively engageable with said separate bearing means for retracting said leg means when said fluid motor is retracted.

Claim 4

The adjustable stabilizer support of claim 2 wherein said retainer means on said fluid motor includes a pair of retainer plates which are individually disposed in a first predetermined axially spaced relation to a respective one of said oppositely facing spherical bearing surfaces and said separate mating bearing means includes a pair of bearing surfaces which are individually disposed in a second predetermined axially spaced relation to a respective one of said opposed spherical sockets on said elongated guide means and said leg means whereby said retainer means are spaced from said separate mating bearing means when said spherical bearing surfaces are disposed in load bearing contact with said opposed spherical sockets to permit unrestrained limited rocking movement of said fluid motor relative to said guide and leg means.

Claim 5

The adjustable stabilizer support of claim 3 wherein said elongated guide means and said leg means are individually formed as substantially tubular members with said leg means being sized relative to said guide means so as to be loosely slidably telescopically fitted therein, said tubular members having open upper and lower ends wherein said means forming said elevationally spaced opposed spherical bearing socket including a pair of bearing plates individually secured in substantially closing relation to said upper end of said tubular guide means and said lower end of said leg means whereby said fluid motor is substantially completely protectively enclosed by said tubular members and said bearing plates.

Claim 6

The adjustable stabilizer support of claim 4 wherein said bearing plates include vertically spaced inner and outer surfaces with said outer surfaces forming said separate bearing means and said means forming said spherical bearing sockets include annular spherical surfaces formed respectively on said inner surfaces of said bearing plates; means individually forming an opening of a predetermined radial size through each of said bearing plates in coaxial intersecting relation to said spherical bearing sockets; extension means of radially smaller size than said predetermined radial size individually secured to said opposite ends of said fluid motor in outwardly extending relation to said oppositely facing spherical bearing surfaces for radially spaced telescopic relation with said openings in said bearing plates and said extension means are individually of a length greater than said vertical spacing of said inner and outer surfaces of said bearing plates and individually including an outer end; and said retainer plates are secured to said outer ends of said extension means in individually relatively closely spaced relation to said outer surfaces and having radial dimensions greater than said predetermined radial size of said openings so that said retainer plates are selectively engageable with saiD outer surfaces for retraction of said leg means and in spaced nonrestraining relation thereto when said leg means are extended to permit limited self-aligning movement of said fluid motor therein.

Claim 7

The adjustable stabilizer support of claim 5 including a support surface engaging pad pivotally connected to the lower end of said leg means.