Trailer tongue spare-landing wheel structure

Claim 2

In combination with a trailer frame having a tongue adapted to be hitched to a towing vehicle, a jack wheel assembly mounted on the frame, including wheel carrier means pivotally mounted by the frame for displacement between a retracted position elevated above the ground and a plurality of load supporting positions, ground engaging wheel means rotatably mounted by the carrier means for engagement with the ground in the load supporting positions of the carrier means, releasable locking means for holding the carrier means in each of said load supporting positions, and jack means mounted on the carrier means and engageable with the locking means for incremental displacement of the carrier means under load relative to the frame between said load supporting positions.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 including releasable lock means for holding the carrier means in each of said load supporting positions.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein said lock means includes a locking element movably mounted by the carrier means and engageable with said reaction member in each of the positions of the carrier means, and means biasing said locking element toward the reaction member.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said jack means comprises a lever element and fulcrum means fixed to the carrier means for pivotal support of the lever element about a fulcrum point spaced from said locking means, said lever element being engageable with the locking member at locations angularly spaced from the fulcrum point.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 wherein said locking means includes a reaction member fixed to the frame and provided with a plurality of openings at said locations through which the lever element extends.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 3 wherein said fulcrum means comprises a bracket fixed to the carrier means having a pivot opening slidably receiving the lever element to establish said fulcrum point.

Claim 8

In combination with a trailer frame supported by a wheel assembly adjacent a rear end and having a tongue adjacent the other end adapted to be hitched to a towing vehicle, a jack wheel assembly mounted on the frame intermediate said ends thereof, including wheel carrier means pivotally mounted by the frame for displacement between a retracted position and a plurality of load supporting positions, ground engaging wheel means rotatably mounted by the carrier means for engagement with the ground in the load supporting positions of the carrier means, and jack means mounted on the carrier means and engageable with the frame for incremental displacement of the carrier means under load relative to the frame between said load supporting positions, said jack means including a reaction member fixed to the frame having a plurality of holes angularly spaced relative to an axis about which the carrier means is rotatable, a lever element, and fulcrum means fixed to the carrier means for pivotal support of the lever element about a fulcrum point axially spaced from said holes, said lever element being engageable with said reaction member through said holes.

Claim 9

In combination with a trailer frame supported by a wheel assembly adjacent a rear end and having a tongue adjacent the other end adapted to be hitched to a towing vehicle, a jack wheel assembly mounted on the frame intermediate said ends thereof, including wheel carrier means pivotally mounted by the frame for displacement between a retracted position and a plurality of load supporting positions, ground engaging wheel means rotatably mounted by the carrier means for engagement with the ground in the load supporting positions of the carrier means, and jack means mounted on the carrier means and engageable with the frame for incremental displacement of the carrier means under load relative to the frame between said load supporting positions, said jack means including a reaction member fixed to the frame having a plurality of holes angularly spaced relative to an axis about which the carrier means is rotatable, a lever element, and fulcrum means fixed to the carrier means for pivotal support of the lever element about a fulcrum point axially spaced from said holes, said lever element being engageable with said reaction member through said holes.

Claim 10

The combinatiOn of claim 7 wherein said fulcrum means comprises a bracket fixed to the carrier means having a pivot opening slidably receiving the lever element to establish said fulcrum point.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 including releasable lock means for holding the carrier means in each of said load supporting positions.

Claim 12

In combination with a trailer having a frame adapted to be hitched to a towing vehicle, a jack wheel assembly including a wheel carrier pivotally mounted by the frame and displaceable between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, ground engaging wheel means rotatably mounted by the carrier for engagement with ground in each of said extended positions, a reaction member fixed to the frame, a fulcrum element fixed to the carrier in spaced relation to the reaction member, and jacking lever means pivotally supported by the fulcrum element and engageable with the reaction member for incrementally displacing the carrier under load between said extended positions.

Claim 13

In combination with a trailer having a frame adapted to be hitched to a towing vehicle, a jack wheel assembly including a wheel carrier pivotally mounted by the frame and displaceable between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions, ground engaging wheel means rotatably mounted by the carrier for engagement with ground in each of said extended positions, a reaction member fixed to the frame, a fulcrum element fixed to the carrier in spaced relation to the reaction member, and jacking lever means pivotally supported by the fulcrum element and engageable with the reaction member for incrementally displacing the carrier under load between said extended positions.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 including releasable lock means mounted on the carrier and engageable with the reaction member for holding the carrier in each of the positions thereof.