The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1981
Filed:
Nov. 15, 1979
Joseph Mergen, Goshen, IN (US);
Bangor Punta Corporation, Greenwich, CT (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a self-supporting trailer having at least a pair of rear wheels and a steerable and casterable front wheel with the weight of the trailer being substantially equally divided among the wheels. The front wheel is carried for turning movement by a yoke which is secured to the trailer frame by leaf springs. The leaf springs provide rigid and lateral stability between the yoke and frame and enable vertical movement of the frame relative to the yoke. The steerable wheel is carried by a fork pivotally coupled to the yoke. A drawbar is bifurcated at its rearward end for connection to the yoke arms and pivotal movement about a horizontal axis. The opposite end of the drawbar carries a tongue mounting a hitch for connection to the towing vehicle and a steering arm carried by the fork whereby the steering wheel tracks the turning movement of the towing vehicle. The hitch connection with the towing vehicle and the horizontal pivotal axis of the drawbar and yoke define a plane and the pivotal connections at opposite ends of the steering link are maintained in this plane throughout the range of angularity of the drawbar resulting from any difference in elevation between the towing vehicle and the trailer. With the foregoing construction, vertical loading of the towing vehicle from the trailer is substantially minimized or eliminated and lateral stability is assured by the steering and casterable front wheel of the trailer.