Patent Application
20230294463
The instant invention may be considered in the field of tandem-trailers trucked triple, can be exceptionally long consisting of a truck or SUV pulling two trailers hooked up tandem. Where a trailer dolly apparatus is used to support the weight of the last trailer that attaches to the other tandem trailer supporting the weight on the dolly not the tandem trailers rear end hitches. Not exceeding light tongue ball and hitch to truck or SUV will cause a more harmonious outcome.
There is a need in the industry of trailer dollies. Larger trailers, typically fifth wheels, are heavy and can attach another trailer in tandem in a triple configuration of two trailers and a towing vehicle. The lighter ball-mount hitch trailer should not try to haul in tandem unless the second tail trailer is small and light.
Trailer dollies are patented for supporting the tongue-weight of a trailer while being towed. The connecting means of the towed trailer is behind the towing vehicle not designed for triple towing (U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,405A/1975 Mitchell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,592,219A/1952 West et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,535B1/2004 Ty Batchelor, U.S. Pat. No. 6,685,211 B2/2004 Inventor Arthur R. Iles, U.S. Pat. No. 2,450,215A/1948 Inventor William A Wilson, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,887B1/2004 Inventor Robert E. Riggle).
A dolly for semitrailers has been patented. This transportation dolly is mainly used to improve the connection of two semitrailers in tandem. This type of apparatus assists in distributing the tongue weight of the last semitrailer onto the support dolly not applying forces to the other tandem semitrailer (U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,777A/1969 Inventor Barker et al).
Situations, where the trailer reaches its gross trailer weight is when the weight of a trailer is fully loaded at maximum capacity. This condition causes increase trailer tongue weight that can weigh as much as 3,000 pounds. Tongue weights of this magnitude can unsafely overload the weight capacity of the camper trailers rear end when traveling. An increased load as much as 3,000 pounds, for example, a tandem trailer tongue hitch without dolly attached at rear end of the travel trailer frame will have problems traveling through bumps, potholes, bridges, and similar occurrences during travel which can damage the frame, chassis, and/or body of the trail trailer. An unsafe condition for the towing vehicle.
Other issues happen when the tandem trailer is towed in a position that is not horizontal with respect to the road. This produces unsafe forces on the tandem trailer tongue and hitch during towing that is not designed to safely support under tow.
Accordingly, what is needed is a dolly for towing tandem trailers that overcomes the frame, chassis, and/or body damage to towed trailers, the horizontal alignment of the trailer, and the steering drawbacks of conventional modes of towing dual trailers being two trailers and a vehicle.
The proposed patent application differs in that the trailer dolly is used primarily behind the travel trailer in a tandem triple towing configuration and is used to support the tongue weight of the last trailer. This tandem towing can be accomplished without a commercial driver's license (CDL) or class A license.
Regarding triple towing, fifth wheel trailers come with a tow hitch sleeve at rear of the trailer for towing tandem trailers. The problem is some fifth wheeler trailers are too long to legally tow tandem trailers. Trailers are allowed up to 45 feet maximum length. Fifth wheel trailers range from 25-45 feet. Maximum length of the towing vehicle and trailers combined is 65 feet with a basic class C license. Maximum length of the towing vehicle and trailers combined is 75 feet with a commercial class A license. With a 45 feet fifth wheel trailer towed by a typical class C license truck range 17-20 feet in length, the maximum legal length of 65 feet approximately happens with no option for tandem towing with a basic class C license, and with a class A license the recreational trailers can be no more than 10-13 feet in length.
The average travel trailer or a camper trailer is around 20 feet in length and 8 feet in width. Travel trailers need a towing truck or a SUV depending on the size and weight of the trailer. This type of a trailer is generally tongue and ball hitch attachment. These types of camper trailers do not come with a towing sleeve attachment mounted at the rear of the trailer for tandem or triple towing due to up lift. This invention's niche in the market hovers within these average camper trailers. A 20 feet truck or SUV attached to a 20 feet camper trailer can haul 25 feet more in tandem triple towing and be within the maximum limits for basic class C drivers. The trailer dolly subtracts about 2 feet from the 25 feet giving the vacationer a total of 23 feet for a recreation vehicle (RV) trailer. The problem with a 23 feet boat and trailer can be heavy at the tongue hitch causing sway of the camper trailer tongue hitch.
Many vacationers tow triple tandem trailers with fifth wheel trailers that are heavy with most ranging 7,000-20,000 pounds depending on the trailer length. Towing in triple with an additional tandem RV trailer is no problem for this type of trailer. Camper trailers with ball-mounted hitch weights range between 1,550 pounds for a 13 feet trailer to 6,600 pounds for a 35 feet camper trailer.
Trailers with ball-mounted hitches should have tongue weight that is between 10-15% of the total trailer weight. Example, a 3,000-pound ball-mounted hitch trailer is loaded with 2,000 pounds of cargo, the proper tongue weight of the loaded trailer should be between 500 and 750 pounds.
When the tongue of the trailer does not have enough downward weight on the towing vehicle's ball mount hitch, the trailer's tongue weight is extremely light. Too light of a ball mount tongue and hitch causes a dangerous condition called trailer sway. When the tongue weight is extremely heavy, the steering of the towing vehicle is affected.
The typical ski boat weighs about 3,500 pounds plus trailer weight of 1,000 pounds, speed boats weigh around 8,000 pounds with trailer weight of 1,300 pounds, and cabin cruisers weigh about 8,700 pounds add another 1,600 pounds of trailer weight totaling 10,300 for the cabin cruiser on its trailer. Example, the cabin cruiser tongue weight is between 1,030 to 1,545 pounds. Example, a 22 feet camper trailer weighs 3,600 pounds with tongue weight between 360 to 540 pounds is hauling in tandem a cabin cruiser boat and trailer triple tow by a truck. Clearly the weight of the last trailer of cabin cruiser boat and trailer is going to cause trailer sway.
While embodiments of the present disclosure may be subject to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. However, the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the particular features, forms, components, etc. disclosed. Rather, the present disclosure will cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the present disclosure.
Reference to the invention, the present disclosure, or the like are not intended to restrict or limit the invention, the present disclosure, or the like to exact features or steps of any one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “alternate embodiments,” “some embodiments,” and the like, may indicate that the embodiment(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic.
Any arrangements herein are meant to be illustrative and do not limit the invention's scope. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Unless otherwise defined herein, such terms are intended to be given their ordinary meaning not inconsistent with that applicable in the relevant industry and without restriction to any specific embodiment hereinafter described.
It will be understood that the steps of any such processes or methods are not limited to being carried out in any particular sequence, arrangement, or with any particular graphics or interface. In fact, the steps of the disclosed processes or methods generally may be carried out in various, different sequences and arrangements while still being in the scope of the present invention. Certain terms are used herein, such as “comprising” and “including,” and similar terms are meant to be “open” and not “closed” terms. These terms should be understood as, for example, “including, but not limited to.”
The materials in manufacturing the tandem trailer dolly apparatus are steel, rubber tires, grease for the hubs, and wheels. The fastening means will be welding, clipping, pinning, capping, and bolting the materials together, or all five attaching ways combined.
As shown in
The dolly frame 202 comprises a first fender 216A and a second fender 216B, each of which are configured to prevent debris from causing damage to either the primary or secondary trailer. The first and second fenders 216A, 216B may be coupled to a first side 218A of the dolly frame 202 and a second side 218B of the dolly frame 202, respectively. The first and second fenders 216A, 216B may be coupled to the dolly frame 202 via welding. Other fastening mechanisms to couple the first and second fenders 216A, 216B to the dolly frame 202 may include bolts and nuts, pins and locks, etc. The dolly frame 202 may be generally rectangular-shaped. However, the shape of the dolly frame 202 may vary and, in some embodiments, may be generally square-shaped. The dolly frame 202 may also comprise a first corner support 220A, a second corner support 220B, a third corner support 220C, and a fourth corner support 220D (shown in
A rear section 222 of the dolly frame 202 may comprise a first bumper frame 224A that extends upward and couples to the first fender 216A and the dolly frame 202. The rear section 222 may also comprise a second bumper frame 224B that extends upward and couples to the second fender 216B. Both the first and second bumper frames 224A, 224B may comprise padded material 226A, 226B, such as carpet or foam. The padded material 226A, 226B may be coupled to the first and second bumper frames 224A, 224B via material fasteners, such as screws, hook and loop, or adhesive.
Furthermore, the dolly frame 202 may comprise rear chain protrusions 228A, 228B at the rear section 222 (
The front section 232 may comprise a tongue 238 with a first member 240 and a first support arm 242A and a second support arm 242B. The first member 240 may comprise a pin aperture 244 that receives a pin 246 therethrough. The first member 240 may be hollow and comprise a first opening 248 at a first end 250 so as to receive the adjustable trailer hitch 204. In particular, the adjustable trailer hitch 204 may comprise a second member 252 that is smaller in diameter than the first member 240 so that the second member 252 may be positioned in the first member 240, thereby allowing the trailer dolly apparatus 200 to be adjustable in length. The second member 252 may comprise a second pin aperture 254 and a third pin aperture 256, both of which interact with the pin aperture 244 and the pin 246. As such, the second member 252 can be moved from a first position 258 (
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It will be understood that while various embodiments have been disclosed herein, other embodiments are contemplated. Further, systems and/or methods according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure may include, incorporate, or otherwise comprise properties or features described in other embodiments. Consequently, various features of certain embodiments can be compatible with, combined with, included in, and/or incorporated into other embodiments of the present disclosure. Therefore, disclosure of certain features or components relative to a specific embodiment of the present disclosure should not be construed as limiting the application or inclusion of said features or components to the specific embodiment unless stated. As such, other embodiments can also include said features, components, members, elements, parts, and/or portions without necessarily departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
The embodiments described herein are examples of the present disclosure. Accordingly, unless a feature or component is described as requiring another feature or component in combination therewith, any feature herein may be combined with any other feature of a same or different embodiment disclosed herein. Although only a few of the example embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will appreciate that modifications are possible without materially departing from the present disclosure described herein. Accordingly, all modifications may be included within the scope of this invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/941,110 filed on Sep. 28, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 16941110 | Sep 2020 | US |
| Child | 18202034 | US |
