Patent ID: 6401876
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: B60T

Abstract:
A ground-engaging emergency brake and anti-jackknife system for a trailer having a frame and having a rear wheel assembly that includes forward and rear axles, the forward axle having respective left and right wheels with open space between them and the rear axle having respective left and right wheels with open space between them, the trailer also including a suspension that resiliently suspends the rear wheel assembly on the frame for vertical movement relative to the frame, said system comprising:a brake skid comprising at least one elongated substantially planar rigid base member having a lower surface and a replaceable traction member removably affixed to said base member lower surface; said brake skid having a retracted position supported off the roadway in a position adjacent to the underside of the trailer and centered transversely in the open space between the left and right wheels of the forward and rear axles of the rear wheel assembly; said system comprising a linkage mechanism supporting said brake skid for movement between the retracted position and a deployed position in which said brake skid is located in a ground-engaging plane and is centered transversely in the open space between the left and right wheels of the forward and rear axles of the rear wheel assembly; said linkage mechanism and thereby said brake skid being supported completely on the forward and rear axles, and thereby being supported completely by the vehicle suspension for vertical movement with the forward and rear axles relative to the frame of the trailer; said system further comprising an actuating mechanism for moving said brake skid between the retracted position and the deployed position, said actuating mechanism including at least one piston-cylinder assembly connected between the brake skid and another part of said linkage mechanism; said actuating mechanism being supported completely on the forward and rear axles, and thereby being supported completely by the vehicle suspension for vertical movement with the forward and rear axles relative to the frame of the trailer; said brake skid when in the deployed position supporting a substantial amount of the weight of the trailer and thereby removing from the left and right wheels of the rear wheel assembly a substantial amount of the weight of the trailer, the weight supported by said brake skid being transferred through said linkage mechanism and through said actuating mechanism to the forward axle and the rear axle; and a substantially rigid assembly extending horizontally between the forward axle and the rear axle and interconnecting the forward axle and the rear axle to block relative movement between the forward axle and the rear axle, said rigid assembly transferring, between the forward axle and the rear axle, load received by the forward axle and by the rear axle from said linkage mechanism and said actuating mechanism.