Patent ID: 7328761
Filing Date: 2008-02-12
Classification: B60S,B62D

Abstract:
1. A steerable drive assembly for local movement of a trailed vehicle comprising: a drive wheel unit including a bidirectional electric motor operatively coupled with a gear reduction unit having an output shaft supporting a drive wheel for rotation about a lower horizontal axis; a vertical steering shaft connected at a lower end to said drive wheel unit and carrying a transverse operating handle at an upper end; a support sleeve assembly rotatably supporting said steering shaft for rotation about a vertical axis; mounting means for connecting said support sleeve assembly to the trailed vehicle; jack means operative by a crank member for raising and lowering said sleeve assembly relative to said mounting means about said vertical axis; a throttle assembly carried on said operating handle manually controlled by an operator, said throttle assembly including a throttle member that is progressively rotated to effect a desired speed; a control unit adapted to be carried on the trailed vehicle, said control unit including a variable speed controller and a battery, said variable speed controller and said battery being operatively interfaced with said throttle assembly and said drive unit for effecting said desired speed for the local movement of the trailed vehicle; and reversing means operative between said control unit and said electric motor for changing the rotation direction of said output shaft to provide elective forward and reverse movement to said drive wheel.