Abstract:
An adjustable width trailer is disclosed which is capable of hauling large machines, farm machinery, or the like. The trailer includes one or more pull-out extender assemblies mounted on the frame of the trailer. Each of the pull-out extender assemblies includes a plurality of horizontally disposed and horizontally spaced-apart support tubes which are secured to the frame of the trailer in a transverse relationship thereto so that the outer ends of the support tubes are positioned outwardly of the frame members of the frame of the trailer. Each of the pull-out extender assemblies includes first and second pull-out sections at one side of the trailer and third and fourth pull-out sections at the other side of the trailer which are individually movable between retraced and extended positions.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an adjustable width trailer for transporting large machines, large farm machinery, etc. More particularly, this invention relates to a trailer having selectively retractable and extendable pull-out extender assemblies at each side thereof which may be extended when transporting large machines or farm machinery and which may be retracted when the trailer is not transporting the same. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Adjustable width trailers are commonly used to transport large machines or farm machinery such as combines or the like. Usually, the adjustable width trailers of the prior art have a plurality of pull-out sections positioned on opposite sides of the trailer. A typical prior art pull-out section includes a plurality of spaced-apart and transversely extending tubes or tubular members which are slidably mounted in transversely extending support tubes affixed to the frame of the trailer. The outer ends of the tubular members of the pull-out section are interconnected by a cross-member beam or cap. The pull-out section of the prior art is manually movable between retracted and extended positions. The fact that there are normally several tubular members used in the pull-out section, the weight thereof makes it difficult to manually move the pull-out section between retracted and extended positions and vice versa. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     An adjustable width trailer is disclosed which includes an elongated wheeled frame means, having a forward end, a rearward end, a first side and a second side. The frame means includes horizontally spaced-apart first and second elongated frame members. A plurality of horizontally spaced-apart cross-frame members are secured to the first and second frame members and extend therebetween. A first pull-out extender assembly is secured to the frame means rearwardly of the forward end thereof. In the preferred embodiment, a second pull-out extender assembly is secured to the frame means rearwardly of the first pull-out extender assembly. 
     The first pull-out extender assembly includes a mounting structure having a plurality of elongated support tubes, having first and second ends, secured to the first and second frame members in a transverse relationship thereto so that the first ends of the support tubes are positioned laterally outwardly of the first frame member and so that the second ends of the support tubes are positioned outwardly of the second frame member. The support tubes include a forward support tube, a rearward support tube, and at least first and second intermediate support tubes positioned between the forward support tube and the rearward support tube. 
     The first pull-out extender assembly includes a first pull-out section having horizontally spaced-apart forward and rearward tubular members, having inner and outer ends, the inner ends of which are selectively slidably received by the first ends of the forward support tube and the rearward support tube respectively so as to be movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the mounting structure, and an elongated beam secured to and extending between the outer ends of the forward tubular member and the rearward tubular member of the first pull-out section. The first pull-out extender assembly also includes a second pull-out section including at least first and second tubular members, having inner and outer ends, with a beam secured to the outer ends of the first and second tubular members of the second pull-out section. The inner ends of the first and second tubular members of the second pull-out section are slidably received by the outer ends of the intermediate support tubes so as to be selectively movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to the mounting structure. Third and fourth pull-out sections, which are identical to the first and second pull-out sections respectively, are operatively mounted on the second ends of the support tubes. The second pull-out extender assembly is spaced rearwardly of the first pull-out extender assembly and is identical to the first pull-out extender assembly. 
     Any number of the pull-out extender assemblies may be utilized. Further, any number of the tubular members of the second pull-out section may be utilized. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a trailer including pull-out extender assemblies which are comprised of first and second pull-out sections which are individually moved between extended and retracted positions. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a trailer having extender assemblies at each side thereof with the extender assemblies being easily moved between retracted and extended positions. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a rear perspective view of the trailer of this invention with the pull-out extender assemblies thereof being in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the trailer of this invention with the pull-out extender assemblies thereof being in an extended position; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial rear perspective view of the trailer of this invention with the pull-out extender assemblies thereof being in an extended position; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the trailer of this invention with the pull-out extender assemblies thereof being in an extended position; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the trailer of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial top view of the trailer of this invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial top view of the trailer of this invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial rear exploded perspective view of the trailer of this invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of one of the first pull-out sections of the trailer of this invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of one of the second pull-out sections of the trailer of this invention; and 
         FIG. 11  is a partial front perspective view of one of the pull-out extender assemblies of the trailer of this invention in its extended position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The numeral  10  refers to the trailer of this invention which has a forward end  12 , a rearward end  14 , a first side  16  and a second side  18 . Trailer  10  includes a main frame  20  having longitudinally extending frame members  22  and  23 . The rearward ends of frame members  22  and  23  have elevated frame portions  24  and  25  which have a running gear  26  secured thereto. The forward ends of frame members  22  and  23  have a conventional goose-neck hitch structure  28  which is preferably detachably secured to the forward ends of frame members  22  and  23 . Hitch structure  28  is designed to be attached to a prime mover such as a truck or the like. A plurality of spaced-apart cross-members  30  are secured to frame members  22  and  23  and extend therebetween as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
     Trailer  10  includes a pair of identical pull-out extender assemblies  32  and  32 ′. Inasmuch as assemblies  32  and  32 ′ are identical, only assembly  32  will be described in detail with “′” indicating identical structure on assembly  32 ′. Although a pair of assemblies  32  and  32 ′ are illustrated, the trailer could have additional pull-out assemblies if so desired. 
     Assembly  32  includes elongated support tubes  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44  which are secured to frame members  22  and  23  and which extend therebetween with the opposite outer ends thereof being disposed outwardly of frame members  22  and  23  respectively. A cap or beam  46  is secured to one end of the support tubes  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44  and a cap or beam  48  is secured to the other ends of support tubes  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  and  44 . As seen in  FIG. 8 , the outer ends of support tubes  36  and  44  are positioned outwardly of beams  46  and  48  respectively. 
     The numeral  50  refers to a pull-out section which includes tubular members  52  and  54  which are selectively slidably received in one end of support tubes  36  and  44  respectively. Pull-out section  50  is slidably movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to support tubes  36  and  44 . The outer ends of tubular members  52  and  54  have a cross-member or beam  56  secured thereto which extends therebetween. The inner side of beam  56  has pockets  58 ,  60  and  62  secured thereto, as seen in  FIG. 9 . 
     The numeral  64  refers to a pull-out section which includes three spaced-apart tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70 . Tubular member  66  has an inner end  72  and an outer end  74 . Tubular member  68  has an inner end  76  and an outer end  78 . Tubular member  70  has an inner end  80  and an outer end  82 . A cross-member or beam  84  is secured to tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70  inwardly of the outer ends thereof so that the outer ends thereof protrude outwardly from beam  84 , as seen in  FIG. 10 . 
     As seen, the inner ends of tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70  are selectively slidably received within one end of support tubes  38 ,  40  and  42  respectively. Pull-out section  64  is slidably movable between retracted and extended positions with respect to pull-out section  50 . 
     A latching device  86  selectively latches pull-out section  50  in its retracted and extended positions. Latching device  86  includes a retractable pin which pins support tube  44  and tubular member  54  of pull-out section  50  together. A latching device  88  selectively latches pull-out section  64  in its extended and retracted positions. Latching device  88  includes a retractable pin which pins support tube  40  and tubular member  68  of pull-out section  64  together. A latching device (not shown) pins support tube  36  and tubular member  52  of pull-out section  50  together. 
     When pull-out sections  50  and  64  are in their retracted positions, beam  84  will be closely positioned adjacent to the outer side of beam  46  and beam 56  will be closely positioned adjacent to the outer side of beam  84 . When the pull-out sections  50  and  64  are in their extended positions, the outer ends  74 ,  78  and  82  of tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70  respectively will be received within the pockets  58 ,  60  and  62  respectively. 
     A pull-out section  50 A, identical to pull-out section  50 , is slidably secured to the other ends of support tubes  36  and  44  and a pull-out section  64 A is slidably secured to the other ends of support tubes  38 ,  40  and  42 . Since pull-out sections  50 A and  64 A are identical to pull-out sections  50  and  64 , they will not be described in detail with “A” indicating identical structure thereon. 
     It should be noted that the pull-out sections  64  and  64 A could have a different number of tubular members associated therewith other than the three tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70 . In other words, there could be two tubular members secured to the beam  84  or there could be as many as four, five or six tubular members. In that situation, the number of support tubes which are secured to the frame members  22  and  23  would correspond to the number of tubular members incorporated into the second pull-out section  64  or  64 A. 
     The numerals  90  and  92  refer to elongated deck members which may be used when the assemblies  32  and  32 ′ are in their retracted positions as well as when they are in their extended positions. When the assemblies  32  and  32 ′ are in their retracted positions, as seen in  FIG. 1 , deck member  90  is supported on and extends between one end of support tube  44  and one end of support tube  36 ′ and deck member  92  is supported on and extends between the other end of support tube  44  and the other end of tubular member  36 ′. 
     When the pull-out extender assemblies  32  and  32 ′ are in their extended positions, as seen in  FIG. 2 , deck member  90  will be supported on and will extend between pull-out section  50  of assembly  32  and pull-out section  50 ′ of pull-out section  32 ′ with deck member  92  being supported on and extending between pull-out section  50 A of assembly  32  and pull-out section  50 A′ of assembly  32 ′. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the trailer  10  with the pull-out extender assemblies  32  and  32 ′ in their retracted position. In such a position, the trailer  10  may be used to haul smaller loads or to be pulled to a location where it will be loaded with a large machine or large farm machinery such as a combine or the like. In such cases, the trailer will not have any decking thereon such as shown in the drawings. In other cases, decking may be utilized. In the position of  FIG. 1 , the latching devices will maintain the pull-out sections in their retracted positions. 
     When it is desired to haul a large piece of equipment, the latching device  86  will be unlatched. Pull-out section  50  is then manually pulled outwardly from the end of support tubes  36  and  34 . During the extension of pull-out section  50 , the pull-out section  64  remains in its retracted position which enables a person to perform the extension process in a relatively effortless manner since pull-out section  64  is not being pulled outwardly with pull-out section  64 . When pull-out section  50  is in its extended position of  FIG. 11 , the latching device  86  will be locked to maintain pull-out section  50  in its extended position. The latching device  88 , if not already unlatched, will be unlatched. Pull-out section  64  is then slidably moved from its retracted position of  FIG. 1  to its extended position of  FIG. 11 . When pull-out section  64  is in its extended position, the outer ends  74 ,  78  and  82  of tubular members  66 ,  68  and  70  respectively will be received within the pockets  58 ,  60  and  62 . The latching device  88  is then locked to maintain pull-out section  64  in its extended position. Pull-out sections  50 A and  64 A are then moved from their retracted positions to their extended positions. This process is repeated for all the pull-out extender assemblies. The deck members  90  and  92  are then placed in position as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The trailer  10  may have a pair of the pull-out extender assemblies  32  and  32 ′ or several pull-out extender assemblies. 
     The goose-neck hitch structure  28  will then be detached from the trailer frame so that the large piece of equipment, machine or farm machinery may be loaded onto the trailer from the forward end thereof. 
     Thus it can be seen than an adjustable width trailer has been provided wherein the pull-out sections of the pull-out extender assemblies are easily moved between their retracted and extended positions and vice versa. 
     Although the terms tubes and tubular members are used in the abo description, other structure members could be substituted for the tubes or tubular members. 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.