Recreational vehicle wind stabilizer

An elongated strut having first and second large and small diameter relatively telescoped opposite end portions. The free end of the large diameter end portion includes a mount for mounting a corresponding vehicle side with the strut downwardly and outwardly inclined from the vehicle side. The free end of the small diameter end portion includes a relatively extendable spring biased foot portion for engagement with the ground and a generally horizontal brace is provided including a first end for anchoring relative to the corresponding vehicle side and a second end including clamp structure removably clampingly engaged with the strut small diameter end portion immediately adjacent and abutting the corresponding strut large diameter end portion to limit telescoping of the small diameter strut end portion into the strut large diameter end portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various forms of stabilizers have been heretofore provided for the purpose 
of stabilizing recreational and other vehicles equipped with wheeled 
running gear. Examples of various forms of these previously known 
stabilizers as well as other structures including some of the general 
structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed 
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,583,945, 2,634,941, 2,966,321, 3,537,724, 3,692,329, 
3,879,055 and 4,070,041. 
However, these previously known forms of stabilizers or struts and similar 
devices are not particularly well adapted to provide the desired levelling 
function as well as the function of absorbing lateral wind thrust. 
Accordingly, a need exists for a recreational vehicle body stabilizer 
which may not only be utilized as a levelling apparatus for levelling the 
body of the recreational vehicle, but which will also serve the purpose of 
yieldably resisting lateral shifting of the recreational body due to wind 
incident thereon. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The stabilizer of the instant invention includes an inclined strut 
including a mount at its upper end for releasable attachment to the side 
of a recreational vehicle and a spring biased telescopic foot at its lower 
end for engagement with the ground. The strut includes relatively 
telescoped large and small upper and lower end portions and a generally 
horizontal brace is provided with one end of the brace adapted for 
securement to the associated vehicle side and the other end of the brace 
including a slip-type clamp collar mounted thereon clampingly engaged with 
the upper portion of the small diameter lower end portion and abutted 
against the lower end of the large upper diameter end portion to thereby 
limit upward telescoping of the lower diameter end portion into the upper 
larger diameter end portion of the strut. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a body stabilizer for 
recreational vehicles which will not only enable the body to be levelled, 
but which will also afford yieldable resistance against lateral shifting 
of the vehicle body due to strong side winds thereon. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a vehicle body stabilizer 
which may be readily adjusted for use in conjunction with different size 
vehicle bodies. 
Still another important object of this invention is to provide a stabilizer 
which may be readily disengaged from the associated vehicle side for 
compact storage when not in use. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a vehicle wind stabilizer 
which may be readily installed through the utilization of simple tools. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a vehicle wind stabilizer in accordance with the preceding objects 
and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple 
construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be 
economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in 
operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally 
designates a conventional form of fifth wheel trailer with which the wind 
stabilizer of the instant invention is illustrated in use in FIGS. 1 
through 4. 
The stabilizer of the instant invention is referred to in general by the 
reference numeral 12 and defines an inclined strut referred to in general 
by the reference numeral 14 including large and small diameter relatively 
telescoped upper and lower end portions 16 and 18. The upper and lower 
ends of the end portions 18 and 16 are relatively telescopingly engaged 
and the lower end of the end portion 18 includes a smaller diameter 
extendable foot arm 20 telescoped therein. A stop collar 22 is secured to 
the lower end of the end portion 18 and a tubular abutment structure 24 is 
carried by the lower portion of the foot arm 20 with a compression spring 
26 disposed on the foot arm 20 and having its upper end abutted with the 
stop collar 22 and its lower end seated within the abutment sleeve 24. The 
foot arm 20 is externally threaded as at 28 and has an abutment nut 30 
threadedly engaged thereon against which the lower end of the abutment 
sleeve 24 is abutted. The lower terminal end of the foot arm 20 is 
provided with a pivotally mounted ground engageable foot 32. 
In addition to the strut 14, the stabilizer 12 includes an elongated 
horizontal brace 34. One end of the brace 34 is flattened and horizontally 
apertured as at 36 and a mounting plate 38 equipped with an outstanding 
pin 40 is secured to the vehicle 10. The apertured and flattened end of 
the brace 34 is telescoped over the pin 40 and releasably secured thereon 
by means of a spring clip 42 having a portion thereof passed through a 
diametric bore 44 formed in the outer end of the pin 40. The mounting 
plate 38 is provided with four corner apertures 46 through which suitable 
fasteners (not shown) may be utilized in mounting the plate 38 on the 
vehicle 10 adjacent one side thereof. The second end of the brace 34 is 
flattened and similarly apertured as at 48 and the apertured and flattened 
end 48 is received between the closely adjacent ends of a collar-type 
split clamp 50 having a fastener 52 secured through its ends in order to 
draw the ends, and thus the clamp 50, tightly about the end portion 18 
immediately adjacent and disposed in position to abut the lower end of the 
end portion 16. Thus, with the clamp 50 tightly clamped about the end 
portion 18 and abutted against the end portion 16, telescoping of the end 
portion 18 into the end portion 16 is limited. The foot arm 20 is 
slidingly telescoped into the lower end of the end portion 18 and is thus 
spring biased into engagement with the ground 56 upon which the wheels 57 
of the vehicle 10 rest. 
A further mounting plate 58 is provided and may be secured to the vehicle 
10 in substantially the same manner as the mounting plate 38 is secured to 
the vehicle 10. The mounting plate 58 includes a socket defining sleeve 60 
supported therefrom opening downwardly at approximately a 45.degree. angle 
and the upper end of the end portion 16 is seatingly telescopingly 
received in the socket defining sleeve 60 and is removably secured therein 
by means of a removal lock pin 62. 
As may best be seen from FIG. 1 of the drawings, the opposite sides of the 
vehicle 10 each have a pair of front and rear stabilizers 12 supported 
therefrom. Further, with attention invited more specifically to FIG. 6 of 
the drawings, there may be seen a modified form of mounting plate 58' 
which is similar to the mounting plate 58, but which is L-shaped in 
horizontal plan so as to be adapted for securement to a vertical corner of 
the body of the vehicle 10. The mounting plate 58' includes a socket 
defining sleeve 60' corresponding to the sleeve 60 and the sleeve 60' is 
apertured as at 64 to receive the locking pin 62' corresponding to the 
locking pin 62. It will be noted from FIG. 2 of the drawings that the 
mounting plate 58 is secured to a forwardly facing surface of the vehicle 
10 and that the mounting plates 58' are secured to the rear corner 
portions of the vehicle 10. The sleeves 60 and 60' are secured, as by 
welding, to the corresponding mounting plates 58 and 58' and the nuts 30 
may be turned after the stabilizers are initially mounted in order to 
apply the desired spring pressure upon the ground 56. The clamp 50 may be 
constructed in a manner whereby the braces 34 have their adjacent ends 
pivotally supported from the fasteners 52, even when the split clamps 50 
are tightened about the end portions 18. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.