Abstract:
A method of leveling a parked semi-trailer at a loading dock, the method comprising: (a) positioning a portable stabilizing device at least partially underneath a forward portion of the parked semi-trailer; (b) positioning a lift associated with the portable stabilizing device to bear weight of the forward portion of the parked semi-trailer; (c) reorienting the parked semi-trailer so a floor of the parked semi-trailer goes from a substantially parallel orientation to an approximately non-parallel orientation with respect to a horizontal floor of the loading dock by repositioning at least one of the jack and a landing gear of the parked semi-trailer; and, (e) maintaining the lift in a weight bearing position while goods are at least one of unloaded from or loaded onto the parked semi-trailer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/014,387, titled, “TRAILER STABILIZER AND LEVELER,” filed Jun. 19, 2014, and U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 14/742,918, titled, “TRAILER STABILIZER AND LEVELER,” filed Jun. 18, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,611,109, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     RELATED ART 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    The present disclosure is directed to leveling and/or stabilizing devices that engage a parked freight trailer at a loading dock or similar location, as well as associated methods of stabilizing and/or leveling a parked freight trailer. 
       INTRODUCTION TO THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is a first aspect of the present invention to provide a leveling and stabilizing device comprising a wheeled frame having mounted thereto a jack assembly, the jack assembly repositionable between an extended position and a retracted position, and at least one of a spirit level and an inclinometer operatively coupled to the jack assembly. 
         [0004]    In a more detailed embodiment of the first aspect, the device further includes a controller operatively coupled to the jack assembly, wherein the leveling and stabilizing device includes an inclinometer operatively coupled to the jack assembly and the inclinometer is communicatively coupled to the inclinometer. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the controller is communicatively coupled to an actuator associated with the jack assembly, the controller configured to automatically control repositioning of a hydraulic cylinder of the jack assembly. In a further detailed embodiment, the wheeled frame includes a gooseneck. In still a further detailed embodiment, the jack assembly comprises a plurality of jack assemblies. In a more detailed embodiment, the wheeled frame includes a repositionable user handle. In a more detailed embodiment, the jack assembly is operatively coupled to a fifth wheel. In yet another more detailed embodiment, at least one of the spirit level and the inclinometer is mounted to a top plate of the fifth wheel. 
         [0005]    It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a method of leveling a parked freight trailer at a loading dock, the method comprising: (a) positioning a portable stabilizing device at least partially underneath a forward portion of the parked freight trailer; (b) positioning a lift associated with the portable stabilizing device to bear weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer; (c) reorienting the parked freight trailer so a floor of the parked freight trailer goes from a substantially non-parallel orientation to an approximately parallel orientation with respect to a floor of the loading dock by repositioning at least one of the jack and a landing gear of the parked freight trailer; and, (d) maintaining the lift in a weight bearing position while goods are at least one of unloaded from or loaded onto the parked freight trailer. 
         [0006]    In a more detailed embodiment of the second aspect, the act of reorienting the parked freight trailer includes repositioning the landing gear of the parked freight trailer so the jack associated with the portable stabilizing device to bears all the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the act of reorienting the parked freight trailer includes repositioning the landing gear of the parked freight trailer and repositioning of the jack so the jack and the landing gear bears all the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. In a further detailed embodiment, the act of reorienting the parked freight trailer includes repositioning of the jack so the jack bears all the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. In still a further detailed embodiment, the act of reorienting the parked freight trailer includes repositioning the landing gear of the parked freight trailer so the jack associated with the portable stabilizing device to bears at least some of the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. In a more detailed embodiment, the act of reorienting the parked freight trailer includes: (i) repositioning the jack so the jack bears at least some of the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer; (ii) repositioning the landing gear to discontinue contact with the ground so that the jack bears all of the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer; and, (iii) repositioning the jack while the jack bears all of the weight of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. 
         [0007]    In yet another more detailed embodiment of the second aspect, the method further includes repositioning a tailhold, operatively coupled to the jack, between a raised position and an engaged position, where the engaged position couples the tailhold to the ground and the raised position does not directly couple the tailhold to the ground. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the method further includes disengaging a transport vehicle from underneath of the forward portion of the parked freight trailer prior to positioning the portable stabilizing device underneath the forward portion of the parked freight trailer, proximate a king pin. In a further detailed embodiment, the floor of the parked freight trailer is substantially non-parallel to the floor of the loading dock immediately following the transport vehicle being disengaged from the forward portion of the parked freight trailer. In still a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes actively monitoring changes in orientation of the parked freight trailer using at least one of visual feedback from a spirit level or electronic feedback from an inclinometer. In a more detailed embodiment, the act of positioning the lift includes positioning the lift to engage at least one of a king pin and a pin box of the parked freight trailer. 
         [0008]    It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide a method of leveling a parked freight trailer, the method comprising: (a) activating a jack, configured to selectively operatively engage an underside of a parked freight trailer and the ground, to operatively engage the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground while landing gear of the parked freight trailer are in contact with the ground, wherein when the jack operatively engages the underside of the parked freight trailer, a floor of the parked freight trailer is at a first angle with respect to a horizontal level plane; and, (b) activating the jack, while operatively engaging the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground, to change a distance between the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground to reach an egress height, wherein the egress height includes the floor of the freight trailer having a second angle with respect to the horizontal level plane, where the second angle is less than is the first angle. 
         [0009]    In a more detailed embodiment of the third aspect, the method further includes raising the landing gear of the parked freight trailer after the jack operatively engages the underside of the parked freight trailer and before the parked freight trailer reaches the egress height. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the method further includes lowering the landing gear of the parked freight trailer after the parked freight trailer reaches the egress height. In a further detailed embodiment, the act of lowering the landing gear includes having the landing gear contact the ground, and the act of activating the jack to change the distance includes maintaining the operative engagement between the jack and ground. In still a further detailed embodiment, the act of activating the jack to operatively engage the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground includes continuing engagement between a landing gear of the parked freight trailer and the ground. In a more detailed embodiment, the method further includes at least one of loading and unloading the parked freight trailer after reaching the egress height. In a more detailed embodiment, the method further includes repositioning a tailhook, operatively coupled to the jack, between a raised position and an engaged position, where the engaged position couples the tailhook to the ground and the raised position does not directly couple the tailhook to the ground. 
         [0010]    In yet another more detailed embodiment of the third aspect, the act of activating the jack to operatively engage the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground includes utilization of an electronic controller to govern activation of the jack, and the act of activating the jack to change a distance between the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground includes utilization of the electronic controller to govern activation of the jack. In yet another more detailed embodiment, the act of utilizing the electronic controller to govern activation of the jack to change the distance between the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground includes the controller receiving a signal from a sensor associated with at least one of the parked freight trailer and the jack, and the signal provides information about the changes in position of at least one of the parked freight trailer and the jack indicative of an angle of the floor of the parked freight trailer with respect to the horizontal level plane. In a further detailed embodiment, the method further includes repositioning the jack underneath a forward portion of the parked freight trailer while the landing gear of the parked freight trailer engages the ground, wherein the position of the landing gear with respect to the ground coincides with the floor of the parked freight trailer and the ground being approximately parallel to one another. In still a further detailed embodiment, the act of activating the jack to change the distance between the underside of the parked freight trailer and the ground coincides with the floor of the parked freight trailer and the ground being angled greater than ten degrees with respect to one another. In a more detailed embodiment, the method further includes operatively coupling the jack to a ground mount fixedly attached to the ground repositioning a tailhook operatively coupled to the jack between a raised position and an engaged position, where the engaged position couples the tailhook to the ground and the raised position does not directly couple the tailhook to the ground. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a side profile view of a first exemplary embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a frontal profile view of the first exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an elevated perspective view of one of the two jack assemblies included as part of the first exemplary embodiment. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an elevated perspective view of the jack assembly of  FIG. 4 , without the upper and lower cylinder housing assemblies, but for the top and bottom plates. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is an elevated perspective view of the upper cylinder housing assembly. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the upper cylinder housing assembly of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an elevated perspective view of the lower cylinder housing assembly. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a bottom view of the lower cylinder housing assembly of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a profile view of a freight trailer parked on a declined ramp of a loading dock prior to mounting the first exemplary embodiment to the parked freight trailer. 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a profile view of a freight trailer parked on a declined ramp of a loading dock subsequent to mounting the first exemplary embodiment to the parked freight trailer. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a profile view of the freight trailer of  FIG. 11  parked on the declined ramp of the loading dock subsequent to lowering the jacks of the first exemplary embodiment to have the floor of the parked freight trailer at least roughly level to the floor of the loading dock. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    The exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are described and illustrated below to encompass devices and methods that may be used to stabilize and/or level a parked freight trailer. Of course, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments discussed below are exemplary in nature and may be reconfigured without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. However, for clarity and precision, the exemplary embodiments as discussed below may include optional steps, methods, and features that one of ordinary skill should recognize as not being a requisite to fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0024]    Referencing  FIGS. 1-3 , an exemplary stabilizing and leveling device  100  includes a portable frame  102  that is repositionable using a pair of axles  104  mounted to the frame, where each axle includes low profile wheels  106  and tires  108  mounted to opposing ends. It should be understood, however, that one or more axles  104  may be mounted to the frame  102 . Likewise, it is not required that the wheels  106  and tires  108  be low profile. In addition to the axles  104 , the frame  102  has mounted thereto one or more casters  112  that readily allow manual repositioning (e.g., swiveling, pivoting, etc.) of the device  100  when the device is not mounted to another vehicle or parked freight trailer. 
         [0025]    In exemplary form, the frame  102  includes a pair of frame rails  120 ,  122  extending generally parallel to one another and extending along a longitudinal length of the device  100 . Interconnecting the frame rails  120 ,  122  are a plurality of cross-members  126 . A forward most cross-member  126  is mounted to a gooseneck  130  that includes a king pin  132  extending vertically from a hitch plate  134 . In this exemplary embodiment, the gooseneck  130  and king pin  132  are adapted to mount to a yard truck or similar vehicle. But it should be understood, however, that the dimensions of the gooseneck  130  and king pin  132  may be varied to adapt these structures to mount to other vehicles. For instance, the gooseneck  130  may have a lesser height to accommodate coupling to a hitch mounted to a utility vehicle such as, without limitation, a John Deere Gator, a Kawasaki Teryx, a Polaris RZR, a Honda Mule, a Yamaha Rhino, or other similar vehicle. In this manner, the exemplary device  100  may be repositioned and operated using a vehicle other than a dedicated yard truck. Conversely, the gooseneck  130  may be omitted and/or replaced with a handle (not shown) to allow for easier manual repositioning of the exemplary stabilizing and leveling device  100 . 
         [0026]    Vertically upstanding from the hitch plate  134  and mounted thereto is a control arm  138 , which has mounted thereto a controller  140 . As will be discussed in more detail hereafter, the controller  140  provides manual controls for operating features of the device  100 , in addition to a visual display providing visual feedback to an operator concerning operation of the device. 
         [0027]    In order to provide a stabilizing feature, the device  100  includes a pair of jack assemblies  150  that are repositionably mounted to the frame  102  and operatively coupled to a conventional fifth wheel  152  that is adapted to engage and lock the king pin of a freight trailer (or other king pin receiver that need not lock the king pin in place). Those skilled in the art are familiar with fifth wheels  152  utilized to couple a vehicle to a freight trailer. Accordingly, a more detailed discussion of the fifth wheel  152  has been omitted in furtherance of brevity. In exemplary form, the fifth wheel  152  (specifically the top plate of the fifth wheel) includes a level sensor or level gauge  154  (e.g., an inclinometer, a spirit level, etc.) that provides visual feedback and/or communicates directly with the controller  140  and/or provides information to the user about the position of the fifth wheel top plate with respect to horizontal level. As will be discussed in more detail hereafter, this sensor/gauge  154  may be used for informative purposes in order to discern when to no longer reposition the jack assemblies  150  if the fifth wheel top plate is level, presuming the top plate is parallel with the king pin plate, which is parallel with the floor of freight trailer. 
         [0028]    A tail hook assembly  160  is pivotally mounted to one of the cross-members  126  and is adapted to be repositioned between an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, a portion of the tail hook assembly  160  is lowered to engage a lock box  162  or other ground mounted device in order to mount the device  100  to the ground and retard forward movement of the device away from the lock box. In exemplary form, the lock box  162  comprises a series of laterally oriented and spaced apart (proximal to distal) grooves  164  sized to accommodate insertion of a portion of the tail hook assembly  160 . When a portion of the tail hook assembly  160  is received within one of the grooves  164 , any forward motion of the device  100  is resisted by the tail hook assembly  160  contacting the boundaries of the lock box  162  groove  164  in question and attempting to move the portion of the tail hook assembly forward, but no significant forward motion is allowed because of resistance from the lock box. Given that the forward position (proximal to distal) position of the device  100  may vary given varying lengths of freight trailers, the grooves  164  are spaced apart so that various forward positions of the device may be accommodated. 
         [0029]    In exemplary form, the tail hook assembly  160  comprises an H-shaped frame  170  that consists of a pair of parallel supports interconnected by a cross-support. Each parallel support includes a rounded triangular opening  172  at its distal end that accommodates through put of a capture bar  174 , which is captured by at least one groove  164  of the lock box  162  when in the engaged position. The size of the opening  172  is larger than the cross-section of the capture bar  174 , thereby allowing the capture bar to move within the boundaries of the opening. In this manner, the opening  172  accommodates for more minute deviations in the alignment between the lock box groove  164  and the capture bar. In other words, the opening  172  allows the capture bar  174  to move forward or backward (proximal to distal) within a predefined range to precisely align with and be received by a corresponding groove  164  of the lock box  162 . 
         [0030]    In order to reposition the tail hook assembly  160  between an engaged position and a disengaged position (where the capture bar  174  is not received by at least one of the grooves  164  of the lock box  162 ), a hydraulic cylinder  176  is concurrently mounted to the tail hook assembly  160  and the frame  102 . Corresponding hydraulic lines are run along at least one of the frame rails  120 ,  122  and along the gooseneck  130  to terminate in hydraulic connectors proximate the forward end of the gooseneck. These hydraulic connectors are adapted to engage corresponding hydraulic connectors of a tow vehicle or an on-board pump  178  powered electrically from an on-board power supply  179  (e.g., a generator, a battery, etc.) or an electric cable from the tow vehicle to provide a hydraulic source of power to the hydraulic cylinder  176  in order to selectively reposition the tail hook assembly  160  between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The tail hook assembly is repositioned from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the device is repositioned underneath a parked freight trailer and the fifthwheel  152  has engaged the parked freight trailer king pin. 
         [0031]    In this exemplary embodiment, the fifth wheel  152  and jack assemblies  150  are mounted to the frame  102  to float. More specifically, a cross-member  126  of the frame  102  includes spring mounts (limited height cylinders having smaller diameter than the coil springs) that receive a corresponding pair of coil springs  180 . Opposite the frame spring mounts are carriage spring mounts that are part of a carriage assembly  190 . In exemplary form, the carriage assembly  190  is spring biased with respect to and moves vertically with respect to the frame  102  along guides  200  that are mounted to the frame. The carriage assembly  190  includes a cross-member mounted to each of the jack assemblies  150  and concurrently mounted to the fifth wheel  152 . In addition, the carriage assembly  190  includes corresponding slides  202  that receive a portion of the guides  200  therein to provide movement of the carriage assembly (and the jack assemblies  150  and fifth wheel  152 ) along a predetermined linear path. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIGS. 4-9 , each jack assembly  150  includes a mounting plate  212  that is concurrently mounted to an upper housing  214  and gussets  216 . Also mounted to the upper housing  214  is a top plate  218 , which is concurrently mounted to a hydraulic cylinder  220 . The hydraulic cylinder  220  is concurrently mounted to a bottom plate  224 , which is mounted to a lower housing  226 . The bottom of the bottom plate  224  includes a foot  228  that is adapted to engage the ground when the jack assembly is fully extended. 
         [0033]    In exemplary form, the mounting plate  212  comprises a block U-shaped bracket having corresponding flanges  230  at its ends that accommodate threaded fasteners  232  in order to mount the mounting plate to the cross-member of the carriage assembly  190 . By way of example, the mounting plate  212  is welded to an exterior wall of the upper housing  214  just below one of a series of peripheral openings  236 . The peripheral openings  236  provide access to the interior of the housing  214  in order to accommodate hydraulic lines (not shown) in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinder  220 . In this exemplary embodiment, the housing  220  has a hollow rectangular horizontal cross-section and allows for concurrent mounting of opposed pairs of gussets  216  to reinforce the flanges  230 . By way of example, the gussets  216  are welded to opposite exterior walls of the upper housing  214  and to the rear of the flanges  230 . Also welded to the top of the upper housing  214 , to close off an otherwise rectangular opening, is the top plate  218 . This top plate  218  also includes a series of orifices  240  that accommodate through put of threaded fasteners  242  in order to removably mount the hydraulic cylinder  220  thereto. This allows a fixed mounting point so that movement (extension or contraction) of the hydraulic cylinder results in vertical movement of the upper housing  214  with respect to the lower housing  226 . 
         [0034]    Referring specifically to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the lower housing  226  also has a hollow rectangular horizontal cross-section, but its cross-section is slightly smaller than that of the upper housing  214 . In particular, the lower housing  226  includes a number of side plates  250  mounted to each of the four exterior walls in order to increase the cross-section footprint to fit more snuggly within the interior of the upper housing  214 . In this manner, the lower housing  226  slides within the upper housing  214  to increase or decrease the vertical height of the jack assembly  150 . The lower housing  226  also includes a plurality of openings  252  formed through the exterior walls to provide access to the interior of the lower housing. By way of example, one or more of these openings  252  may provide egress for one or more hydraulic hoses (not shown) coupling to the hydraulic cylinder  220 . The bottom plate  224  is welded to the bottom of the lower housing  226  to close off an otherwise rectangular opening. The bottom plate  224  includes a series of though holes  256  that accommodate threaded fasteners used to removably mount the hydraulic cylinder  220  to the bottom plate. In addition, the bottom plate also include a through hole  258  to accommodate throughput of a portion of the foot in order to mount the foot to the plate. 
         [0035]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1-3, 9, and 10 , the exemplary device  100  may be used to stabilize and level a parked freight trailer  300 . For purposes of explanation only, the following sequence will be described where the device  100  is used to stabilize and level a freight trailer  300  parked at a declined ramp  302  of a loading dock  310 . But those skilled in the art should understand that the device need not be used to level the parked freight trailer and may be used with trailers parked at inclined ramps and level ramps. 
         [0036]    As an initial starting point, the freight trailer  300  has been backed up to an opening of the loading dock  310  so that the front of the trailer, proximate the location of a king pin  306 , is farthest away from the loading dock. This exemplary loading dock includes a declined ramp  302 , which means the floor  304  of the freight trailer  300  is not level with the floor  314  of the loading dock when the freight trailer is parked adjacent the loading dock and disengaged from a truck (e.g., an over-the-road truck or a yard truck). This circumstance creates problems for loading and unloading contents from the freight trailer. While one may use a dock leveler, the dock leveler does not level the freight trailer, but rather provides an incline transition between the floor of the freight trailer and the floor of the loading dock. Consequently, items on wheels or rollers within the freight trailer may have a tendency to roll out of the trailer and into the floor of the loading dock, which may lead to personal injury and damage of the goods coming out of the freight trailer. In order to stabilize and level the freight trailer, one may use the exemplary device  100  as follows. 
         [0037]    The exemplary device  100 , after an over-the-road truck or a yard truck has disengaged from the parked freight trailer  300 , is positioned underneath the freight trailer  300  either manually or by using a vehicle (not shown) attached to the device that may provide one or more of electrical power, pneumatic power, and hydraulic power. More specifically, the device  100  is positioned so that the tail hook assembly  160  is nearer the loading dock  310  that is the front of the device  100  (e.g., where the gooseneck  130  may extend) and so that the fifth wheel  152  is generally aligned with the king pin  306  of the freight trailer as shown in  FIG. 10 . At the same time, the jack assemblies  150  are in a retracted position or in an otherwise travel position so as not to complicate repositioning of the device  100 . Thereafter, an operator manually deploys the tail hook assembly  160  or utilizes the controller  140  to do so automatically. Regardless of which approach is used to deploy the tail hook assembly  160 , the hydraulic cylinder  176  may be retracted to cause the H-shaped frame  170  to pivot with respect to the device frame  102  and reposition the capture bar  174  vertically toward the ground until the capture bar becomes located (and preferably lodged) within one of the grooves  164  of the lock box  162 , which is mounted to the declined ramp  302 . After the capture bar  174  is captured within one of the grooves  164 , the hydraulic cylinder  176  is deactivated and gravity and/or hydraulic pressure maintains the position of the capture bar with respect to the lock box  162 . 
         [0038]    At the same time, thereafter, or before, the operator manually actuates the jack assemblies  150  or utilizes the controller  140  to do so automatically. In exemplary form, the jack assemblies  150  are vertically extended to cause the fifth wheel  152  to rise and engage at least one of the freight trailer king pin  306  and the pin box, while the feet  228  are lowered to contact the ground (i.e., the declined ramp  302 ). In exemplary form, the jack assemblies  150  may be repositioned to bear all or a portion of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 . In either event, after the jack assemblies  150  are repositioned to at least bear a portion of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300  (see  FIG. 11 ), the trailer&#39;s landing gear  308  are repositioned (e.g., retracted). The landing gear  308  is then retracted so that the jack assemblies  150  bear all of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 . After the jack assemblies  150  bear all of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 , the jack assemblies may be vertically repositioned, thereby causing the front of the freight trailer to move vertically downward toward the declined ramp  302  (see  FIG. 12 ). Depending upon the amount of incline/decline of the ramp  302 , the jack assemblies  150  may be greater or lesser repositioned, but in any event repositioned to cause the floor  304  of the freight trailer  300  to be approximately level with the floor  314  of the loading dock. More specifically, when manually repositioning the jack assemblies  150 , the user may read or visualize the level sensor or level gauge  154  and stop repositioning of the jack assemblies when the level sensor/gauge indicates the top plate of the fifth wheel  152  is or approximates level. Alternatively, when using the controller  140  to automatically reposition the jack assemblies  150 , communication with the level sensor/gauge  154  provides feedback to the controller indicating when to discontinue repositioning of the jack assemblies when the sensor/gauge indicates a level condition or a near level condition, which corresponds with a floor of the freight trailer being level or near level. After repositioning the jack assemblies  150  so that the floor of the freight trailer  300  is level or near level, the freight trailer  300  may be loaded or unloaded. And the device  300  remains in place to stabilize and bear the forward weight of the freight trailer while the trailer is loaded/unloaded. 
         [0039]    An exemplary alternate method of using the instant device  100  to stabilize and restrain a parked freight trailer  300  includes manual or vehicular positioning the device underneath the freight trailer after an over-the-road truck or a yard truck has disengaged from the parked freight trailer. More specifically, the device  100  is positioned so that the tail hook assembly  160  is nearer the loading dock  310  that is the front of the device  100  (e.g., where the gooseneck  130  may extend) and so that the fifth wheel  152  is generally aligned with the king pin  306  of the freight trailer as shown in  FIG. 10 . At the same time, the jack assemblies  150  are in a retracted position or in an otherwise travel position so as not to complicate repositioning of the device  100 . Thereafter, an operator may manually deploy the tail hook assembly  160  or utilize the controller  140  to do so automatically. Regardless of which approach is used to deploy the tail hook assembly  160 , the hydraulic cylinder  176  may be retracted to cause the H-shaped frame  170  to pivot with respect to the device frame  102  and reposition the capture bar  174  vertically toward the ground until the capture bar becomes located (and preferably lodged) within one of the grooves  164  of the lock box  162 , which is mounted to the declined ramp  302 . After the capture bar  174  is captured within one of the grooves  164 , the hydraulic cylinder  176  is deactivated and gravity and/or hydraulic pressure maintains the position of the capture bar with respect to the lock box  162 . 
         [0040]    At the same time, thereafter, or before, the operator manually lowers the landing gear  308  of the parked freight trailer  300 . By manually lowering the landing gear  308 , the landing gear continues to bear all of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 , but operates to cause the front of the freight trailer to move vertically downward toward the declined ramp  302  (see  FIG. 12 ). Eventual retraction of the landing gear  308  causes king pin or pin box of the parked freight trailer  300  to engage the fifth wheel  152 . Prior to or after engagement between the fifth wheel  152  and king pin or pin box, the jack assemblies  150  may be repositioned to contact the ground (i.e., the declined ramp  302 ). In exemplary form, the jack assemblies  150  may be repositioned to bear none, all or a portion of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 . By way of example, it is envisioned that the landing gear  308  bear the majority of the forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300 , and the jack assemblies  150  are positioned so as to bear the entire forward weight of the parked freight trailer  300  should the landing gear fail. At this time, the freight trailer  300  may be loaded or unloaded. And the device  300  remains in place to potentially restrain and bear the forward weight of the freight trailer. 
         [0041]    The instant device  100  may also be used to raise or lower the front of the freight trailer  300  after it has been loaded or unloaded. It has been noticed that landing gear  308  is not always operable (e.g., the load on the landing gear is too great to allow a human to crank the landing gear down or extend the landing gear) to increase or decrease the height of a forward portion of a fully loaded freight trailer. This can be the result of the landing gear being unable to be manually repositioned by a human and/or the landing gear being in disrepair. Regardless of the reason, the instant device  100  is operative to reposition the forward portion of a loaded or unloaded freight trailer in order to allow a yard truck or other freight trailer repositioning vehicle to reconnect to the freight trailer after it is loaded and/or unloaded. 
         [0042]    In order to reposition the forward end of the freight trailer  300  and disengage the device  100  therefrom after having the freight trailer loaded or unloaded, it is presumed that the landing gear  308  is in a fully retracted position (see  FIG. 12 ) and the tail hook assembly  160  is engaged with the ground. In the position, as shown in  FIG. 12 , an operator of the device  100  may manually actuate the jack assemblies  150  or utilize the controller  140  to do so automatically. In exemplary form, the jack assemblies  150  are repositioned to raise (or lower in the case of a freight trailer parked on an inclined ramp, the opposite of that shown in  FIG. 12 ) the forward end of the freight trailer  300  while the fifth wheel  152  continues to engage the freight trailer king pin  306  and the feet  228  of the jack assemblies contact the ground (i.e., the declined ramp  302 ). Eventually, the jack assemblies  150  have been repositioned enough to achieve an elevated height of the forward portion of the freight trailer  300  approximating the engagement height necessary to allow a yard truck or other freight trailer repositioning vehicle to reconnect to the freight trailer in order to remove the freight trailer. When the requisite repositioning of the jack assemblies  150  has been completed, the landing gear  308  of the freight trailer  300  may be repositioned to contact the ground  302  and assume weight bearing responsibility of a forward portion of the freight trailer. This weight bearing responsibility of the landing gear  308  may be the result of repositioning the jack assemblies  150  and/or repositioning of the landing gear. In any event, after the landing gear  308  achieves weight bearing responsibility, the device  100  may be removed from underneath the forward portion of the freight trailer. 
         [0043]    As a requisite to removal of the device  100 , the fifth wheel  152  discontinues engagement with the freight trailer king pin  306 , the tail hook assembly  160  is raised to discontinue engagement with the ground, and the jack assemblies  150  are repositioned to a transport position (see  FIG. 10 ). In exemplary form, an operator manually actuates the tail hook assembly  160  or utilizes the controller  140  to do so automatically. More specifically, the hydraulic cylinder  176  is activated to cause the H-shaped frame  170  to pivot with respect to the device frame  102  and reposition the capture bar  174  out of engagement with a corresponding groove  164  of the lock box  162 . When the tail hook assembly  160  has been raised, the fifth wheel  152  disengaged, and the jack assemblies  150  repositioned for transport, the device  100  may be removed from underneath the parked freight trailer  300 . 
         [0044]    The foregoing steps of the tail hook assembly  160  discontinuing engagement with the ground, discontinuing engagement between the fifth wheel  152  and the trailer king pin  306 , and the jack assemblies  150  being repositioned for transport need not occur in any particular order and, in fact, may occur in any order. More specifically, it may be preferred to reposition the tail hook assembly  160  to discontinue engagement with the ground prior to repositioning the jack assemblies  150  and discontinuing engagement between the fifth wheel  152  and the freight trailer king pin  306 . Alternatively, the tail hook assembly  160  may discontinue engagement with the ground subsequent to or contemporaneous with repositioning the jack assemblies  150  and discontinuing engagement between the fifth wheel  152  and the freight trailer king pin  306 . 
         [0045]    Following from the above description and invention summaries, it should be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, while the methods and apparatuses herein described constitute exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the invention contained herein is not limited to this precise embodiment and that changes may be made to such embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Additionally, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not intended that any limitations or elements describing the exemplary embodiments set forth herein are to be incorporated into the interpretation of any claim element unless such limitation or element is explicitly stated. Likewise, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within the scope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims and since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.