Abstract:
A trailer safety assembly for preventing the trailer from jack-knifing includes an actuator coupled to the trailer. The actuator is positioned proximate a king pin on the trailer. A pin is operationally coupled to said actuator. The pin selectively engages a fifth wheel on a vehicle if the trailer begins to jack-knife. An undesired motion of the trailer is restricted.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to trailer safety devices and more particularly pertains to a new trailer safety device for preventing the trailer from jack-knifing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising an actuator coupled to the trailer. The actuator is positioned proximate a king pin on the trailer. A pin is operationally coupled to said actuator. The pin selectively engages a fifth wheel on a vehicle if the trailer begins to jack-knife. An undesired motion of the trailer is restricted. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a trailer safety assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3  of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new trailer safety device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the trailer safety assembly  10  generally comprises an actuator  12  coupled to a bottom wall  14  of a trailer  16 . The trailer  16  may be a semi trailer of any conventional design. Continuing, the actuator  12  extends upwardly into the bottom wall  14  of the trailer  16 . A bottom  18  of the actuator  12  is positioned below a bottom surface  20  of the bottom wall  14  of the trailer  16 . 
     The actuator  12  is positioned closer to a king pin  22  than a rear  24  of the trailer  16 . Moreover, the actuator  12  is centrally positioned with respect to a first lateral side  26  and a second lateral side  28  of the trailer  16 . The actuator  12  is selectively electrically coupled to a vehicle  30  so the actuator  12  is selectively actuated by a driver of the vehicle  30 . Lastly, the vehicle  30  may be a semi truck of any conventional design. 
     A pin  32  is movably coupled to the actuator  12 . The pin  32  is positionable in an extended position when the actuator  12  is actuated. Further, the pin  32  extends downwardly from the bottom  18  of the actuator  12 . The pin  32  is additionally positionable in a retracted position when the actuator  12  is de-actuated. Additionally, the pin  32  retracts upwardly into the actuator  12  so a bottom  34  of the pin  32  is positioned proximate the bottom  18  of the actuator  12 . Lastly, the pin  32  may have a length between 10 cm and 15 cm. 
     The actuator  12  is actuated when the trailer  16  is coupled to the vehicle  30 . Continuing, the pin  32  extends downwardly into a king pin space  36  in a fifth wheel  38 . The pin  32  engages either of a first lateral edge  40  or a second lateral edge  42  of a king pin space  36  in the fifth wheel  38  when the trailer  16  begins to jack-knife. Moreover, the pin  32  restricts a lateral rotation of the trailer  16  when the trailer  16  begins to jack-knife so the trailer  16  is prevented from jack-knifing. The trailer  16  is restricted to 15 degrees of lateral rotation from a longitudinal center line of the vehicle  30 . 
     In use, the actuator  12  is actuated when the trailer  16  is coupled to the vehicle  30 . The assembly  10  allows the driver of the vehicle  30  to maintain control of the vehicle  30  and the trailer  16  in the event of a loss of traction that causes the trailer  16  to begin to jack-knife. Additionally, the actuator  12  is de-actuated if the driver needs to allows the trailer  16  to rotate beyond the 15 degree limitation. The driver may actuate and de-actuate the actuator  12  at any time while towing the trailer  16 . 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure 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 disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.