Patent Publication Number: US-2002005625-A1

Title: Multi-purpose trailer

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
     [0001] The present application claims priority to Applicant&#39;s U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/218,211, filed Jul. 14, 2000. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
       [0002] The present invention relates generally to utility trailers, and more particularly to multi-purpose utility trailers.  
       [0003] The use of a trailer that may be towed behind a vehicle is a common item used to transport recreational vehicles, such as snowmobiles, boats, jet skis, campers, and the like.  
       [0004] These trailers generally include a fixed, cargo supporting platform attached to a wheeled chassis and on which the recreational vehicle (or other item) may be securely positioned while in transport. The trailers are generally designed to accommodate a certain type of cargo, such as a snowmobile, two snowmobiles, a boat, and the like. Thus, persons owning more than one type of “cargo” may need to own more than one trailer in order to transport the various items.  
       [0005] It is therefore a principal object and advantage of the present invention to provide a trailer that can accommodate multiple types of cargo.  
       [0006] It is another object and advantage of the present invention to provide a trailer having an adjustable width, thereby enabling it to carry multiple units if necessary.  
       [0007] It is a further object and advantage of the present invention to provide a trailer to which various types of cargo support platforms may be easily attached.  
       [0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009] In accordance with the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention provides a base trailer to which various types of cargo support platforms may be attached. The base trailer includes a rear axle with wheels rotatably supported on its opposing ends, and a main beam (or neep) extending forwardly from the center of the axle and including a conventional tow hitch attached to its forward end. A traditional suspension system, such as leaf springs or a torsional system, may be incorporated into the axle and wheel structure. A pair of mounting brackets are attached to the axle, adjacent each of the wheels, and a mounting hole is formed through the main beam, at an intermediate point therealong.  
       [0010] A cargo support platform includes a base with a downwardly facing surface, and at least a pair of support joists attached to the downwardly facing surface, each one positioned adjacent opposing side edges of the platform. A mounting tab is attached to each of the two joists and a mounting plate is attached to the forward edge of the downwardly facing surface. These mounting tabs and mounting plate are positioned so as to engage the trailer&#39;s two mounting brackets and mounting hole, respectively, when the cargo support platform is placed on the trailer. Conventional fasteners may be used to securely interconnect the platform and trailer.  
       [0011] In an alternate embodiment, the trailer may include a telescoping main beam, so as to permit adjustment to its length, and a pair of axles that telescopically engage the opposing ends of an axle encapsulating structure, thereby permitting the width of the trailer to be selectively adjusted. The main beam includes a tubular member that extend forwardly from the encapsulating structure, and a beam member that telescopically engages the tubular member and includes a towing hitch on its forward end. The encapsulating structure is a hollow tube which receives the inner ends of the two axles in its opposing ends, while the outer ends of the axles include wheels rotatably mounted thereto. Conventional fasteners secure the beam and axles in position.  
       [0012] As another option, the present invention may include a device for supporting and storing a cargo support platform separate from the trailer. The supporting/storage device includes a pair of U-shaped stands each including an arm (one of which is adjustable) extending perpendicularly outwardly from the opposing legs of the stands, adjacent their free ends. In use, the trailer is parked at the location at which it is desired to store the platform, and the two support/storage devices are positioned on opposing sides of the platform. The supports are positioned on the ground with their legs extending vertically upwardly. The platform is lifted off the trailer via a jack or other conventional hoisting device. The arms of the two supports are then positioned in engaging relation to the underside of the platform. The trailer is then moved from beneath the platform to its new desired location and the storage device supports the platform at its storage location. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0013] The present invention will be better understood and more fully appreciated by reading the following Detailed Description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
     [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the trailer of the present invention;  
     [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the trailer of the present invention;  
     [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cargo support platform positioned in spaced relation to the trailer of FIG. 2;  
     [0017]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the cargo support platform support/storage device; and  
     [0018]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the mounting structure of the trailer and cargo support platform of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
     [0019] Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, there is seen in FIG. 1 a trailer designated generally by reference numeral  10 . Trailer  10  generally includes an axle  12  having wheels  14 ,  16  rotatably attached to its opposing ends, a main beam  18  attached to and extending forwardly from the center of axle  12 , a towing hitch  20  attached to the forward end of beam  18 , a pair of brackets  22 ,  24  attached to axle  12  adjacent each wheel  14 ,  16 , respectively, and a mounting hole  26  formed through beam  18  at an intermediate position therealong. A conventional suspension system  27 , such as leaf springs (not shown) or a torsional type system (shown), may be incorporated into the wheel/axle structure.  
     [0020] With reference to FIG. 2, an alternate embodiment of the trailer of the present invention is illustrated. Trailer  100  generally includes a pair of axles  102 ,  104  that telescopically engage the opposing ends of an axle encapsulation member  106 , and which include a pair of wheels  108 ,  110  rotatably connected thereto, respectively, and a beam assembly, designated generally by reference numeral  112 . Beam assembly  112  includes a tubular member  114  attached to and extending forwardly from encapsulation member  106 , and a beam member  116  telescopically engaged with and extending forwardly from tubular member  114 . Beam member  116  includes a towing hitch  118  attached to its forward end, and a mounting hole  120  formed therethrough at an intermediate position therealong. A conventional fastener  122 , such as a pin, interconnects tubular member  114  and beam member  116 .  
     [0021] Trailer  100  further includes a pair of mounting brackets  124 ,  126  attached to axles  102 ,  104 , respectively, and a width adjustment assembly, designated generally by reference numeral  128 , of which axle encapsulation member  106  forms a part thereof. Width adjustment assembly  128  further includes a plate  130  mounted to the upper surface of tubular member  114  for rotation about its central, vertical axis Y-Y, an arm  132  extending outwardly from plate  130 , and a pair of mechanical linkages  134 ,  136  extending between and interconnecting plate  130  (linkages  134 ,  136  are connected to diagonally opposite comers of plate  130 ) to mounting brackets  124 ,  126 , respectively. A user may grasp arm  132  and rotate it either clockwise or counter-clockwise, thereby causing linkages  134 ,  136  to either decrease or increase the effective width W of trailer  100 , respectively.  
     [0022] Referring to FIG. 3, a cargo support platform  200  may be interconnected to trailer  10  or  100 . It should be noted that FIG. 3 illustrates platform  200  being connected to trailer  100 , but it could also be attached to trailer  10  in the precise same manner. Platform  200  includes a bottom surface  202 , a pair of joists  204 ,  206  attached to bottom surface  202  and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of platform  200  adjacent opposing sides thereof, and a centrally extending joist  208  attached to bottom surface  202 . Mounting tabs  210 ,  212  are attached to joists  204 ,  206 , respectively, and a mounting plate  214  is attached to platform  200  adjacent the forward end of joist  208 .  
     [0023] Referring to FIG. 5, to interconnect platform  200  to trailer  100  (or trailer  10 ), a user would position mounting tabs  210 ,  212  in engaging relation to mounting brackets  124 ,  126  (or mounting brackets  22 ,  24 ), respectively, and mounting plate  214  in overlying relation to mounting hole  120  (or mounting hole  26 ). Holes  216 ,  138  formed through mounting tab  210  (and  212 ) and mounting bracket  124  (and  126 ), respectively, should be axially aligned, while hole  218  formed through mounting plate  214  is axially aligned with hole  120  such that conventional fasteners, such as pins, may be used to securely interconnect platform  200  to trailer  100 .  
     [0024] Referring to FIG. 4, a cargo platform support, designated generally by reference numeral  300 , is illustrated (a pair of supports  300  are needed to support a cargo platform). Support  300  generally comprises a U-shaped body having a medial portion  302  and a pair of legs  304 ,  306  extending in parallel relation to one another and perpendicularly outwardly from opposing ends of medial portion  302 . Leg  304  includes an arm  308  extending perpendicularly outwardly from its terminal, free end, and leg  306  includes a series of longitudinally spaced, axially aligned pairs of holes  310  formed therethrough adjacent its terminal, free end. An arm  312  is movably and securely interconnected to leg  306  via pin  314 , extending in perpendicular relation to arm  306  and in parallel relation to arm  308 .  
     [0025] Support  300  is used to hold cargo platform  200  (typically with cargo positioned thereon) in a stored location while giving the owner use of trailer  100  (or  10 , for convenience only trailer  100  will be referred to hereinafter) to move other cargo platforms. To store a cargo platform  200 , the user would move trailer  100  with platform  200  thereon to the desired storage location. A conventional jack, or other hoisting device, would then be positioned under the forward end of trailer  100  and used to raise it a predetermined distance off the ground. The user then positions a support  300  under each of the side edges of trailer  100  with medial portion  302  engaging the ground and legs  304 ,  306  extending vertically upwardly therefrom (this, and the following steps are done to each of the two supports  300 ). Arm  312  is then vertically adjusted, if necessary, to engage bottom surface  202  of platform  200 . The jack, or other hoisting device, is then disengaged from platform  200 , thereby leaving platform  200  resting on supports  300 . Trailer  100  may then be moved either forward or rearward from beneath platform  200 , and then used to carry another platform  200  (typically with a different form of cargo than the previously used trailer).