Abstract:
The present invention discloses a drive wheel for placement on the front end of a boat trailer or the like which wheel both drives and steers a trailer into a position where the trailer tong can be connected to the rear end of the towing vehicle. The concept of the present invention may also be applied to other similar vehicles, such as trailers for hauling snowmobiles, woodcutters or water crafts and other heavy objects and possibly for travel trailers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to trailers and, more particularly, is concerned with a trailer having a drive mechanism placed on the tongue thereof. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Devices for loading boats and driving trailers have been described in the prior art; however, none of the prior art devices disclose the unique features of the present. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,590, dated Dec. 14, 1982, Crate disclosed a boat which is supported on a wheeled trailer frame by idler rollers and by powered rollers, of a self-adjusting type, located adjacent the rear end of the trailer frame from which the boar is loaded or unloaded. The powered rollers are driven by drive motors through self-locking gears to effect loading or unloading. The boat is held in a transport position on the trailer frame by the powered rollers through the self-locking gearing when the drive motors are de-energized. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,513, dated Jul. 8, 1980, Hosie disclosed a releasable pulley device that can be readily attached to the center rear of a boat trailer and through which the tow-in line for a boat is threaded. As the boat is winched in to the rear of the trailer, an alignment of the prow with the center rear of the trailer is effected. The pulley device is released from its seating and rides free on the line as the boat is fully winched on to the trailer. This enables the dry loading of a boat from rough water as a one-man operation. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 6,382,898 B2, dated May 7, 2002, Mason disclosed an apparatus for loading and retaining for transport, an article, such as a boat, onto a vehicle, particularly a pickup truck. The apparatus comprises a pivoting rear frame member and a forward supporting frame member attached to the truck. The rear frame member has a laterally spaced pair of arms which are pivotally attached to the vehicle, such as onto the trailer hitch of the vehicle, and an upper interconnecting portion for supporting a rear portion of the boat. The rear frame member raises the boat as it is pivoted from a near horizontal position to a vertical position, by suitable means such as a winch. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,865, dated Dec. 4, 1990, Capps disclosed an improved boat trailer winch mechanism that involves an adjustable triangular assembly comprising a first and second vertical support means attached to each other at the apex and to the tongue of a boat trailer forming the base. Extending rearwardly from the adjustable triangular assembly is a novel bow engaging mechanism capable of pivoting and adjusting such as to make contact on both sides of a boat hull. Cantilevered upward and forward from the triangular assembly is a third support member and manual winch with strap and hook closure. Preferably, the strap is directed downward to the tongue and selectively to the proper height through the rear structural member to the triangular assembly such as to insure proper tension when loading or transporting a boat on the boat trailer. Such a boat trailer winch allows the loading of a small pleasure craft onto a boat trailer without leaving the boat and risking getting wet in less time than previously known boat winches. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,770, dated Jan. 20, 1987, Swadell disclosed a lifting-type boat trailer which collapses to a substantially flat position to allow the trailer to be driven between the pontoons of a pontoon boat with its pontoons sitting on the ground. A winch fixed to the front of the trailer applies force via a cable both to the front end of the trailer through a pulley attachment and also to the rear end of the trailer through a bell crank mechanism whose effective working lever arm varies from a maximum at the collapsed position of the trailer to a minimum at the fully raised position, whereby lifting forces applied to the trailer are self-equaling so that the maximum lifting forces are always applied to those points of the trailer which are subjected to the heaviest weight load. The maximum lifting force is automatically transferred from the rear to the front of the trailer as the trailer is raised. The cable is attached to the bell crank mechanism through a dual diameter drum and shaft assembly which provides further force-multiplication or mechanical advantage at the rear of the trailer. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,535, dated Apr. 1, 1975, Killer disclosed a device securable to the frame of the vehicle and is fully adjustable as to size. It includes a hinged boat platform, which can be held level with the top of the boat for ease in securing the boat thereof to the platform by the gunwales of the boat, and includes means to secure the outboard motor also. Winch means are provided to elevate the attached boat onto the top of the vehicle and to lower same to the ground when it is desired to unload the boat from the vehicle. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,203, dated Jul. 20, 1976, Watson, Jr., disclosed a low-slung boat trailer which is provided with a swinging back gate and swinging crossbeam above the boat when loaded on the trailer so that a camper trailer may be loaded above the boat by an electric winch, and the boat trailer still used for launching and retrieving a boat. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 3,584,753, dated Jun. 15, 1971, Voeller disclosed a wheeled trailer body having a bed provided with upstanding longitudinal side fenders, whose top walls are apertured to receive either the bottom ends of the side stakes of a rectangular enclosure or depending lugs on the ends of a plurality of boat-supporting transverse brackets, so that the body can be adapted for use either as a cargo trailer or as a boat trailer. The trailer body has a hitch tongue for attachment to a motor vehicle. A winch assembly can be mounted on the hitch tongue when the body is used as a boat trailer. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,910, dated Oct. 5, 1993, Ball disclosed a horizontal generally rectangular frame structure constructed from aluminum, or iron, longitudinal and transverse beams mounted on the interior surface of a pick-up truck. The frame structure having one or more pairs of longitudinal boat support members, or channels, mounted on the top surface. The channels having a top cover of a low coefficient of friction plastic material are spaced to accommodate the keel structure of a jet-ski. Auxiliary pairs of channels are removably connected to the rear ends of the truck-mounted channels extending downwardly to the ground surface. An electric powered winch mounted on a vertical support on the forward portion of the frame structure accommodates a cable that is removably attached to the bow of the jet-ski. The jet-ski with its bow placed on the channels and connected to the winch cable is pulled up onto the truck body when the winch motor is energized. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,821, dated Feb. 22, 1994, Godbersen disclosed a boat hoist having a platform for raising and lowering a boat by a normally manually rotated circular lift wheel, winch, and cable arrangement, an electrically powered drive motor assembly mounted adjacent the lift wheel and including a drive wheel biased between a position of non-engagement with the lift wheel, and a position of engagement therewith for rotation of the lift wheel, power for the drive motor provided by the DC power source win the boat being moved or by a shore supplied AC power source. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,462, dated Mar. 11, 1997, Reimer disclosed a boat loader and carrier for mounting on a motor vehicle such as a pick-up truck, comprising an upper frame for supporting the boat, having forward and rearward ends and transversely spaced legs whose proximate ends are attached to the upper frame, said legs extending downwardly from the transversely spaced side edges of the rearward end of the frame, the distal ends of the legs pivotally attachable to a lower frame clamped to the pick-up truck so as to allow the upper frame to pivot about the pivotal axes between a generally horizontal carrying position above and substantially parallel with the roof of the pick-up and a loading/unloading position inclined downwardly rearwardly relative to the carrying position; a winch fixed in position forwardly relative to the pivotal axes of the legs when the loader and carrier is mounted on the vehicle, for pulling the boat onto the upper frame and for allowing the boat to be controllably lowered off the upper frame, and a cable connecting the upper and lower frames for limiting the maximum inclination of the upper frame. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,906, dated Oct. 26, 1999, Hrescal, et al., disclosed a motion compensation winch which has a number of opening modes to launch and recover a boat and take into account wave movement. The winch has a cable drum for winding a cable thereon, a secondary gear reduction to rotate the drum, a primary gear reduction between a hydraulic motor shaft and the secondary gear reduction, a rotational sensor to sense direction of cable drum rotation, a load sensor to determine when a tension on the cable is above or below a predetermined value and a secondary clutch to disengage the cable drum and permit the cable drum to rotate freely. The winch has a manual mode for manual operation, and four operational modes to keep the cable taut while a boat rises and fills on waves, a free wheel mode and a recovery mode for recovering a boat that is rising and falling on waves. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,937, dated Aug. 20, 1991, Godbersen disclosed a boat trailer and jack stand winch assembly. The jack stand is mounted onto the frame of the trailer and can folded into a stowed position for traveling. 
   A device for driving a trailer or a recreational vehicle is being marketed by a company by the name of Power Wheel USA, LLC, 4140 JVL Industrial Park Drive, Unit 207, Marietta, Ga. 30066. This company has a web site address “www.powerwheel-usa.com”. The device is controlled by a handheld remote control unit. Applicant has found no patent which appears to cover this device. 
   While these trailer loading devices may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   The present invention discloses a drive mechanism and wheel for placement on the tongue of a trailer or the like which wheel both drives and steers the trailer into a position where the trailer tongue can be connected to the rear end of the towing vehicle in order to make loading and maneuvering the trailer easier. The concept of the present invention may be applied to trailers for hauling animals, snowmobiles, woodcutters, water crafts, travel trailers and other heavy objects. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a means for providing driving and steering power to a trailer upon which a heavy object is placed. A further object of the present invention is to provide the capability for loading an object onto a trailer. Still another object is to provide an electrically powered drive wheel for a trailer having a heavy objected loaded thereon to assist in loading and maneuvering. A further object of the present invention is to enable physically handicapped people or individuals having persistent injuries, such as arthritis, to load heavy objects onto a trailer and to connect a trailer to a towing vehicle. 
   The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views. 
   The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one type trailer upon which the present invention can be used. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of one type trailer upon which the present invention can be used. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of one type trailer upon which the present invention can be used. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an side elevation view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a rear elevation view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the present invention 
       FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 14  is a cutaway view of parts of the present invention. 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
   

   LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
   With regard to reference numerals used, the following numbering is used throughout the drawings.
       10  present invention     12  trailer     14  tongue     16  hitch     18  ball     20  wheel     22  drive motor     24  controller     26  electrical connection     27  electrical connection     28  battery     29  electrical connection     30  arm     31  electric connection     32  lift motor     34  steering motor     36  gear mechanism     38  arm     40  arm     42  platform     44  gear mechanism     46  gear mechanism     48  boat trailer     50  utility trailer     52  animal trailer     54  chain sprocket     56  axle     58  gear     60  gear     62  axle     66  bearing race     68  threaded shaft     70  gear     72  fork     74  belt     75  chain     76  attachment means     78  up/down control     80  forward/reverse control     82  on/off control     84  right/left control   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the present invention. This discussion should not be construed however, as limiting the invention to those particular embodiments since practitioners skilled in the art will recognize numerous other embodiments as well. For a definition of the complete scope of the invention the reader is directed to the appended claims wherein. 
   Turning to  FIG. 1 , shown therein is the present invention  10  wherein a trailer  12  has the present invention  10  attached at  76  to the tongue  14  thereof similar to a trailer jack. Also shown are the hitch  16  and ball  18  and drive wheel  20 . Shown disposed next to the wheel  20  is the drive motor  22 , which drive motor is electrically operated and has means for connection to the drive wheel  20  which could be, e.g., a chain and sprocket or a drive shaft and U-joints and would be connected in the standard manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. The battery  28  is shown disposed on trailer  12 . The present invention also has a shock absorber-like arm  30  which extends and retracts in an up-and-down fashion in order to raise and lower the wheel assembly in a manner similar to a trailer jack. The shock absorber arm is driven by a second driver motor  32  disposed on the upper end of arm  30 . Motor  32  also has a gear mechanism  46  which is connected to and operates arm  30 . Also shown is motor  34  which steers wheel  20  in a left and right direction. 
   Turning to  FIG. 2 , therein is shown the present invention  10  attached by means  76  to the tongue  14  of the trailer  12  along with hitch  16 , connecting ball  18 , drive motor as shown at  22 , wheel  20 , battery  28 , arm  30 , upper lift motor  32  and steering motor  34 . The present invention  10  is attached as shown at  76  in a conventional manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. It can be seen that steering motor  34  is connected to a gear means  36  having an arm  38  extending therefrom connected to a second arm  40  which is connected to a platform  42  to which wheel  20  is connected. The motor  34  rotates in a direction selected by a user to operate the gear mechanism  36  and move arm  40  in the appropriate direction to turn platform  42  and wheel  20  connected thereto so that the wheel can be turned to the left or the right. Drive motor  22  turns wheel  20  through another gear mechanism  44  in a direction to move the trailer either forward or to the rear. Lift motor  32  connects through a third gear mechanism  46  so as to move telescoping arm  30  up and down in order to raise and lower the wheel and thus the trailer tongue  14 . Thus it can be seen that the three motors  22 ,  32  and  34  are each connected through gear mechanisms  44 ,  46  and  36  so as to provide the functions of driving, lifting or steering to the present invention in order to operate the present invention in the desired manner. The present invention  10  also serves as a jack for trailer  12  and may be optionally designed to be rotated about 90 degrees counterclockwise to a stowed position when the trailer is being towed by a vehicle at high speed on a highway similarly to a conventional trailer jack. 
   Turning to  FIGS. 3 through 5 , therein is shown the present invention  10  mounted on trailers  12  which provide different types of trailers wherein a boat trailer  48  is provided, utility trailer  50  and an animal trailer  52  is provided. 
   Turning to  FIG. 6 , therein is shown the present invention steering drive motor  22 , wheel  20 , arm  30 , upper lift motor  32  and steering motor  34 . It can be seen that steering motor  34  is connected to a gear means  36  having an arm  38  connected to a second arm  40  which is connected to a platform  42  to which wheel  20  is connected. The motor  34  rotates in a direction selected to operate the gear mechanism  36  and move arm  40  in the appropriate direction to turn platform  42  and wheel  20  connected thereto so that the wheel can be turned to the left or the right. Drive motor  22  turns wheel  20  through another gear mechanism  44  in a direction to move the trailer either forward or to the rear. Motor  32  connects through a third gear mechanism  46  so as to move arm  30  up and down in order to raise and lower the wheel. Also shown are a pair of chain drive sprockets  54  which provide a drive means for gear means  44  so that drive motor  22  turns wheel  20 . The gear sprocket shown here could likewise be replaced by a belt and pulley drive or a direct gear drive mechanism as would be done in the standard manner by one skilled in the arts. 
   Turning to  FIG. 7 , therein is shown the present invention  10  along with trailer  12 , tongue  14 , hitch  16 , ball  18 , and battery  28 . Shown are the steering motor  34  along with the lifting motor  32  and wheel  20 . Steering motor  34  is shown connected to its gear mechanism  36  and lift motor  32  is shown connecting to its gear mechanism  46 . Telescoping arm  30  is also shown. 
   Turning to  FIG. 8 , therein is shown the present invention  10  along with trailer  12 , tongue  14 , hitch  16 , ball  18 , and battery  28 . Shown are the steering motor  34  along with the lifting motor  32  and wheel  20 . Steering motor  34  is shown connected to its gear mechanism  36  and lift motor  32  is shown connecting to its gear mechanism  46 . Shown are wheel drive motor  22  along with its gear mechanism  44 . Telescoping arm  30  is also shown. 
   Turing to  FIG. 9 , therein is shown the present invention  10 , the lifting motor  32  and wheel  20 . The gear mechanism  36  and lift motor  32  is shown connecting to its gear mechanism  46 . Shown are wheel drive motor  22  along with its gear mechanism  44 . Telescoping arm  30  is also shown. It can be seen that the drive motor  22  operates through a gear mechanism  44  which changes the drive angle to rotate axle  56  which turns a first gear  58  mounted thereon which gear  58  turns gear  60  fixed to axle  62  which then turns wheel  20 . Axle  62  is mounted into a bearing race  64  in the standard manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. 
   Turning to  FIG. 10 , therein is shown the wheel drive motor  22  of the present invention along with its gear mechanism  44  and sprocket drive means  54  and wheel  20 . It can be seen that the drive motor  22  operates through a gear mechanism  44  which changes the drive angle to rotate axle  56  which turns a first gear  58  mounted thereon which gear  58  turns gear  60  fixed to axle  62  which then turns wheel  20 . Axle  62  is mounted into a bearing race  64  in the standard manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. 
   Turning to  FIG. 11 , therein is shown the present invention  10  with drive motor  22 , wheel  20 , battery  28 , arm  30 , upper lift motor  32  and steering motor  34 . It can be seen that steering motor  34  is connected to a gear means  36  having an arm  38  connected to a second arm  40  which is connected to a platform  42  to which wheel  20  is connected through fork  72 . The motor  34  rotates in a direction selected to operate the gear mechanism  36  and move arm  40  in the appropriate direction to turn platform  42  and wheel  20  connected thereto so that the wheel can be turned to the left or the right. Drive motor  22  turns wheel  20  through another gear mechanism  44  and chain  75  and sprockets  58 ,  60  in a direction to move the trailer either forward or to the rear. Motor  32  connects through a third gear mechanism  46  so as to move arm  30  up and down in order to raise and lower the wheel. Thus it can be seen that the three motors  22 ,  32  and  34  are each connected through gear mechanisms  44 ,  46  and  36  so as to provide certain functions to the present invention in order to operate the present invention in the desired manner. Other previously disclosed elements are also shown. 
   Tuning to  FIG. 12 , shown therein is the wheel drive motor  22  of the present invention along with its gear mechanism  44  and belt  74  and pulley drive means  58 ,  60  and wheel  20 . It can be seen that the drive motor  22  operates through a gear mechanism  44  which changes the drive angle to rotate axle  56  which turns a first pulley  58  mounted thereon which pulley  58  turns pulley  60  fixed to axle  62  which then turns wheel  20 . Axle  22  is mounted into a bearing race  64  in the standard manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. 
   Turning to  FIG. 13 , shown therein is the wheel drive motor  22  of the present invention along with its gear mechanism  44  and gear drive means  58 ,  60  and wheel  20 . It can be seen that the drive motor  22  operates through a gear mechanism  44  which changes the drive angle to rotate axle  56  which turns a first gear  58  mounted thereon which gear  58  turns gear  60  fixed to axle  62  which then turns wheel  20 . Axle  22  is mounted into a bearing race  64  in the standard manner as would be done by one skilled in the art. 
   Turning to  FIG. 14 , shown therein is a top view showing the internal parts of the steering motor  34 , drive mechanism  36 , wherein a threaded shaft or pinion  66  extends from motor  34  and contacts a first gear  68  which drives a second gear  70  which then moves arm  38  and aim  40  so that the platform  42  to which arm  40  is connected moves in a horizontal plane in the right-left direction which then moves tire  20  from the right to the left. Also shown is lift motor  32  and the gear mechanism  46 . 
   In operation, the trailer  12  is capable of being steered left and right and of being lifted up and down along with being driven forward and reversed. When the trailer is being pulled by the towing vehicle, the drive wheel would be raised and placed in a stowed position so as to be out of the way. 
   Turning to  FIG. 15 , shown therein are motors  22 ,  32 ,  34  connected to an exemplary hand-held controller  24  by means of electrical connections  26 ,  27  and  29 . The controller  24  is expected to have controls for moving the present invention up and down at  78 , forward and backward at  80 , on/off at  82  and steering to the left and right at  84 . The motors are expected to be electrically connected to battery  28  at  31  and powered electrically by the 12-volt batter system  28  used in the vehicle and/or trailer  12 . Other previously disclosed elements are also shown