Patent ID: 6857176

Claim:
A device for assisting in the release of a tandem wheel locking pin from a locking rail of a semi-trailer comprising: gripping means for gripping the locking pin release bar of a tandem wheel unit, said gripping means comprising: a gripping plate having: a proximal end and a distal end, a first edge and a second edge, a thickness and a width, a notch formed through said thickness of said plate near said distal end thereof, said notch opening to said first edge and having a width minimally greater than a locking pin release rod of a semi-trailer tandem wheel unit, the edges of said notch adapted to grip a locking pin release rod when tension is exerted upon said gripping plate, and an aperture formed through said gripping plate near said proximal end thereof, a bend being formed in said gripping plate between said notch and said aperture such that said gripping plate deviates from a single plane, hooking means for engaging the frame of a tandem wheel unit, and tensioning means for creating compressive tension between said gripping means and said hooking means; said device adapted to apply extracting tension on a retaining pin of a tandem wheel unit.