Patent ID: 7614636

Claim:
In a trailed vehicle having a tongue pivotally connected to a trailer chassis for steering a front wheel assembly, a lock assembly for selectively locking and unlocking pivotal movement of the tongue comprising: a tongue member operatively connected to the tongue for concurrent pivotal movement therewith; a first aperture in said tongue member; a second aperture on said trailer chassis axially aligned with said first aperture when the tongue is in a straight ahead position relative to the vehicle; a latch assembly supported on said tongue member, said latch assembly including a slidable latch bolt moveable between an unlatched position in said first aperture allowing the pivotal movement of the tongue and a latched position in said first and second apertures preventing the pivotal movement of the tongue; an actuator assembly carried on said trailer; said actuator assembly including a shift member moveable between a first position and a second position; a cable operatively interconnecting said latch bolt and said shift member for moving said latch bolt to said unlatched position when said shift member is in said first position and for moving said latch bolt to said latched position when said shift member is in said second position; a first spring engaging said shift member and effective under biasing to move said shift member to said first position; a second spring engaging said shift member and effective under biasing to move said shift member to said second position; and an actuator member for selectively biasing said springs, said actuator member in a retraction position biasing said first spring whereby said shift member and said cable move said bolt from said unlatched position to said latched position when said apertures are aligned, said actuator member in an extension position biasing said second spring whereby said shift member and said cable move said bolt from said latched position to said unlatched position when said apertures are aligned.