Patent ID: 8083284

Claim:
A tractor and trailer fairing apparatus comprising, in combination: a pair of mirror image side sections having a front spaced apart from a rear, a top spaced apart from a bottom, each side section further comprising: a first panel disposed vertically at the front, the first panel affixed to an existing tractor via a plurality of spaced apart hinges; an inwardly turned arc disposed horizontally atop of the first panel; a pair of spaced apart channels disposed horizontally on the first panel; a plurality of spaced apart orifices disposed vertically within each channel; a second panel disposed vertically at the rear of the side section; a pair of spaced apart slides disposed horizontally on the second panel, each slide slideably engaged with one of each of the pair of channels, the second panel thereby slideably engaged with the first panel; a panel lock mechanism selectively locking the second panel in a chosen position in relation to the first panel, the panel lock mechanism comprising: a lock rod disposed vertically and interiorly to the second panel, the lock rod freely held adjacent to the second panel by a plurality of spaced apart lock guides; a spring-loaded handle selectively engaging and disengaging the lock rod from the first panel channel orifices, whereby the second panel is selectively positioned in relation to the first panel; a plurality of spaced apart vertical slots disposed within the second panel rear, the slots comprising an upper slot proximal to the top, a lower slot proximal to the bottom, and a center slot disposed between the upper slot and the lower slot; a pair of identical spaced apart sockets disposed within the center slot, one socket disposed upwardly, one socket disposed downwardly; a vertical axle disposed within each of the upper slot and the lower slot; a vertical roller rotateably disposed on each vertical axle; a tracking assembly connecting the second panels of the side sections to an existing trailer pulled by the existing tractor, the tracking assembly comprising: a hexagonal shaft disposed vertically within each second panel center slot; a cap disposed upwardly and downwardly on each shaft; a ball disposed outwardly on each cap, each ball rotateably fitted within one of the pair of sockets of the second panel center slots; a collar having a sextet of interior sides, each side having a pair of spaced apart horizontally disposed needle bearings, each interior side's needle bearings slideably engaged with the hexagonal shaft; a pair of identical compression springs disposed on the hexagonal shaft, each spring pressuring the collar away from one of the pair of caps; a ball lock extended horizontally from the collar; a track affixed to the existing trailer front and a portion of each trailer side; a guide disposed longitudinally throughout the track; a pair of spaced apart flared openings disposed within the track, the openings in communication with the guide; whereby the ball locks of each second panel are slideably engaged within the guide of the track.