AU708166B3 - Device to move caravan or trailer - Google Patents

Description

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P/00/012 4iAUSTRALIA,,- PATENTS ACT 1952 PETTY PATENT SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

NOTICE

1. The specification should describe the invention in full, and the best method of performing it known to the applicant.

2. The specification should be typed on as many sheets of good quality A4 International size paper as are necessary. Inserted inside this form.

3. The specification should include on a separate page a single claim defining the invention. If there is insufficient space on this form for the claim, use separate sheets of paper. The words The claim defining the invention is as follows should appear before the claim. After the claim the date and the name of the applicant in block letters should appear.

4. This form must be accompanied by a true and exact copy of the description, claim and drawings (if any), and an additional copy of the claim.

(see formal requirements In the Guide for Applicants for Patents) TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT NAME OF APPLICANT ADDRESS OF APPLICANT ACTUAL INVENTOR ADDRESS FOR SERVICE REGINALD ARTHUR RICHARDSON 182 FIELD STREET MACKAY QLD REGINALD ARTHUR RICHARDSON 182FIELD STREET MACKAY QLD Petty Patent Specification for the invention entitled: A DEVICE TO MOVE CARAVANS OR TRAILERS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 11/06/99 SPECIFICATION:

I

This machine is proposed to be used to move a caravan, horse float, trailer or any other towable apparatus, into awkward places, such as into a garage in the back yard or onto caravan park sites with ease, when it's sometimes awkward to reverse onto the site, with a motor vehicle.

Preferable you could describe it to be used with ease to move a caravan or a similar vehicle, by one person, where normally, three people would be necessary to do the same job, but with some difficulty at least.

Another improvement on this machine is that it is easily attached to the trailer drawbar coupling by a ball attachment, being the same as when attached to a towing vehicle, as the machine then becomes the towing vehicle, when you simply wind up the jockey wheel and let the weight come down on to the towing/moving machine, the jockey wheel can then be left in place, while moving the caravan or trailer into the required position.

Many caravan travellers find it quite difficult to reverse their vans onto site by their towing vehicle, and this machine is ideal to put your van onto the final position on site in 'a caravan park, and the machine is small enough to carry in the boot of your car when travelling.

Another preference to this machine is that the power is provided continually, simply by cranking the handle attached to the steering arm, which has a small sprocket'attached, and then a chain drive onto a larger sprocket on the driving wheel, "approx. 1-6 ration of release of 6peration". The caravan or trailer can simply be moved forward or rearward or turned in any direction, by cranking the handle attached to the steering arm.

The main or major improvement to the device is that it can be attached to any type of drawbar, either V-type or a single straight drawbar, by a single adjustable linking arm shown in drawing 1 2, which is clamped on firmly onto either the LT or RT side of the drawbar, distal from the ball and coupling, and when clamped on firmly, the machine cannot move on the drawbar, and can only move in a circular motion on the ball, when in the coupling, it then pulls or pushes from the ball and coupling and also the clamped on section on the drawbar.

The previous type of locking device, which was patented by myself some years ago, was not successful in the clamping onto all types of drawbars, it would only fit onto some V-type drawbars, and was sometimes difficult to clamp on, by means of a chain, connecting two angle pieces, one either side of the drawbar, and the chain then clamped over to hold the two angle pieces firmly in place, but this was not successful on single straight drawbars. Also on some trailers and caravans, the handbrake lever, or hydraulic brake components where an obstacle for the chain over the top, but this single one arm device clamped onto either side presents no problems at all, it's only a matter of welding or bolting a clamp onto whatever side of the drawbar is suitable.

The adjustable section on the clamping arm is so, that it can be made to fit on any length of drawbar between the ball and coupling and the length where the V on either square section starts, the adjustment is simply applied by means of the inner section sliding into the outer section and a locking nut on the outer section being tightened up to hold the whole section from moving. The clamp should be attached on the drawbar, as near as possible to the ball and coupling so as to give maximum purchase, when clamped up. The clamping on is achieved by the cylindrical piece welded onto the leading adjustable arm, which is welded vertically onto the distal end of the leading arm section D1 D2 of drawings, FIG 1 2, and the cylindrical section is then clamped on with the clamp similar or the same as what holds a jockey-wheel in place.

11/06/99 1 2 Steering of the device is affected by a cylindrical piece of steel as shown in of FIG 3 which fits over a slightly smaller cylindrical piece in FIG 1 2 to which the ball is attached and it in turn can turn inside the coupling which is attached to the caravan drawbar.

FIGURE 1 is the drawing of the machine as a whole but not attached to the caravan or trailer drawbar. To adjust the chain drive, you simply undo locknut and slide section "Cl" up or down inside section and then tighten locknut after the preferred adjustment on the drive chain.

Section in FIG 1 2 is a rubber tyred wheel which fits into fork by means of an axle FIG 1 2. is attached to cylindrical section to which ball is attached. Cylindrical section is fitted over section and can turn in a circular axis to achieve steering. Section is welded onto section "D1" which slides into section "D2" with cylindrical section attached onto the distal end. Cylindrical section then clamped onto the drawbar by clamp FIG 4.

"C3" FIG 2 is another fork welded onto fork and strut "K2" is welded across "C2" to hold the whole piece stable and as one structure. Sprocket is attached to crankhandle and when turned, it drives sprocket by means of chain sprocket is attached to wheel and when handle is turned in a forward or rearward motion it in turn moves the caravan in the desired direction.

FIG 4 illustrates how the machine is attached to the drawbar of the caravan or trailer with the jockey-wheel wound up and left in place.

Removal of the machine from the drawbar is achieved by simply winding down the jockey-wheel until the main drive wheel is lifted off the ground and then simply undoing the clamp that holds cylindrical section and lifting the catch on the coupling and the ball released and then the machine is free of the caravan drawbar. The arm "D2" and can then be swung back against section "C1" and stored or transported in the boot of the car. This machine is light to carry and easily attached and removed by anybody young or old.