Apparatus and Method for Lowering and Raising a Trailer
A device and method used to raise or lower the landing gear of a semi-trailer. The device is incorporated into the structure of the landing gear of the semi-trailer and actuates the landing gear according to user selection. The user may select to actuate the landing gear through a motorized gear assembly within the device, by optionally attaching a handle to the landing gear via the device, or by engaging a separate motorized hand tool to the landing gear via the device. To use the handle or the motorized hand tool, the user actuates a shift lever disposed on the device which disengages the related mechanical means for actuating the landing gear. The flexibility for actuating the landing gear allows a user to raise or lower the landing gear according to the surrounding circumstances or in case one of the means for actuating breaks or fails.
1 . An apparatus for raising or lowering a semi-trailer comprising:
a motor housing incorporated into a landing gear of the semi-trailer;
a collar removably coupled to a handle shaft disposed within the motor housing;
a shift lever configured to selectively couple and decouple the collar to and from the handle shaft;
a motorized gear assembly coupled to the collar; and
an adjustable handle coupled to the handle shaft.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a hexagonal tip disposed on the handle shaft; and
a motorized hand tool configured to engage with the hexagonal tip of the handle shaft.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a display screen disposed a frontal surface of the motor housing.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a rechargeable battery disposed within the motor housing.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a user interface disposed on a frontal surface of the motor housing, wherein the user interface comprises a plurality of input means for operating the motorized gear assembly.
6 . The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the motorized hand tool comprises:
a hexagonal aperture configured to engage with the hexagonal tip of the handle shaft;
means for rotating the hexagonal aperture; and
a rechargeable battery.
7 . A method for raising or lowering a semi-trailer comprising:
providing a motor housing incorporated into a landing gear of the semi-trailer;
selectively actuating a shift lever disposed in the motor housing between a neutral position and an actuated position;
rotating a handle shaft disposed within the motor housing; and
raising or lowering the landing gear of the semi-trailer,
wherein selectively actuating a shift lever disposed in the motor housing between a neutral position and an actuated position further comprises engaging a collar disposed within the motor housing to the handle shaft when the shift lever is in the neutral position and disengaging the collar from the handle shaft when the shift lever is in the actuated position.
8 . The method of claim 7 wherein rotating the handle shaft comprises:
actuating the shift lever into the neutral position;
activating a motorized gear assembly coupled to the collar;
rotating the collar engaged with the handle shaft in a first direction; and
translating the rotational movement of the handle shaft in the first direction to lateral movement of the landing gear.
9 . The method of claim 7 wherein rotating the handle shaft comprises:
actuating the shift lever into the actuated position;
engaging a handle coupled to the handle shaft to an end of the handle shaft;
rotating the handle in a first direction; and
translating the rotational movement of the handle shaft in the first direction to lateral movement of the landing gear.
10 . The method of claim 9 wherein engaging a handle coupled to the handle shaft to an end of the handle shaft comprises:
rotating the handle about a joint coupled to a distal end of the handle shaft from a perpendicular position relative to the handle shaft to a parallel positon relative to the handles shaft; and
pushing the handle towards the handle shaft to engage the handle to the handle shaft.
11 . The method of claim 7 wherein rotating the handle shaft comprises:
actuating the shift lever into the actuated position;
engaging a motorized hand tool to an end of the handle shaft;
rotating the handle shaft in a first direction; and
translating the rotational movement of the handle shaft in the first direction to the drive shaft.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein engaging the motorized hand tool to the end of the handle shaft comprises inserting a hexagonal aperture disposed on the motorized hand tool into a hexagonal tip of the handle shaft.
13 . The method of claim 8 wherein activating a motorized gear assembly coupled to the collar comprises interacting with an interface disposed on a frontal surface of the motor housing.
14 . The method of claim 7 further comprising connecting a rechargeable battery to the motor housing.
15 . The method of claim 7 further comprising recharging the motor housing by coupling a wire connected to an outside power source to the motor housing.