Hydraulic drop frame trailer

1. A drop frame trailer, comprising:

a trailer frame having a first side, a second side, and a back side and including a forward hitch for connecting to a tow vehicle;

a pair of rotating wheels, each wheel for supporting a respective one of the first side and the second side of the trailer frame;

a trailer deck positioned over the trailer frame and having an integral angled ramp extending across the back side of the trailer frame;

a pair of offset brackets;

a pair of mechanical actuators, each mechanical actuator mounted on a respective side of the trailer frame and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of each mechanical actuator is pivotally mounted to a respective one of the first side and the second side of the trailer frame and the second end of each mechanical actuator is pivotally attached to a respective one of the offset brackets;

a pair of pivoting arms, each pivoting arm mounted on a respective side of the trailer frame, each pivoting arm connecting between a respective offset bracket and a respective pivotal mount on the trailer frame, each pivoting arm being configured to pivot in an arc motion upon actuation of the corresponding respective mechanical actuator, each rotating wheel being rotationally mounted to an end of the respective pivoting arm near the respective offset bracket through a respective axle-less wheel mount, the offset brackets each being configured to connect the respective mechanical actuator to the respective pivoting arm at an off axis point from the respective pivoting arm to allow the respective mechanical actuator to pivot the respective pivoting arm in the arc motion;

a plurality of safety locks, each safety lock securing a respective one of the pivoting arms to the trailer frame by locking the respective pivoting arm to the trailer; and

an operating station including a power supply, and a control mechanism configured to selectively actuate the pair of mechanical actuators to move the pivoting arms in an arc motion to raise and lower the trailer frame relative to ground.

2. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic jack for raising a front portion of the trailer frame.

3. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein the trailer deck comprises substantially horizontal or planar wood or steel.

4. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , further comprising diamond shaped raised members for generating traction for the trailer deck.

5. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein the forward hitch is a bumper pull trailer hitch assembly.

6. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein:

the mechanical actuators are hydraulic cylinders, each hydraulic cylinder including a hydraulic ram; and

the operating station includes:

a hydraulic pump to supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders to extend or retract the respective hydraulic ram from each of the hydraulic cylinders; and

at least two selectively actuated valves configured to selectively supply the pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders to independently raise and lower each side of the trailer.

7. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein the control module further includes a wireless remote-control module configured to wirelessly communicate with a remote-control unit that allows a user to actuate the mechanical actuators from a remote location within wireless communication range.

8. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein each pivoting arm pivots on a first pin, wherein the first pin is secured to the respective second end of the respective pivoting mechanical actuator and to the respective offset bracket of the respective pivoting arm, and a second pin is secured to the trailer frame and the first end of the mechanical actuator.

9. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein each mechanical actuator pivots on a pin engaging a frame bracket that is secured to the trailer frame.

10. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein the power supply is a power supply of the tow vehicle or a battery within the operating station.

11. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein each safety lock comprises a pair of brackets with aligned holes and a removable safety pine, each aligned hole engaging the removable safety pin.

12. The drop frame trailer of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical actuators are at least one of hydraulic cylinders and linear actuators.

13. A drop frame trailer, comprising;

a trailer frame;

a pair of pivoting arms, each pivoting arm having a first end, a second end, and an offset bracket, each pivoting arm being pivotally secured at the first end to the trailer frame, and having a respective offset bracket positioned on the respective second end thereof distal from the trailer frame;

a pair of mechanical actuators, each mechanical actuator having a non-extending end and an extending end, each mechanical actuator pivotally secured to the trailer frame at the non-extending end thereof, and pivotally secured to a respective offset bracket at the extending end thereof, a longitudinal axis of each mechanical actuator being slightly angled from a longitudinal axis of the respective pivoting arm and the respective offset bracket having a pivotal securing mechanism to engage the respective extending end of the respective mechanical actuator at a position that is offset from the respective pivoting arm to facilitate pivotal movement of the respective pivoting arm in an arc motion when the respective extending end of the respective mechanical actuator is extended from the respective mechanical actuator;

a pair of wheels;

a pair of axle-less wheel mounts, each axle-less wheel mount attached to a respective pivoting arm at a position near the respective offset bracket, each axle-less wheel mount being connected to a respective wheel and providing rotation thereto; and

a locking assembly positioned on the trailer frame and configured to secure the pivoting arms in a traveling position and prevent movement therefrom,

wherein the arc motion resulting from extending the extending end of respective mechanical actuator operates to raise the respective wheel in a direction away from ground and correspondingly lower the trailer frame toward ground.

14. The drop frame trailer of claim 13 , wherein:

the trailer frame defines a left side and a right side of the trailer frame; and

each of the left side and the right side has a respective pivoting arm and a respective mechanical actuator pivotally mounted thereto to raise and lower the respective wheel on the respective side.

15. The drop frame trailer of claim 14 , further comprising a controller configured to selectively raise and lower the left side and the right side of the trailer frame independently of one another.

16. The drop frame trailer of claim 15 , further comprising a trailer tongue jack configured to independently raise and lower a tongue of the trailer frame.

17. The drop frame trailer of claim 16 , wherein:

the mechanical actuators are hydraulic cylinders; and

the controller further comprises:

an electric power supply,

an electrically driven hydraulic pump, and

at least two selectively actuated valves configured to selectively supply pressurized hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinders to independently raise and lower each side of the trailer.

18. The drop frame trailer of claim 17 , wherein the controller further comprises a wireless remote-control module configured to wirelessly communicate with a handheld user remote-control unit that allows a user to actuate the mechanical actuators and the trailer tongue jack from a remote location within wireless communication range.

19. The drop frame trailer of claim 18 , further comprising an integral ramp built into a rear portion of the trailer frame opposite the trailer tongue jack, the integral ramp having a height that is equal to or less than a height of the trailer frame.

20. The drop frame trailer of claim 19 , wherein a slope of the integral ramp is less than 1:3 (rise:run).

21. The drop frame trailer of claim 13 , wherein the mechanical actuators are at least one of hydraulic cylinders and linear actuators.

22. A drop frame trailer, comprising: a trailer frame including a top side, a first side, a second side, and a forward end, the forward end further including a hitch; a trailer bed mounted on the top side of the trailer frame a pair of pivoting arms, each pivoting arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of each pivoting arm pivotally mounted to the trailer frame on a respective one of the first side and the second side; a pair of offset brackets, each offset bracket positioned at the second end of a respective pivoting arm; a pair of mechanical actuators , each mechanical actuator having a first end and a second end, the first end of each mechanical actuator pivotally mounted to the trailer frame on a respective one of the first side and the second side and the second end of each mechanical actuator pivotally attached to a respective one of the offset brackets; a pair of axel-less wheel mounts, each axel-less wheel mount attached to a respective pivoting arm; a pair of wheels, each wheel mounted to a respective axel-less wheel mount; and a plurality of safety locks positioned on the trailer frame and configured to secure the trailer in a travelling position and to prevent movement therefrom, wherein the mechanical actuators drive the pivoting arms and the wheels through an arc as the mechanical actuators are extended and retracted to raise and lower the bed relative to the ground independently of one another.

23. The drop frame trailer of claim 22 , wherein the mechanical actuators are at least one of hydraulic cylinders and linear actuators.