Granted Patent B2

US 12,654,500 · App. 18/104,865 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Inventor: Anthony Collins (South Elgin, IL)

B60D1/345B62D53/0864

Abstract

Claims (29)

1 . A hitch assembly for attaching a following trailer to a leading trailer, the hitch assembly being selectively configurable for limiting lateral pivoting with respect to the leading trailer, the assembly comprising:

a dolly having a frame, an axle, and a plurality of wheels, said axle being rotatably coupled to said frame, each wheel of said plurality of wheels being mounted on said axle, said dolly having a hitch coupler configured for laterally pivotally coupling to a hitch of the leading trailer extending forwardly with respect to said frame, said dolly having a fifth wheel hitch mounted on a top side of said frame for coupling to the following trailer;

a stabilizer being coupled to said top side of said frame for selectively obstructing lateral pivoting of said dolly with respect to the leading trailer, said stabilizer comprising:

a mounting bracket being coupled to said frame; and

an alignment member being pivotally coupled to said mounting bracket, said alignment member being movable between a stored position and a deployed position, said stored position comprising said alignment member extending rearwardly with respect to said dolly, said deployed position comprising said alignment member extending forwardly with respect to said dolly, said alignment member being configured for being positioned adjacent to a rear end of the leading trailer when being positioned in the deployed position such that lateral pivoting of the hitch assembly with respect to the leading trailer is limited; and

a support bar being coupled to said alignment member, said support bar engaging said frame to position said alignment member in said deployed position when said alignment member is moved to extend forwardly from said mounting bracket, said support bar extending downwardly from said alignment member to said top side of said frame when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said alignment member has a pair of engagement surfaces, said pair of engagement surfaces being laterally opposed from each other across said hitch coupler of said dolly, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces facing forwardly with respect to said dolly when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces being configured to abut a rear end of said leading trailer such that lateral pivoting of said hitch assembly with respect to the leading trailer is entirely obstructed.

3 . A hitch assembly for attaching a following trailer to a leading trailer, the hitch assembly being selectively configurable for limiting lateral pivoting with respect to the leading trailer, the assembly comprising:

a dolly having a frame, an axle, and a plurality of wheels, said axle being rotatably coupled to said frame, each wheel of said plurality of wheels being mounted on said axle, said dolly having a hitch coupler configured for laterally pivotally coupling to a hitch of the leading trailer extending forwardly with respect to said frame, said dolly having a fifth wheel hitch mounted on a top side of said frame for coupling to the following trailer;

a stabilizer being coupled to said top side of said frame for selectively obstructing lateral pivoting of said dolly with respect to the leading trailer, said stabilizer comprising:

a mounting bracket being coupled to said frame; and

an alignment member being pivotally coupled to said mounting bracket, said alignment member being movable between a stored position and a deployed position, said stored position comprising said alignment member extending rearwardly with respect to said dolly, said deployed position comprising said alignment member extending forwardly with respect to said dolly, said alignment member being configured for being positioned adjacent to a rear end of the leading trailer when being positioned in the deployed position such that lateral pivoting of the hitch assembly with respect to the leading trailer is limited; and

wherein said mounting bracket has a base and a pair of radial bearings, each radial bearing of said pair of radial bearings being laterally spaced from each other with respect to said base, said pair of radial bearings having a common central axis, said alignment member comprising a shaft extending through each radial bearing of said pair of radial bearings.

4 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein said alignment member comprises:

a pair of extension arms, each extension arm being coupled to said shaft, said shaft extending between each extension arm of said pair of extension arms, each extension arm of said pair of extension arms extending laterally away and radially away from said shaft; and

a pair of engagement bars, each engagement bar being coupled to a distal end of a respective extension arm of said pair of extension arms relative to said shaft, said alignment member having a pair of engagement surfaces, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces being positioned on a respective engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars, said pair of engagement surfaces being laterally opposed from each other across said hitch coupler of said dolly, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces facing forwardly with respect to said dolly when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces being configured to abut a rear end of said leading trailer such that lateral pivoting of said hitch assembly with respect to the leading trailer is entirely obstructed.

5 . The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a support bar being coupled to said alignment member, said support bar engaging said frame to position said alignment member in said deployed position when said alignment member is moved to extend forwardly from said mounting bracket, said support bar extending downwardly from said alignment member to said top side of said frame when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, said alignment member being coupled to and extending between each extension arm of said pair of extension arms.

6 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein each engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars extends downwardly from said respective extension arm when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, a free end of each engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars curving radially inwardly with respect to said shaft.

7 . The assembly of claim 3 , wherein said base has a pair of holes extending vertically through said base, each hole of said pair of holes being positioned adjacent to a respective lateral side of a pair of lateral sides of said base, said hitch assembly further comprising a pair of threaded fasteners, each threaded fastener of said pair of fasteners extending through a respective hole of said pair of holes and said frame to couple said mounting bracket to said frame.

8 . A hitch assembly for attaching a following trailer to a leading trailer, the hitch assembly being selectively laterally pivotable and selectively laterally fixed with respect to the leading trailer, the hitch assembly comprising:

a dolly having a frame, an axle, and a plurality of wheels, said axle being rotatably coupled to said frame, each wheel of said plurality of wheels being mounted on said axle, said dolly having a hitch coupler configured for laterally pivotally coupling to a hitch of the leading trailer extending forwardly with respect to said frame, said dolly having a fifth wheel hitch mounted on a top side of said frame for coupling to the following trailer; and

a stabilizer being coupled to said top side of said frame for selectively obstructing lateral pivoting of said dolly with respect to the leading trailer, said stabilizer comprising:

a mounting bracket being coupled to said frame, said mounting bracket having a base and a pair of radial bearings, each radial bearing of said pair of radial bearings being laterally spaced from each other with respect to said base, said pair of radial bearings having a common central axis, said base having a pair of holes extending vertically through said base, each hole of said pair of holes being positioned adjacent to a respective lateral side of a pair of lateral sides of said base;

a pair of threaded fasteners, each threaded fastener of said pair of fasteners extending through a respective hole of said pair of holes and said frame to couple said mounting bracket to said frame;

an alignment member being pivotally coupled to said mounting bracket, said alignment member being movable between a stored position and a deployed position, said stored position comprising said alignment member extending rearwardly with respect to said dolly, said deployed position comprising said alignment member extending forwardly with respect to said dolly, said alignment member having a pair of engagement surfaces, said pair of engagement surfaces being laterally opposed from each other across said hitch coupler of said dolly, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces facing forwardly with respect to said dolly when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces being configured to abut a rear end of said leading trailer such that lateral pivoting of said hitch assembly with respect to the leading trailer is entirely obstructed, said alignment member comprising:

a shaft extending through each radial bearing of said pair of radial bearings;

a pair of extension arms, each extension arm being coupled to said shaft, said shaft extending between each extension arm of said pair of extension arms, each extension arm of said pair of extension arms extending laterally away and radially away from said shaft; and

a pair of engagement bars, each engagement bar being coupled to a distal end of a respective extension arm of said pair of extension arms relative to said shaft, each engagement surface of said pair of engagement surfaces being positioned on a respective engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars, each engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars extending downwardly from said respective extension arm when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, a free end of each engagement bar of said pair of engagement bars curving radially inwardly with respect to said shaft; and

a support bar being coupled to said alignment member, said support bar engaging said frame to position said alignment member in said deployed position when said alignment member is moved to extend forwardly from said mounting bracket, said support bar extending downwardly from said alignment member to said top side of said frame when said alignment member is positioned in said deployed position, said alignment member being coupled to and extending between each extension arm of said pair of extension arms.

Continuity (1)

References Cited (15)