A powered landing gear drive system for a trailer for selectively extending and retracting the landing gear legs of the trailer. An electric motor is powered by a battery carried by a tractor or by the trailer and provides the power for an electric motor. A control system is provided as a security measure to permit limited, coded entry access to the system, and motor operating parameters are sensed to prevent exceeding operating limits of the system. The powered landing gear system can be provided as original equipment, or it can be retrofitted to existing trailers to permit powered landing gear operation.

Control system for electrically-operated trailer landing gear

An inclination-measuring apparatus for use with a motor vehicle includes a rotary sensor connected to the motor vehicle, the rotary sensor selected from one of a rotary position sensor and a rotary angle sensor, a pendulum and a controller. The pendulum has a pendulous mass being oriented to hang substantially aligned with the earth's gravitational forces. The movement of the pendulum providing an input to the rotary sensor to generate a signal to ascertain the inclination of the vehicle relative to the earth's gravitational forces. The signal is processed by the controller that is operatively connected to control one of an electric park brake, a chassis leveling device while parked, a lateral inclination device while the vehicle is operational and a longitudinal inclination device while the vehicle is operational.

Inclination-measuring device

A support device for a mobile house type trailer is mounted within a compartment adjacent the front of the trailer and includes a pair of telescoping leg structures which are extensible to engage the ground and support the trailer when it is disconnected from a prime mover, the leg structures being retractable when the trailer is connected to the prime mover. A reversible electric motor is drivingly connected to a driven shaft through a belt and pulley drive, this driven shaft being operable to extend and retract the leg structures.

Edwin K Mahaffey

Papers

Electric operating device for raising and lowering landing gear for semitrailers