Trailer Caravan

Various vehicular trailer configurations are known in the prior art, although none is capable of satisfying the need which has given rise to the present invention. Some examples of the known prior art are contained in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,568,866; 3,651,969; and 3,751,073.

The present invention has for its objective the provision of a vehicular arrangement which will enable the convenient and economical towing of an automotive vehicle and a boat by a motor home or the like. More particularly, the present invention seeks to provide a convenient and comparatively economical trailer caravan for this purpose. The caravan can be embodied in a conventional carry-all trailer suitable for hauling a small automobile or JEEP directly behind a motor home. A boat trailer is coupled in trailing relationship with the carry-all trailer to haul a boat in tandem with the vehicle on the carry-all trailer.

An important aspect of the invention resides in the arrangement for coupling the two trailers in tandem relationship so that highway curves can be safely negotiated and proper tracking of the boat trailer with security is always assured. The above is accomplished by the use of a unique tie-down bar having a pair of boat trailer tongue radius adjustment bolts and a pair of tracking springs connected between the boat trailer tongue and the sides of the carry-all vehicle trailer. The tie-down bar spans the top of the boat trailer tongue to preclude upward displacement thereof. A pivot pin anchors the boat trailer tongue to the carry-all trailer forwardly of the tie-down bar and provides an articulated joint between the two trailers.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following detailed description.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a trailer caravan in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, showing the connection of two trailers in the caravan according to the essence of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a tie-down bar and radius adjustment bolts for a boat trailer tongue in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the elements in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken at right angles to the boat trailer tongue in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numberals designate like parts, a vehicle transport trailer 10, such as the well-known carry-all trailer, is utilized to transport a small automobile 11 or JEEP behind a motor home 12 or like towing vehicle. The carry-all trailer 10 includes a trackway 13 for the automotive vehicle 11 and near its longitudinal center is provided with a single support axle 14 mounting two ground wheels 15. The tongue 16 of the carry-all trailer 10 is equipped with a standard ball receiver 17 to receive a standard hitch ball at the rear of the motor home 12. The carry-all trailer 10 is equipped with safety chains, not shown, and conventional lights. The remaining details of construction of the carry-all trailer 10 are unimportant to a full understanding of the present invention.

A boat trailer 18 of any preferred type is connected in articulated tandem relationship to the trailer 10 in accordance with the essence of the present invention. The boat trailer is used to haul a boat 19 behind the automotive vehicle 11 in a safe and secure manner, without exceeding highway regulations governing the maximum length of the vehicle caravan, which is sixty feet maximum. The boat trailer 18 is equipped with adjustable cradling elements 20, a boat winch 21 and other customary accessories including conventional lights. The boat trailer may have a single axle 22, as shown, or may be of the dual axle type, if preferred. The remaining details of construction of the boat trailer are unimportant to a full understanding of the invention.

The essence of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 3 to 6. In these figures, the tongue 23 of the boat trailer 18 is positioned to overlie the rear end portion of the carry-all trailer 10 for a substantial distance. Rearwardly of its conventional ball receiver 24 which is idle in the caravan, the boat trailer tongue 23 is connected pivotally to the trailer 10 at the transverse center of the latter by a sturdy vertical axis pin 25 held on a cross member 26 of the trailer 10. Conventional safety chains 27 are connected between the tongue 23 and the carry-all trailer 10.

Rearwardly of the pivot pin 25 and near the rear end of the carry-all trailer 10, a tie-down bar 28 extends transversely above and across the tongue 23 and close to the top of the tongue to prevent any appreciable displacement thereof during travel of the caravan. A transverse frame member 29 on the trailer 10 passes closely beneath the bottom of tongue 23, as shown.

The tie-down bar 28 includes feet 30 on the opposite sides thereof which are anchored by bolts 31 to the member 29. The tie-down bar further includes vertical webs 32 spaced from opposite sides of the tongue 23, and these webs carry opposing horizontal axis radius adjusting screws 33 having lock nuts 34. The spacing of the inner ends of the radius screws 33 from the side walls of the tongue 23 of the boat trailer 18 establishes the turning radius of the boat trailer, and allows the caravan to negotiate roadway curves with safety and stability. The boat trailer 18 is also equipped with its own safety chains 35, as shown.

In order to assure reliable tracking of the boat trailer 18 while allowing passage around curves, a pair of tension springs 36 are connected between the convergent side members 37 of tongue 23 and brackets 38 on the opposite sides of the carry-all trailer 10. These two springs are in substantial coaxial alignment across the caravan adjacent to the tie-down bar 28. The springs also assure proper longitudinal alignment of the caravan on straight roadways.

The arrangement of the tie-down bar 28, pivot pin 25 and tracking springs 36 in accordance with this invention does not preclude using the trailers 10 and 18 separately behind a motor home or other towing vehicle whenever desired. When the boat trailer 18 is used separately, it is coupled through its standard ball receiver 24 with the hitch ball of the towing vehicle.

The advantages, convenience, simplicity, versatility and economy of the invention should now be apparent to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.