Gravitationally aligning wheels

摘要

A trailer stand includes a wheel assembly and a carriage. The wheel assembly includes a bearing, a wheel rotatable in connection with the bearing to be rotatable in a first direction, but not rotatable in a second transverse direction, a pivot connectable to the object, and a frame connected to the pivot to be pivotable with respect to the object, the frame sized and dimensioned to support the bearing at an offset with respect to the pivot axis of the pivot to thereby form caster trail, the frame having a mass distributed unequally upon left and right sides of the wheel assembly, thereby causing the frame to pivot with respect to the Earth, to a predetermined orientation, when the frame is tilted with respect to a normal orientation with respect to the Earth. The carriage supports the wheel assembly, and is pivotable with respect to the trailer.

主权项

1. A wheel assembly for movingly supporting a vehicle having a longitudinal axis defining a forward and reverse direction of travel along a surface, the assembly comprising:
a bearing; a wheel rotatable in connection with the bearing to be rotatable about a single axis of rotation; a pivot connectable to the vehicle; and a frame connected to the pivot sized and dimensioned to support the bearing at an offset with respect to the pivot axis of the pivot to thereby form caster trail, the frame having a mass distributed non-symmetrically with respect to a plane radially bisecting a circumference of the wheel, to thereby cause the frame to pivot about the pivot axis due to gravity to an orientation with the single axis of rotation of the wheel parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle when the wheel assembly is tilted to lift the wheel from contact with the surface, whereby when the wheel assembly is tilted to place the wheel into contact with the surface, the wheel is oriented sideways with respect to the forward and reverse direction of travel of the vehicle, thereby configured to brake movement of the vehicle along the forward and reverse direction of travel of the vehicle.