Extruded monolithic aluminum trailer landing gear foot and method of making same

Abstract

This invention discloses a monolithic aluminum foot for use with a tractor trailer landing gear. The monolithic foot has a pocket that is adapted to receive the landing gear and one or more support members extending radially outward from the walls of the pocket. The support members are integrally extruded with the walls of the pocket during the extrusion of the foot. The foot and the landing gear have one or more aligned apertures that are adapted to receive one or more locking members, which lock the foot to the landing gear. This invention also discloses an extrusion method of fabricating monolithic foot in tractor trailer gear.

1 . A trailer landing gear structure comprising: 
 a monolithic foot formed from a metal and engageable to a landing gear of a trailer.    
   
   
       2 . The trailer landing gear according to  claim 1  wherein said metal is an aluminum alloy.  
   
   
       3 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 1  wherein said aluminum alloy is selected from a 6XXX or 7XXX series of aluminum alloys.  
   
   
       4 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said monolithic foot comprises at least two fins extending substantially vertically upward from a bottom surface, each of said at least two fins having an interior wall and an exterior wall positioned so that a pocket is formed between said interior walls of each of said at least two fins, said pocket having a bottom wall and an open upper end configured to receive said landing gear;    said monolithic foot having one or more support members extending outward from said exterior wall of each of said at least two fins; and    one or more apertures in each of said at least two fins that are configured to receive one or more locking members, wherein said locking members lock said monolithic foot to said landing gear.    
   
   
       5 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  wherein said one or more support members are angular gussets.  
   
   
       6 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  wherein said one or more support members have a substantially rectangular, square, or U-shape.  
   
   
       7 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  further comprising a resilient pad positioned within said pocket between a bottom surface of said landing gear and a bottom wall of said pocket.  
   
   
       8 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  wherein said locking members comprises an axle, bolt, or pin.  
   
   
       9 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  wherein said support members have a hollow or solid interior.  
   
   
       10 . The trailer landing gear structure according to  claim 4  wherein said at least two fins and said support members are at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to said bottom surfice of said monolithic foot base.  
   
   
       11 . A method of making a trailer landing gear structure comprising: providing a metal billet; and pressing said metal billet through a die to provide a profile of a foot engageable to a landing gear of a trailer.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said metal billet comprises aluminum.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said pressing said metal billet through a die comprises an extrusion process.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising sectioning said profile into at least two feet; and heat treating said at least two feet.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said profile of said each of said feet comprise at least two fins extending substantially vertically upward from a bottom surface, each of said at least two fins having an interior wall and an exterior wall positioned so that a pocket is formed between said interior walls of each of said at least two fins, said pocket having a bottom wall and an open upper end configured to receive a landing gear; and 
 said each of said feet having one or more support members extending outward from said exterior wall of each of said at least two fins.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said one or more support members are angular gussets.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said one or more support members have a substantially rectangular, square, or U-shape.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said support members have a hollow or solid interior.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising forming one or more apertures in said fins that are adapted to receive one or more locking members, wherein said locking members lock said foot to said landing gear.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said fins and said support members are saw cut at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to a base of said foot.