Combination tandem axle wheel chock and trailer tongue stand

Abstract

A pair of wheel chocks ( 10, 12 ), configured for placement under a resting tandem wheel (W) to maintain the wheel (W) at rest and for alternatively supporting a trailer tongue wheel (Wj), are disclosed. The wheel chock ( 10 ) broadly includes a body ( 14 ) that defines an internal chamber ( 16 ) in communication with an open face ( 18 ) presented by the body ( 14 ). The body ( 14 ) presents a generally pyramidal shape and includes a pair of oppositely spaced sidewalls ( 20,22 ), a top surface ( 24 ) extending between and adjoining the sidewalls ( 20,22 ), and a first wheel supporting surface ( 26 ) and second wheel supporting surface ( 28 ) extending between and thereby enclosing the walls ( 20,22,24 ). Each wheel supporting surface ( 26, 28 ) includes a arcuate leading edge ( 60, 62 ) to complement the contour of the wheel (W) and enable the chock ( 10 ) to be easily placed under the wheel (W) in an optimal position. The top surface ( 24 ) includes an arcuate depression ( 32 ) operable to receive the trailer tongue wheel (Wj). A substantially hollow tapered supporting leg ( 46 ) projects from arcuate depression ( 32 ) for support. The top surface additionally includes an open rim ( 36 ) which can at least partially receive a supporting leg of another similar configured wheel chock ( 12 ) to enable nesting of the chocks ( 10, 12 ).

1 . A tandem wheel chock for preventing rotation of a pair of tandem wheels and for alternatively supporting a trailer tongue wheel above the ground, the chock comprising: 
 a first wheel supporting surface operable to be at least partially placed under one of the tandem wheels;    a second wheel supporting surface, opposed to the first wheel supporting surface, the second wheel supporting surface operable to be at least partially placed under the other one of the tandem wheels;    a pair of sidewalls connecting the first wheel supporting surface and second wheel supporting surface;    a top surface extending between the sidewalls,    said top surface including a depression operable to support the trailer tongue wheel,    said top surface further including an upwardly protruding ridge extending at least substantially continuously around the depression and thereby being configured for restricting movement of the trailer tongue wheel out of the depression,    at least one of the surfaces including a first open rim; and    a first substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the first open rim, the first substantially hollow leg being operable to support the depression above the ground.    
   
   
       2 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 1 , 
 the first substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the first open rim.    
   
   
       3 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 1 , 
 the first wheel supporting surface extending to the top surface, and    the second wheel supporting surface extending to the top surface.    
   
   
       4 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 3 , 
 the depression being positioned between the wheel supporting surfaces.    
   
   
       5 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 3 , 
 the first wheel supporting surface including a second open rim, and    the second wheel supporting surface including a third open rim.    
   
   
       6 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 5;   a second substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the second open rim; and    a third substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the third open rim.    
   
   
       7 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 6 , 
 the second substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the second open rim, and    the third substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the third open rim.    
   
   
       8 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 1 , 
 the first open rim being positioned on the top surface.    
   
   
       9 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 8 , 
 the first open rim being positioned at the bottom of the depression.    
   
   
       10 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 1 , 
 the depression being arcuate.    
   
   
       11 . A pair of tandem wheel chocks for preventing rotation of a pair of tandem wheels and for alternatively supporting a trailer tongue wheel, each of said chocks comprising: 
 a first wheel supporting surface operable to be at least partially placed under one of the tandem wheels;    a second wheel supporting surface opposed to the first wheel supporting surface, the second wheel supporting surface operable to be at least partially placed under the other one of the tandem wheels;    a pair of sidewalls connecting the first wheel supporting surface and second wheel supporting surface;    a top surface extending between the sidewalls, the top surface operable to support the trailer tongue wheel;    a first endless open rim positioned on the top surface; and    a first substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the first endless open rim to support the chock, wherein the first substantially hollow supporting leg of one of the chocks can be at least partially received through the first endless open rim of the other chock to enable nesting of the pair of chocks.    
   
   
       12 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 11 , 
 the first substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the first open rim.    
   
   
       13 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 11 , 
 the first wheel supporting surface extending to the top surface, and    the second wheel supporting surface extending to the top surface.    
   
   
       14 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 13 , 
 the first wheel supporting surface including a second open rim, and    the second wheel supporting surface including a third open rim.    
   
   
       15 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 14 , 
 the chocks including—
 a second substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the second open rim, and  
 a third substantially hollow supporting leg projecting from and being in communication with the third open rim.  
   
   
   
       16 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 15 , 
 the second substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the second open rim, and    the third substantially hollow supporting leg being tapered such that its cross section is greatest at the third open rim.    
   
   
       17 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 15 , 
 the second substantially hollow supporting leg of one of the chocks being sized and dimensioned to be at least partially received through the second open rim of the other chock, and    the third substantially hollow supporting leg of said one of the chocks being sized and dimensioned to be at least partially received through the third open rim of said other chock to enable nesting of the pair of chocks.    
   
   
       18 . The tandem wheel chocks of  claim 11 , 
 the top surface including an arcuate depression operable to support the trailer tongue wheel.    
   
   
       19 . The tandem wheel chock of  claim 18 , 
 the first open rim being positioned at the base of the arcuate depression.    
   
   
       20 . A method of temporarily preventing rotation of a tandem trailer wheel and of simultaneously supporting a trailer tongue utilizing a pair of wheel chocks, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) placing one of the chocks under the tandem trailer wheel to prevent rotation of the wheel;    (b) placing the other one of the chocks under the trailer tongue to support the trailer tongue; and    (c) removing both chocks and nesting the chocks together.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , 
 each chock including at least one leg and at least one open rim.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , 
 step (c) including the step of inserting the at least one leg of one of the chocks primarily into the at least one open rim of the other chock.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , 
 step (a) including the step of arranging said one of the chocks between fore-and-aft spaced tandem wheels so that opposed wheel-engaging surfaces are each spaced adjacent to engage a respective one of the wheels.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , 
 step (b) including the step of placing the tongue support in a recess of the other one of the chocks.