The present invention relates to a support device for a parked caravan or the like comprising at least a pair of support legs which are operative between the caravan and the ground, at which each support leg includes a frame element, which is to be in contact with the ground and which is connected to a pillar that is rotatable between an extracted position and an oblique position of use.

To support a caravan and take the load of the wheels when it is parked a caravan type with integrated, retractable and extractable support legs is conventionally used.

Height adjustable, detachable support legs for placing on the ground under the caravan are available as accessories.

These known support legs essentially only carry vertical loads, which means that when moving in the caravan and thus exposing it to lateral forces the caravan will swing laterally, which by many people is considered to be unpleasant .

A trailer support of said type is disclosed in US, A, 3 537 724. However, this known support device includes support legs which are pivotally mounted at the chassi beams of a trailer, and a frame member by means of which a longitudinally adjustable draw bar can be connected to the opposite chassi beam to prevent the support leg from folding inwards. It is comparatively difficult to adjust the length of the support leg as well as of the draw bar; this cannot be executed without retracting the support leg and demounting the draw bar.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a light,

adjustable support device of said type by means of which both horisontal and vertical forces can be carried and the discomforts that are associated with prior art support devices for caravans can be eliminated. In accordance with the invention this is obtained in that the support legs are detachable, i.e. adapted to be carried separatly and taken out at need, in that the pillar is inclined inwards with a free end adapted to be in contact with the outer and lower sides of a longitudinal beam in the chassi of the caravan, and in that a strap of known type operates between the frame elements of each pair of support legs to adjustably pull the support legs in a pair of support legs toward each other.

The support device preferably comprises two pairs of support legs, which are to be placed at a distance from each other along the long side of the caravan.

According to a special characteristic of the invention the frame element has the shape of a squared plate with two opposite edges and essentially parallel bending-lines along which the plate is bent; obliquely upwards along one bending-line and obliquely downwards along the other and in a pair of support legs the parts that are bent upwards face each other. In this way the possibility to tighten the straps without being prevented by an uneven support surface is provided while simultaneously assuring that the frame members in a pair of support legs are prevented from sliding in a direction away from each other by means of the part of the plate that is bent downwards, which has a tendency to bury itself in the ground.

In the following the invention will be explained with reference to the drawing, which schematically illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention in use.

In the drawing, 1 generally indicates a caravan with longitudinal chassi beams la, lb. The caravan is stabilized by means of two pairs of support legs 2, 3 according to the invention, which legs operate between the chassi beams la, lb and the ground. When the support legs 2, 3 are not in use, they can easily be detached and put away. The ordinary, rigidly mounted, conventional support legs which are commonly used for caravans, have been omitted from the drawing.

Thus, a characteristic feature of the invention is that the support legs 2, 3 are detachable. Each support leg 2, 3 includes a frame element 2a, 3a and a pillar 2b, 3b pivotally mounted in the frame element 2a, 3a. The mounting of the frame member 2a and 3a respectively and the pillar 2b and 3b respectively, whose length preferably is telescopically adjustable, is such that the pillar can be rotated between an extracted position and an oblique position of use in which the pillar 2b, 3b is inclined inwards and in contact with the outer and lower sides of the respectiv chassi beam la, lb. Between the frame elements 2a, 3a for each pair of support legs an adjust¬ able, flexible strap is provided to pull the support legs 2, 3 toward each other. The strap may for example be of the type that conventionally is used to strap cargo on cargo ships. The tightening device 4a for the strap is suitably placed at the back of the caravan, i.e. the opposite side to that where an entrance tent or the like obstructs the

reachability.

To facilitate the stabilization that is obtained by tightening the strap 3, at which the frame members 2a in a pair of support legs are pulled toward each other, the frame members have bends 2a, which are opposite and obliquely directed upwards so that the frame elements can slide over irregularities in the ground. At the opposite end bends 2a2 which are obliquely directed downwards prevent the support legs 2 from being distanced from each other.

It is very simple to use the support device according to the invention. The straps can either be placed at suitable places on the ground before the caravan is parked over them or without any difficulties be entered from the short sides of the caravan. In one connected pair of support legs 2, 3 , one of the legs is placed with the free end of the pillar 2b against the outer and lower sides of the beam lb. In a corresponding manner the support leg 3 is placed with the free end of the pillar 3b against the beam lb. The tightening device 4a of the strap 4 is secured to the support leg frame element that is the easiest to access and the free end of the strap 4 to the frame element of the opposite support leg. The strap 4 is tightened with the tightening device 4a so that the caravan is stable. An

•extra pair of support legs, generally indicated 5, is usually required to make the trailer stable and insensitive to side forces. Readjustment of the strain of the strap is easy to accomplish.

It is evident that the support device according to the

invention is useful in a manner corresponding to what has been described above to stabilize other types of mobile homes as well as boats which are used for accomodation when resting on a trailer.