MXPA98005528A - Fifth ru hitch system - Google Patents

Abstract

A fifth wheel hitch is described, operable between a fully secured condition and a fully released condition, having an upper hitch plate and a locking jaw, an unsecured plunger is movable between an extended, deflected belay position that engages the jaw, and a retracted position to release the jaw, a release lever pivotably mounted to the latch plate and engaging the piston to move the piston rod when it is actuated, for release of the primary securing, having the sub-assembly of the latch release rod. hook an outside pull handle and an internal pivot connection to the release lever, to operate the release lever, the deliberate rod sub-assembly has a secondary stop aligned with a boundary surface in fully secured condition, to serve as an assurance secondary, and displaceable outside e, alignment with the boundary surface to release the secondary securing, and having a limited gambling connection between its ends, making it possible for the sub-assembly to be lengthened by a limited amount from its normal length to an elongated condition, and diverted to the condition of normal length, and having an indicator that provides a ~ 5 change in appearance between the normal length condition and the elongate condition

Description

FIFTH WHEEL HITCH SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fifth wheel hitches, particularly to a fifth wheel coupling of primary securing-secondary securing. - For safety reasons, it is now required that the fifth wheel couplers have secondary securing as well as primary securing. This frequently involves movement of the rod and handle to release the latch release, in various positions during the release and during the reattachment. Because of this, a non-experienced operator may become confused as to whether the hitch is completely released during uncoupling or fully secured during coupling. ~ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A fifth wheel coupling assurance mechanism with primary securing and secondary securing, both releasable by REF. 27815 the use of the release rod handle, visually indicating the fully coupled condition and the condition completely decoupled. The release rod sub-assembly has a limited play connection between its ends, making it possible for it to be lengthened by a limited amount from its normal length condition to a normal length condition to an elongated condition under tension, but diverted to the normal length condition. An indicator provides a change in appearance between the normal length condition and the elongated condition. These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and may be appreciated by those of skill in the art, by reference to the following specification, the cl and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF L0S: 33IBU.J0S Figure 1 is a bottom view of the new hook showing it in the fully secured condition; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the latch showing the handle and release rod that have been pulled slightly to expose a window for decoupling the secondary securing; Figure 3 is a bottom view of the new latch with the release rod handle displaced laterally, forward of the latch, to deactivate the secondary latch; FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the latch showing the handle and release rod pulled additionally for release of the primary latch and ready for disengagement; Figure 5 is a bottom view of the hitch, showing the central pivot that begins to move the locking jaw pivot and leaves the hitch; Figure 6 is a bottom view of the hitch showing the central pivot that has swung the locking jaw fully open, and left the hitch to be ready for re-engagement; Figure 7 is a bottom view of the hitch showing the engagement of the hitch with a central pivot; and Figure 8 is a bottom view of the hitch completely reattached to the center pivot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALTIES Referring now specifically to the drawings, the described fifth-wheel hitch 10 includes an upper lid 12 of generally conventional type, having a "forward convex" end and a bifurcated rear end, as well as a pair of laterally-spaced rotational supports 14 the pivoting mounting of the plate, and with which it is possible for it to be tilted from the true horizontal but remain in a generally horizontal orientation.The upper surface of the plate 12 can be a conventional sliding surface of types. In the figures, the bottom of the upper plate is illustrated by clarity, this includes a plurality of tabs projecting downwards, transverse and from front to back 16a, 16b, 18, 20 and 22, and others, which make the latch stiff and also support and cooperate with the other components in a manner to be described later in the present. The rear end of the hitch-- has bifurcated portions 24 which define a mouth 26 that extends forward, between these, ending in a dead end throat 28 for receiving the center pivot. The characteristics of the primary fifth wheel and the center pivot assurance correspond to those shown in US Patent No. 5,257,796, issued November 2, 1993, assigned to the assignee herein. The adjacent throat 28 is an assurance element in general in the form of V, of pivoting movement, or jaw 30 bifurcated into two integral branches 30a and 30b and pivotably mounted at the apex between these two branches on a pin 32 of vertical pivot fixed to the p-Táca 12. The arm or branch 30b is an assurance arm, while the assurance 30a, for convenience, will be referred to as a cam arm. The pivot pin 32 is laterally displaced from the dead end position of the throat 28. The jaw 30 pivots on the tang 32 -entire fully closed securing position through the throat, as shown in the figures 1 and 8, and the fully open position shown in Figure 6. The securing jaw 30 has a concave gap between the arms 30a and 30b to cooperate with the concave front end of the throat 28, and thereby cylindrically surround the neck of the neck. a central pivot. The arm or branch 30b is generally rearward from the axis of the pivot pin 32 while the arm 30a is generally forward of this axis, except in the fully open position of the locking jaw. The front arm 30a comprises a projection finger, which has a cam surface 30 'near the end thereof. The rear arm 30b includes the securing surface 30"of the central pin concave on its internal face ™, and a coupling surface 31 of the securing piston on its outer face; A securing funnel 40 is laterally moved in an alternating manner between an extended securing condition ~ and a retracted condition, which is against deflection of the spiral spring 42. The spring or spring 42 is around the axis of the plunger, between the head of the plunger and one of the flanges 20. The spring 42 biases the plunger towards the extended securing condition. In the fully extended position of the plunger, it engages the surface 31 of the jaw 30 to secure this jaw in a closed position about a central pivot. Any wear between the plunger and the locking jaw is compensated by a wedge 46 biased by the spring or spring 44 towards a wedging action on the plunger, in a conventional manner. The wedging member 46 has an L-shaped configuration with a flange thereof which is positioned on the stud 48 and with the nut 50 limiting the movement of the wedge member with a retraction piston. The wedge element travels against an inclined surface of a fixed wedge 52, so as to entional. The coupling release mechanism described is a so-called "right-hand release" .Therefore, it is shown / and described below, with a lever 54 of direction, pivotably mounted to the plate at one end of the lever, coupled through a ra-irura in the piston 40 intermediate to the ends of the lever, and pivotably connected to the driving rod at the other front end of the lever.The invention will be described extensively in relation to this hand model If a left hand model is desired, the lift lever 5 will be pivotably mounted to the intermediate plate 12 at its ends, at a point between the plunger 40 and the forward end of the lever, and the release rod 52 it will extend out of the opposite side of the hook plate as in the above-mentioned Patent 5,125,779, so that in any arrangement, the pulling of the handle will cause the lever 54 to move in the same direction as e in_the other arrangement. In a left hand hitch, the pull rod extends through the window 16d in the rib 16b, so that the handle is accessible to the opposite side of the plate from that illustrated in the figures. These are equivalent arrangements. With the release lever 54 pivotably mounted on the plate 12 at the rear end of the lever on the vertical peg 56, and extending through a slot in the plunger 40, pivoting the release lever or arm 54 in a direction away from the throat 28, causes the retraction of the plunger 40, while pivoting in the opposite direction occurs with the extension of the plunger back of the arm 30b and the jaw 30. Vertically connected to the forward end of the lever 54 is the inner end 58a, bent at ninety degrees of the sub-assembly 58 of the driving rod, specifically the end 58a of the segment 58b of the elongated rod. The end 58c of the rod segment 58b is a stop, as will be explained, for the stop or limitation against the rib 16a of the plate 12, to serve as a secondary securing. Connected to the displacing bar 58b, in an overlapping manner, is the elongated bar segment 58f ~. The segment 58f may be welded to the segment 58b to be integral with it The outer end of the segment 58f has a displaced stop 58g páxá ^ the coupling of the outer end of a compression spring 59. In engagement slider with the "segment 58f is an elongated bar segment 58k having a pull handle 60 at its outer end. A pair of side plates 61 are accuped as by welding to the lower upper part of the segment 58k, straddling the outer end portion of the segment 58f and the spring 59a. - Fixed the plates 61, between these, there is an internal stop 58h at the second end of the spring 61, such that the compression spring 61 is caught between the stops 58g and 58h. An extreme indicator portion 58? '58g on the handle 60, is visible through a notch in the plate 61 in the fully secured condition, and in the fully released condition of the hitch, as will be explained later. A spiral coil spring 63 is coupled at one of its ends to a loop or turn 12a in the plate 12 and its other end to the sub-assembly 58 of the driving rod as in the joining of the segments 58b and 58f. The spring 63 deflects the drive rod sub-assembly with backward direction and more significantly deflects it in a manner to cause the outer end stop 58c to align with the flange 16a instead of with the window 16c in the flange 16a. In the fully secured engagement condition, the segments 58f and 58k extend through the window 16c. In the internal position segment 58b extends through the window. In the fully unlocked position of the latch, the segments 58f and 58b extend through the window 16c. The width of the window 16c is only large enough to accumulate at most two of these three segments at one time. Also pivotably mounted to the upper plate 12 is a cam arm 70 in the form of a dog leg, elongate, special. This is positioned between the securing element 30 and the release arm 54. This cam arm is pivotably mounted at its front end on a pivot pin 72. This "overall configuration in the form of a dog leg includes a surface 70". The cam pusher at the intermediate apex of its ends, this also has its rear end projecting towards a slot 40 'in the plunger 40, to move with the plunger and the release arm 54. In this way, the arm of cam 70 will be moved with the plunger when the release arm and the release handle are manually operated to unlock the locking jaw 30. Similarly, when the plunger 40 is biased by the spring 42 to an extended position, the arm of release 54 and cam 70 will move with these. In addition, the cam also has a relation to the locking jaw 30 as well as to the release arm and handle as just noted. More specifically, the cam surface 30 'on the finger 30a of the locking jaw 30, when the locking jaw 30 is rotated, will engage with the cam surface 70' and the cam member 70 to thereby move the element. move away from the throat of the catch, tending to retract the plunger 40 slightly, and also to move the release arm 54 and the release handle 58. The eight figures of the drawings describe a series of movements of the attachment component, ranging from the fully secured position in Figure 1, through the release conditions until the catch is in the fully released condition of Figure 6, and then again to a fully secured position on a central pivot. For fines of clarity, the center pivot is not shown in Figures 1-6. Referring first to Figure 1, the jaw 30 is shown completely closed, and has a primary securing due to the plunger 40 which engages the rear face 31 of the jaw, and the sub-assembly 58 of the pull rod is in a position retracted with the handle 60 closely adjacent the outer edge of the slide plate 12. In this condition - completely secured, the pull-rod sub-assembly is of its normal length such that the indicator portion 58g '(Figure 1) of the stop or abutment 58g is visible beyond plate 61. This plate preferably has a notched opening for observation of portion 58g '. In this secured position, completely closed, the stop or abutment 58c, is in alignment with the flange 16a due to the pull-off of the spring 63, to serve as a secondary stop. In other words, if for some reason "" the release lever 54 is moved in a direction away from the throat 28, this movement will be limited by the engagement of the stop 58c against the flange 16a. To open the latching mechanism for receiving or releasing a center pivot, such as when a tow truck with the fifth wheel hitch on it is backing a trailer having a central pivot depending on its front end, the handle 60 is first pulled Initial amount as shown in Figure 2. This pull action extends the length of the drive rod sub-assembly 58 as the handle 60 is moved away from the slide plate 12. That is, this movement causes compression of the spring 59 , between the abutments or stops 58h and 58g as the segment 58 moves away from the window 16c. Also, the indicator portion 58g 'of the limit or stop 58g moves away from the view between the plates 61 as in Figure 2. This first movement of the release rod sub-assembly does not cause movement of the release lever 54 because the The compression spring 42 is much stronger than the small compression spring 59. At this point, the stop surface 58c is still in alignment with the flange 16a instead of the window 16c, to continue to serve as a secondary stop. . In the next step to release the latch, the handle 60 and sub-assembly 58 of the driving rod are moved laterally relative to the rod, for example, forward relative to the latching plate 12 as described in the figure 3, to align * the segment 58b and its stop surface 58c with the window 16c. This movement it is against the deflection of the helical tension spring f >;3. As the next movement to disengage the latch, the handle 60 is pulled longitudinally of the rod and laterally to the latch plate, until the segment 58 of the release rod-intermediary is completely through the window 16c and can be engaged. on its inclined inner end surface 581 against a fixed, inclined, external surface 16f on the flange 16a. This movement of the release rod sub-assembly 58 causes the pivotal movement of the release lever 54 about --- of its pivot pin 56. This pivotal movement causes the piston 40 to be retracted against deviation. of its spring 42, in order to cause the plunger 40 to clear the end of the arm 30b of the jaw 30, and thereby allow the jaw to pivot on its pin 32. At this point, the trailer truck with the fifth wheel hitch can be moved so far away from the trailer or trailer having the center pivot, so that the center pivot causes the jaw 30 to rotate -to its open position. As it rotates, the cam arm 30a engages the camming surface 70 'of the cam arm 70, to move the cam arm slightly, and thereby also move the plunger 40 a slight additional amount "" "against its coil spring 42. This further movement of the plunger 40 also causes additional pivoting outward movement of the release lever 54, to push the hooking surface 581 away from the surface 16f as described in Fig. 5. , allowing the tension coil spring 63 to pull the sub-assembly of the release rod in the direction of aira.This makes it possible for the release rod sub-assembly to finally move back inward when it realizes the re-coupling on a central pivot. central K moves completely away from the hitch, as in Fig. 6, the jaw 30 is fully open to receive a central pivot for re-engagement; after the reentry of a central pivot, it engages the cam branch 30a of the jaw 30, rotating the jaw to a closed position around the central pivot. This rotation moves the cam branch 30a away from the arm 70 whereby the spring 42 is allowed to deflect the plunger 40 back to the extended position. As it moves like this, it carries the cam arm 70 and the release lever 50 with it. This movement of the release lever 54 carries the sub-assembly 58 of the release rod cn this, causing the segment 58b to move through and clear the window 16c until the segment 58k borders the surface 16f to extend the sub-assembly again 58 of release rod as shown in Fig. 7. In this condition, the latch 9 is very fully secured as shown by the fact that the hollowed indicator 58g 'is not visible. By displacing the handle 60 in a backward direction relative to the latch, the segment 58k is again allowed to pass through the window 16c, bridging the handle 60 near the slide plate 12, and causing the indicator 58g 'appears again, showing that the coupling is completely secured, including the secondary securing, the stop face 58c which is aligned again with the flange 16a instead of the window 16c. The above description is considered to be that of the preferred modalities only. Modifications to the invention will occur to those skilled in the art, and to those who make or use the invention. Therefore, it is understood that the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above are merely for illustrative purposes, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims, as "are interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law, including the doctrine of equivalents.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known by the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is the conventional one for the manufacture of the objects to which it refers.

Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (6)

1. A coupling for a wheel operable between a fully secured condition and a fully released condition, characterized in that it comprises: a top latch plate defining a tapered mouth and a th for receiving a central pivot; a pivot securing jaw in said th; a securing piston movable between an extended securing position which engages the jaw and a retracted position to release said jaw, and which is biased toward the extended securing position to provide a primary securing; a release lever pivotably mounted to the latch plate and engaging the plunger to move said plunger therewith, when actuated, to release the primary latch; a sub-assembly of latch release rod having an outside handle for pulling and an internal pivot connection to said release lever for operating the release lever; the hitch has a fixed member defining a stop or abutment surface; the release rod subassembly has a secondary stop aligned with "the boundary surface in the fully insured condition, to serve as a secondary assurance, and move it out of *! ----" alignment with said boundary surface or abutment to release the secondary securing, the release lever sub-assembly has a limited play connection between its ends, making it possible for the sub-assembly S to be lengthened to a limited amount from its normal length condition to an elongated condition, and biased towards said normal length condition, and the release rod subassembly has an indicator which provides a change in appearance between the normal length condition and the elongated condition.

2. The fifth wheel hitch according to claim 1, characterized in that the indicator comprises a portion of the release rod assembly, which is visible in one of the conditions and not visible in the other of the conditions.

3. The fifth wheel hitch according to claim 2, characterized in that said portion is visible in the normal length condition to confirm the complete release of the hitch or the full latch of the hitch, and not visible in the elongated condition to alert of a condition different: from the complete release of the coupling or from the complete coupling assurance.

4. The fifth wheel hitch according to claim 1, characterized in that the sub-assembly handle of the release rod is in a position adjacent to the plate in the fully secured condition, and is further spaced from said plate than in the adjacent position when they are in the condition - completely liberated.

5. The fifth wheel hitch according to claim 1, characterized in that the fixed member of the hitch has a window and the sub-assembly of the release rod extends through the window, the sub-assembly of the release rod has first, second and third segments in displaced relation such that segments one and two and segments two and three are in overlapped condition to each other, the window has a limited width accommodating only two of three segments at a time, the secondary stop being on the first segment, the handle is on the third segment, and the limited game connection is between the second and third segments.

6. The fifth wheel hitch according to claim 5, characterized in that the second and third segments extend through the window when the hitch is fully secured, and the first and second segments extend through ± 3. window when the latch is completely released. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A fifth wheel hitch is described, operable between a fully secured condition and a fully released condition, which has a top latch plate and - a latch jaw, a -seguration plunger is movable between an extended, deflected, latching position, which engages the jaw, and a retracted position to release the jaw, a release lever pivotably mounted to the coupling plate and which engages the piston to move the piston with it when it is "actuated, for release of the primary securing, the sub-assembly of the release-latching rod having an outer drive handle and a connection in internal pivot to the release lever; to actuate the release lever, the release rod sub-assembly has a secondary stop aligned with a boundary surface in the fully secured condition, to serve as * a secondary securing, and displaceable out of alignment with the boundary surface to release the secondary securing, and having a limited gaming connection between its ends, making it possible for the sub-assembly to be elongated: a limited amount from its normal length to an elongated condition, and biased towards the normal length condition, and having a indicator that provides a change in appearance between the normal length condition and the elongated condition.