Fifth wheel hitch with latching system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12570367-B2
Application number	US-202217866913-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2022
Priority date	Dec 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 10, 2026
Grant date	Mar 10, 2026

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a fifth wheel hitch and, more particularly, to a fifth wheel hitch having a latching system that is viewable to a user. In another instance, the present disclosure relates to a fifth wheel hitch having a latching system that permits a user to restrict movement of the fifth wheel hitch in at least two different planes of motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fifth wheel hitch assembly comprising:
a fifth wheel head configured to engage a towing vehicle; a carriage member attached to said fifth wheel head; a frame configured to be attached to a towing vehicle, said frame including at least one locator rail wherein said carriage is moveable along the at least one locator rail; and a latching system positioned along the frame that is configured to restrict a movement of the carriage relative to the frame, said latching system comprising:
a control bar;
at least one receptacle positioned along said carriage member;
at least one latching finger configured to selectively engage with said at least one receptacle;
a latch control handle attached to said control bar and configured to pivot said control bar and said at least one latching finger relative to said at least one receptacle;
a biasing member attached to said control bar and configured to be spring loaded in a direction which will force said at least one latching finger to pivot towards or otherwise engage with said at least one receptacle; and
a retaining spring configured to selectively engage with said at least one latching finger and prevent said at least one latching finger from re-engaging with said at least one receptacle such that said carriage member is free to move relative to said frame when said retaining spring is engaged to said at least one latching finger.

2 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said carriage member includes a first sliding tower spaced from a second sliding tower and said frame includes a first locator rail spaced from and generally perpendicular to a second locator rail, wherein said first sliding tower is movably attached to said first locator rail and the second sliding tower is movably attached to said second locator rail.

3 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latching system is in a locked position when said at least one latching finger is engaged to said at least one receptacle and is in an unlocked position when said at least one latching finger is not engaged to said at least one receptacle, wherein movement of said carriage member relative to said frame is restricted along at least a first plane of motion when said latching system is in the locked position.

4 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 3 , wherein said at least one receptacle is located along an exposed surface of said carriage member to allow said at least one latching finger to be viewed in the locked position.

5 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 3 , wherein said latching system further comprises a plurality of latch fingers positioned along said control bar.

6 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 5 , wherein said plurality of latch fingers positioned along the control bar includes a first latch finger and a second latch finger positioned along either side of said locator rail and a third latch finger and a fourth latch finger positioned along either side of a second locator rail spaced from said locator rail.

7 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 3 , wherein said at least one latching finger is shaped as an arched configuration and said at least one receptacle includes a shape which is generally complementary to said at least one latching finger.

8 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latch control handle comprises a secondary lockable safety mechanism.

9 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said latching system is configured to restrict the movement of said carriage member relative to said frame in at least two planes of motion.

10 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an extension handle configured to be attached to and extend from said latch control handle to allow a user to pivot said control bar from said extension handle.

11 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said frame further comprises at least one set of a threaded eye bolt and nut configured to facilitate structural attachment to at least one rail positioned along said towing vehicle wherein said at least one set of said threaded eye bolt and nut are configured to prevent rattle, movement and/or noise from said fifth wheel hitch.

12 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 1 , wherein said retaining spring comprises a spring portion, an engagement surface, and a depressible portion wherein the spring portion is configured to provide a bias force to position the engagement surface towards said latching finger; wherein said engagement surface is configured to selectively abut against an end of said latching finger to prevent said latching finger from pivoting towards the respective receptacle; and wherein said depressible portion is configured to be manually depressed by a user to disengage said engagement surface from the end of said latching finger to allow said latching finger to be pivoted or otherwise engage with the respective receptacle.

13 . A fifth wheel hitch assembly comprising:
a fifth wheel head configured to engage a towing vehicle; a carriage member attached to said fifth wheel head; a frame configured to be attached to said towing vehicle, said frame including at least one locator rail wherein said carriage member is moveable along said locator rail; and a latching system positioned along said frame, said latching system comprising: at least one latching finger attached to a retaining spring and configured to selectively prevent said at least one latching finger from re-engaging with at least one receptacle, a control bar attached to a biasing member and configured to be spring loaded in a direction which will force the at least one latching finger to pivot towards or otherwise engage with said at least one receptacle; a latch control handle attached to said control bar; wherein said latching system is in a locked positioned when said at least one latching finger is engaged to said at least one receptacle and is in an unlocked position when said at least one latching finger is not engaged to said at least one receptacle.

14 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 13 wherein said at least one receptacle is located along an exposed surface of said carriage member to allow a user to view said at least one latching finger in the locked position.

15 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 13 , wherein said at least one latching finger is shaped as an arched configuration and said at least one receptacle includes a generally complementary shape as said at least one latch finger.

16 . The fifth wheel hitch assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an extension handle configured to be attached to and extend from said latch control handle to allow a user to pivot said control bar from the extension handle.

Assignees

• Horizon Global Americas Inc

Inventors

• Scruggs Mark
• Nowack Curt

Classifications

• B62D53/0878

  the fifth wheel coupling incorporating braking or restraining means · CPC title

• B62D53/10

  with means for preventing accidental uncoupling · CPC title

• B62D53/0807 Primary

  adjustable coupling saddles mounted on sub-frames; Mounting plates therefor · CPC title