AU581181B2 - Fifth wheel - Google Patents
Fifth wheelInfo
- Publication number
- AU581181B2 AU581181B2 AU31560/84A AU3156084A AU581181B2 AU 581181 B2 AU581181 B2 AU 581181B2 AU 31560/84 A AU31560/84 A AU 31560/84A AU 3156084 A AU3156084 A AU 3156084A AU 581181 B2 AU581181 B2 AU 581181B2
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- support structure
- support plate
- wheel assembly
- lower support
- upper support
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D53/00—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
- B62D53/04—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
- B62D53/08—Fifth wheel traction couplings
- B62D53/0807—Fifth wheel traction couplings adjustable coupling saddles mounted on sub-frames; Mounting plates therefor
- B62D53/0821—Lifting saddles, i.e. to lift the trailer front
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)
- Braking Arrangements (AREA)
- Arrangement And Driving Of Transmission Devices (AREA)
Description
- I -
FIFTH WHEEL Technical Field
This invention relates to a fifth wheel or turntable for an articulated vehicle, such as a semi¬ trailer, and more particularly relates to an adjustable height fifth wheel.
Background Art The height of the chassis for some makes of
- prime-movers differ from other makes, whilst the height of trailers also varies. It is also common practice for prime-movers to be coupled to a variety of trailers over
OMPI ^
a period of time in mixed fleet situations, rather than there being a continuing prime-mover/trailer combination. With such operating requirements the use of static fifth wheels will not ensure a relatively level load supporting surface on the trailer.
In the past mechanisms to enable adjustment of the height of the fifth wheel to deal with the above problems have necessitated hydraulic and pneumatic lifting arrangements all of which are costly.
Disclosure of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fifth wheel assembly for mounting on a prime-mover and incorporating a relatively inexpensive and easily operated elevating mechanism. The invention therefore envisages a fifth wheel assembly comprising a lower support structure adapted to be mounted on the chassis of a prime-mover and an upper support plate upon which a trailer is to be supported, wherein between said support structure and said support plate a cam operated linkage mechanism is incorporated to raise and lower the upper support plate relative to the lower support structure, and wherein detachable means are provided to hold the upper support plate relative to said lower support structure in one of at least two alternative positions.
Brief Description of the Drawings
One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the assembly of this preferred embodiment;
Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1 showing the assembly in its lowest height position;
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the assembly in one of a pair of intermediate height positions;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly in its highest height position; and
Figure 5 is a plan view of the assembly of the previous figures.
Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention
Referring to the drawings the fifth wheel assembly designated as 10, comprises a lower support structure 12 and an upper support plate 13 as are conventional for fifth wheel assemblies. Incorporated between the structure 12 and the support plate 13 is a cam and linkage assembly incorporating a pair of spaced apart main link assemblies 14 pivotally mounted at 19 on* the support structure 12 and between a pair of upstanding support lugs 19a as shown. A pair of cam members 15 are rotatably supported on each of the link assemblies 14 and carried by pivot shafts lβ through the link assemblies 14. The peripheral surfaces of the cam members 15 engage the support structure 12 such that when rotated by the handles 17, fixed to the other ends of the pivot shafts 16, the link assemblies will pivot up and down to raise and lower the support plate 13 to which portions 18b of the link assemblies towards the opposite ends thereof are pivotally connected at 18 between a pair of lugs 18a extending downwardly from beneath generally diametrically opposed edge portions of the support plate 13. As shown a common connecting bar 16a may be coupled between the cam members.
Additional link assemblies 20 acting as struts are pivotally. connected at 21 to the extreme ends of the link assemblies 14, or alternatively to said upper support plate, with the lower ends of the additional assemblies 20 interlocking in a number of positions with a pair of spaced apart locating bars 22 supported on the support structure 12 and having in this case three aligned pairs of holes 23, 24 and 25 therethrough adapted to align with one or the other of a pair of holes 26 and 27 in the additional link assemblies with a locating pin 28 with handle being inserted through the aligned holes for each location to hold the assembly at that location.
At the lowest height of the assembly for the fifth wheel and as shown in Figure 2, the holes 23 in the locating bar and the holes 27 in the link assemblies are aligned and the locating pins 28 inserted.
In a first elevated position (not shown), the holes 26 in the link assembly are aligned with the holes 25 in the locating bars, and locating pins 28 inserted. In the second elevated position as shown in
Figure 3, the holes 26 in the link assemblies are aligned with the holes 24 in the locating bars, and locating pins 28 inserted.
In the third or highest elevated position as shown in Figure 4, the holes 26 in the link assemblies are aligned with the holes 23 in the locating bars, and locating pins 28 inserted.
At any position, after insertion of the locating pins 28, the cam member 15 and their handles 17 can be swung back down to the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2.
fZ t r OMPI
Claims (7)
1. A fifth wheel assembly comprising a lower support structure adapted to be mounted on the chassis of a prime mover and an upper support plate upon which a trailer is to be supported, wherein between said support structure and said support plate a cam operated linkage mechanism is incorporated to raise and lower the upper support plate relative to the lower support structure, and wherein detachable means are provided to hold the upper support plate relative to said lower support structure in one of at least two alternative positions.
2. A fifth wheel assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said cam operated linkage mechanism comprises a pair of spaced apart main link assemblies pivotally attached at one end to the lower support structure and pivotally attached adjacent their other ends to said upper support plate, at least one cam member pivotally supported on at least one of said link assemblies with its cam surface in contact with said lower support structure, whereby rotation of said cam member pivots said link assemblies upwardly about their pivotal connections to said lower support structure to thereby raise the upper support plate attached to the other ends of said link assemblies.
3. A fifth wheel assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said detachable means comprises a pair of spaced apart strut assemblies pivotally connected at one end to respective ones of said main link assemblies or said upper support plate, and adapted to be detachably connected to said lower support structure to hold said upper support plate relative to said lower support structure in one of at least two alternative positions.
4. A fifth wheel assembly as claimed in Claim 3, wherein said strut assemblies cooperate with locating members supported on said lower supporting structure and holes through said strut assemblies and said locating members are provided whereby upon alignment of selective holes and insertion of a locating pin said strut assemblies will hold said upper support plate relative to said lower support structure in said one of at least two alternative positions.
5. A fifth wheel assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
6. A fifth wheel assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and mounted on the chassis of a prime mover.
7. A fifth wheel assembly and prime mover combination as claimed in Claim 6, and having a trailer detachably supported thereon.
OMP
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU31560/84A AU581181B2 (en) | 1983-07-14 | 1984-07-12 | Fifth wheel |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AUPG0278 | 1983-07-14 | ||
AUPG027883 | 1983-07-14 | ||
AU31560/84A AU581181B2 (en) | 1983-07-14 | 1984-07-12 | Fifth wheel |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
AU3156084A AU3156084A (en) | 1985-02-07 |
AU581181B2 true AU581181B2 (en) | 1989-02-16 |
Family
ID=25621852
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
AU31560/84A Ceased AU581181B2 (en) | 1983-07-14 | 1984-07-12 | Fifth wheel |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
---|---|
AU (1) | AU581181B2 (en) |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3066956A (en) * | 1961-06-13 | 1962-12-04 | Vincent L Colorigh | Tractor load bed with fifth wheel raisable from bed level position |
US3117804A (en) * | 1961-05-03 | 1964-01-14 | Pacific Car & Foundry Co | Tractor truck having body designed for use either as fifth-wheel mount or flat bed |
DE3004218A1 (en) * | 1980-02-06 | 1981-08-27 | Delta Metall - und Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH, 8901 Egling | Height adjustable articulated coupling - has locking levers to secure normal and raised height |
-
1984
- 1984-07-12 AU AU31560/84A patent/AU581181B2/en not_active Ceased
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3117804A (en) * | 1961-05-03 | 1964-01-14 | Pacific Car & Foundry Co | Tractor truck having body designed for use either as fifth-wheel mount or flat bed |
US3066956A (en) * | 1961-06-13 | 1962-12-04 | Vincent L Colorigh | Tractor load bed with fifth wheel raisable from bed level position |
DE3004218A1 (en) * | 1980-02-06 | 1981-08-27 | Delta Metall - und Fahrzeugtechnik GmbH, 8901 Egling | Height adjustable articulated coupling - has locking levers to secure normal and raised height |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
AU3156084A (en) | 1985-02-07 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
MK14 | Patent ceased section 143(a) (annual fees not paid) or expired |