Roll-stabilizing fifth wheel apparatus

An articulated vehicle, comprising:

• a towing vehicle;
• a fifth wheel apparatus pivotably supported on the towing vehicle for rotation relative to the towing vehicle about a roll axis extending in a direction of towing motion of the towing vehicle;
• a trailing vehicle detachably coupled to the towing vehicle via the fifth wheel apparatus, the fifth wheel apparatus pivoting relative to the towing vehicle about the roll axis in response to rolling movement of the trailing vehicle about the roll axis during travel over uneven roads;
• and
• a first damping element operably interposed between the towing vehicle and the fifth wheel apparatus on a first lateral side of the roll axis and a second damping element operably interposed between the towing vehicle and the fifth wheel apparatus on a second lateral side of the roll axis such that the rolling movement of the trailing vehicle about the roll axis causes one of the first and second damping elements to compress and the other to elongate, and wherein the compressed damping element resists being compressed to counteract the rolling movement of the trailing vehicle about the roll axis.