Fifth wheel plate assembly

A fifth wheel for connection to the kingpin of a highway trailer including,

• a top plate having a substantially rectangular opening including parallel side walls,
• slide supports supported below said plate adjacent said side walls of said opening,
• a first clamping means having a kingpin receiving surface,
• elongated slide members connected to said first clamping means and slidable on said slide supports,
• second clamping means on said plate including an arcuate wall portion and outwardly diverging walls extending from said arcuate wall portion to said parallel side walls, said arcuate wall portion and said kingpin receiving surface being adapted to confine a kingpin on said top plate,
• a first support member supported on said top plate and extending between said slide members,
• a drive screw extending parallel to said slide members,
• means on said support member supporting one end of said drive screw,
• a second support member on said top plate horizontally spaced from said first support member,
• means connecting the other end of said drive screw for rotative movement to and relative to said second support member,
• said connecting means including thrust elements on said other end confining said screw against longitudinal movement relative to said second support member, the improvement comprising:
• a follower member having a threaded bore rotatably engaged by said drive screw,
• said follower member during rotation of said screw including means engageable with said slide members for reciprocating said first clamping means relative to said second clamping means,
• said engageable means including resilient means providing for limited cushioning movement of said slide members and first clamping means relative to said drive screw.