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US 5,203,850 AGranted
Air isolated fifth wheel system
AssigneeNavistar International Transportation Corp.
InventorDavid O. Harrold
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air-isolated fifth wheel system for use in connecting a trailer to a semi-tractor in a manner to isolate vibrational input of the trailer to the fifth wheel from being transferred to the semi-tractor. An inflatable air bag is operably disposed in a centered location beneath the fifth wheel support plate to eliminate vertical fifth wheel load from being transferred to the semi-tractor. The system is light weight and can easily be included into existing fifth wheel assemblies without significant alteration to the chassis of the semi-tractor.
Claims18
An air isolated fifth wheel system comprising:
- a base plate which is slidably received within side channels members mounted to the top side of the frame rails of a vehicle frame, said base plate including means for releasably fixing same to said side channel members at various positions therealong;
- a secondary plate secured to the upper side of said base plate, said secondary plate being radially inwardly downwardly stepped from a periphery thereof, a first step forming a continuous flange and a second step terminating upon an upper surface of said base plate;
- a diaphragm member sized and configured to extend across and seat upon said continuous flange in a manner forming a chamber therebeneath;
- a clamp ring sized and configured to engage over said diaphragm in the area where said diaphragm seats over said continuous flange, said clamping ring securing said diaphragm to said flange in an airtight manner;
- a top plate hingedly fixed to said base plate at one end thereof, a lower surface of said top plate seating across said diaphragm;
- a fifth wheel assembly pivotably mounted on said top plate;
- and means for providing pressurized air to the chamber formed between said diaphragm and said base plate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.