Automatic fifth wheel loading and unloading system

A mechanism for automatically uncoupling a trailer hitch portion on a trailer from a hitch receiver portion on a towing vehicle, and leveling the trailer, comprising:

• a control mechanism for operating a microcontroller;
• a microcontroller connected to said control mechanism for controlling said uncoupling and said leveling;
• at least one pair of two-piece height adjustable supporting legs for supporting the trailer;
• a mechanism for leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side, said mechanism for leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side controlled by said microcontroller, and said mechanism for leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side comprising at least a plurality of air bags for mounting on the trailer for selectively leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side and an air control mechanism connected to said air bags for selectively controlling an air pressure in each of said air bags for leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side, according to signals from said microcontroller;
• a mechanism including said microcontroller for selectively activating said two-piece height adjustable supporting legs for raising a portion of the trailer hitch a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver, according to signals from said microcontroller, while maintaining the trailer level at least from side-to-side;
• and
• an uncoupling mechanism controlled by said microcontroller for automatically releasing the trailer hitch portion from the hitch receiver after the trailer has been leveled and the trailer hitch portion has been raised a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver.

A mechanism for automatically uncoupling a trailer hitch portion on a trailer from a hitch receiver portion on a towing vehicle, and leveling the trailer, comprising:

• a control mechanism for operating a microcontroller;
• a microcontroller connected to said control mechanism for controlling said uncoupling and programmed to:
• activate a plurality of air bags for mounting on the trailer for selectively leveling the trailer at least from side-to-side and an air control mechanism connected to said air bags for selectively controlling an air pressure in each of said air bags and leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• selectively activate a plurality of two-piece, height adjustable legs for mounting on the trailer for raising the trailer hitch portion a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver portion while maintaining the trailer level from side-to-side and stabilizing the trailer in a level position;
• and
• release the trailer hitch portion from the hitch receiver portion after the trailer has been leveled and the trailer hitch portion has been raised a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver portion.

A microcontroller implemented method for automatically uncoupling the trailer hitch of a trailer from a coupler on a towing vehicle, and leveling the trailer, comprising the acts of:

• leveling the trailer from side-to-side by selectively inflating air bags provided on the trailer;
• lowering a pair of motor-driven trailer jacks to raise the trailer hitch of the trailer to a predetermined distance above the coupler on said towing vehicle;
• opening said coupler to release the trailer hitch therefrom;
• leveling the trailer from front-to-back;
• and
• extending a pair of stabilizing legs from the trailer to stabilize the trailer.

A mechanism for automatically uncoupling a trailer hitch element carried by a trailer from a hitch receiver on a towing vehicle, leveling the trailer and coupling the trailer hitch element to the trailer, comprising:

• a control mechanism for operating a microcontroller;
• a microcontroller electrically connected to said control mechanism for controlling said uncoupling, said leveling and said coupling;
• a pin clearance switch and a pin sensor switch for mounting on the hitch receiver for monitoring the position of a hitch pin in the trailer hitch element, and a bed sensor switch for mounting on the trailer for monitoring the bed of the towing vehicle, respectively;
• a pair of height-adjustable supporting legs for mounting in the trailer for supporting the trailer and a pair of stabilizing legs provided in the trailer for stabilizing the trailer after the trailer is leveled;
• a first leveling mechanism for mounting controlled by said microcontroller for leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• a mechanism for mounting controlled by said microcontroller for selectively activating said height-adjustable supporting legs and raising a portion of the trailer hitch element a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver, according to signals from said pin clearance switch, said pin sensor switch and said microcontroller, while maintaining the trailer level from side-to-side;
• an uncoupling mechanism for mounting on the hitch receiver and controlled by said microcontroller for automatically releasing the trailer hitch element from the hitch receiver after the trailer has been leveled from side-to-side and the trailer hitch portion has been raised a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver;
• a second leveling mechanism for mounting on the trailer and controlled by said microcontroller for leveling the trailer from front-to-rear;
• a pair of stabilizing legs for extending from the rear of the trailer for stabilizing the trailer in a level configuration;
• a counting mechanism connected to said mechanism controlled by said microcontroller for determining the initial position of the trailer hitch element, whereby the trailer is uncoupled from the hitch receiver, leveled by said first leveling mechanism and said second leveling mechanism, stabilized by said stabilizing legs and sequentially recoupled to the hitch receiver, responsive to operation of said counting mechanism and said microcontroller.

A mechanism for automatically uncoupling a trailer hitch element carried by the trailer from a hitch receiver on a towing vehicle, leveling the trailer and recoupling the trailer hitch element to the hitch receiver, comprising:

• a control mechanism for operating a microcontroller;
• a microcontroller electrically connected to said control mechanism for controlling said uncoupling, said leveling and said recoupling, said microcontroler programmed to:
• monitor a pin-clearance switch and a pin-sensing switch provided in the trailer hitch element and a bed sensing switch for mounting on the trailer for determining the relative proximity of the trailer and the towing vehicle;
• activate a mechanism for mounting on the trailer and leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• selectively activate a pair of height-adjustable legs for mounting on the trailer and raising a portion of the trailer hitch a predetermined distance above the hitch receiver and releasing the trailer hitch element from the hitch receiver, while maintaining the trailer level from side-to-side;
• activate a mechanism for mounting on the trailer and leveling the trailer from front-to-back, said mechanism for leveling the trailer from side-to-side and said mechanism for leveling the trailer from front-to-back comprising a system of pendulums and infrared switches, respectively, for mounting on the trailer and detecting a position of said pendulum which indicates that the trailer is level from side-to-side and front-to-back, respectively, said infrared switches providing input signals to said microcontroller;
• extend a pair of stabilizing legs for extending from the rear of the trailer for stabilizing the trailer in a level configuration;
• retract said stabilizing legs into the trailer;
• and
• recouple the trailer hitch element to the hitch receiver, responsive to operation of said height adjustable legs and said microcontroller.

A microcontroller implemented method for automatically uncoupling a trailer from a hitch on a towing vehicle, comprising operating said microcontroller to complete the acts of:

• leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• lowering at least a pair of two-piece motor-driven trailer jacks to raise the hitch of the trailer to a predetermined distance above a hitch-receiving member on said towing vehicle by simultaneously activating first and second drive motors for said motor-driven trailer jacks;
• monitoring respective drive currents to said first and second drive motors;
• discontinuing said activating of said first drive motor when a first drive current in said first drive motor exceeds a predetermined level above a second drive current in the second drive motor and the first drive current value is stored in a memory associated with said microcontroller when said first drive motor is stopped;
• thereafter, reactivating said first drive motor when said second drive current in said second drive motor equals said value stored in the memory associated with said microcontroller;
• and thereafter simultaneously operating said first and second drive motors in concert for operating said motor-driven trailer jacks until the hitch of the trailer is raised said predetermined distance as indicated by a pin clearance switch;
• thereby opening the hitch receiving member to release a portion of the hitch therefrom;
• and
• operating said motor-driven trailer jacks for leveling the trailer from front-to-back.

A microcontroller implemented method for automatically uncoupling a trailer pin on a trailer from a hitch on a towing vehicle, leveling the trailer and recoupling the trailer pin to the vehicle, comprising the acts of:

• leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• lowering at least a pair of motor-driven trailer jacks to raise the trailer to a predetermined distance above the hitch on said towing vehicle;
• opening the hitch to release the trailer pin therefrom;
• leveling the trailer from front-to-back by adjusting an elevation of the trailer by operating said motor-driven trailer jacks, until a level sensor indicates that the trailer is level from front-to-back;
• extending a pair of stabilizing legs from the trailer for stabilizing the trailer;
• and
• at a subsequent time, selectively recoupling the trailer to the towing vehicle by the acts of:
• retracting said pair of stabilizing legs with respect to the trailer;
• backing the towing vehicle beneath the trailer pin of the trailer and engaging the trailer pin with the hitch;
• confirming by operation of a bed sensor switch and a pin sensor switch that the trailer pin is secure in the hitch;
• and
• operating said motor-driven trailer jacks to a towing configuration by said microcontroller.

A microcontroller implemented method for automatically uncoupling the pin of a trailer from a hitch on a towing vehicle, leveling the trailer and restoring the trailer to an original height above the hitch, comprising the acts of:

• leveling the trailer from side-to-side;
• adjusting an elevation of the trailer by operating a pair of motor-driven trailer jacks to position the trailer in a level position and simultaneously counting respective revolutions of a screw member in at least one of said motor-driven trailer jacks and storing the number and direction of said revolutions in a memory associated with said microcontroller to enable an original jack position to be restored;
• and
• operating said motordriven jacks and counting said revolutions of said screw member for restoring the trailer to said original height above the hitch.