Fifth wheel coupling safety system

• US 6,100,794 A
• Filed: 02/18/1999
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Terrence E. Hillier
• Original Assignee: Terrence E. Hillier
• Inventors: Hillier, Terrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/252,107
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 340/431, 340/686.2, 340/687, 280/186, 280/433, 280/441, 280/446.1, 280/477, 280/DIG. 14, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 340/431
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/12 engaging automatically
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 280/14 Tractor-trailer backing connections

Abstract

A fifth wheel coupling safety system for indicating when a king pin is properly locked into a fifth wheel assembly. The system includes a fifth wheel assembly having a slot for receiving a king pin of a trailer and a locking mechanism for coupling the king pin to the fifth wheel assembly. The locking mechanism has a locking jaw adapted for coupling the king pin to the fifth wheel assembly, and a pull handle for positioning the locking jaw between locked and unlocked positions. The locking jaw couples the king pin to the fifth wheel assembly when in the locked position and permits separation of the king pin from the fifth wheel assembly when in the unlocked position. The pull handle is positionable between a locking position and an unlocking position. The pull handle positions the locking jaw in the locked position when the pull handle is in the locking position and the pull handle positions the locking jaw in the unlocked position when the pull handle is in the unlocking position. A detector is provided for detecting when the pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly. An indicator electrically connected to the detector is also provided for indicating to a user the pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly.

Claims

1. A safety system for indicating when a pull handle of a locking mechanism of a fifth wheel assembly is properly positioned in a locked position when coupling a king pin of a trailer to the fifth wheel assembly, said safety system comprising:

a fifth wheel assembly having a slot for receiving a king pin of a trailer and a locking mechanism for coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly;

said locking mechanism having a locking jaw adapted for coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly, and a pull handle for positioning said locking jaw between locked and unlocked positions, said locking jaw coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly when in said locked position, said locking jaw permitting separation of said king pin from said fifth wheel assembly when in said unlocked position;

said pull handle being positionable between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein said pull handle positions said locking jaw in said locked position when said pull handle is in said locking position, wherein said pull handle positions said locking jaw in said unlocked position when said pull handle is in said unlocking position;

a detector for detecting when said pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly; and

an indicator for indicating to a user said pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly, said indicator being electrically connected to said detector.

2. The safety system of claim 1, wherein said detector has a first switch for activating said detector when the king pin is properly positioned in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly, said first switch having a pivotally mounted first actuator positioned below the proper position for the king pin in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly, wherein the king pin pivots said first actuator to a position activating said first switch when said king pin is properly positioned in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly.

3. The safety system of claim 2, wherein said indicator has a light source for providing a visual indicator to the user and an audible sound generating device for providing an audible indicator to the user, said light source and said audible sound generating device of said indicator being activated when said first switch is actuated by said first actuator when the king pin is properly inserted into said slot of said fifth wheel assembly.

4. The safety system of claim 3, wherein said detector has a second switch having a second actuator mounted to said pull handle, said second actuator actuating said second switch when said pull handle is properly positioned in said locking position, said second switch deactivating said light source and audible sound generating device of said indicator when activate to indicate to the user that the pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position so that the lock jaw of the locking mechanism is properly coupling the king pin to the fifth wheel assembly.

5. The safety system of claim 1, further comprising a dust pan having a bottom and a perimeter side wall extending around said bottom of said dust pan, said dust pan being mounted beneath said fifth wheel assembly.

6. The safety system of claim 5, wherein said dust pan has a pair of heaters mounted to said bottom of said dust pan, said heaters being adapted for heating said locking mechanism of said fifth wheel assembly.

7. The safety system of claim 5, wherein said perimeter side wall of said dust pan has a side cutout for extending said pull handle when said dust pan is mounted to said fifth wheel assembly.

8. The safety system of claim 5, wherein said bottom of said dust pan has a drain hole therethrough.

9. A safety system for indicating when a pull handle of a locking mechanism of a fifth wheel assembly is properly positioned in a locked position when coupling a king pin of a trailer to the fifth wheel assembly, said safety system comprising:

a fifth wheel assembly having a top plate, a slot for receiving a king pin of a trailer, a lower lip extending around said top plate, and a locking mechanism for coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly;

said locking mechanism having a locking jaw adapted for coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly, and a pull handle for positioning said locking jaw between locked and unlocked positions, said locking jaw coupling said king pin to said fifth wheel assembly when in said locked position, said locking jaw permitting separation of said king pin from said fifth wheel assembly when in said unlocked position;

said pull handle having an elongate shaft extending outwardly from said lower lip of said fifth wheel assembly and terminating at a handle loop, said pull handle being positionable between a locking position and an unlocking position, wherein said pull handle positions said locking jaw in said locked position when said pull handle is in said locking position, wherein said pull handle positions said locking jaw in said unlocked position when said pull handle is in said unlocking position;

a detector for detecting when said pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly;

said detector having a first switch for activating said detector when the king pin is properly positioned in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly, said first switch having a pivotally mounted first actuator positioned below the proper position for the king pin in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly, wherein the king pin pivots said first actuator to a position activating said first switch when said king pin is properly positioned in said slot of said fifth wheel assembly;

an indicator for indicating to a user said pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position when a king pin of a trailer is inserted into the slot of the fifth wheel assembly, said indicator being electrically connected to said detector;

said indicator having a light source for providing a visual indicator to the user and an audible sound generating device for providing an audible indicator to the user, said light source and said audible sound generating device of said indicator being activated when said first switch is actuated by said first actuator when the king pin is properly inserted into said slot of said fifth wheel assembly;

said detector having a second switch having a second actuator mounted to said shaft of said pull handle, said second actuator actuating said second switch when said pull handle is properly positioned in said locking position;

said second switch deactivating said light source and audible sound generating device of said indicator when activate to indicate to the user that the pull handle is properly positioned in the locking position so that the lock jaw of the locking mechanism is properly coupling the king pin to the fifth wheel assembly;

a dust pan having a bottom and a perimeter side wall extending around said bottom of said dust pan, said dust pan being removably mounted beneath said fifth wheel assembly;

said dust pan having a pair of heaters mounted to said bottom of said dust pan, said heaters being adapted for heating said locking mechanism of said fifth wheel assembly;

said perimeter side wall of said dust pan having a side cutout for extending said shaft of said pull handle when said dust pan is mounted to said fifth wheel assembly; and

said bottom of said dust pan having a drain hole therethrough, said bottom of said dust pan having a mesh screen covering said drain hole to prevent passages of objects greater than a predetermined size through said drain hole.