Retractable support and method of using same

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH A VEHICLE FOR CARRYING AND TRANSPORTING TRAILERS, A RETRACTABLE SUPPORT FOR A TRAILER HAVING A KINGPIN FOR CONNECTION TO THE FIFTH WHEEL OF A TRACTOR, SAID SUPPORT INCLUDING A FIFTH WHEEL PLATE HAVING AN OPEN KINGPIN RECEIVING JAW, KINGPIN LOCKING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING A TRAILER KINGPIN RECEIVED WITHIN SAID JAW, MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE VEHICLE FOR SUPPORTING AND GUIDING SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FOR MOVEMENT IN A PREDETERMINED PATH AND IN THE DIRECTION OF THE OPEN JAW FACES FROM A RETRACTED STORAGE POSITION ADJACENT THE VEHICLE TO AN ERECTED OPERATIVE POSITION FOR ENGAGEMENT OF A TRAILER KINGPIN BY SAID KINGPIN LOCKING MEANS, SAID SUPPORTING AND GUIDING MEANS SUPPORTING AND GUIDING SAID PLATE FOR MOVEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OPPOSITION TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE JAW FACES FROM THE ERECTED POSITION TO THE RETRACTED POSITION, LATCH MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE IN ITS ERECTED OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING A DETACHABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TRACTOR AND SAID RETRACTABLE SUPPORT FOR ERECTING SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FROM ITS RETRACTED POSITION TO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID TRACTOR AS IT MOVES AWAY FROM SAID TRAILER, THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE FROM ITS STORAGE TO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION TAKING PLACE IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TRACTOR AWAY FROM SAID TRAILER, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING MOVEABLE TO ITS ENGAGED POSITION IN RESPONSE TO MOVEMENT OF SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE INTO ITS OPERATIVE POSITION TO RETAIN SAID FIFTH WHEEL PLATE IN ITS OPERATIVE POSITION.