Kingpin assembly

Claim 2

A kingpin assembly adapted to be positioned on a surface of a first vehicle for coupling the first vehicle to a second vehicle having a fifth wheel thereon comprising: a mounting plate including an aperture formed therein and support members extending from at least two opposite sides of said aperture; a kingpin pivotally mounted between said support members in a manner to be movable between an upright position and a stored position, said kingpin including a notch formed along an edge thereof; and pivotable locking means for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use, said locking means including a plate having an edge shaped to engage and project into said notch in said kingpin to lock said kingpin in an upright position and hold said locking means in a kingpin locking position when said kingpin is in use.

Claim 3

The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate of said pivotable locking means is pivotally mounted between said support members to cover at least a portion of said kingpin when stored.

Claim 4

A Kingpin assembly adapted to be positioned on a surface of a first vehicle for coupling the first vehicle to a second vehicle having a fifth wheel thereon comprising: a mounting plate including an aperture formed therein and support members extending from at least two opposite sides of said aperture; a kingpin pivotally mounted between said support members in a manner to be movable between an upright position and a stored position; and pivotable locking means for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use, said locking means including a shoulder portion adapted to engage an edge of said kingpin when said locking means is pivoted from a closed to an open position thereby forcing said kingpin from its stored position.

Claim 5

A Kingpin assembly adapted to be positioned on a surface of a first vehicle for coupling the first vehicle to a second vehicle having a fifth wheel thereon comprising: a mounting plate including an aperture formed therein and support members extending from at least two opposite sides of said aperture; a kingpin pivotally mounted between said support members in a manner to be movable between an upright position and a stored position; and pivotable locking means for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use, said locking means including a shoulder portion adapted to engage an edge of said kingpin when said locking means is pivoted from a closed to an open position thereby forcing said kingpin from its stored position.

Claim 6

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting plate having a kingpin receiving aperture formed therein; a kingpin; means for pivotally mounting said kingpin to said mounting plate such that it is movable within said aperture between an upright position in which the kingpin extends above the plate and a stored position in which the kingpin does not extend above the plate; and a pivotable locking member for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use, said locking member including means extending therefrom and engaging said kingpin for moving said kingpin from a stored position when said locking member is pivotally moved.

Claim 7

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting plate having a kingpin receiving aperture formed therein; a kingpin; means for pivotally mounting said kingpin to said mounting plate such that it is movable within said aperture between an upright position in which the kingpin extends above the plate and a stored position in which the kingpin does not extend above the plate; and a pivotable locking member for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use, said locking member including means extending therefrom and engaging said kingpin for moving said kingpin from a stored position when said locking member is pivotally moved.

Claim 8

The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said mounting means comprises a pair of members attached to said plate and positioned at opposite sides of said aperture in said plate.

Claim 9

The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said mounting means further includes a pivot pin positioned between said members below said plate and through said kingpin such that when said kingpin is in an upright position, one side of said kingpin contacts an edge of said mounting plate forming a side of said aperture between said opposite sides.

Claim 10

The apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said locking member comprises a locking plate pivotally coupled between said pair of members and movable between a locked position in which an edge of said locking plate contacts a side of said kingpin opposite said one side of said kingpin, and an unlocked position in which said kingpin can be pivoted from its upright position.

Claim 11

The apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which said edge of said locking plate and said opposite side of said kingpin are tapered to tend to hold said locking plate against said kingpin when in said locked position.

Claim 12

The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said locking plate is attached to a sleeve pivotally coupled between said pair of members by means of a second pivot pin and wherein said kingpin moving means comprises a shoulder extending from and positioned on said sleeve to contact said kingpin in its stored position when said locking plate is pivoted.

Claim 13

The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said locking plate is substantially flush with said mounting plate when in a locked position and covers at least a portion of said aperture in said mounting plate.

Claim 14

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting assembly including a mounting plate adapted to be positioned on a vehicle to provide a relatively flat surface, a kingpin pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly and movable between an upright position for use and a stored position in which a side of said kingpin is substantially parallel to and adjacent said mounting plate, and locking means comprising a combined locking and cover plate pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly to be moved to a locking position in contact with said kingpin when said kingpin is in an upright position and a surface of said combined locking and cover plate is substantially flush with said mounting plate; said locking means movable from said locked position to allow said kingpin to be moved from an upright to a stored position whereupon said combined locking and cover plate covers at least a portion of said kingpin and is substantially flush with said mounting plate.

Claim 15

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting assembly including a mounting plate adapted to be positioned on a vehicle to provide a relatively flat surface, a kingpin pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly and movable between an upright position for use and a stored position in which a side of said kingpin is substantially parallel to and adjacent said mounting plate, and locking means comprising a combined locking and cover plate pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly to be moved to a locking position in contact with said kingpin when said kingpin is in an upright position and a surface of said combined locking and cover plate is substantially flush with said mounting plate; said locking means movable from said locked position to allow said kingpin to be moved from an upright to a stored position whereupon said combined locking and cover plate covers at least a portion of said kingpin and is substantially flush with said mounting plate.

Claim 16

The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said mounting plate having an aperture therein and four downwardly depending walls positioned adjacent edges of said aperture to define a recess in which said kingpin is positioned when stored.

Claim 17

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting assembly adapted to be positioned on a relatively flat surface of a vehicle, said assembly including a mounting plate having an aperture therein and four downwardly depending walls positioned adjacent edges of said aperture to define a recess in which a kingpin is positioned when stored, a kingpin pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly and movable between upright and stored positions, and locking means comprising a locking plate pivotally coupled to opposite walls of said recess to be moved to a locking position in contact with said kingpin when said kingpin is in an upright position, said locking plate movable from said locked position to allow said kingpin to be moved from an upright to a stored position, said locking plate forming a cover for at least a portion of said recess, which cover is flush with said mounting plate when said locking plate is in a locked position.

Claim 18

A kingpin assembly comprising: a mounting assembly adapted to be positioned on a relatively flat surface of a vehicle, said assembly including a mounting plate having an aperture therein and four downwardly depending walls positioned adjacent edges of said aperture to define a recess in which a kingpin is positioned when stored, a kingpin pivotally mounted to said mounting assembly and movable between upright and stored positions, and locking means comprising a locking plate pivotally coupled to opposite walls of said recess to be moved to a locking position in contact with said kingpin when said kingpin is in an upright position, said locking plate movable from said locked position to allow said kingpin to be moved from an upright to a stored position, said locking plate forming a cover for at least a portion of said recess, which cover is flush with said mounting plate when said locking plate is in a locked position.

Claim 19

The apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said locking means further includes a shoulder adapted to contact said kingpin when in a stored position and when said locking plate is moved to force said kingpin toward an upright position.

Claim 20

In combination; a kingpin assembly adapted to be attached to a surface of a first vehicle, said assembly including a mounting plate having an aperture formed therein and support members extending from at least two opposite sides of said aperture; a kingpin pivotally mounted between said support members in a manner to be movable between an upright position through said aperture and a stored position approximately parallel to the plane of said mounting plate; pivotable locking means for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use and covering at least a portion of said kingpin when stored, said locking means including means engaging said kingpin for urging said kingpin away from a stored position when said locking means is pivoted; and a fifth wheel assembly mounted to a second vehicle adapted to be coupled to said first vehicle by coupling said fifth wheel to said kingpin.

Claim 21

In combination; a kingpin assembly adapted to be attached to a surface of a first vehicle, said assembly including a mounting plate having an aperture formed therein and support members extending from at least two opposite sides of said aperture; a kingpin pivotally mounted between said support members in a manner to be movable between an upright position through said aperture and a stored position approximately parallel to the plane of said mounting plate; pivotable locking means for locking said kingpin in an upright position during use and covering at least a portion of said kingpin when stored, said locking means including means engaging said kingpin for urging said kingpin away from a stored position when said locking means is pivoted; and a fifth wheel assembly mounted to a second vehicle adapted to be coupled to said first vehicle by coupling said fifth wheel to said kingpin.

Claim 22

The combination defined in claim 15 wherein said fifth wheel is adapted to be mounted in an inverted position on said second vehicle, and wherein said kingpin is adapted to extend upwardly from said first vehicle.

Claim 23

The combination as defined in claim 16 wherein said pivotable locking means includes a configurated edge and wherein said kingpin includes a configurated edge adapted to receive said edge of said locking means in mating engagement to maintain the kingpin in an upright position and said locking means in a locked position when the kingpin is in use.

Claim 24

The combination as defined in claim 17 wherein said pivotable locking means comprises a plate pivotally mounted between said support members.

Claim 25

The combination as defined in claim 18 wherein said engaging means comprises a shoulder extending from said plate to engage an edge of said kingpin when said locking means is pivoted from a closed to an open position thereby forcing said kingpin from its stored position.