US3870340A — Tow hitch for fifth wheel type trailer

Claim 1

Independent Claim 164 words

A tow hitch mechanism for attaching a fifth wheel type trailer to the rear portion of the chassis of an automotive vehicle comprising in combination, a hitch frame adapted to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of such vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof, auxiliary wheels supported by the lower portion of said frame for engagement with a roadway, means upstanding from said hitch frame adjacent the rear end of said vehicle when said hitch frame is attached thereto, cantilever frame means supported by the upper end of said upstanding means and extending forwardly therefrom relative to said vehicle, a fifth wheel hitch supported by said cantilever frame means at a height arranged to support the forward end of a fifth wheel type trailer at a lever in which the trailer is substantially level longitudinally when connected thereto, and coupling means includng interengageable members respectively connected to said hitch frame and interconnectable to the rear portion of the chassis frame members of such vehicle.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 164 words

A tow hitch mechanism for attaching a fifth wheel type trailer to the rear portion of the chassis of an automotive vehicle comprising in combination, a hitch frame adapted to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of such vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof, auxiliary wheels supported by the lower portion of said frame for engagement with a roadway, means upstanding from said hitch frame adjacent the rear end of said vehicle when said hitch frame is attached thereto, cantilever frame means supported by the upper end of said upstanding means and extending forwardly therefrom relative to said vehicle, a fifth wheel hitch supported by said cantilever frame means at a height arranged to support the forward end of a fifth wheel type trailer at a lever in which the trailer is substantially level longitudinally when connected thereto, and coupling means includng interengageable members respectively connected to said hitch frame and interconnectable to the rear portion of the chassis frame members of such vehicle.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 164 words

A tow hitch mechanism for attaching a fifth wheel type trailer to the rear portion of the chassis of an automotive vehicle comprising in combination, a hitch frame adapted to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of such vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof, auxiliary wheels supported by the lower portion of said frame for engagement with a roadway, means upstanding from said hitch frame adjacent the rear end of said vehicle when said hitch frame is attached thereto, cantilever frame means supported by the upper end of said upstanding means and extending forwardly therefrom relative to said vehicle, a fifth wheel hitch supported by said cantilever frame means at a height arranged to support the forward end of a fifth wheel type trailer at a lever in which the trailer is substantially level longitudinally when connected thereto, and coupling means includng interengageable members respectively connected to said hitch frame and interconnectable to the rear portion of the chassis frame members of such vehicle.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 164 words

A tow hitch mechanism for attaching a fifth wheel type trailer to the rear portion of the chassis of an automotive vehicle comprising in combination, a hitch frame adapted to extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of such vehicle adjacent the rear end thereof, auxiliary wheels supported by the lower portion of said frame for engagement with a roadway, means upstanding from said hitch frame adjacent the rear end of said vehicle when said hitch frame is attached thereto, cantilever frame means supported by the upper end of said upstanding means and extending forwardly therefrom relative to said vehicle, a fifth wheel hitch supported by said cantilever frame means at a height arranged to support the forward end of a fifth wheel type trailer at a lever in which the trailer is substantially level longitudinally when connected thereto, and coupling means includng interengageable members respectively connected to said hitch frame and interconnectable to the rear portion of the chassis frame members of such vehicle.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 1 in which said upstanding means comprise similar upstanding members respectively connected to said hitch frame at opposite sides thereof, and said fifth wheel hitch extending between the upper end portions of said upstanding members.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 46 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 2 in which said fifth wheel hitch comprises a transverse member extending substantially horizontally between said upstanding members and the opposite ends of said transverse member being supported in yokes provided on the upper end portions of said upstanding members.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 64 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 1 in which said cantilever frame means has a length to position the forward portion thereof above the rear trunk section of a passenger type vehicle when said hitch mechanism is connected thereto, whereby the forward portion of a fifth wheel trailer will overlie said trunk section and thereby foreshorten the overall length of such vehicle and trailer.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 53 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 1 in which said cantilever frame is pitovally connected to the upper portions of said upstanding members of said hitch frame and adpated to be pivotally moved rearwardly with respect to said upstanding members to provide ready access to the trunk area of such passenger type vehicle.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 71 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 5 in which said cantilever frame is provided with side members engageable respectively with the rear surface of said upstanding members of said hitch frame, thereby to limit rearward and downward pivotal movement of said cantilever frame and brace the same in rearwardly extending postion from said upstanding members to permit reception of a load upon the upper portion of said rearwardy extended cantilever frame.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 67 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 6 in which means are provided on the upper end portions of said upstanding members of said hitch frame adapted to be engaged by said side members of said cantilever frame for support thereby when said cantilever frame is extended in overlying relationship with respect to the trunk section of a passenger type vehicle to which the hitch mechanism is connected.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 54 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 4 in which the forward end portion of said cantilever frame is provided with means at opposite sides thereof to support said fifth wheel hitch, said fifth wheel hitch comprising a member extending substantially horizontally between said opposite sides of the forward end portion of said cantilever frame.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 70 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 8 in which the opposite ends of said transversely extending fifth wheel hitch member are provided with trunnions, and said forward end portions of said cantilever frame being provided at opposite sides thereof with yokes respectively comprising bearings receiving said trunnions on the ends of said transverse fifth wheel hitch member to support the same for a limited rotary movement about a horizontal axis.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 85 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 1 in which said hitch mechanism also includes cap shells telescopically fitting over the upper end portions of said side members, and upwardly and forwardly extending abutment support members being connected to one side of said cap shells for engagement by portions of opposite sides of said cantilever frame to position the forwardly extending portion of said cantilever frame in overhanging relationship to the rear trunk section of a passenger type vehicle when said hitch mechanism is connected thereto.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 66 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 10 in which opposite sides of said cantilever frame are pivotally connected to said cap shells adjacent the rearward ends of said shells to support the rearward ends of the opposite sides of said cantilever frame and the fifth wheel hitch members supported thereby at a desired position overlying said trunk section of a passenger type vehicle when connected thereto.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 107 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 11 in which said abutment support members are fixed to said cap shells at an angle to the horizontal in accordance with the shape and height of the rear trunk section of a passenger type vehicle when connected thereto and thereby dispose the transverse fifth wheel hitch member on said cantilever frame in a desired overlying relationship with respect to said trunk section and thereby minimize inventory of said hitch mechanisms for connection of the same to a wide range of different shapes and sizes of trunk sections of passenger type vehicles to which the hitch mechanism is to be connected.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 103 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 12 in which said cap shells closely interfit and enclose the upper end portions of said upstanding side members of said hitch frame, and said hitch mechanism further including means interconnecting said cap shells and upstanding side members to secure said shells thereto and thEreby adapt specific cap members and angular abutment support members thereon to a basic hitch frame substantially of common dimensions for attachment to a relatively wide range of different shapes and sizes of passenger type automotive vehicles having different transverse spaces between the opposite sides of the rear end portions of said vehicles.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 184 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 1 in which said coupling means comprise interfitting socket members and projection members, said socket members having attaching means fixedly connected to structural members of a vehicle chassis frame to which the hitch mechanism is to be connected, and projection members carried by the forward portion of said hitch frame and projecting forwardly for reception within the rearward ends of said socket members to effect connection between said hitch mechanism and such automotive vehicle, means to secure said interfitting members in connected relationship, said coupling members on one of said frames being spaced transversely a predetermined substantially fixed distance and the interfitting coupling members on the other frame being positioned on said attaching means in accordance with the spacing between the chassis frame members of the individual automotive vehicle to which said hitch mechanism is to be connected, thereby enabling said hitch mechanism to utilize a substantially standard size of hitch frame and enable the same to be connected to a substantial range of different widths of chassis frame members of a substantial range of different automotive vehicles.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 77 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 14 in which said attaching means on said socket members comprise elongated members adapted to extend longitudinally along surfaces of said vehicle chassis frame members, and bracket means spaced longitudinally along said elongated members and having holes therein adapted to be aligned with holes formed in said vehicle chassis frame members for the reception of bolts to secure said elongated members to said chassis frame members for relatively permanent connection thereto.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 43 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 15 in which said socket members are connected to the rearward ends of said elongated members and are axially offset laterally as required to align the socket members axially with the projection members on said hitch frame.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 27 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 16 further including reinforcing brace members between said socket members and offset elongated members to prevent lateral bending between the same.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 72 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 15 in which said elongated members are tubular and having parallel opposite sides, one of which is adapted to be disposed in flatly abutting relationship with a surface of one of said vehicle chassis frame members, and said bracket means comprising ears fixedly connected to said tubular elongated members and adpated to flatly abut one face of said vehicle chassis frame members for firm connection thereto.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 88 words

The hitch mechanism according to claim 14 in which said tow hitch frame has transversely spaced longitudinal members at opposite sides thereof, upstanding side members projecting from said longitudinal members, axle bearings connected to the lower portions of said longitudinal members and adapted to support an axle for said auxiliary wheels for limited rotary movement within said bearings, and projection members extending forwardly from the forward ends of said longitudinal members of said tow hitch frame for reception within socket members connected to said vehicle chassis frame members.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-03-10	1978-09-09	1979-03-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-03-10	1982-09-09	1983-03-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-03-10	1986-09-09	1987-03-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Tow hitch for fifth wheel type trailer

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