US3870342A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Retractable king pin and clamping assembly
Assignee: AVM ACQUISITION Co A CORP OF
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Filing: 1973-01-11
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1993-01-11
Abstract
Abstract A trailer coupling having a clamping assembly for a trailer engageable onto a king pin on a towing vehicle such as a pickup truck, the clamping assembly including a positive blocking lock for the clamping jaw positively latching the jaws in coupling position, and the lock being, in turn, positively blocked from unlocking until the blocking means is released, and the king pin being manually movable through the bed of the towing vehicle from a coupling position to a position and condition wherein it makes only a minimal discontinuity in the bed of the towing vehicle.
Inventors
- 👤 Bobby G Baxter
- 👤 Theodore B Splitt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 10:48
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D53/00; B62D53/04; B62D53/08; B62D53/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
183 words
In a coupler for use with a towing vehicle and a trailer: a king pin assembly including a king pin holder adapted to be mounted on the bed of the towing vehicle and a king pin mounted therein for vertical movement from a retracted position to a position wherein it stands up from the bed of the vehicle a predetermined distance, and a coupler assembly engageable with the king pin in its upwardly extended position; the coupler assembly having a base and jaw means positioned above the base a distance to correspond to the elevation of the king pin, the king pin holder comprising a mounting plate adapted to overlie a part of the bed of the vehicle and a sleeve depending therefrom, the king pin being manually movable from a retracted position flush with the mounting plate to the projecting position, and spring detent means for releasably retaining the king pin in projecting position, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is retracted, so that it may remain in retracted position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a coupler for use with a towing vehicle and a trailer: a king pin assembly including a king pin holder adapted to be mounted on the bed of the towing vehicle and a king pin mounted therein for vertical movement from a retracted position to a position wherein it stands up from the bed of the vehicle a predetermined distance, and a coupler assembly engageable with the king pin in its upwardly extended position; the coupler assembly having a base and jaw means positioned above the base a distance to correspond to the elevation of the king pin, the king pin holder comprising a mounting plate adapted to overlie a part of the bed of the vehicle and a sleeve depending therefrom, the king pin being manually movable from a retracted position flush with the mounting plate to the projecting position, and spring detent means for releasably retaining the king pin in projecting position, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is retracted, so that it may remain in retracted position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a coupler for use with a towing vehicle and a trailer: a king pin assembly including a king pin holder adapted to be mounted on the bed of the towing vehicle and a king pin mounted therein for vertical movement from a retracted position to a position wherein it stands up from the bed of the vehicle a predetermined distance, and a coupler assembly engageable with the king pin in its upwardly extended position; the coupler assembly having a base and jaw means positioned above the base a distance to correspond to the elevation of the king pin, the king pin holder comprising a mounting plate adapted to overlie a part of the bed of the vehicle and a sleeve depending therefrom, the king pin being manually movable from a retracted position flush with the mounting plate to the projecting position, and spring detent means for releasably retaining the king pin in projecting position, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is retracted, so that it may remain in retracted position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
183 words
In a coupler for use with a towing vehicle and a trailer: a king pin assembly including a king pin holder adapted to be mounted on the bed of the towing vehicle and a king pin mounted therein for vertical movement from a retracted position to a position wherein it stands up from the bed of the vehicle a predetermined distance, and a coupler assembly engageable with the king pin in its upwardly extended position; the coupler assembly having a base and jaw means positioned above the base a distance to correspond to the elevation of the king pin, the king pin holder comprising a mounting plate adapted to overlie a part of the bed of the vehicle and a sleeve depending therefrom, the king pin being manually movable from a retracted position flush with the mounting plate to the projecting position, and spring detent means for releasably retaining the king pin in projecting position, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is retracted, so that it may remain in retracted position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a coupling attachment for mounting on the bed of a vehicle such as a truck: a mounting plate adapted to overlie a bed or like part of a truck, which bed has a hole therethrough, a sleeve secured to and extending transversely from the plate, the plate having a hole over the top of the sleeve; a king pin slidably mounted in the sleeve and movable therein from a retracted position within the sleeve to a projecting position wherein it projects through the mounting plate hole outward of the plate and means in the coupling yieldably retaining the king pin in one of its positions, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is moved from its one position to its other position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a coupling attachment for mounting on the bed of a vehicle such as a truck: a mounting plate adapted to overlie a bed or like part of a truck, which bed has a hole therethrough, a sleeve secured to and extending transversely from the plate, the plate having a hole over the top of the sleeve; a king pin slidably mounted in the sleeve and movable therein from a retracted position within the sleeve to a projecting position wherein it projects through the mounting plate hole outward of the plate and means in the coupling yieldably retaining the king pin in one of its positions, said means comprising interengaging components on the king pin and sleeve that are disengaged when the king pin is moved from its one position to its other position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 2: blocking means limiting retracting movement of the king pin to prevent its being expelled from the sleeve when it is moved into its retracted position, the blocking means including a member secured to and supported on the sleeve, and extending inwardly therefrom across the path of movement of the king pin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 3: the said blocking means limiting movement into retracted position to such amount as will dispose the projectable end of the king pin even with the mounting plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 3: the said limiting means comprising at least one strap-like member projecting from the sleeve parallel to its axis on its end opposite the mounting plate, a cross stop extending from the strap-like member into the path of retracting movement of the king pin, to be engaged by the king pin and thereby to limit its movement.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 5: there being two such strap-like members on opposite sides of the sleeve, with the cross-stop extending between and connected to them, and means on the king pin engageable slidably with at least one of the strap-like members to restrict the movements of the king pin to linear movements free of any substantial rotary movements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
In the coupling of claim 2: the means for yieldably retaining the king pin comprising a spring-urged device supported on the coupling attachment and engageable with the king pin to hold it in projecting position, but yieldable to a force applied to the king pin to enable the king pin to be retracted.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
In the coupling of claim 7, the spring-urged device comprising a rounded detent member, mounted on the sleeve and confined thereto, for limited movement laterally toward and from the king pin, a spring supported on the sleeve and yieldably urging the detent member toward the king pin, and a recess in the side of the king pin engageable by the rounded member when the king pin is in projected position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
59 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 2: reinforcing means including backup means adapted to be disposed below the bed of the vehicle and having an extent to be connected to the mounting plate on opposite sides of the sleeve, so as to distribute forces tending to pull the device off the bed of the vehicle over a substantial area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
60 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 9: the reinforcing means including beam-like members adapted to be mounted below the bed of the vehicle, the beam-like members being located on opposite sides of the sleeve and extending along opposite edges of the mounting plate, and attachable to the mounting plate by attaching means that extend through the bed of the vehicle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 10: the beam-like members being connected to the sleeve by gussets secured to the beam-like members and the sleeve.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
In the coupling attachment of claim 8, the king pin having an opening in its projectable end with means in the opening to receive and hold a pulling tool by which the king pin may be drawn into projecting position, and means to prevent rotation of the king pin in the sleeve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| 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 |