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US5344173A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fifth wheel slide stop

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1993-11-29
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Granted: 1994-09-06
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Expires: 2013-11-29
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Abstract

Abstract The final position of a slideable fifth wheel hitch assembly which permits the relative positions of a tractor and its associated trailer to be adjusted is precisely controlled by a small slide stop tool which engages the rack teeth on a fifth wheel carrier slide assembly guide rail pair. The slide stop is meshed in the gap between rack teeth to provide a quickly and conveniently positioned abutment on the guide rails at the precise location desired for the fifth wheel carrier assembly sled runners.

Inventors

  • 👤 Dwight E. Beeler
  • 👤 Perry S. Bailey
  • 👤 Joseph Z. Bailey

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 12:25
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D53/00; B62D53/04; B62D53/08; B62D53/0807

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 193 words
A slide stop for fifth wheel trailer coupling means secured to a fifth wheel carrier assembly that is longitudinally guided along a length of rail means, said rail means having a plurality of rack teeth of substantially uniform height and width that are distributed along the length thereof, adjacent rack teeth along said rail means being separated by rack tooth spaces to receive selectively disengaged carrier assembly anchoring means, said slide stop comprising tooth space meshing means depending from abutment means disposed between fences that are separated by the approximate width of said rack teeth, said meshing means, abutment means and fences being a structurally independent, static and substantially integral body that may be freely meshed with sand removed from said rail means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said rail length for securing said slide stop to said rail means at a location corresponding to a desired positional location of said carrier assembly along said rail means and when said carrier assembly anchoring means is disengaged from said rail means, displacement of said carrier assembly along said rail means is terminated by physical abutment of said carrier assembly with said slide stop.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 193 words
A slide stop for fifth wheel trailer coupling means secured to a fifth wheel carrier assembly that is longitudinally guided along a length of rail means, said rail means having a plurality of rack teeth of substantially uniform height and width that are distributed along the length thereof, adjacent rack teeth along said rail means being separated by rack tooth spaces to receive selectively disengaged carrier assembly anchoring means, said slide stop comprising tooth space meshing means depending from abutment means disposed between fences that are separated by the approximate width of said rack teeth, said meshing means, abutment means and fences being a structurally independent, static and substantially integral body that may be freely meshed with sand removed from said rail means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said rail length for securing said slide stop to said rail means at a location corresponding to a desired positional location of said carrier assembly along said rail means and when said carrier assembly anchoring means is disengaged from said rail means, displacement of said carrier assembly along said rail means is terminated by physical abutment of said carrier assembly with said slide stop.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 34 words
A slide stop as described by claim 1 wherein said tooth space meshing means comprises at least one tooth substantially similar to said rail means rack teeth and substantially fills a rack tooth space.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
A slide stop as described by claim 2 wherein said one tooth respective to said slide stop is confined between lateral fence means whereby said fence means straddles said rail means when said one tooth is meshed with a tooth space.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 23 words
A slide stop as described by claim 2 wherein tooth structure respective to said rack and slide stop comprises a dove-tailed plan geometry.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 174 words
The combination comprising fifth wheel trailer coupling means secured to a support assembly that is positionally restrained to longitudinal movement along a length of rail guide means, said rail guide means having a plurality of rack teeth of substantially uniform height and width that are distributed along the length thereof, adjacent rack teeth along said rail means being separated by rack tooth spaces to receive selectively disengaged support assembly anchoring means and, slide stop means having tooth space meshing means depending from abutment means disposed between fence that are separated by the approximate width of said rack teeth, said meshing means, abutment means and fences being a structurally independent, static and substantially integral body that may be freely meshed with and removed from said rail means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said rail length for securing said slide stop means to said rail means at a selected location for limiting displacement of said support assembly along said rail means in one direction when said assembly anchoring means is disengaged from said rail means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 174 words
The combination comprising fifth wheel trailer coupling means secured to a support assembly that is positionally restrained to longitudinal movement along a length of rail guide means, said rail guide means having a plurality of rack teeth of substantially uniform height and width that are distributed along the length thereof, adjacent rack teeth along said rail means being separated by rack tooth spaces to receive selectively disengaged support assembly anchoring means and, slide stop means having tooth space meshing means depending from abutment means disposed between fence that are separated by the approximate width of said rack teeth, said meshing means, abutment means and fences being a structurally independent, static and substantially integral body that may be freely meshed with and removed from said rail means in a direction substantially perpendicular to said rail length for securing said slide stop means to said rail means at a selected location for limiting displacement of said support assembly along said rail means in one direction when said assembly anchoring means is disengaged from said rail means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 33 words
A combination as described by claim 5 wherein said tooth space meshing means comprises at least one tooth substantially similar to said rail means rack teeth and substantially fills a rack tooth space.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 41 words
A combination as described by claim 6 wherein said one tooth respective to said slide stop is confined between lateral fence means whereby said fence means straddles said rail guide means when said one tooth is meshed with a tooth space.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 22 words
A combination as described by claim 6 wherein tooth structure respective to said rack and slide stop comprises a dove-tailed plan geometry.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2985463A Cited
US3191966A Cited
US3606384A Cited
US4429892A Cited
US4443025A Cited
US4614355A Cited
US5265900A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-09-05 1998-03-07 1998-09-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-09-05 2002-03-07 2002-09-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-09-05 2006-03-07 2006-09-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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