Jost-werke Gmbh & Co. Kg

Frieder Mathis

Rainer Spitz

Jos&eacute; Manuel Alguera Gallego

Wolfgang Pohl

Martin Schneider

Fifth wheels are used to establish an articulated connection between a truck tractor and a semi-trailer. They consist of a plate ( ) which is attached to the truck tractor and generally has at least one arched slideway lining (4 ,4 ) acting as a bearing surface and fitting into corresponding recesses of the fifth wheel plate ( ) where it is fastened. According to the invention, fastening is provided in the form of a positive fit connection, whereby the lower part of the slideway lining (4 ) and the upper part of the plate ( ) have joining elements ( ) to ensure a rotationally locked positive fit, thus enabling thermal dilation to occur in the fifth wheel plate ( ). Preferably, the positive fitting joining elements for the lower side of the slideway lining (4 ) are configured as ribs ( ) extending radially outwards from a virtual center point ( ) and the positive fitting joining elements for the upper side of the fifth wheel plate ( ) are configured as complementary grooves ( ). Fastening elements such as screws or snap-in connections make sure that the fit remains positive.

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Biblis, Germany

Frieder Mathis