The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 08, 1982
Filed:
Jun. 12, 1980
James C Hammonds, St. Charles, MO (US);
ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A hitch head or fifth wheel is provided including a pair of pivotable jaws which hold in place a kingpin of a highway trailer. A horizontally movable lock block, biased by a stiff spring to closed position, engages the jaws and holds them in closed position, maintaining the kingpin in place. The lock block is movable to an open position by a finger extending through an opening in the lock block. The finger is movable to an overcenter position which allows the lock block to move to a position engaging the rear portion of the jaws, holding the jaws open until another kingpin enters the jaws and pivots the jaws to closed position. The front portion of the lock block is provided with a cam surface. If a first jaw begins to move to closed position and the other jaw does not, the first jaw will move the lock block rearwardly and a lock block cam surface protrusion will engage the finger and pivot the finger whereby the finger will engage a rear external surface of the other jaw. This prevents further movement of the first jaw toward the closed position. Alternatively, the first jaw will engage the finger to pivot the finger to engage the other jaw. This prevents further movement of the first jaw toward closed position.