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:
Mar. 08, 1983
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 in closed position hold in place a kingpin of a highway trailer. A horizontally movable lock block engages the rear portion of the jaws and holds the jaws in closed position. The lock block is movable to a position out of engagement with the jaws to allow escape of the kingpin. The rear surfaces of the jaws and the side surface of the lock block are provided with cooperating tapers which reduce frictional drag when the lock block is moved to open position, and when it returns to locked position, compensate for manufacturing tolerances which tend to create misalignment between the lock block and the rear portion of the jaws, compensate for wear in the engaging surfaces of the jaws and lock block, and provide a tight fit without undue clearance when the lock block engages the jaws.