Fifth wheel hitch

Abstract

The present application describes apparatus for attaching or securing a fifth wheel hitch to a bed of a towing vehicle. The fifth wheel hitch may be arranged to be secured to a hitch ball, such as a gooseneck hitch ball. The fifth wheel hitch may include a chamber for accepting a hitch ball, a locking pin for securing the hitch ball in the chamber, and a handle for selectively securing and releasing the hitch ball. The locking pin may be biased towards a position for securing the hitch ball in the chamber. A damper may be included to dampen impact forces transferred from the trailer to the towing vehicle through the fifth wheel hitch. The fifth wheel hitch may include support members having wear strips that may rest on the surface of the towing vehicle bed.

Having thus described the invention, we claim: 
     
         1 . A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
 a support leg configured to removably engage a load bed of a vehicle;   a wear strip attached to an underside of the support leg, the wear strip adapted to protect the load bed from wear;   a coupler assembly selectively engageable with a gooseneck hitch to secure the fifth wheel hitch to a vehicle; and   a head configured to engage a king pin.   
     
     
         2 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip is formed from a polymer material. 
     
     
         3 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip is formed from a sacrificial material. 
     
     
         4 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip is formed from a material having a hardness less than a hardness of the load bed. 
     
     
         5 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip extends at least a portion of a fore and aft length of the support leg. 
     
     
         6 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 5 , wherein the wear strip extends a majority of the length of the support leg. 
     
     
         7 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , further comprising a second support leg configured to removably engage the load bed and a second wear strip attached to an underside of the second support leg, the second wear strip adapted to protect the load bed of the vehicle from wear. 
     
     
         8 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip runs in a generally fore and aft direction relative to the load bed. 
     
     
         9 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip generally fits within a corrugation of the load bed of the vehicle. 
     
     
         10 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 1 , wherein the wear strip includes a generally planar surface engageable with the load bed and a pair of angled side walls projecting toward the support leg. 
     
     
         11 . A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
 a pair of support legs configured to removably engage with a load bed of a towing vehicle, the pair of support legs having an underside;   a wear strip attached to the underside of each one of the pair of support legs, the wear strip configured to fit within a corrugation of the load bed of the towing vehicle;   a coupler assembly engageable with a gooseneck hitch to secure the fifth wheel hitch to a vehicle; and   a head configured to engage with a king pin.   
     
     
         12 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 11 , wherein the wear strip generally prevents wear on the load bed. 
     
     
         13 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 11 , wherein the wear strip reduces wear on the load bed due to relative movement between the load bed and the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         14 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 11 , further comprising adhesive attaching the wear strip to the at least one of the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         15 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one fastener, the fastener attaching the wear strip to the at least one of the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         16 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 11 , wherein the wear strip extends a majority of a fore and aft length of the at least one of the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         17 . A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
 a pair of support legs configured to removably engage with a load bed of a towing vehicle, the pair of support legs running fore and aft relative to the load bed and including an underside;   a wear strip attached to the underside of at least one of the pair of support legs between the at least one of the pair of support legs and the load bed, the wear strip formed from a sacrificial material generally protecting the load bed from wear due to relative movement between the at least one of the pair of support legs and the load bed;   a cross member connecting the pair of support legs, wherein the cross member includes a coupler assembly capable of engagement with a gooseneck hitch; and   a head configured to engage with a king pin to secure the fifth wheel hitch to the vehicle.   
     
     
         18 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 17 , further comprising a second wear strip attached to an underside of another of the pair of support legs, the second wear strip generally protecting the load bed from wear due to relative movement between the support legs and the load bed. 
     
     
         19 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 18 , wherein the wear strip and second wear strip extend at least a portion of a fore and aft length of the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         20 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 19 , wherein the wear strip and second wear strip extend a majority of the length of the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         21 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 18 , further comprising a plurality of fasteners, the fasteners attaching the wear strip and second wear strip to the pair of support legs. 
     
     
         22 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 17 , wherein the wear strip is made from a polymer material.