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 . An isolation system of a fifth wheel hitch, the isolation system comprising:
 a plate member;   a saddle member rotationally secured with the plate member about a longitudinal axis relative to the plate-member; and   a damper secured to the saddle member about the longitudinal axis, wherein the damper dampens longitudinal displacement of the saddle member generally along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The isolation system of  claim 1  further comprising a fastener extending through at least a portion of and securing together the plate member and saddle member. 
     
     
         3 . The isolation system of  claim 2  further comprising a tube member surrounding at least a portion of the fastener within the saddle member. 
     
     
         4 . The isolation system of  claim 3 , wherein the tube member dampens shock as it is compressed axially along the fastener. 
     
     
         5 . A fifth wheel comprising:
 a head configured to operatively engage a king pin;   a saddle coupled with the head;   a plate-member attached to the saddle about a longitudinal axis relative to the plate-member; and   a damper secured to the saddle about the longitudinal axis, wherein the damper dampens longitudinal displacement of the saddle generally along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         6 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 5  further comprising a fastener extending through at least a portion of and securing together the plate member and saddle. 
     
     
         7 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 6  further comprising a tube member surrounding at least a portion of the fastener within the saddle. 
     
     
         8 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 7 , wherein the tube member dampens shock as it is compressed axially along the fastener. 
     
     
         9 . A fifth wheel hitch comprising:
 a head configured to operatively engage a king pin;   a saddle coupled with the head;   a plate-member attached to the saddle about a longitudinal axis relative to the plate-member;   a fastener extending through at least a portion of and securing together the plate member and saddle;   a damper circumscribing at least a portion of the fastener about the longitudinal axis, wherein the damper dampens longitudinal displacement of the saddle generally along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         10 . The fifth wheel hitch of  claim 9  further comprising a pair of legs extending from the plate-member, the legs configured to engage a hitch mounting system secured with a towing vehicle.