Patent ID: 7591476
Filing Date: 2009-09-22
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A manual release mechanism for attachment to a fifth wheel of a truck cab for disengaging a king pin on a truck trailer combination from such fifth wheel of a truck cab, such fifth wheel having an elongated release rod extending outwardly therefrom through an opening in a side wall of such fifth wheel and adapted to be pulled outwardly to disengage such king pin from such fifth wheel, said manual release mechanism comprising: a) a lever arm having a predetermined length, a first end pivotally attachable to such fifth wheel at a location spaced from such opening through which such release rod extends and a second end spaced away from such fifth wheel extending generally horizontally from said first end; and b) a means engageable with said lever arm intermediate said first end and said second end for slideably coupling said lever arm to such elongated release rod such that a manual movement of said second end of said lever arm will cause said lever arm to be pivoted generally horizontally about said first end to cause such release rod to be pulled outwardly from such fifth wheel sufficient to disengage such king pin from such fifth wheel, wherein said means for slideably coupling said lever arm to such elongated release rod includes a first member disposed generally horizontally and abutting said lever arm and a second member disposed generally horizontally and abutting said lever arm opposite said first member, said first and second members extending past a predetermined width of said lever arm, said first and second members include at least one pair of mating and opposed apertures for attachment of said first member to said second member and to an end of such release rod disposed intermediate said first and second members, said first and second members adapted for slidable movement along at least a portion of said lever arm sufficient to disengage such king pin from such fifth wheel.