King pin assembly for securing trailer to fifth wheel

A king pin assembly for securing a trailer to a fifth wheel comprises a king pin and a king pin mount. The king pin is adapted to be secured to the fifth wheel. The king pin mount is secured to the king pin and adapted to mount the king pin to the trailer. The king pin mount comprises at least one component comprising a fiber-reinforced composite material.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to king pin assemblies for securing trailers to vehicle fifth wheels.

BACKGROUND

King pin assemblies are used to secure a trailer to a fifth wheel of a tractor or other vehicle. A king pin assembly has a king pin which is received by the fifth wheel to connect the trailer and the vehicle

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a king pin assembly for coupling a trailer to a fifth wheel comprises a king pin adapted to be secured to the fifth wheel. The king pin mount is secured to the king pin and adapted to mount the king pin to the trailer. The king pin mount comprises at least one component comprising a fiber-reinforced composite material. Use of such a fiber-reinforced composite component prolongs the useful life of the king pin mount.

The king pin assembly may be used with a variety of trailers. For example, it may be used with platform trailers and box trailers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring toFIG. 1, there is shown a king pin assembly10for securing a trailer14to a fifth wheel16of a prime mover18such as a tractor or other vehicle. The king pin assembly10includes a king pin20adapted to be secured to the fifth wheel16and a king pin mount22(seeFIG. 2) secured to the king pin20and adapted to mount the king pin20to the trailer14. Illustratively, the king pin mount22comprises a relatively high strength-to-weight ratio fiber-reinforced composite material. Use of such a fiber-reinforced composite material enhances the durability and thus the useful life of the mount22.

Referring toFIG. 2, the trailer14is, for example, a platform trailer comprising a chassis36including a pair of parallel main beams38extending longitudinally along the length of the trailer14. The beams38are arranged in spaced-apart relation to one another to provide a structure to mount various components of the trailer14, for example, wheels44, decking46, and suspension components48. The king pin assembly10is secured to the chassis36between the main beams38at a forward portion of the trailer14to mount the king pin20(seeFIG. 1) to the trailer14.

Referring toFIGS. 3 and 4, the king pin mount22includes a composite fifth wheel plate24, a pair of side walls26, a number of cross members28, a cup-mounting plate30and a cup32secured to the cup-mounting plate30. The composite fifth wheel plate24is positioned in face-to-face contact with the vehicle fifth wheel16when the king pin20is received by the vehicle fifth wheel16. The king pin20is secured to the cup32and extends through an aperture39defined in the composite fifth wheel plate24. The cup-mounting plate30overlies the composite fifth wheel plate24. In some embodiments contemplated by this disclosure, cup32may be omitted and king pin20may be welded to an upper-facing surface of mounting plate30.

The cross members28are secured to an upper surface34of the composite fifth wheel plate24and extend between the side walls26. The fifth wheel plate24is adapted to contact the fifth wheel16when the king pin20is secured thereto. Illustratively, the cross members28and the cup-mounting plate30are bonded to the composite fifth wheel plate24by use of an adhesive.

Referring toFIG. 5A, the side walls26are illustratively secured to the beams38by use of a gusset plate42and a number of fasteners50. Additionally, a bottom-facing surface portion of each beam38is bonded to the upper surface34of the composite fifth wheel plate24by use of an adhesive. In this embodiment, each main beam38is a fiber-reinforced solid laminate.

Referring toFIG. 5B, there is shown the king pin assembly10used with an alternative embodiment of the main beams38. In such a case, each main beam38has a fiber-reinforced composite sandwich panel52and a pair of fiber-reinforced composite end caps48,50secured thereto. The lower end cap50is bonded to the upper surface of the fifth wheel plate34by use of an adhesive. The sandwich panel52includes a pair of fiber-reinforced composite faces56, a core54sandwiched between the faces56, and a plurality of fiber insertions58extending from the face56through the core54to the face56. The panel52is made, for example, of TRANSONITE® available from Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. of Raleigh, N.C.

Referring toFIG. 6, according to a second exemplary embodiment, there is shown a king pin assembly110for securing a box trailer114to the fifth wheel16(seeFIG. 1). The king pin assembly110includes the king pin20adapted to be secured to the vehicle fifth wheel16and a king pin mount122secured to the king pin20and adapted to mount the king pin20to the trailer114. Illustratively, the king pin mount122comprises a relatively high strength-to-weight ratio fiber-reinforced composite material to enhance the durability and thus the useful life of the mount122.

Referring toFIGS. 6,7, and8, the king pin mount122illustratively includes a fiber-reinforced composite fifth wheel plate124, a pair of side walls126, a first set of cross tubes128, a second set of cross tubes129, a cup-mounting plate130, a cup132secured to the cup-mounting plate130, and a composite shim131. The composite fifth wheel plate124is positioned in face-to-face contact with the vehicle fifth wheel16when the king pin20is received by the vehicle fifth wheel16. The king pin20is secured to the cup132and extends through an aperture138defined in the composite fifth wheel plate124. The cup-mounting plate130overlies the composite fifth wheel plate124.

The king pin mount122includes a frame123including the first set of cross tubes128, the second set of cross tubes129positioned between and secured to the pair of side walls126, and a U-shaped frame member150secured to one of the cross tubes of the first set of cross tubes128, as shown inFIG. 7. U-shaped frame member150is configured to be secured to an approach plate148.

Illustratively, the first set of cross tubes128are made of metal and the second set of cross tubes129are made of a composite material. Frame123further includes a number of pipes152extending longitudinally through apertures154defined in the cross tubes of the first and second set of cross tubes128,129. Pipes152are configured to act as conduits for pressurized air lines and electrical wiring for various trailer systems.

The cross tubes128,129are secured to an upper surface134of the composite fifth wheel plate124and extend between the side walls126. The fifth wheel plate124is adapted to contact the fifth wheel16when the king pin20is secured thereto. Illustratively, the cross tubes128,129, side walls126, and composite shim131are bonded to the composite fifth wheel plate124by use of an adhesive material.

The trailer114includes a pair of parallel bottom rails137extending longitudinally along the length of the trailer114. Rails137are arranged in spaced-apart relation to receive decking140, structural cross members142, and an enclosure portion146therebetween. The king pin assembly110is secured to a lower surface of the decking140of the trailer114between bottom rails137at a leading end of box trailer114to secure box trailer114to vehicle fifth wheel16. Illustratively, mounting plates126are secured to rails137by use of a number of fasteners.

The king pin mount122includes a number of access apertures144defined in the mount122. The apertures144provide access for servicing systems of the trailer114concealed above the king pin mount122.

Referring toFIG. 9, each composite fifth wheel plate24,124is made of a fiber-reinforced polymer that is well-suited to withstand the wear caused by face-to-face contact with the vehicle fifth wheel16. Illustratively, each plate24,124has first and second fiber-reinforced laminate sheets160positioned in face-to-face contact and a plurality of fiber insertions162embedded in and connecting the sheets160. Each plate24,124has a thickness of, for example, about 12.7 mm.

Each king pin assembly10,110weighs less than or equal to 850 pounds. For example, each king pin assembly10,110weighs between about 700 pounds and about 850 pounds. In one example, each assembly10,110may weigh about 700 pounds and in another example, each assembly10,110may weigh about 850 pounds.

It is within the scope of this disclosure for each of the composite components disclosed herein to be constructed as any suitable fiber-reinforced composite structure. An example of such a structure is a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite structure. Such an FRP structure may include a polymer matrix having a reinforcing element and a polymer resin. The FRP structure may be embodied as any type of FRP structure. Examples of such structures include, but are not limited to, a solid laminate, a pultruded or vacuum-infused sandwich panel (e.g., a panel having a pair of skins with a core therebetween), pultruded panel (e.g., a panel having a pair of layers with vertical or diagonal webs therebetween), or TRANSONITE® available from Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. of Raleigh, N.C. In the case where the FRP structure is embodied as a sandwich panel, the core type may include, but is not limited to, wood, foam and various types of honeycomb.

The matrix includes, for example, a thermosetting resin, although thermoplastic resins are also contemplated for use. Examples of thermosetting resins which may be used include, but are not limited to, unsaturated polyesters, vinyl esters, polyurethanes, epoxies, phenolics, and mixtures and blends thereof.

The reinforcing element may include E-glass fibers, although other reinforcements such as S-glass, carbon, KEVLAR®, metal, high modulus organic fibers (e.g. aromatic polyamides, polybenzamidazoles, and aromatic polyimides), and other organic fibers (e.g. polyethylene and nylon) may be used. Blends and hybrids of such materials may be used for the reinforcing element. Other suitable composite materials may be used for the reinforcing element including whiskers and fibers such as boron, aluminum silicate, basalt, carbon nano-fibers, and other nano-fibers.

The FRP structure may be embodied as any of the structures disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,794,402; 6,023,806; 6,044,607; 6,070,378; 6,081,955; 6,108,998; 6,467,118 B2; 6,645,333; 6,676,785, the entirety of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. It should be appreciated that the structures disclosed in the above-identified patents may be sized, scaled, dimensioned, orientated, or otherwise configured in any desired manner to fit the needs of a given design of the FRP structure.

There are a plurality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from the various features of the apparatus and methods described herein. It will be noted that alternative embodiments of the apparatus and methods of the present disclosure may not include all of the features described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of an apparatus and method that incorporate one or more of the features of the present disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.