Fifth wheel slide assembly

A fifth wheel slide assembly includes a deck plate mounted on the frame of a tractor, with a pair of toothed guide rails on the upper surface. A conventional fifth wheel with pedestal and hitch plate is selectively slidably movable along the toothed rails. A plurality of apertures are formed adjacent each toothed rail, and have freely rotatable rollers projecting therethrough for supporting a pair of flat support plates on the bottom of the fifth wheel pedestal. A pair of stops are mounted on the rearward end of the deck plate to prevent movement of the pedestal beyond the rearward end. The side edges of the deck plate include inwardly opening channels receiving outwardly projecting flanges on the pedestal, to prevent movement of the pedestal upwardly off of the deck plate.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates generally to a movable fifth wheel for 
semi-tractor/trailer combinations, and more particularly to a slide 
assembly for fifth wheels. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Conventional fifth wheels on semi-tractors are provided with a coupler face 
mounted on a pedestal, with the pedestal slidably mounted on a deck for 
selected forward and rearward movement on the tractor frame. The 
adjustability of the fifth wheel pedestal permits the trailer to be 
mounted to the tractor so as to accurately locate the load over the axles 
of the tractor. 
Because the fifth wheel is exposed to the environmental, dirt and grime 
quickly build on the fifth wheel, and particularly between the pedestal 
and deck, making the pedestal difficult to slide on the deck. 
Conventionally, the pedestal is shifted relative to the deck by hitching a 
trailer to the hitch plate and driving the tractor forward or rearward 
while the trailer holds the pedestal in position. In fact, the effects of 
weather on the sliding action can be so detrimental, that the tractor can 
damage its transmission attempting to shift the fifth wheel pedestal on 
the tractor frame. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an 
improved slide assembly for a fifth wheel. 
Yet another object is to provide a fifth wheel slide assembly which will 
easily shift forwardly or rearwardly. 
Still a further object is to provide a fifth wheel slide assembly which 
eliminates the majority of the effect of weather on the slidability of the 
pedestal relative to the deck. 
Still another object is to provide a fifth wheel slide assembly which may 
be simply mounted to tractor frames of various dimensions. 
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
The fifth wheel slide assembly of the present invention includes a deck 
plate mounted on the frame of a tractor, with a pair of toothed guide 
rails on the upper surface. A conventional fifth wheel with pedestal and 
hitch plate is selectively slidably movable along the toothed rails. A 
plurality of apertures are formed adjacent each toothed rail, and have 
freely rotatable rollers projecting therethrough for supporting a pair of 
flat support plates on the bottom of the fifth wheel pedestal. A pair of 
stops are mounted on the rearward end of the deck plate to prevent 
movement of the pedestal beyond the rearward end. The side edges of the 
deck plate include inwardly opening channels receiving outwardly 
projecting flanges on the pedestal, to prevent movement of the pedestal 
upwardly off of the deck plate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, in which similar or corresponding parts are 
identified with the same reference numeral, and more particularly to FIG. 
1, the slide assembly of the present invention is designated generally at 
10 and operably interconnects a fifth wheel 12 with the frame 14 of a 
conventional tractor 16. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, fifth wheel 12 includes a conventional hitch plate 
18 pivotally mounted on coaxially collars 20. Hitch plate 18 includes a 
conventional slot 22 for receiving the pin at the forward end of a 
trailer. Fifth wheel 12 includes a pedestal 24 with opposed and parallel 
generally upright support members 26 and 28, with collars 20 mounted at 
the upper end for pivotally supporting hitch plate 18. 
Support member 26 includes an inverted channel 30 which is oriented to 
receive a toothed rail 32 on deck 34, as described in more detail 
hereinbelow. A flat support plate 36 extends horizontally from the inward 
leg 30a of channel 30, and extends along the length thereof. A flange 37 
extends horizontally outwardly from the outward leg 30b of channel 30. 
Support member 28 also includes an inverted channel 38 for receiving a 
second toothed rail 40 on deck 34. A flat support plate 42 extends along 
the inner leg 38a, and is oriented generally horizontally, coplanar with 
flat support plate 36. A flange 43 extends horizontally outwardly from 
outward leg 38b of channel 38. 
A conventional operable lock mechanism is designated generally at 44 and 
extends through inverted channels 30 and 38 with apparatus for gripping 
the teeth of toothed rails 32 and 40 in a conventional fashion. Lock 44 
permits selective positioning of fifth wheel 12 along toothed rails 32 and 
40. 
Deck 34 supports fifth wheel 12, and permits forward and rearward movement 
therealong. Deck 34 includes a deck plate 46 having forward and rearward 
ends 46a and 46b respectively, and opposing side edges 46c and 46d. Deck 
plate 46 is mounted to a pair of opposing angles 48 which are mounted to 
the tractor frame 14 (shown in broken lines) in a conventional manner. 
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, an enlarged sectional view is shown of a 
portion of the deck plate 46 and one toothed rail 40. Toothed rail 40 is 
mounted to the upper surface of deck plate 46 parallel and adjacent side 
edge 46d. A plurality of generally rectangular apertures 50 are formed 
through deck plate 46 and aligned from forward end 46a to rearward end 
46b. Three elongated bars 52, 54 and 56 are mounted to the underside of 
deck plate 46, and are spaced apart and parallel to one another adjacent 
one side 46d of deck plate 46. The outer most bar 52 is mounted along edge 
46d of deck plate 46 and supports deck plate 46 on angle 48. Bars 54 and 
56 are oriented along opposing ends of apertures 50 and extend from the 
forward to the rearward end of deck plate 46. Bars 54 and 56 have a 
plurality of transverse grooves 58 and 60, respectively, aligned with each 
aperture 50 for supporting a bearing therein as described in more detail 
hereinbelow. 
A plurality of rollers 62 are rotatably mounted on pins 64, which project 
from both ends of the rollers. The ends of pins 64 have a flattened upper 
surface which fits under deck plate 46 with pins 64 resting in grooves 58 
and 60 in bars 54 and 56. Flat surfaces 66 on pins 64 serve to retain the 
pins from rotating, such that only rollers 62 rotate on the bearing pins 
64. Rollers 62 have a diameter great enough to extend upwardly through 
apertures 50 in deck plate 46 when pins 64 are mounted in their associated 
grooves 58 and 60. 
As shown in FIG. 2, apertures 50 are aligned interiorly of tooth rails 32 
and 40 directly under flat support plates 36 and 42, and project upwardly 
through apertures 50. Thus, pedestal 24 is supported on rollers 62 by flat 
support plates 36 and 42, and will move freely forwardly and rearwardly 
when lock 44 is released. A pair of stops 66 are mounted on the rearward 
end 46b of deck plate 46 to prevent pedestal 24 from moving beyond the end 
of deck plate 46. 
FIGS. 2 and 4 show that flat support plate 42 rides on the top surfaces of 
rollers 62, which project through openings 50 and deck plate 46. This 
rolling action permits easy movement of the fifth wheel along deck plate 
46. Side edges 46c and 46d are curved upwardly and inwardly to form 
channels for receiving flanges 37 and 43 respectively on channels 30 and 
38. In this way pedestal 24 is prevented from being raised off of rollers 
62, and may only be removed by sliding and forwardly off the forward end 
46a of deck plate 46. 
Whereas the invention has been shown and described in connection with the 
preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that many 
modifications, substitutions and additions may be made which are within 
the intended broad scope of the appended claims. There has therefore been 
shown and described an improved fifth wheel slide assembly which 
accomplishes at least all of the above stated objects.