Abstract:
A fifth wheel mounting frame can be used to convert a conventional vehicle having a fifth wheel, such as the semi-tractor, into a tow truck. The fifth wheel mounting frame advantageously mounts to the tow vehicle&#39;s fifth wheel assembly to provide stability and other advantages. Additionally, various coupling members having selectably adjustable lengths and having various coupling mechanisms are used for variable placement of the coupling mechanisms and coupling members to the frame of the fifth wheel vehicle to accommodate such things as obstructions found on the vehicle frame.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention is directed generally to mounting frames and, more particularly, to a universal mounting frame for towing.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Conventional tow trucks are designed to lift and tow a vehicle (e.g., an automobile) in a known manner. The disadvantage of a conventional tow truck is that it is specialized only for towing vehicles. Instead of tow trucks, specialized vehicles, such as a tractor trailer, are used to pull trailers for purposes such as transport of goods and other items. These specialized vehicles have a device known as a “fifth wheel” to permit coupling to a trailer in a conventional fashion. The trailer is equipped with a kingpin that mates with the fifth wheel. In normal operation, a significant downward force is applied to the fifth wheel by the weight of the trailer under tow and the contents, if any, of the trailer.  
         [0005]     Past attempts have been made to provide a towing vehicle that is capable of operation as a normal tow truck (i.e., lifting and towing a vehicle) as well as operation with a fifth wheel. Such devices are disclosed by way of example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,735 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,428. In those references, a towing adapter is attached to the fifth wheel mounting plate of the tow vehicle. That is, an adapter is mounted on the tow vehicle and coupled to the tow vehicle&#39;s fifth wheel to permit the tow vehicle to operate as a conventional tow truck. This technique allows the tow vehicle to be used both for conventional towing and for towing a trailer via the fifth wheel.  
         [0006]     The disadvantage of this technique is that the towing adapter allows an upward force to be applied to the fifth wheel. As previously noted, the fifth wheel is designed for operation with a trailer wherein the trailer applies a significant downward force to the fifth wheel. The fifth wheel is typically designed to accommodate this downward force and retain the trailer kingpin within the fifth wheel. However, when a towing adaptor is mounted to the tow vehicle via the fifth wheel, upward forces are applied to the fifth wheel. This is particularly true when the tow vehicle attaches to and lifts a vehicle under tow (e.g., an automobile). The weight of the vehicle under tow applies a significant downward force to the back of the towing adapter, which rests on the rear of the frame of the trailer. This downward force is applied through a moment arm to a pivot point in the towing adapter and translated to an upward force at the fifth wheel. The translation of these forces is similar to the forces applied to a teeter-totter where a downward force applied to one end of the teeter-totter is translated into an upward force at the opposite end of the pivot arm.  
         [0007]     The fifth wheel is designed for operation with a trailer that exerts a downward force on the fifth wheel, but is not designed to accommodate such upward forces. The result is an undesirable upward force applied by the kingpin to the fifth wheel plate. To prevent such upward force, the device disclosed in the aforementioned patents includes a pair of link members coupled between the towing frame and the vehicle frame to resist upward force of the kingpin with respect to the fifth wheel plate.  
         [0008]     The same approach is taken in a towing adapter widely sold by the Ernest Holmes Company, which manufactured a towing adapter mounted to the tow vehicle via the fifth wheel. In devices sold by Holmes, ratchet binders or chains and load binders are coupled between the tow frame and the frame of the tow vehicle to resist upward force of the kingpin at the fifth wheel plate.  
         [0009]     Unfortunately, these conventional approaches involve expensive and lengthy assembly and potential risk of significant instability of the coupling between the kingpin and the fifth wheel unless extra steps are taken to mount link arms or ratchet binders to resist the upward force applied by the kingpin to the fifth wheel plate.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     The present invention resides in a fifth wheel mounting frame. Embodiments include a system to be connected to a vehicle, the vehicle having a fifth wheel plate, a driver compartment, and first and second frame members substantially parallel and extending rearwardly away from the driver compartment on either side of the fifth wheel plate, the first and second frame members each having forward portions located nearer to the driver compartment than the fifth wheel plate is to the driver compartment, the first and second frame members each having rearward portions located farther from the driver compartment than the fifth wheel plate is from the driver compartment.  
         [0011]     The system includes a member with a rearward portion, a forward portion, and a mid-portion between the rearward and forward portions along a longitudinal dimension. The member has a surface on the mid-portion configured for placement on top of the fifth wheel plate when the system is in an operational position on the vehicle to allow the rearward portion to be farther from the driver compartment than the forward portion is from the driver compartment.  
         [0012]     The system further includes a first forward attachment member configured for attachment to the forward portion of the first frame member, a second forward attachment member configured for attachment to the forward portion of the second frame member, a first rearward attachment member configured for attachment to the rearward portion of the first frame member, a second rearward attachment member configured for attachment to the rearward portion of the second frame member. The system further includes a first forward coupling member configured to be coupled to the forward portion of the member and configured for attachment to the first forward attachment member when the system is in the operational position on the vehicle, the first forward coupling member having selectably adjustable length to accommodate placement of the first forward attachment member on the forward portion of the first frame member.  
         [0013]     The system further includes a second forward coupling member configured to be coupled to the forward portion of the member and configured for attachment to the second forward attachment member when the system is in the operational position on the vehicle, the second forward coupling member having selectably adjustable length to accommodate placement of the second forward attachment member on the forward portion of the second frame member. The system further includes a first rearward coupling member configured to be coupled to the rearward portion of the member and configured for attachment to the first rearward attachment member when the system is in the operational position on the vehicle, the first rearward coupling member having selectably adjustable length to accommodate placement of the first rearward attachment member on the rearward portion of the first frame member.  
         [0014]     The system further includes a second rearward coupling member configured to be coupled to the rearward portion of the member and configured for attachment to the second rearward member when the system is in the operational position on the vehicle, the second rearward coupling member having selectably adjustable length to accommodate placement of the second rearward attachment member on the rearward portion of the second frame member.  
         [0015]     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a conventional fifth wheel vehicle with a dual axle.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an exploded isometric view of the fifth wheel mounting frame.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the front frame connectors and the rear frame connector assembly showing positioning of such with respect to the frame of the conventional fifth wheel vehicle of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged exploded isometric view of the rear frame connector assembly of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged isometric view of the rear frame connector assembly showing details of connection to the frame of the conventional fifth wheel vehicle of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged isometric view of the front frame connectors of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the rear frame connector assembly and the front frame connectors showing details of connection to the frame of the conventional fifth wheel vehicle of  FIG. 3  and an isometric view of the longitudinal beam assembly showing positioning details with respect to the rear frame connector assembly and the front frame connectors.  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view showing the longitudinal beam assembly of  FIG. 7  as connected to the frame of the conventional fifth wheel vehicle through use of the rear frame connector assembly and the front frame connectors of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of the longitudinal beam assembly, the rear frame connector assembly and the front frame connectors of  FIG. 8  connected to a conventional fifth wheel vehicle having a frame with the cross frame portion being retained.  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is an isometric view of the rear frame connector assembly of  FIG. 8  connected to an alternative longitudinal beam assembly using chain assemblies to connect to front frame connectors.  
         [0026]      FIG. 11  is an isometric view of the rear frame connector assembly of  FIG. 8  connected to an alternative longitudinal beam assembly using chain assemblies to connect to front frame connectors and the rear frame connector assembly.  
         [0027]      FIG. 12  is an enlarged isometric view of a dual rod connector.  
         [0028]      FIG. 13  is an isometric view of an alternative longitudinal beam assembly connected to the frame of a conventional fifth wheel vehicle using the dual rod connector of  FIG. 12 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 14  is an exploded isometric view of an alternative rear frame connector assembly and front frame connectors shown in relation to the longitudinal beam assembly of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 15  is an isometric view of the longitudinal beam assembly and alternative frame connector assembly and front frame connectors of  FIG. 14  shown connected to the frame of a conventional fifth wheel vehicle with the longitudinal beam assembly being further connected to a lift.  
         [0031]      FIG. 16  is an exploded isometric view of an alternative rear frame connector assembly having connector plate assemblies and a cross member with a lowered mid-portion.  
         [0032]      FIG. 17  is an isometric view of the longitudinal beam assembly and alternative frame connector assembly of  FIG. 16  shown connected to the frame of a conventional fifth wheel vehicle with the longitudinal beam assembly being further connected to a lift. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]     As will be discussed in greater detail herein, a fifth wheel mounting frame disclosed herein can be readily mounted or removed from a vehicle having a fifth wheel and utilizes the load bearing nature of the vehicle&#39;s fifth wheel for stability and ease of assembly. The mounting frame is referred to as a “fifth wheel mounting frame” because of its adaptability and ease of mounting to a variety of vehicles having a fifth wheel such as a conventional fifth wheel vehicle  10  having a driver compartment  11 , such as a cab as depicted, and a fifth wheel plate  12  such as that shown in  FIG. 1 . The fifth wheel vehicle  10  further includes a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal frame members  13  extending rearward from the driver compartment  11  on either side of the fifth wheel plate  12  having front frame portions  14  and rear frame portions  16 , the rear frame portions being farther from the vehicle compartment  11  than the front frame portions. As discussed below, these front frame portions  14  and rear frame portions  16  are used for mounting of the fifth wheel mounting frame to the fifth wheel vehicle  10 .  
         [0034]     An implementation of the fifth wheel mounting frame is depicted in  FIG. 2  as a mounting frame system  100  having a longitudinal beam assembly  102 , front frame connectors  104 , and a rear frame connector assembly  106 . The longitudinal beam assembly  102  is generally fashioned as a modified I-beam like structure including a lower horizontal member  108 , a vertical member  110 , and an upper horizontal member  112 . The vertical member  110  spans between the lower horizontal member  108  and the upper horizontal member  112 . In some implementations of the mounting frame system  100 , the lower horizontal member  108  has a lower canted member  114  and the upper horizontal member  112  as an upper rear canted member with the vertical member  110  shaped to also spans between these portions of the lower and upper horizontal members. The upper horizontal member  112  also includes an upper forward canted member  118 , which reduces the span of the vertical member  110  between the lower horizontal member  108  and the upper horizontal member  112  in the area of the upper forward canted member.  
         [0035]     The lower horizontal member  108  includes positioning holes  120  for bolts  122  to secure a kingpin assembly  124  having a plate  126 , threaded holes  128 , and a kingpin  130  to the lower horizontal member. With the kingpin assembly  124  attached to the lower horizontal member  108 , the longitudinal beam assembly  102  can be coupled to the fifth wheel plate  12  by insertion of the kingpin  130  into a fifth wheel slot  18 , shown in  FIG. 3 , of the fifth wheel plate.  
         [0036]     The mounting frame system  100  further has tube brackets that include front mounted tube brackets  132 ′ pivotally mounted to a front portion  133 ′ and a rear mounted tube brackets  132 ″ pivotally mounted to a rear portion  133 ″ of the vertical member  110  through rotational couplings  134  on either side of the vertical member. Location of the rotational coupling  134  on the rear portion  133 ′ of the vertical member  110  is so near to the fifth wheel plate  12  that force imparted on to the fifth wheel plate by the longitudinal beam assembly  102  remains positive when loads, such as vehicles being lifted and towed, are bore by the mounting frame system  100  as described further below. Each of the front mounted tube brackets  132 ′ and the rear mounted tube brackets  132 ″ has a pair of support plates  136  in juxtaposition to one another and each has a hole  138  to receive a pin  140 . Once a tube end  142  with a hole  144  of a front coupling rod  146 ′ or a rear coupling rod  146 ″ is placed between one of the pairs of the support plates  136 , the pin  140  is then inserted into the holes  138  of the support plates and the hole of the tube end. Consequently, the front coupling rod  146 ′ or the rear coupling rod  146 ″ are pivotally coupled to the tube bracket  132 . Since the tube bracket  132  is pivotally connected to the longitudinal beam assembly  102 , a two-axis joint is formed between the front coupling rod  146 ′ or the rear coupling rod  146 ″ and the longitudinal beam assembly  102 . In some implementations, the front and rear coupling rods  146 ′ and  146 ″ have adjustable length to allow for more varied placement along the longitudinal frame members  13 .  
         [0037]     Each of the front frame connectors  104  has a tube bracket  154  with support plates  156  in juxtaposition. Furthermore, each of the support plates  156  has a hole  158  to receive a pin  160  once a tube  162  having a hole  164  of a tube-plate member  166  has been positioned between the support plates. The tube-plate member  166  further includes a plate  168  with a hole  170 . Each of the front coupling rods  146 ′ have a plate bracket  172  with support plates  173  in juxtaposition. Each of the support plates  173  of one of the plate brackets  172  has a hole  174  to receive a pin  176  once the plate  168  of the tube-plate member  166  has been positioned between the support plates  173  to align the hole  170  of the plate of the tube-plate member with the holes of the support plates of the plate bracket. Coupling the tube bracket  154  of each of the front frame connectors  104  to the plate bracket  172  of one of the front coupling rods  146 ′ forms a two-axis joint between the front coupling rod and the front frame connector  104 . Since the front coupling rods  146 ′ are coupled through use of two-axis joints to both the front portion  133 ′ of the longitudinal beam assembly  102  and also the front frame portions  14  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10 , placement of the front frame connectors  104  on to the front frame portions can be readily adjusted depending upon placement of other items that may be occupying space along the front frame portions.  
         [0038]     The rear frame connector assembly  106  has two tube brackets  180  for coupling to the two rear coupling rods  146 ″. Each of the tube brackets  180  of the rear frame connector assembly  106  has two support plates  182  each with a hole  184 . A tube  186  having a hole  187  of a tube-tube bracket member  188  is placed between the support plates  182  to align the holes of the support plates with the hole of the tube-tube bracket member to be then secured by a pin  190 . The tube-tube bracket member  188  has support plates  193  each with a hole  194 . Each of the rear coupling rods  146 ″ has a second tube end  196  with a hole  198  to be placed between the support plates  193  to align the holes of the support plates with the hole of the second tube end to be then secured by a pin  200 .  
         [0039]     A piston bracket  202  is coupled to a bottom surface  204  of the lower canted member  114 . The piston bracket  202  has holes  206  sized to receive a pin  208  to retain a hydraulic piston used to adjust position of an engagement assembly, such as a lift, which is described below. Attached to the rear portion  133 ″ of the longitudinal beam assembly  102  is a lift bracket  210  with support plates  214  in juxtaposition with a rod  216  spanning between the support plates and secured by fasteners  218  such as nuts or welds. The rod  216  is used to support the hydraulic piston for the lift as further described below.  
         [0040]     Positioning of the front frame connectors  104  and the rear frame connector assembly  106  is shown in  FIG. 3 . One of the front frame connectors is placed on each of the two front frame portions  14  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10 . The rear frame connector assembly  106  is positioned to span between the two rear frame portions  16  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10  to be connected to the two rear frame portions by two frame connectors  220  found on either end of the rear frame connector assembly as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . Each frame connector  220  includes an outer vertical plate  222  having an interior surface  224  to press against a exterior surface of one of the rear frame portions  16  and an inner vertical plate  226  having an opposing interior surface  228  to press against interior edge surfaces of the same one of the rear frame portions to result in clamping each frame connector to one of the rear frame portions  16  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10 .  
         [0041]     A threaded receiver  230  is connected to the inner vertical plate  226 . At the end of the receiver  230  is a nut  231  to threadably couple a bolt  232 , which is passed through hole structures  234  positioned on either end of the outer vertical plate  222  in a guide structure  236  integral to the vertical plate. The guide structure  236  further includes a slotted region  238  formed in part by spacing between the hole structures  234  in the guide structure  236 . The slotted region  238  is shaped and sized to allow the slotted region to be placed under and adjacent a horizontal plate  240  that is attached to a top portion of the inner vertical plate  226 . Each of two cross member connectors  242  made from hollow and open ended square tube stock are connected to each of the frame connectors  220  and are positioned to extend toward one another with their open ends facing each other.  
         [0042]     One end of a cross member  244  made from a square tube member with outside dimensions slightly smaller than the inside dimensions of the two cross member connectors  242  is inserted into to each open end of the cross member connectors  242 . The amount of distance that the cross member  244  is inserted into each of the cross member connectors  242  determines the spacing between the two frame connectors  220  so that the spacing can be adjusted to fit the spacing of the two rear frame portions from one another. Once proper spacing of the frame connectors  220  from one another is determined, the cross member  244  can be secured by bolts  246  to the cross member connectors  242 .  
         [0043]     The two front frame connectors  104  are shown in  FIG. 6  to each have a vertical plate  250  with bolts  252  threadably projecting through the vertical plate to frictionally engage with one of the exterior surfaces  20  of one of the front frame portions  14 . Each of the front frame connectors  104  further has a horizontal plate  254  with a channel  256  that engages a lower lip portion  24  of one of the front frame portions  14  as shown in  FIG. 7 . Bolts  258  are used to clamp down on to the lower lip portion  24  to further secure each of the front frame connectors  104  to one of the front frame portions  14 .  
         [0044]     Generally the front frame connectors  104  are connected to the front frame portions  14  and the rear frame connector assembly  106  is connected to the rear frame portions  16  prior to connection of the longitudinal beam assembly  102  as conceptually depicted in  FIG. 7 . Subsequently, the longitudinal beam assembly  102  is connected to the fifth wheel vehicle  10  by coupling of the kingpin  130  with the fifth wheel slot  18 , connecting the front coupling rods  146 ′ with the front frame connectors  104  and connecting the rear coupling rods  146 ″ with the rear frame connector assembly  106  as depicted in  FIG. 8 . In some implementations, the rear frame connector assembly  106  adds support otherwise missing due to removal of a cross frame portion  26  of the fifth wheel vehicle possibly due to obstruction issues raised by the cross frame portion. In other implementations obstruction or other issues do not require removal of the cross frame portion  26  as shown in  FIG. 9 .  
         [0045]     Alternative implementations use other types of attachment devices to connect the longitudinal beam assembly  102  to the fifth wheel vehicle  10 . For instance, chain assemblies  259  each having chains  260  tensioned by a chain tensioner  264  and attached to a chain bracket  264  on the longitudinal beam assembly  102  and attached to the front frame connectors  104 , shown in  FIG. 10 , can be used to connect the longitudinal beam assembly to the front frame portions. In addition chain assemblies  259  can be connected to the rear frame connector assembly  106  to connect the longitudinal beam assembly  102  to the rear frame portions  16  as shown in  FIG. 11 .  
         [0046]     As another example of an alternative attachment device, a dual rod connector  266 , depicted in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , can be used to attach the longitudinal beam assembly  102  to the front frame portions  14  and the rear frame portions  16  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10 . The dual rod connector  266  includes a frame connector  268 , a first rod  270 , and a second rod  272 . The frame connector  268  is used to connect the dual rod connector  266  with the front frame portions  14  and the rear frame portions  16 . The frame connector  268  includes the vertical plate  250 , the bolts  252 , the horizontal plate  254 , the channel  256 , and the bolts  258  of the front frame connectors  104 . The frame connector  268  further includes a horizontal top plate  280  that supports a pivot bracket  288  with support members  290  that are coupled by a pin  292  to a cylinder  294  that provides rotational movement for the first rod  270  about a first horizontal axis.  
         [0047]     The first rod  270  and the second rod  272  include fixed portions  296  and adjustment portions  298 . The adjustment portions  298  provide length adjustment along the V direction, shown in  FIG. 12 , for the first rod  270  and along the H direction for the second rod  272 . For the first rod  270 , one of the fixed portions  296  is fixedly attached to the cylinder  294  while another of the fixed portions is fixedly attached to a cylinder  300 . For the second rod  272 , one of the fixed portions  296  is rotationally coupled to the cylinder  300  to provide rotational movement of the first rod  270  about a second horizontal axis. Once placement of the frame connector  268  is determined, the resultant angular orientation of the first rod  270  can be secured with tightening of a set screw  302  threadably attached to the cylinder  300 .  
         [0048]     An alternate implementation of the rear frame connector assembly  106  is shown in  FIG. 14  as having a top cross member  304  sized to fit over a bottom cross member  308  such that holes  308  in the top cross member align with holes  310  in the bottom cross member to receive pins  311  thereby securing the top cross member with the bottom cross member. The bottom cross member  308  further includes saddle connectors  312  to straddle the rear frame portions  16  having an outside plate  314  with holes  316  for insertion of bolts  318  to secure the saddle connectors to the rear frame portions. The saddle connectors  312  each further have an inside plate such that when each of the saddle connectors straddle the respective one of the rear frame portions  16 , the outside plate of the saddle connector is adjacent to the exterior surface  20  of the rear frame portion and the inside plate is adjacent to the interior edge surfaces  22  of the rear frame portion.  
         [0049]     An alternative implementation of the front frame connectors  104  is shown in  FIG. 14  as having an L-bracket  322  with holes  326  to receive bolts (not shown) for bolting the L-bracket of each of the alternative front frame connectors to one of the front frame connectors  104 . The alternative implementation of the front frame connectors  104  further includes one of the tube-plate members  166  fixedly attached to a horizontal portion  328  of each of the L-brackets  322  for coupling of the L-bracket with the front coupling rod  146 ′.  
         [0050]     An alternate implementation of the rear frame connector assembly  106  is shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17  as having a cross member  350  spanning between two connector plate assemblies  354 . The connector plate assemblies  354  have a top plate  356 , a bottom plate  358  and a mid-plate  360  therebetween along an inner longitudinal half  361  of the connector plate assemblies. The support plates  182  are coupled to each of the connector plate assemblies  354  by two of four bolt assemblies  362  used to couple the connector plate assemblies to the rear frame portions  16  as shown in  FIG. 17  along exterior longitudinal halves  364  of the connector plate assemblies.  
         [0051]     An exemplary implementation of an engagement assembly to engage objects such as vehicles to be lifted and/or towed is a lift assembly  330  attached to one of the depicted implementations of the mounting frame system  100  is shown in  FIG. 15 . The lift assembly  330  includes a vertical member  332 , a horizontal member  334 , and an engagement assembly  336  with engagement members  337  to be removably coupled to an object such as a vehicle. A top portion  338  of the vertical member  332  is rotatably coupled to the rod  216  of the lift bracket  210  of the longitudinal beam assembly  102 . A mid-portion  340  of the vertical member  332  is attached to a ram  342  of a hydraulic cylinder  344  that is rotatably coupled to the pin  208  of the piston bracket  202  of the longitudinal beam assembly  102 . These attachments allow the hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower the engagement assembly  336  and a portion of an object such as a vehicle that is removably coupled to the engagement assembly.  
         [0052]     All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.  
         [0053]     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, the longitudinal beam assembly  102  need not be shaped as particularly depicted as long as it retains the general appearance of a member being directly supported by the fifth wheel plate  12  and having coupling members, such as the front and rear coupling rods  146 ′ and  146 ″, extending from the longitudinal beam assembly and attached to areas of the fifth wheel vehicle&#39;s frame, such as the front frame portions  20  and the rear frame portions  22 , so that the surface of the longitudinal beam assembly in contact with the fifth wheel plate maintains impartation of a positive value of force on to the fifth wheel plate.  
         [0054]     The coupling members can be of other configurations than those depicted, such as commonly known rachet binders, as long as the length of the coupling members and angle of orientation of the coupling member with respect to the longitudinal beam assembly  102  are sufficiently variable to allow for adjustment in position where the coupling member is attached to the front frame portions  20  and the rear frame portions  22 . Adjustment in placement of attachment members used to attach the coupling members, such as the front frame connectors  104  and the rear frame connector assembly  106 , to the longitudinal beam assembly  102  along the longitudinal frame members  13  of the fifth wheel vehicle  10  can be necessary since other items can be affixed to the longitudinal frame members that may not be known or predictable prior to installation of the mounting frame system  100  on to the.  
         [0055]     Depicted methods for allowing the coupling members to adapt included the various two-axis joints used in connecting depicted versions of the coupling members to the longitudinal beam assembly  102  and the depicted attachment members coupled to the longitudinal frame members  13 . Other depicted methods to provide capability for the coupling members to accommodate varying placement of where the attachment members are coupled to the longitudinal frame members  13  include use of chains or dual rod connectors. Other kinds of attachment portion placement accommodation mechanisms for the coupling members can be used that allow for change in length of the coupling members  
         [0056]     Also, the depicted implementations had coupling members extending from longitudinal beam assembly  102 , however, other numbers of coupling members could be used depending upon placement and loading characteristics of the longitudinal beam assembly on the fifth wheel plate  12  and of the object, such as a vehicle, being coupled to the longitudinal beam assembly either directly or through another member such as the lift assembly  330  to be lifted and/or towed. As another example, depicted embodiments of the front frame connectors  104  and the rear frame connectors  106  showed them being connected to the front frame portions  20  and the rear frame portions  22  by frictional engagement of bolts contacting the frame portions or by bolts being screwed into the frame portions, however methods conventionally available can be used, such as welding, to fixedly attached the connectors to the frame portions.  
         [0057]     As a further example, other sorts of coupling systems besides the lift assembly  330  as depicted can be connected to the longitudinal beam assembly  102  for such applications as towing a vehicle without lifting the vehicle and for lifting or towing other sorts of objects besides a vehicle. Additionally, the depicted implementations were shown with use of the kingpin  130 , however, in other implementations, the kingpin is not used. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.