Abstract:
A method and apparatus for providing a displaceable ball hitch assembly configured to be mounted in a bed of a truck. The displaceable ball hitch assembly includes a platform track, a displaceable platform, a gate member and a driving mechanism. The platform track defines a track space therein and is configured to be mounted in the bed of the truck. The displaceable platform is configured to be positioned in the track space and includes a ball hitch coupled thereto. The gate member is configured to be coupled to the platform track and includes a gate portion extendable into the track space. The driving mechanism is configured to be operatively coupled to the gate member and is configured to automatically displace the gate portion from the track space to facilitate displacement of the displaceable platform upon manual activation from a cab of the truck.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/448,962, filed Feb. 19, 2003. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a ball hitch assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to a displaceable ball hitch assembly for mounting in a bed of a short-bed pick-up truck.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    A fifth-wheel trailer is generally a large, high profile trailer which is coupled to a large towing vehicle, such as a large pick-up truck. The fifth-wheel trailer is typically coupled to the truck with a fifth-wheel hitch or a ball-hitch. The fifth-wheel hitch is typically permanently mounted in the bed of the truck and is made to couple directly to the fifth wheel trailer. The fifth-wheel hitch, however, is bulky with a high profile, limiting the space in the bed of the truck and often resulting in annoyance to the truck owner when desiring to use the truck for uses other than towing the fifth-wheel trailer.  
           [0004]    The ball-hitch also permanently mounts in the bed of the truck, but is less bulky and low in profile. The ball-hitch is typically made to attach to what has become known in the industry as a gooseneck type assembly. The gooseneck type assembly typically includes an extended, crooked neck which is configured to extend from the fifth-wheel trailer into the bed of the pick-up truck. The free end of the neck includes a ball receiving locking mechanism for rotatably coupling to the ball-hitch mounted to the bottom of the bed of the pick-up truck. One example of a gooseneck type assembly is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,270 to Colibert.  
           [0005]    One problem with towing a fifth wheel trailer is that such towing is primarily limited to long-bed pick-up trucks. The long-bed pick-up trucks are used for such towing, as opposed to short-bed trucks, due to the danger of the front of the trailer hitting the cab when making a sharp turn, such as a 90 degree turn. Further, pick-up trucks having long-beds are generally designed to carry large loads with greater suspension and towing capabilities. Due to the clearance between the front of the fifth-wheel trailer and the cab of the pick-up truck, short-bed trucks have essentially been limited to towing from the hitch at the rear-end of the truck, which excludes fifth-wheel trailers.  
           [0006]    However, there is a large market for short-bed trucks due to their versatility, smaller turning radius and more compact nature. Further, many of the short-bed trucks include suspension and towing capabilities sufficient to handle many of the fifth-wheel trailers. It would therefore be advantageous to be able to utilize short-bed pick-up trucks for towing a fifth-wheel trailer with the clearance necessary to make sharp turns without damaging the front of the trailer and the cab of the truck.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing a displaceable ball hitch assembly configured to be mounted in a bed of a truck. The displaceable ball hitch assembly includes a platform track, a displaceable platform, a gate member, a driving mechanism and a switch control. The platform track defines a track space therein and is configured to be mounted in the bed of the truck. The displaceable platform is configured to be positioned in the track space and includes a ball hitch coupled thereto. The gate member is configured to be coupled to the platform track and includes a gate portion extendable into the track space. The driving mechanism is configured to be operatively coupled to the gate member and is configured to facilitate displacement of the displaceable platform. The switch control is configured to be operatively coupled to the driving mechanism and is configured to be located in a cab of the truck to manually control activation of the driving mechanism from the cab.  
           [0008]    Additional features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which together illustrate, by way of example, features of the invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming that which is regarded as the present invention, the advantages of this invention may be ascertained from the following description of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a ball hitch assembly including a platform track and a ball hitch mounted on a platform, depicting the platform being displaceable between a first and second position in the platform track, according to an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a gate member taken along line  2  in FIG. 1, depicting the gate member having a cylinder, piston and spring assembly with tubing extending into the cylinder for pressurized air flow, according to an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of a ball hitch assembly, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. Alterations and further modifications of the inventive features illustrated herein, and additional applications of the principles of the inventions as illustrated herein, which would occur to one skilled in the relevant art and having possession of this disclosure, are to be considered within the scope of the invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 illustrates a ball hitch assembly  100  including a platform track  101 , a platform  120  having a ball hitch  126  mounted thereon, and a gate member  140 . The platform track  101  is configured to define a track space  114  therein to allow movement of the platform  120  along the track space  114 . Such a platform track  101  can be mounted to the bottom of a truck bed (not shown). The gate member  140  is configured to retain the platform  120  in either a first primary position (as depicted in drawing) or a second position (shown in outline). The gate member  140  can also be opened to allow movement of the platform  120  from the first primary position to the second position as well as allow movement of the platform  120  from the second position and back to the first primary position.  
         [0015]    Such a ball hitch assembly  100  is configured to mount in the bed of a short-bed pick-up truck and configured to couple to a gooseneck type assembly extending from a fifth-wheel trailer. An example of a gooseneck type assembly configured to couple with a ball hitch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,372 to Colibert et al., which disclosure is incorporated herein. According to an aspect of the present invention, the platform  120  with the ball hitch  126  extending therefrom is moveable between the first and second positions with a displacement D of approximately nine inches. The displacement D, however, can include any suitable displacement length depending on the configuration of the ball hitch assembly  100  and depending on the specifications and requirements of various fifth-wheel trailers and short-bed pick-up trucks. Placing the platform in the second position allows the clearance necessary between the front of the fifth-wheel trailer and the cab of the short-bed truck when driving the truck through a sharp turn, such as a 90 degree turn. Once such a turn is completed, the platform should be placed back into the first primary position while towing the fifth-wheel trailer where there are no sharp turns.  
         [0016]    The ball hitch assembly is configured to be mounted in a truck bed (not shown), such as a short-bed pick-up truck. In particular, the platform track  101  is configured to be secured to a mounting frame  105  with the truck bed (not shown) disposed therebetween. The mounting frame  105  is concealed under the truck bed and secured to the chassis of the truck. The concealed mounting frame  105  is positioned to the chassis of the truck such that the ball hitch  126  is positioned approximately four inches in front of an axis  103  corresponding to the rear wheel axel of the truck, when the platform is in the first primary position. Such a concealed mounting frame is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,244 to Colibert, which disclosure is incorporated herein.  
         [0017]    The platform track  101  can include a bottom plate  102 , first and second upper plates  104  and  106  and front, side and back spacers  108 ,  110  and  112 . The platform track  101  can be made with the first and second upper plates  104  and  106  disposed over a top surface of the bottom plate  102  with each of the spacers sandwiched therebetween. In particular, the front and back spacers  108  and  112  can be positioned on the top surface of the bottom plate  102  and substantially flush with the edges at each corner of the bottom plate  102 . The length of the front and back spacers  108  and  112  can be substantially the same as the width of the first and second upper plates  104  and  106 . The side spacers  110  also are positioned on the top surface extending length wise on first and second longitudinal sides of the bottom plate  102  and substantially flush with the first and second edges of the bottom plate  102 . The width of the side spacers  110  are sized smaller than the width of the first and second upper plates  104  and  106 . The first and second upper plates  104  and  106  can then be positioned over each of the spacers so that the outer edges are flush with the outer edges of each of the spacers and the bottom plate  102  and the inner edges of the first and second upper plates  104  and  106  over hang past the inner edges of the side spacers  110 . Each of the bottom plate  102 , spacers and first and second upper plates  104  and  106  include holes  116  extending transversely therethrough configured to receive bolts for fastening each of the bottom and upper plates and spacers together. With this arrangement, each of the spacers sandwiched between the first and second upper plates  104  and  106  and the bottom plate  102  defines a track space  114 , shown in outline, within the platform track  101 . The front spacers  108  and the back spacers  112  define ends of the track space  114  and the side spacers  110 , having a smaller sized width than the first and second upper plates  104  and  106 , define sides of the track space  114 .  
         [0018]    The platform  120  can be sized and configured to be positioned in the track space  114  of the platform track  101 . The platform  120  can include a raised portion  122  and a lower portion  124  with the ball hitch  126  extending upward from the raised portion  122 . The lower portion  124  can extend outward from opposing sides of the raised portion  122  to extend between the bottom plate  102  and the respective first and second upper plates  104  and  106 . In this manner, the lower portion  124  is confined within the track space  114  of the platform track  101  and the raised portion  122  is exposed so that the ball hitch  126  is readily accessible for coupling to a gooseneck type assembly (not shown) extending from the fifth wheel trailer. Further, with the lower portion  124  of the platform  120  disposed within the track space  114  of the platform track, the platform is configured to slidingly move with metal-to-metal contact within the track space  114 . Such track space can be lubricated with a grease type lubricant to reduce the friction of such metal-to-metal contact. Any other suitable means of sliding movement can also be employed, such as with rollers, bearings, etc., as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The platform track  101  and platform  120  are made of a high strength metal sized and configured to handle loads for towing fifth-wheel trailers as known to one of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the platform track  101  also includes a gate member  140  positioned in a plate recess  118  in each of the first and second upper plates  104  and  106 . Each gate member  140  can be stabilized to the platform track  101  by a retaining piece  164 . Such retaining piece can be configured to extend over the gate member  140  and bolted to the upper plate. The gate member  140  is configured to retain and allow displacement of the platform along the track space  114 .  
         [0020]    Each gate member  140  can include a cylinder  142  with a piston  150  and a spring  160  disposed in the cylinder  142 . Such a cylinder  142  is positioned in the plate recess  118  with the piston  150  extending through an opening  162  in the upper plate and into the track space  114 . The piston  150  can include a flange  152  and a recess  154 . The flange can be configured and sized to contact an inside surface  144  of the cylinder  142 . The recess  154  can be defined in the top of the piston  150  and is configured to receive and hold the spring  160  so that the spring  160  biases the piston  150  downward into the track space  114  of the platform track  101 . The cylinder  142  can also include an annular seal  158  configured to be disposed at a bottom portion of the cylinder  142  with the piston  150  disposed through an opening in the center of the annular seal  158 . With this arrangement, the piston  150  for each gate member  140  extends through the respective first and second upper plates  104  and  106  into the track space  114  of the platform track  101 . Such gate member  140 , with the piston  150  extending into the track space  114 , is configured to retain the platform  120  in a first primary position, as indicated in the drawing, and in a rearward second position, as shown in outline.  
         [0021]    The cylinder  142  also includes a hole  172  defined at a lower portion of the cylinder  142 . The hole  172  is sized and configured to receive tubing  170 . The tubing  170  is operatively coupled to an air supply  180 , such as a compressor and air tank, to blow air through the tubing  170  into cylinder  142 . The air supply  180  can be located proximate to or adjacent the ball hitch assembly  100  or any suitable location in the truck bed. The air supply  180  can be activated by a switch control  182  located in the cab of the truck. Such a switch control  182  can be operatively coupled to the air supply  180  via, for example, an electrical wire. Upon activating the air supply  180 , air is forced, as indicated by arrow  174 , through the tubing  170  and into a space  156  in the gate member  140 . The space  156  can be defined by the outer surface of the piston  150 , the flange  152  and a portion of the inner surface  144  of the cylinder  142 . The air forced through the tubing  170  in the space  156  pushes the piston  150  from a closed gate position to an open gate position (as shown in outline in FIG. 2) against a biasing force of the spring  160  so that a bottom portion of the piston  150  moves out of and from the track space  114 .  
         [0022]    In practice, in the case where the driver is driving the truck through a sharp turn and is concerned that the fifth-wheel trailer may not clear the cab when making such turn, the driver can switch the air supply  180  with the switch control  182  in the cab of the truck to the on position which effects displacement of the piston  150  in each of the gate members  140  to an open gate position. The driver can then set the brakes on the trailer and move the truck forward. With the forward movement of the truck, the platform  120  displaces rearward along the track space  114  to a second position (as shown in outline in FIG. 1). The driver can then move the switch control  182  to the off position to turn-off the air supply  180 , thereby, allowing the piston  150  to move back in the closed gate position to lock the platform  120  in the second position. The driver can then take the brakes off of the trailer and proceed in making the sharp turn. Once the driver completes the sharp turn, the driver can then re-set the brakes on the trailer and switch the air supply  180  on to move the piston  120  in each of the gate members  140  in the open gate position. The driver can then back the truck up to displace the platform  120  back to the first primary position. The driver then turns the air supply  180  off so that the piston  150  in each of the gate members  140  moves to the closed gate position to retain the platform  120  in the first primary position. The driver can then take the brakes off of the trailer and proceed in towing the trailer.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of the ball hitch assembly  100  operatively coupled to a driving mechanism  280  and the switch control  282 . In one embodiment, the driving mechanism  280  can be the air supply, as previously set forth, and the ball hitch assembly  100  can include similar components as described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. In another embodiment, the driving mechanism  280  can be driven hydraulically for displacing the piston in the gate member. Alternatively, the platform can be coupled to a hydraulic mechanism for directly displacing the platform in the track space of the ball hitch assembly depicted in FIG. 1. In another embodiment, the driving mechanism  280  can be driven electrically to displace the piston, such as by implementing a solenoid, electric motor, etc. In any case, the driving mechanism  280  can be operatively coupled to both the ball hitch assembly  100  and the switch control  282  in the cab of the truck for manual activation of the driving mechanism  280  from the cab of the truck. Further, the drive mechanism  280  can be wired for power  284  from, for example, the battery of the truck. As can be well appreciated, the driving mechanism  280 , whether driven pneumatically, hydraulically and/or electrically, can be readily implemented by one of ordinary skill in the relevant art.  
         [0024]    It is to be understood that the above-referenced arrangements are only illustrative of the application for the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements can be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention while the present invention has been shown in the drawings and fully described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments(s) of the invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications can be made without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention as set forth in the claims.