Patent ID: 7140633

Claim:
A fifth wheel mounting assembly for mounting a fifth wheel hitch plate to the frame of a tractor, comprising: a first support member adapted to be fixedly coupled to a first rail of a tractor, and having a plurality of first apertures; a second support member adapted to be fixedly coupled to a second rail of a tractor, and having a plurality of first apertures; a first mounting bracket including a plurality of apertures that receive mounting hardware therein, the mounting hardware extending through the plurality of apertures of the first mounting bracket also extending through the plurality of first apertures of the first support member, thereby fixedly coupling the first mounting bracket with the first support member, the first mounting bracket further including an inwardly exposed aperture adapted to receive a mounting pin therein for pivotably coupling a fifth wheel hitch plate to the first mounting bracket, and a recess; a second mounting bracket including a plurality of apertures that receive mounting hardware therein, the mounting hardware extending through the plurality of apertures of the first mounting bracket also extending through the plurality of first apertures of the second support member, thereby fixedly coupling the second mounting bracket with the second support member, the second mounting bracket further including an inwardly exposed aperture adapted to receive a mounting pin therein for pivotably coupling a fifth wheel hitch plate to the second mounting bracket, and a recess; and a structural cross member having a first end received within the recess of the first mounting bracket and a second end received within the recess of the second mounting bracket, thereby torsionally coupling the first support member and the first mounting bracket with the second support member and the second mounting bracket.