Patent ID: 7938429

Claim:
A fifth wheel hitch mountable between adjacent longitudinal truck frame members, said frame members having opposing open longitudinal channels, said hitch comprising: an inter-frame mount seated within the opposing longitudinal channels, said mount having: a top surface within each lateral portion of which is defined a longitudinally-oriented row of spaced-apart, shaped apertures; and at least two substantially vertical flanges extending downward from the lateral periphery of said top surface, said vertical flanges dimensioned to be conforming to the inner surfaces of said longitudinal channels; and wherein said inter-frame mount is dimensioned such that there is a vertical gap between said top surface and the inner surfaces of the opposing truck frame members; and a sliding pedestal comprised of: lateral skids seated upon respective portions of said rows and extending into each said vertical gap, each said skid including a plurality of spaced-apart, shaped skid apertures that can align with a corresponding plurality of shaped apertures comprising said rows; a pawl pivotally mounted on each skid having a one or more of teeth insertable through said skid apertures and said shaped apertures of said mount; and a plurality of pivot bearings mating to a corresponding plurality of bearings of a fifth wheel hitch plate.