Self-lubricating trailer bearing plate for fifth wheel

Abstract

An assembly for coupling a tractor to a trailer is disclosed. The assembly comprises a fifth wheel bearing plate and a trailer bearing plate assembly. The trailer bearing plate assembly includes a self-lubricating plate securely attached to an underside of said trailer by a chemical attachment means.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A plate assembly for providing a low coefficient of friction surface between a truck tractor fifth wheel and a semi-trailer, the replacement assembly comprising: 
 a trailer bearing plate including a leading edge and an outer surface; and    a trailer bearing plate assembly, the trailer bearing plate assembly including a self-lubricating plate of a first material and an attachment plate having a bonding surface, the attachment plate securely attached to the trailer bearing plate, the self-lubricating plate securely joined to the bonding surface of the attachment plate by a chemical fastener which is compatible with the first material of the self-lubricating plate.    
     
     
         2 . The plate assembly of    claim 1    wherein the bonding surface includes a treated surface for providing a clean surface for receiving the chemical fastener and the self-lubricating plate.  
     
     
         3 . The plate assembly of    claim 1    wherein the attachment plate is welded to the trailer bearing plate.  
     
     
         4 . The plate assembly of    claim 1    wherein the attachment plate is mechanically fastened to the trailer bearing plate.  
     
     
         5 . A trailer bearing plate assembly for use with a fifth wheel for coupling a truck tractor to a semi-trailer, the trailer bearing plate assembly comprising: 
 a housing adapted to securely attach to the trailer and having a surface directed away from the trailer and a leading edge;    a self-lubricating plate securely attached to the housing by a chemical attachment means; and    a barrier member located on the surface directed away from the trailer and between the leading edge and the self-lubricating plate.    
     
     
         6 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 5    wherein the barrier member comprises a front bar fixedly attached to the housing.  
     
     
         7 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 5    wherein the chemical attachment means includes a bonding agent.  
     
     
         8 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 5    wherein the chemical attachment means is selected from the group consisting of an adhesive tape, structural film, epoxy, acrylic, urethane, and cyanoacrylate.  
     
     
         9 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 5    wherein the self-lubricating plate is formed of a plastic.  
     
     
         10 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 9    wherein the plastic includes an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.  
     
     
         11 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 5    wherein the barrier member is spaced a distance along the surface directed away from the trailer from the self-lubricating plate.  
     
     
         12 . An assembly for coupling a truck tractor to a semi-trailer, the assembly comprising: 
 a fifth wheel fixedly attached to the truck tractor, the fifth wheel including a bearing plate adapted for receiving a portion of the semi-trailer;    a trailer bearing plate assembly fixedly attached to the semi-trailer, the trailer bearing plate having an outer surface;    a self-lubricating plate of a first material securely attached to the outer surface of the tractor bearing plate by a chemical fastener which is compatible with the first material of the self-lubricating plate; and    a barrier member located on the outer surface of the tractor bearing plate and adjacent the self-lubricating plate, the barrier member spaced a distance along the outer surface of the tractor bearing plate away from the self-lubricating plate.    
     
     
         13 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 12    wherein the self-lubricating plate includes an inner surface directed toward the housing surface, the inner surface being in substantial contact with the housing surface.  
     
     
         14 . The trailer bearing plate assembly of    claim 12    further comprising a kingpin a portion of which passing through an opening in the housing, an intermediate plate having a portal for receiving a flange portion of the kingpin, a back plate adjacent the intermediate plate, a double shear attachment means wherein the housing, the intermediate plate, and the back plate are joining along a first shear plane and a second shear plane.  
     
     
         15 . The assembly of    claim 14    wherein the double shear attachment means comprises a plurality of attachment pins of a first length joining the housing with the kingpin and the back plate and a plurality of attachment pins of a second length joining the back plate with the intermediate plate.  
     
     
         16 . The assembly of    claim 15    wherein the housing includes a sub-housing located on an upper surface, the double shear attachment means being positioned within the sub-housing.  
     
     
         17 . The assembly of    claim 16    wherein the housing has an upper surface and a plurality of parallel reinforcement beams positioned along the upper surface.  
     
     
         18 . The assembly of    claim 17    wherein the housing includes a plurality of parallel longitudinal supports substantially perpendicular to the reinforcement beams, a sub-housing being formed between the reinforcement beams and the longitudinal supports.  
     
     
         19 . The assembly of    claim 14    wherein the housing has a plurality of countersunk locking holes, the kingpin has a plurality of radial bolt holes, the radial bolt holes being aligned with the countersunk holes in the housing, the intermediate plate is fixedly attached to the housing, the intermediate plate having a portal for receiving the flange portion of the kingpin, and a plurality of first pin receivers, the back plate having a plurality of second pin receivers aligned with the first pin receivers of the intermediate plate, a plurality of attachment pins of a first length joining the housing with the flange portion of the kingpin and the back plate, a plurality of attachment pins of a second length joining the back plate with the intermediate plate.  
     
     
         20 . A trailer bearing plate assembly for use with a fifth wheel for coupling a truck tractor to a semi-trailer, the trailer bearing plate assembly comprising: 
 a housing adapted to securely attach to the trailer and having a surface directed away from the trailer;    a self-lubricating plate securely attached to the housing by a chemical attachment means;    a kingpin having a flange portion and a portion passing through an opening in the housing;    an intermediate plate having a portal for receiving the flange portion of the kingpin;    a back plate adjacent the intermediate plate; and    a double shear attachment means wherein the housing, the intermediate plate, and the back plate are joined along a first shear plane and a second shear plane, the double shear attachment means comprising a plurality of attachment pins of a first length joining the housing with the kingpin and the back plate and a plurality of attachment pins of a second length joining the back plate with the intermediate plate.