Fifth wheel coupling

Fifth wheel coupling

The fifth wheel coupling provides the link between a semi-trailer and the towing truck, tractor unit, leading trailer or dolly. Some recreational vehicles RVs are in a fifth wheel configuration, requiring the coupling to be installed in the bed of a pickup truck as a towing vehicle. The coupling consists of a "coupling pin" (or "king pin") on the front of the semi-trailer and a horseshoe-shaped coupling device called a "fifth wheel" on the rear of the towing vehicle.

The term fifth wheel comes from a similar coupling used on four-wheel horse-drawn carriages and wagons. The device allowed the front axle assembly to pivot in the horizontal plane, to improve turning.

It was invented in the UK by Clive Henderson Fact|date=May 2008

ee also

* Tow hitch
* Semi-trailer truck construction

* Kingpin (mechanics)
* Semi-trailer fifth wheel coupling

Links

* [http://www.fontaineintl.com/ Fontaine International]
* [http://www.fifthwheelco.com/ Fifth Wheel Company]
* [http://www.jost.co.uk/ Jost Couplings]
* [http://www.hollandhitch.com/Portal/About/History/ Holland Hitch company history]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fifth wheel (disambiguation) — Fifth wheel may refer to: *a type of semi trailer truck * The 5th Wheel , an American reality dating show *Fifth wheel coupling, a device that provides a link between the trailer and a truck (or a tractor unit) * The Fifth Wheel , a 1918 film… …   Wikipedia

  • fifth wheel — n. 1. a) a horizontal wheel like structure placed over the front axle of a carriage or wagon to support it on turns ☆ b) a similar structure on the rear of the cab of a tractor trailer, serving as a coupling for attaching the trailer 2. an… …   English World dictionary

  • fifth wheel — noun 1. someone or something that is unwanted and unneeded • Syn: ↑deadwood • Hypernyms: ↑redundancy, ↑redundance 2. an extra car wheel and tire for a four wheel vehicle • Syn: ↑spare …   Useful english dictionary

  • fifth wheel — 1. a horizontal ring or segment of a ring, consisting of two bands that slide on each other, placed above the front axle of a carriage and designed to support the forepart of the body while allowing it to turn freely in a horizontal plane. 2. a… …   Universalium

  • fifth wheel — noun chiefly N. Amer. 1》 a spare wheel for a four wheeled vehicle.     ↘informal a superfluous person or thing. 2》 a coupling between a vehicle used for towing and a trailer. 3》 (also fifth wheel trailer) a trailer with accommodation for camping… …   English new terms dictionary

  • fifth wheel — noun Date: circa 1874 1. a. a horizontal wheel or segment of a wheel that consists of two parts rotating on each other above the fore axle of a carriage and that forms support to prevent tipping b. a similar coupling between tractor and trailer… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • Semi-trailer — In American English a semi trailer is a trailer without a front axle. A large proportion of its weight is supported either by a road tractor or by a detachable front axle assembly known as a dolly or by the tail of another trailer. A semi trailer …   Wikipedia

  • Recreational vehicle — This article is about the vehicle. For the film, see RV (film). RV redirects here. For other uses, see RV (disambiguation). A Class A motorhome with slide out extended floors …   Wikipedia

  • Road train — This article is about connected heavy goods vehicles. For lighter recreational road trains, see Trackless train. For electronic road trains, see Platoon (automobile). For the film, see Road Train (film). Volvo NH15 BP tanker road train A road… …   Wikipedia

  • Sport tractor — A sport tractor or SUT is a tractor truck–like vehicle that doesn’t have the towing capacity of a standard size tractor truck, but does have a larger towing capacity than the largest of pickup trucks. A new version of truck has now been created.… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”