7 198 282

7,198,282 Title:

Cross member

A cross member for a heavy duty over-the-highway tractor having an integral fifth wheel hitch such that the fifth wheel hitch is connected to the cross member rather than to brackets mounted to the frame rails of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the fifth wheel hitch is connected to sliding rails that span two cross members so that the fifth wheel hitch can be positioned at various points between the cross members.

I claim:

1. A cross member assembly for a vehicle having a pair of parallel spaced frame rails extending longitudinally for substantially the entire length of the vehicle, the cross memberassembly comprising: two cross members, each comprising a center section and top and bottom tie plates at opposing ends of the center section for mounting to each of the frame rails, the center section being vertically disposed between first and secondframe rail engaging structures; and a fifth wheel hitch assembly comprising a fifth wheel hitch and fifth wheel mounting structure; wherein the fifth wheel mounting structure is mounted to each top tie plate, and the fifth wheel mounting structurefurther comprises a sliding rail connected to top tie plates of the two cross members.

2. The cross member assembly of claim 1, wherein the fifth wheel mounting structure comprises mounting legs and wherein the fifth wheel hitch has ears with a clevis configuration that engage each mounting leg and are connected to the mountingleg with a clevis pin.

3. The cross member assembly of claim 1 wherein the fifth wheel mounting structure further comprises a mounting plate that releasably engages the sliding rail and a mounting leg supporting the fifth wheel hitch and connected to the mountingplate.

4. The cross member assembly of claim 3 wherein the mounting plate comprises retractable teeth that engage notches in the sliding rail to maintain the position of the fifth wheel hitch.

5. A heavy duty truck comprising: a pair of spaced, parallel frame rails supporting an engine compartment and operator cab; at least one cross member assembly connected to each of the frame rails at distal ends of the cross member assembly,wherein each cross member assembly comprises a center section vertically disposed between the frame rails and a top tie plate connected at a top of each distal end of the center section, each top tie plate engaging a frame rail; and a fifth wheel hitchassembly connected to the top tie plates such that the only connection between the fifth wheel hitch assembly and frame rail is through the cross member.

6. The heavy duty truck of claim 5 wherein the fifth wheel hitch assembly comprises a hitch plate adapted to engage and releasably retain a trailer, a mounting leg supporting the hitch plate and connected to the top tie plate, the hitch platehaving a clevis configuration that engages a coacting clevis pin assembly on the mounting leg.

7. The heavy duty truck of claim 5 wherein the fifth wheel hitch assembly further comprises a sliding rail that is connected to a first distal end of two cross member assemblies and a hitch plate that is mounted for sliding movement between thetwo cross member assemblies on the sliding rail.

8. The heavy duty truck of claim 7 wherein the fifth wheel hitch assembly further comprises a mounting plate that supports the fifth wheel hitch and releasably engages the sliding rail.

9. The heavy duty truck of claim 7 further comprising a second sliding rail connected to a second distal end of the two cross member assemblies.

10. The heavy duty truck of claim 7 wherein the fifth wheel hitch assembly comprises a hitch plate adapted to engage and releasably retain a trailer and a mounting leg supporting the hitch plate, the hitch plate having a clevis configurationthat engages a coacting clevis pin assembly on the mounting leg.

11. The heavy duty truck of claim 7 wherein the at least one cross member assembly further comprises bottom tie plates and fifth wheel hitch mounting structure that is connected to each top tie plate.

12. The heavy duty truck of claim 11 wherein the fifth wheel hitch mounting structure comprises mounting legs and wherein the fifth wheel hitch includes ears with a clevis configuration that engage each mounting leg and are connected to themounting leg with a clevis pin.

13. A cross member assembly with an integrated fifth wheel hitch assembly for a vehicle having a pair of parallel spaced frame rails extending longitudinally for substantially the entire length of the vehicle, comprising: a cross memberassembly comprising: at least one center section; top and bottom tie plates attached to opposite ends at top and bottom portions of the at least one center section, the top tie plates including a center section flange connected to the center section anda frame rail flange for mounting to the frame rails; and a fifth wheel hitch assembly comprising: a fifth wheel hitch; and fifth wheel mounting structure for mounting the fifth wheel to the cross member assembly, wherein the fifth wheel mountingstructure is connected to the center section flange of the top tie plate.

14. The cross member assembly of claim 13, wherein the fifth wheel mounting structure comprises a sliding rail connected to the top tie plate center section flange.

15. The cross member assembly of claim 13, wherein the cross member assembly is configured to mount between frame rails, the frame rail flanges of the top tie plates and bottom tie plates being mountable on inner channels of the framerails.