The invention relates to a removable supporting cross-member (1) comprising: a built-in adjustable-height fifth wheel (18) for receiving the kingpin of semi-trailer, and front (26, 27) and rear (28) openings for the passage of the fork arms of a forklift truck or tractor. The invention can be used for moving a semi-trailer, positioning the semi-trailer horizontally on a carriage and securing same for transport, as well as for the corresponding operations during unloading, using only a forklift truck or tractor suitably dimensioned for the loads to be supplied. The invention is suitable for use by those involved in intermodal trail transport.

A reinforcement panel for the floor of a pick-up truck bed. The reinforcement panel is assembled between the floor of the pick-up truck and a fifth wheel cross member. The reinforcement panel includes transversely extending reinforcing or stiffening ribs. The stiffening ribs resist deflection in the area of the gooseneck ball receptacle.

A fifth wheel hitch is shown and described. The fifth wheel hitch may include a base frame configured to be secured to a load bed of a towing vehicle, a trolley operatively engaged with the base frame, the trolley adapted to move along the base frame between first and second positions, and a cam member attached with the base frame, the cam member having a cam path. The fifth wheel hitch may also include a cam follower coupled with the trolley, the cam follower operatively engaged with the cam path, and a fifth wheel head pivotally coupled with the trolley, where the trolley is moved between the first and second positions in response to pivoting of the fifth wheel head.

A fifth wheel hitch may include at least one support frame capable of engaging with a towing vehicle. The fifth wheel hitch may further include a cross-member attached to the support frame and an isolation system operatively coupled with the cross-member. The isolation system may include a beam engaged with the cross-member about a first axis, where rotation of the beam about the first axis is dampened via a cross-member isolator. The isolation system may also include a skid plate engaged with the beam about a second axis, where rotation of the skid plate about the second axis is dampened via a wing isolator.

A reinforcement panel for the floor of a pick-up truck bed. The reinforcement panel is assembled between the floor of the pick-up truck and a fifth wheel cross member. The reinforcement panel includes transversely extending reinforcing or stiffening ribs. The stiffening ribs resist deflection in the area of the gooseneck ball receptacle.

A convertible towing coupler is designed to attach to a towing vehicle using either a bed-mounted rail system or puck system. The convertible towing coupler can switch between a gooseneck attachment and a fifth wheel/kingpin attachment without having to remove the fifth wheel. The coupler includes a gooseneck frame with a gooseneck ball and fixed rails on either side of the gooseneck ball and a fifth wheel frame that is supported by the fixed rails. The fifth wheel frame can be secured to the gooseneck frame in a first position where it at least partially blocks the gooseneck ball and a second position where the gooseneck ball is useable. If the convertible coupler is used with a puck system, a puck-to-rail frame is attached to the towing vehicle and the gooseneck frame is affixed to the puck-to-rail frame.

A truck towing system is described. The truck towing system provides for a first truck to tow a second truck in a back to front relationship, i.e., the front portion of the second truck (the towed truck) is connected or attached to a rear portion of the first truck (the towing truck). The truck towing system includes an upper member to connect with a first truck. A middle member joins the upper member and a lower member in a fixed engagement. The lower member supports a front portion of a second truck. A beam member is engaged to the lower member. The beam member connects to a rear portion of the second truck.

A fine-alignment coupling system for coupling a trailer and a towing vehicle includes a housing including a first plate and a second plate coupled to one another; a connector carriage within the housing and configured to move relative to the housing along a first direction, the connector carriage including: a first connector head including a plurality of electrical connection terminals and a pneumatic terminal; and an actuator fixedly coupled to the housing and configured to move the connector carriage relative to the housing along the first direction.

A coupling system for a towing vehicle that includes at least one sensor, and a fifth wheel arrangement that includes a fifth wheel plate and at least one bearing block, wherein the fifth wheel plate has a trailer surface and an entry opening, wherein the trailer surface has an outwardly pointing normal, wherein the entry opening extends in an entry direction, wherein the fifth wheel plate is pivotably beard about a transverse axis relative to the bearing block, wherein the bearing block has a contact surface, wherein the contact surface lies in a contact plane, wherein the sensor indirectly and/or directly detects a pitch angle about the transverse axis contactlessly, and wherein the sensor is arranged in the immediate vicinity of the fifth wheel plate.

A fifth wheel configured to reversibly couple a trailer to a tractor including a coupling plate configured to receive a journal element of the trailer and a bearing block configured to pivotably bear the coupling plate about a pivot axis, in particular about a horizontally extending pivot axis, at least one distance sensor being provided which determines a distance with respect to a reference surface, the at least one distance sensor and/or the reference surface being arranged as part of the bearing block or on the bearing block.