Rigid gauge for trailer kingpin assessment
US7073272B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 17, 2004 |
| Grant date | Jul 11, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 17, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB62D53/0842
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A gauge (100) for measuring wear of a trailer kingpin (10) provides, for each of the base (20) and shank (30) parts of a kingpin, two contiguous slots (118 and 120, and 114 and 116, respectively), one slot (118, 114) sized to indicate sufficient wear to warrant scheduling replacement or rebuilding, and the other, more lateral slot (120, 116), sized to indicate failure due to excessive wear. In described embodiments, the two pairs of contiguous slots (118 and 120, 114 and 116) are joined in the middle of the gauge (100) by an entrance area (112). A respective kingpin base (20) or shank (30) that does not pass, at its widest point, from the entrance area (112) into the respective slot (118, 114) has not worn to the point of warranting replacement or rebuilding. Embodiments of the kingpin gauge (100) may also have spaced apart open slots (141, 142) for measuring the length and trueness of a kingpin along its vertical axis (50).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.