초록 ▼

An automatic trailer hitch assembly mounts a shank unit on the trailer and a receiving unit on the towing vehicle. The shank unit provides an elongated shank member which mounts a trailer ball at one end coupled to a conventional trailer hitch ball socket housing secured to the trailer and at the op

An automatic trailer hitch assembly mounts a shank unit on the trailer and a receiving unit on the towing vehicle. The shank unit provides an elongated shank member which mounts a trailer ball at one end coupled to a conventional trailer hitch ball socket housing secured to the trailer and at the opposite end is formed to slide on funnel-like guide passages into the receiving unit. A spring leveler assembly is detachably secured as a subassembly to the trailing end of the shank unit, releasably grasps the ball socket housing and retains the shank unit properly positioned for coupling. The receiving unit has a locking pin which can be latched into a position allowing entry of the shank member into the receiving unit and when the shank unit is properly positioned therein is automatically unlatched and moved into a position for locking the shank unit and receiving unit together. The locking pin can also be restored to a latched position which enables the shank unit to be withdrawn from the receiving unit.

대표청구항 ▼

An automatic trailer hitch assembly for use with a towing vehicle and a towed trailer or other towed vehicle having a metal-formed housing with a ball socket at its towing end, comprising: (a) an elongated shank unit on the towed vehicle, said shank unit extending between leading and trailing ends a

An automatic trailer hitch assembly for use with a towing vehicle and a towed trailer or other towed vehicle having a metal-formed housing with a ball socket at its towing end, comprising: (a) an elongated shank unit on the towed vehicle, said shank unit extending between leading and trailing ends and including: (i) at the trailing end a ball member supported on a threaded stud secured to said trailing end and releaseably coupled in the ball socket of said housing; (ii) at the leading end curved surfaces facilitating the guidance of said leading end when in contact with guide surfaces; and (iii) a leveler assembly mounted on said trailing end comprising: (aa) a plate member supported on and releasably secured by said stud to said trailing end; and (bb) clamping means supported on and above said plate member and operative for resiliently and slidably grasping a portion of said housing to support said elongated shank unit appropriately positioned for coupling to a receiving unit; (b) a receiving unit on the towing vehicle having an entry wall portion formed for guiding said leading end and leading therefrom a tubular portion providing a bore for receiving a predetermined length of said shank unit; and (c) spring-loaded locking means mounted on said receiving unit and having a first cocked position in which said locking means is held latched and sufficiently free of said bore to permit passage of said shank structure unit therein and an uncocked position in which said locking means is unlatched and freed for releasably locking said shank unit and tubular structure together, said shank unit and locking means being operatively associated such that entry of said shank unit into said bore acts to release said locking means from said cocked to said uncocked position.