Trailer hitch with extensible throat
US5630606A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1995 |
| Grant date | May 20, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60D1/40
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A ball and socket trailer hitch with a throat that is capable of automatically seating and locking a telescoping member capable of lateral swinging movement. The hitch allows a stationary towing vehicle having been imprecisely aligned with a stationary trailer to be coupled without realigning either the trailer or towing vehicle, and then, in one backing motion of the towing vehicle, automatically aligning and locking the hitch into a towing configuration. The preferred embodiment is made up of a frame, a frusto-pyramidally shaped throat, a matingly frusto-pyramidally shaped telescoping member to which a coupling structure which is accepted by the trailer is affixed, an elongated rail, a trunnion pivotally linking the rail to the throat, a locking-pin assembly, and a safety pin. The elongated rail is removably attached to the rear and narrowed portion of the throat by a removable trunnion, which permits the rail, which extends beyond the throat opening, to pivot laterally within the confines of the throat. The telescoping member is capable of being inserted into the throat and onto the rail, whereby the telescoping member may ride and provide the means by which the coupling structu…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.