Trailer hitch alignment apparatus

• US 4,723,788 A
• Filed: 06/17/1986
• Issued: 02/09/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James G. Suter
• Original Assignee: James G. Suter
• Inventors: Suter, James G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Watts, Charles R.
• Application Number:
  US06/875,173
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 280/477, 33/264, 116/28 R, 280/507
• US Class Current: 280/477
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/36 for facilitating connection, e.g. hitch catchers , visual guide means, signalling aids B60D1/465 takes precedence; vehicle signalling in general B60Q; optical arrangements specially adapted for viewing trailer-hitches B60R1/003

Abstract

An apparatus for facilitating the alignment of a trailer hitch socket with the ball mounted on the towing vehicle is provided wherein a couple of interfitting masts are used. The first mast mounts atop the socket on the trailer tongue and extends vertically upward high enough to the point which it is visible from the towing vehicle. The second mast has a collar to engage it on the ball of the trailer hitch attached to the towing vehicle. It also extends upwardly to a height at which it is visible from within the towing vehicle. As the vehicle backs up toward the trailer, the driver can see the two masts and steer such that they will come closer and closer together and finally nest together when the socket is directly over the ball.

Claims

1. A trailer hitch alignment apparatus for aligning a ball of a towing vehicle with a socket defined in a tongue of a trailer, comprising:

(a) a first mast comprising a single pipe having an upper portion and a cylindrical lower portion, said lower portion including a top end and a bottom end, said upper portion being defined by a forwardly opening semi-cylinder formed by a longitudinally cut portion of the pipe;

the top end of said lower portion defining a shoulder, the bottom end of said cylindrical lower portion removably mounted on the top surface of the socket defined in the tongue of the trailer, said socket having an open bottom face;

(b) means for mounting said first mast substantially vertically extended above said socket, comprising an elastic band and an "H" shaped socket spanner plate minus for lying across the open bottom face of said socket, said elastic band being engaged around the shoulder of said first mast and down around the tongue of said trailer and around said "H" shaped socket spanner plate; and

(c) a second mast having a collar for slipping on and engaging said ball, said ball having a front end and said mast extending upwardly along side the front end of said ball and having a rear-jogging gooseneck which jogs rearwardly to directly above the ball at which point said second mast continues upwardly from just above the height of the shoulder of said first mast.

2. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said first mast and second mast are in contrasting colors to facilitate aligning same.

3. Structure according to claim 1 wherein said second mast extends to above said first mast to facilitate visually following said second mast as the vehicle is moved rearwardly.

4. Structure according to claim 1 wherein the collar of said second mast comprises a resilient split collar which slips over and frictionally engages said ball.

5. Structure according to claim 4 and including an elastic band around said collar to increase the tension of same around said ball.

6. Structure according to claim 5 wherein both of said masts are made from PVC plumbing pipe.