Truck trailer hitch

• US 4,953,883 A
• Filed: 04/26/1989
• Issued: 09/04/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Simon Helie
• Original Assignee: Simon Helie
• Inventors: Helie, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): HILL, MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US07/344,242
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 280/479.1, 280/477, 280/476.1, 280/504, 280/515
• US Class Current: 280/477
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/04 Hook or hook-and-hasp couplings
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/465 comprising a lifting mechanism, e.g. for coupling while lifting

Abstract

The trailer hitch comprises an arm mounted on a motor vehicle through a horizontal, transversal pivot, and having a rear, free end distant from the pivot and formed with an arcuate, convex surface for supporting the draw pole of the trailer. The draw pole has its front, free end provided with a coupling ring. The arm is rotated about its horizontal pivot with the arcuate surface supporting the draw pole in order to successively lift and lower the pole free end and therefore the coupling ring and thereby enable engagement of the coupling ring with an upwardly projecting pintle hook secured to the motor vehicle. Engagement of the coupling ring with the pintle hook hitches the trailer to the vehicle.

Claims

1. A trailer hitch for hitching to a motor vehicle a trailer having a draw pole with a first end attached to the trailer and with a second end which is free, the trailer hitch comprising:

a first coupling member secured to the second end of the draw pole, the first coupling member comprising a coupling ring secured to the second end of the draw pole;

a second coupling member fixedly attached to the motor vehicle and engageable with the first coupling member to hitch the trailer to the said motor vehicle, the second coupling member comprising an upwardly projecting pintle hook with an upper free end fixedly attached to the said motor vehicle;

an arm pivotally mounted on the motor vehicle through a substantially horizontal pivot, said arm having a free end distant from the said pivot and provided with means for supporting the said draw pole, the substantially horizontal pivot being lower than the said pintle hook;

said draw pole supporting means comprises the free end of the pivoting arm formed with an arcuate, convex surface for engaging the underside of said draw pole

arm rotating means for rotating said pivoting arm about a substantially horizontal pivot, the arm rotating means comprising means for rotating the said arm about a pivot in a first direction of rotation with the draw pole supported by the said arcuate, convex surface to lift the coupling ring until the same is higher than the upper free end of the pintle hook, whereby said coupling ring may be positioned above the pintle hook by moving the motor vehicle toward the trailer with the draw pole sliding on the arcuate surface;

said arm rotating means also comprising means for rotating said pivoting arm about the substantially horizontal pivot in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first rotation direction with the draw pole supported by the arcuate surface when the coupling ring is above the pintle hook in order to lower the coupling ring on the pintle hook and thereby engage the said ring with the said pintle hook; and

whereby, in operation, said pivoting arm is rotated about said pivot with the free end of the arm supporting the draw pole in order to control in height the position of the pole, the second end and the first coupling member and thereby enable engagement of the said first coupling member with the second coupling member.

2. The trailer hitch of claim 1, wherein the said arm rotating means further comprises means for rotating the pivoting arm about the substantially horizontal pivot in the first rotation direction with the draw pole supported by the arcuate surface, when the said coupling ring is engaged with the pintle hook, to lift the coupling ring until it is higher than the upper free end of the pintle hook, whereby moving the motor vehicle away from the trailer with the draw pole sliding on the said arcuate surface unhitch the said trailer from the motor vehicle.

3. The trailer hitch of claim 2, further comprising means for locking the said coupling ring on the pintle hook, as well as means for preventing forth and back movement of the coupling ring with respect to the said pintle hook.

4. The trailer hitch of claim 1, comprising means for laterally guiding the coupling ring toward the hook to position said ring above said hook as the motor vehicle moves toward the trailer with the draw pole sliding on the convex, arcuate surface.

5. The trailer hitch of claim 4, in which the said ring guiding means comprises two vertical surfaces converging toward the pintle hook.

6. The trailer hitch of claim 1, further comprising means for locking the said coupling ring on the pintle hook, and means for preventing forth and back movement of the coupling ring with respect to the said pintle hook.

7. The trailer hitch of claim 1, in which said arm rotating means comprises remotely operable means for rotating said pivoting arm about the said substantially horizontal pivot.

8. The trailer hitch of claim 7, wherein said pivoting arm comprises a second end distant from the said pivot, and wherein said remotely operable arm rotating means comprises a hydraulic cylinder with one end connected to the second end of the pivoting arm and with another end connected to the vehicle.

9. The trailer hitch of claim 8, further comprising means for locking said coupling ring on the pintle hook, and means for preventing forth and back movement of the coupling ring with respect to the said pintle hook.

10. The trailer hitch of claim 1, in which said pivoting arm is made of first and second tube sections with cross sections of different area, the first tube section comprising said free end of the pivoting arm with said means for supporting the draw pole and having a second end which can be fitted within one end of the second tube section pivotally mounted on the motor vehicle through the said substantially horizontal pivot, said pivoting arm further comprising means for locking the second end of the first tube section into the said one end of the second tube section and for unlocking the second end of the first tube section from the said one end of the second tube section, whereby the first tube section can be installed on and removed from the said second tube section.

11. The trailer hitch of claim 10, wherein the said draw pole supporting means comprises arcuate plate means defining a convex surface for engaging the underside of the draw pole, said arcuate plate means being mounted on the said free end of the first tube section.

12. The trailer hitch of claim 10, in which the first and second tube sections are square in cross section.