Self-aligning wheeled trailer connecting mechanism
First Claim
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1. A trailer hitch for attaching a trailer to a vehicle, comprising:
- an attaching plate adapted for attachment to a trailer, and a receiving plate adapted for attachment to a vehicle;
the attaching plate having an aligning wedge having tapered side walls on opposite sides and a tapered bottom wall extending therefrom;
the receiving plate having a socket having tapered side walls on opposite sides and a tapered bottom wall adapted for accommodating the attaching plate aligning wedge; and
a pivotally mounted J-shaped latch carried on the attaching plate and adapted to extend over an edge of the receiving plate when the attaching plate and the receiving plate are brought together.
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Abstract
A trailer to vehicle laterally stable hitching mechanism wherein an attaching plate of the trailer vertically and laterally self-aligns into a receiving plate of the vehicle establishing the trailer as an operational extension of the vehicle.
32 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A trailer hitch for attaching a trailer to a vehicle, comprising:
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an attaching plate adapted for attachment to a trailer, and a receiving plate adapted for attachment to a vehicle; the attaching plate having an aligning wedge having tapered side walls on opposite sides and a tapered bottom wall extending therefrom; the receiving plate having a socket having tapered side walls on opposite sides and a tapered bottom wall adapted for accommodating the attaching plate aligning wedge; and a pivotally mounted J-shaped latch carried on the attaching plate and adapted to extend over an edge of the receiving plate when the attaching plate and the receiving plate are brought together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of attaching a trailer to a vehicle, comprising:
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providing a trailer with an attaching plate having a aligning wedge having tapered side walls and a tapered bottom wall extending therefrom; providing a vehicle with a receiving plate having a socket having tapered side walls on opposite sides and a tapered bottom wall adapted to accommodate the attaching plate tapered side walls on opposite sides and tapered bottom wall; and bringing the trailer and vehicle together, whereupon the attaching plate of the trailer and the receiving plate of the vehicle vertically and laterally self-align. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification