Trailer and wheel-coupled vehicle hitch therefor

Claim 1

A TRAILER COMPRISING: A CHASSIS INCLUDING GROUND-ENGAGING WHEEL MEANS; A PAIR OF HITCH ARMS CONNECTED AT THEIR REAR ENDS OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID CHASSIS AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY THEREFROM TO STRADDLE THE REAR WHEELS OF A TOWING VEHICLE; A WHEEL COUPLING PLATE AT THE FORWARD END OF EACH HITCH ARM; MEANS FOR ATTACHING EACH COUPLING PLATE TO A REAR WHEEL OF THE TOWING VEHICLE; A SELF-ALIGNING BEARING ON EACH COUPLING PLATE INCLUDING A HOUSING CENTRALLY MOUNTED ON THE RESPECTIVE COUPLING PLATE, A BALL WITHIN SAID HOUSING HAVING A SHAFT EXTENDING EXTERNALLY OF THE HOUSING TO ONE SIDE OF SAID PLATE THROUGH AN OPENING IN ONE END OF THE HOUSING, AND ROLLER BEARING MEANS IN SAID HOUSING MOUNTING SAID BALL IN SAID HOUSING FOR UNIVERSAL SWIVEL MOTION ABOUT A CENTER LOCATED APPROXIMATELY ON THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT AND ROTATION ABOUT SAID AXIS; MEANS SECURING THE OUTER END OF EACH SHAFT TO THE RESPECTIVE HITCH ARM; AND SAID ARMS BEING TORSIONALLY ELASTIC ALONG SUBSTANTIALLY THEIR ENTIRE LENGTH FROM SAID COUPLING PLATES TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ARMS AND SAID TRAILER CHASSIS.