Automatic hitch couplers

Claim 1

IN AN AUTOMATIC COUPLING, THE COMBINATION OF AN ELONGATED RAMP COUPLING MEMBER SWIVELLED NEAR ITS ONE END ON ONE OF TWO THINGS TO BE COUPLED TOGETHER AND ADAPTED WHEN UNCOUPLED TO GRAVITATE TO A REARWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INCLINED POSITION, A COUPLING TONGUE MEMBER EXTENDING FROM THE OTHER THING, GUIDE, MEANS ON THE FORWARD END OF SAID TONGUE TO ENGAGE AND RUN UP ON THE INCLINED RAMP TO CENTER THE TWO MEMBERS RELATIVE TO ONE ANOTHER, ONE OF SAID TONGUE AND RAMP MEMBERS HAVING A KEEPER PROJECTION ON ITS FORWARD END PORTION, A LATCH PIVOTED ON A HORIZONTAL AXIS TRANSVERSELY RELATIVE TO THE FRONT END PORTION OF THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND ARRANGED TO HOOK OVER SAID PROJECTION TO COUPLE SAID MEMBERS AND THEREBY COUPLE SAID TWO THINGS TOGETHER, SAID TONGUE BEING DISPOSED WITH ITS FRONT END ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE LOWER END OF SAID RAMP PREPARATORY TO THE COUPLING OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID RAMP BEING SWINGABLE UPWARDLY TOWARD PARALLELISM WITH SAID TONGUE WHEN SAID GUIDE MEANS RUNNING UP SAID RAMP RUNS FORWARDLY OVER THE SWIVEL SUPPORT ONTO THE FRONT END PORTION OF SAID RAMP IN THE COUPLING OPERATION, AND AN EYE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE TONGUE IN SUCH REARWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID KEEPER PROJECTION AND LATCH IN RELATION TO THE LENGTH OF SAID RAMP THAT THE REAR END PORTION OF SAID RAMP IS ENGAGEABLE IN SAID EYE IN THE FINAL RELATIVE ENDWISE MOVEMENT OF THE TONGUE AND RAMP MEMBERS AT THE END OF THE COUPLING OPERATION TO HOLD THE TONGUE AND RAMP MEMBERS IN ALIGNED AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP WHEN COUPLED.