Trailer hitch

Claim 2

A rain-resistant snubbing hitch for a towed/towing vehicle combination, comprising: a lower plate; an inner hollow cone affixed to said lower plate; an upper plate; an outer hollow cone affixed to said upper plate, said outer cone positioned circumjacent to said inner cone, and providing a rain-protective covering therefor; the tapered surfaces of said cones positioned to face each other in a coacting relationship; a layer of friction material mounted on the tapered surface of one of said cones, whereby said cones and said friction material define a rotation snubbing arrangement; spring means, positioned in the inner space common to both said hollow cones, for interconnecting and spacing said cones; means for attaching one of said cones to one of said vehicles; means for attaching the other of said cone to the other of said vehicles; said attaching means permitting snubbed rotation of said vehicles.

Claim 3

A rain-resistant hitch for snubbing rotation when one vehicle tows another vehicle, comprising: a lower plate; a first hollow cylinder, having its outer face tapered to form an inner cone, affixed to said lower plate; a layer of friction material affixed to the tapered surface of said inner cone; an upper plate; a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone affixed to said upper plate, said second cylinder providing a rain protective enclosure for said first cylinder; the tapered surfaces of said cones positioned to face each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones; means, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship; first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having the first ends thereof affixed to said lower plate, and having the other ends thereof linked to said towed vehicle; second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof affixed tO said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle; said attaching means permitting snubbed rotation to occur between said cones.

Claim 4

A rain-resistant hitch for snubbing rotation when one vehicle tows another vehicle, comprising: a lower plate; a first hollow cylinder, having its outer face tapered to form an inner cone, affixed to said lower plate; a layer of friction material affixed to the tapered surface of said inner cone; an upper plate; a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone affixed to said upper plate, said second cylinder providing a rain protective enclosure for said first cylinder; the tapered surfaces of said cones positioned to face each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones; means, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship; first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having the first ends thereof affixed to said lower plate, and having the other ends thereof linked to said towed vehicle; second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof affixed tO said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle; said attaching means permitting snubbed rotation to occur between said cones.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 2, wherein said maintaining means comprises a spring interconnecting and spacing said cones.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 2, wherein said upper plate comprises a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 4, wherein said towing bar is positioned between, and affixed to, said pair of guides of said upper plate.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 2, wherein said lower plate comprises a block having a pair of receiving holes for receiving said pair of equalizing rods.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6, wherein said equalizing rod receiving holes are at a sharper angle than the tongue arms of said towed vehicle for placing said equalizing rods under a constant spreading tension.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6, wherein respective auxiliary tubes surround respective equalizing rods, said rod/tube combinations forming stronger composite equalizing rods.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8, including means for retaining said rod/tube combination in said hole of said block, said retaining means comprising a longitudinal socket in the end of said rod; a washer having an elongated central opening; a headed pin traversing said washer opening, and being received in said longitudinal socket at the end of said equalizing rod.

Claim 12

A rain-resistant trailer hitch for permitting one vehicle to tow another vehicle, and to provide a snubbing action against relative rotation at the hitch comprising: a blocklike lower plate having a pair of holes therein for receiving a pair of equalizing rods; a first, hollow cylindrical cylinder having its outer surface tapered to form an inner cone, said first cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said lower plate; a layer of friction material mounted on the tapered surface of said inner cone; an upper plate; a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone, said second cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said upper plate, and providing a rain-protective enclosure for said inner cone; the tapered surfaces of said cones facing each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones; a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides affixed to said upper plate; means, comprising a spring interconnecting and spacing said cones, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship; first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having their first ends receiving in said receiving holes of said blocklike lower plate, and having their other ends linked to said towed vehicle; second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof positioned between and affixed to said guides of said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle; said attaching means providing snubbed rotation when said towed vehicle tends to wander from the true towing track.

Claim 13

A rain-resistant trailer hitch for permitting one vehicle to tow another vehicle, and to provide a snubbing action against relative rotation at the hitch comprising: a blocklike lower plate having a pair of holes therein for receiving a pair of equalizing rods; a first, hollow cylindrical cylinder having its outer surface tapered to form an inner cone, said first cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said lower plate; a layer of friction material mounted on the tapered surface of said inner cone; an upper plate; a second hollow cylinder having its inner surface tapered to form an outer cone, said second cylinder being substantially perpendicularly positioned, and being affixed to said upper plate, and providing a rain-protective enclosure for said inner cone; the tapered surfaces of said cones facing each other in a coacting relationship, whereby said cones and said friction material form an arrangement for snubbing relative rotation between said cones; a pair of spaced apart vertically extending guides affixed to said upper plate; means, comprising a spring interconnecting and spacing said cones, positioned along the axial portion of said cones, for maintaining said cones in said coacting relationship; first means for attaching said first cone to said towed vehicle, said first attaching means comprising a pair of V-connected equalizing rods having their first ends receiving in said receiving holes of said blocklike lower plate, and having their other ends linked to said towed vehicle; second means for attaching said second cone to said towing vehicle, said second attaching means comprising a towing bar having one end thereof positioned between and affixed to said guides of said upper plate, and having the other end thereof affixed to said towing vehicle; said attaching means providing snubbed rotation when said towed vehicle tends to wander from the true towing track.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10, wherein said equalizing rod comprises a standard equalizing rod surrounded by an auxiliary tube for providing a composite equalizing rod of desired strength.