Patent US3694006A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3694006A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Hitch combination for preventing the coupling of two vehicles having mismatching vehicle characteristics
Assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc
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Filing: 1970-11-27
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Granted: 1972-09-26
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Expires: 1990-11-27
Abstract
Abstract A hitch combination which includes a hitch constituting a part of one vehicle and a coupler constituting a part of another vehicle. The one vehicle includes a first key device which is correlated to a certain characteristic of the vehicle. The other vehicle includes a second key device which is correlated to a certain characteristic of the other vehicle. The key devices of the vehicles have interfering parts which serve to prevent securement of the coupler to the hitch when there is a mismatch of vehicle characteristics. When there is a match of vehicle characteristics, the key devices of the vehicles cooperate so as to permit the securement of the coupler to the hitch.
Inventors
- 👤 Arthur L Good
- 👤 Robert P Reese
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 15:08
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60D; B60D1/00; B60D1/01; B60D1/06; B60D1/065; B60D1/24; B60D1/36; B60D1/363; B60D1/58; B60D1/60
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
In a hitch combination including a coupler constituting a part of a first vehicle and a hitch constituting a part of a second vehicle, one of said coupler and hitch including a ball having a maximum transverse dimension, the other of said coupler and hitch having a ball socket which has a minimum transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension of said ball whereby said ball may be received within said ball socket, at least one of said coupler and hitch including securement means for locking said ball within said ball socket, said first vehicle having a characteristic, said second vehicle having a related characteristic, the improvement wherein said first vehicle includes a first key means forming a permanently fixed component of said first vehicle and said second vehicle includes a second key means forming a permanently fixed component of said second vehicle, said first key means being correlated to said first vehicle characteristic and said second key means being correlated to said second vehicle characteristic, said first key means including a part interfering with a part of said second key means so as to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said first key means part cooperating with said second key means part so as to permit said ball to be locked within said ball socket when there is a match of said first and second vehicle characteristics.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
244 words
In a hitch combination including a coupler constituting a part of a first vehicle and a hitch constituting a part of a second vehicle, one of said coupler and hitch including a ball having a maximum transverse dimension, the other of said coupler and hitch having a ball socket which has a minimum transverse dimension exceeding the maximum transverse dimension of said ball whereby said ball may be received within said ball socket, at least one of said coupler and hitch including securement means for locking said ball within said ball socket, said first vehicle having a characteristic, said second vehicle having a related characteristic, the improvement wherein said first vehicle includes a first key means forming a permanently fixed component of said first vehicle and said second vehicle includes a second key means forming a permanently fixed component of said second vehicle, said first key means being correlated to said first vehicle characteristic and said second key means being correlated to said second vehicle characteristic, said first key means including a part interfering with a part of said second key means so as to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said first key means part cooperating with said second key means part so as to permit said ball to be locked within said ball socket when there is a match of said first and second vehicle characteristics.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said first key means is correlated in size to said first vehicle characteristic and said second key means is correlated in size to said second vehicle characteristic.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said first key means is correlated to said first vehicle characteristic by location relative to said ball and said second key means is correlated to said second vehicle characteristic by location relative to said ball socket.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
130 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said ball has a cavity formed therein, said cavity constituting one of said first and second key means and having a depth correlated to one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, the other of said coupler and hitch carrying a pin projecting into said ball socket, said pin constituting the other of said first and second key means and having its length correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said pin extending into said cavity when said ball socket is positioned over said ball and engaging a bottom wall part of said cavity so as to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
The hitch combination of claim 4 wherein said first vehicle characteristic is the weight of said first vehicle and said second vehicle characteristic is the load capacity of said hitch, said pin engaging said wall part of said cavity so as to prevent the securement of said coupler to said hitch when said first vehicle weight exceeds said hitch load capacity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
95 words
The hitch combination of claim 4 wherein said cavity is formed in the top of said ball and has a specific depth as measured from the top of said ball to said cavity wall part, said ball socket defined by an upper end wall, said pin having one end anchored to said upper end wall and extending from said wall downwardly into said socket, said pin having a length as measured from said upper end wall which exceeds said depth of said cavity when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
149 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said ball has a cavity formed therein, said cavity constituting one of said first and second key means and having a minimum transverse dimension correlated to one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said other of said coupler and hitch carrying a pin projecting into said ball socket, said pin constituting the other of said first and second key means and having a maximum transverse dimension correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said pin being generally aligned with said cavity when said ball socket is positioned over said ball, the maximum transverse dimension of said pin exceeding the minimum transverse dimension of said cavity when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics so as to prevent said pin from entering said cavity and said ball from being locked within said ball socket.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
55 words
The hitch combination of claim 7 wherein said first vehicle characteristic is the weight of said first vehicle and said second vehicle characteristic is the load capacity of said hitch, said maximum transverse dimension of said pin exceeding the minimum transverse dimension of said cavity when said first vehicle weight exceeds said hitch load capacity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
156 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said ball carries a pin projecting from the arcuate surface of said ball, said pin constituting one of said first and second key means and having a maximum transverse dimension correlated to said one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said other of the coupler and hitch having an opening therein communicating with said ball socket, said opening constituting the other of said first and second key means and having a minimum transverse dimension correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said pin being generally aligned with said opening when said ball socket is positioned over said ball, the maximum transverse dimension of said pin exceeding the minimum transverse dimension of said opening when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics to prevent said pin from extending into said opening and said ball from being locked within said ball socket.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The hitch combination of claim 9 wherein said first vehicle characteristic is the weight of said first vehicle and said second vehicle characteristic is the load capacity of said hitch, said maximum transverse dimension of said pin exceeding the minimum transverse dimension of said opening when said first vehicle weight exceeds said hitch load capacity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
215 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 and a generally vertical projection carried by said one of the coupler and hitch and spacedly positioned from said ball, said projection constituting one of said first and second key means With the distance between the center of said ball and the projection being correlated to one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, a generally horizontal extension carried by the other of said coupler and hitch and having an end located outwardly from said ball socket, said extension constituting the other of said first and second key means with the distance between said end of the extension and the center of said ball socket being correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said center of said ball socket being that spacial location substantially coinciding with the center of said ball when said ball is locked within said ball socket, said projection and extension being radially aligned upon the positioning of said ball socket over said ball, said distance between the end of said extension and the center of said ball socket exceeding the distance between said ball center and said projection when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
212 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 and a generally horizontal extension carried by said one of the coupler and hitch and having an end spacedly positioned from said ball, said extension constituting one of said first and second key means with the distance between said extension end and the vertical axis of said ball being correlated to one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, a generally vertical projection carried by said other of the coupler and hitch and spacedly positioned from said ball socket, said projection constituting the other of said first and second key means with the distance between said projection and vertical axis of the ball socket being correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said vertical axis of the ball socket being that locus intersecting the center of said ball when said ball is locked within said ball socket, said extension and projection being radially aligned upon positioning of said ball socket over said ball, said distance between the end of said extension and vertical ball axis exceeding said distance between said projection and the vertical axis of said ball socket when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
187 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said ball has a vertical slot formed therein at one side of said ball, said slot constituting one of said first and second key means with the size of said slot being correlated to one of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said other of the coupler and hitch including a tab located adjacent the lower opening of said ball socket and projecting into said socket, said tab constituting the other of said first and second key means with the size of said tab being correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said tab adapted to extend into said ball slot with clearance as said other of the coupler and hitch is lowered over said one of the coupler and hitch with the ball being received within said socket when there is a match of said first and second vehicle characteristics, the size of said tab exceeding the size of said slot when there is a mismatch of first and second vehicle characteristics so as to prevent the ball from being locked within said ball socket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
168 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein said first vehicle has X and Y characteristics and said second vehicle has W and Z characteristics, said first vehicle including a third key means in addition to its first key means, said first key means being correlated to said X characteristic, said third key means being correlated to said Y characteristic, said second vehicle including a fourth key means in addition to its second key means, said second key means correlated to said W characteristic, said fourth key means correlated to said Z characteristic, said first key means incLuding a part interfering with a part of said second key means so as to prevent securement of said coupler to said hitch when there is a mismatch of said X and W characteristics, said third key means including a part interfering with a part of said fourth key means so as to prevent securement of said coupler to said hitch when there is a mismatch of said Y and Z characteristics.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
104 words
The hitch combination of claim 1 wherein a portion of said ball constitutes one of said first and second key means parts, the other of said coupler and hitch carrying a pin projecting into said ball socket, said pin constituting the other of said first and second key means parts and having its length correlated to the other of said first and second vehicle characteristics, said pin abutting said ball when said ball socket is positioned over said ball so as to prevent said ball from being locked within said ball socket when there is a mismatch of said first and second vehicle characteristics.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a hitch adapted for securement to a towing vehicle and carrying a hitch ball of a maximum transverse dimension, the improvement comprising key means permanently carried by said hitch and cooperable with associated key means permanently carried by selected couplers of a plurality of couplers, each of said plurality of couplers having a hitch ball socket of a minimum transverse dimension greater than the maximum transverse dimension of said hitch ball and each secured to a towed vehicle, said hitch carried key means for permitting said hitch ball to be received within the sockets of said selected couplers only to effect couplings between said hitch and selected couplers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
109 words
In a hitch adapted for securement to a towing vehicle and carrying a hitch ball of a maximum transverse dimension, the improvement comprising key means permanently carried by said hitch and cooperable with associated key means permanently carried by selected couplers of a plurality of couplers, each of said plurality of couplers having a hitch ball socket of a minimum transverse dimension greater than the maximum transverse dimension of said hitch ball and each secured to a towed vehicle, said hitch carried key means for permitting said hitch ball to be received within the sockets of said selected couplers only to effect couplings between said hitch and selected couplers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3237969A
Cited
US3442534A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-26 | 1976-03-27 | 1976-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-26 | 1980-03-27 | 1980-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-26 | 1984-03-27 | 1984-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |