Trailer coupling device

Claim 2

A trailer coupling device to releasably connect a trailer to a ball member on top of a stem extending from a cross member attached to a driving vehicle, said trailer coupling device comprising: a housing forming a chamber with a semispherical pocket towards the front end of the housing, said housing including a lower portion with a ball opening and a slot extending towards the front end of the housing for admitting the ball member inside the chamber through the ball opening, and for receiving the stem of the ball member in the slot as the ball member is moved in the chamber away from the ball opening towards the semispherical pocket, and said housing including an upper portion with a block opening; a block member movable up and down in the chamber through the block opening and over the ball opening; and a block moving member including an elongated bar having a forward end and a rear end and including a lifting arm fitted inside the chamber and extending downwardly from the rear end of the bar towards the front end of the bar, said rear end of the bar being pivotally connected to the housing, said forward end of the bar being movable upwardlY to pivot the rear end of the bar to cause the lifting arm to raise the block member through the block opening, and said forward end of the bar being movable downwardly to cause the bar to press against the block member inside the chamber in order to hold the ball member in the semispherical pocket.

Claim 3

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the bottom of said lower portion of the housing has an inwardly curved surface converging downwardly from the front end of the housing towards the ball opening for guiding the ball member into the ball opening.

Claim 4

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 2 in which said block member has a guide recess along its top surface to receive and guide the elongated bar as it is being moved, and said block member has a lifting recess along its bottom surface for receiving the free end of the lifting arm in order to lift the block member.

Claim 5

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 3 which additionally includes electrical switches on the bottom of the lower portion of the housing on both sides of the ball opening, said switches to be actuated by the cross member attached to the driving vehicle when the trailer is at a predetermined angle with respect to the driving vehicle, and which also includes means for securing the forward end of the elongated bar to the housing in order to prevent the block member from being raised in the chamber.

Claim 6

A trailer coupling device to releasably connect a trailer to a ball member on top of a stem extending from a cross member attached to a driving vehicle, said trailer coupling device comprising: a housing forming an elongated chamber with a semispherical pocket towards the front end of the housing, said housing including a lower portion with a ball opening and a slot extending towards the front end of the housing for admitting the ball member inside the chamber through the ball opening, and for receiving the stem of the ball member in the slot as the ball member is moved in the chamber away from the ball opening towards the semispherical pocket, and said housing including an upper portion with a block opening over the ball opening and with a slot extending towards the rear end of the housing; a block member movable up and down in the chamber through the block opening and over the ball opening, said block member including spring retained means to urge the ball member towards the semispherical pocket; and a block moving member including an elongated bar having a forward end and a rear end and including a lifting arm fitted inside the chamber through the slot in said upper portion of the housing and extending downwardly from the rear end of the bar towards the front end of the bar, said rear end of the bar being pivotally connected to the housing, said forward end of the bar being movable upwardly to pivot the rear end of the bar to cause the lifting arm to raise the block member through the block opening, and said forward end of the bar being movable downwardly to cause the bar to press against the block member inside the chamber in order to hold the ball member in the semispherical pocket.

Claim 7

A trailer coupling device to releasably connect a trailer to a ball member on top of a stem extending from a cross member attached to a driving vehicle, said trailer coupling device comprising: a housing forming an elongated chamber with a semispherical pocket towards the front end of the housing, said housing including a lower portion with a ball opening and a slot extending towards the front end of the housing for admitting the ball member inside the chamber through the ball opening, and for receiving the stem of the ball member in the slot as the ball member is moved in the chamber away from the ball opening towards the semispherical pocket, and said housing including an upper portion with a block opening over the ball opening and with a slot extending towards the rear end of the housing; a block member movable up and down in the chamber through the block opening and over the ball opening, said block member including spring retained means to urge the ball member towards the semispherical pocket; and a block moving member including an elongated bar having a forward end and a rear end and including a lifting arm fitted inside the chamber through the slot in said upper portion of the housing and extending downwardly from the rear end of the bar towards the front end of the bar, said rear end of the bar being pivotally connected to the housing, said forward end of the bar being movable upwardly to pivot the rear end of the bar to cause the lifting arm to raise the block member through the block opening, and said forward end of the bar being movable downwardly to cause the bar to press against the block member inside the chamber in order to hold the ball member in the semispherical pocket.

Claim 8

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 5 wherein the bottom of said lower portion of the housing has an inwardly curved surface converging downwardly from the front end of the housing towards the ball opening for guiding the ball member into the ball opening.

Claim 9

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 6 in which said block member has a guide recess along its top surface to receive and guide the elongated bar as it is being moved, and said block member has a lifting recess along its bottom surface for receiving the free end of the lifting arm in order to lift the block member.

Claim 10

The trailer coupling device in accordance with claim 6 which additionally includes electrical switches on the bottom of the lower portion of the housing on both sides of the ball opening, said switching to be actuated by the cross member attached to the driving vehicle when the trailer is at a predetermined angle with respect to the driving vehicle, and which also includes means for securing the forward end of the elongated bar to the housing in order to prevent the block member from being raised in the chamber.