Trailer hitch safety device

Claim 2

In a hitch for connecting a trailer to a propelling vehicle, said hitch including a ball member having a portion extending through an opening in an attaching member carried by said propelling vehicle, means for connecting the ball member to the attaching member, and a socket member fixed to the trailer and having a recess engageable with said ball member; the improvement comprising said ball member having a bore extending entirely through the same along a vertical axis and said socket member having an opening extending entirely through the same along the vertical axis of said recess, rod means having a first portion extending through the bore of the ball member and the opening of said socket member and a second portion overlying said socket member, the end of said first portion remote from said second portion having a transverse opening, and pin means mounted in said transverse opening, said pin means extending outwardly of said rod means a distance greater than the size of the opening in the attaching member of said propelling vehicle, whereby said rod means and said pin means provide a safety connection between said propelling vehicle and said trailer.

Claim 3

The structure of claim 1 in which the opening in said socket member is larger in diameter than the bore of said ball member.

Claim 4

The structure of claim 1 in which said pin means includes an elongated pin.

Claim 5

The structure of claim 1 in which said pin means includes a lock member.

Claim 6

A safety hitch for selectively connecting a trailing vehicle having a tongue to a propelling vehicle having an attaching member with an opening therethrough, comprising a ball member carried by said propelling vehicle, said ball member including a body having an enlarged substantially spherical portion at one end, mounting means at the other end of said body extending through the opening in the attaching member, means for connecting said mounting means to said attaching member along a generally vertical axis, said Body having an axial bore extending entirely through the same, a socket member fixed to the tongue of the trailing vehicle, said socket member having a partly spherical recess for receiving the enlarged spherical portion of said body, said socket member having an opening extending entirely through the same along the vertical axis of said recess, the opening of said socket member being substantially larger than the bore of said ball member, substantially rigid rod means having an elongated substantially straight lower portion extending through the opening of said socket member and extending through the bore of said ball member, said rod means having an upper portion disposed at an angle to said lower portion and extending outwardly to a position overlying said socket member, said rod means having a transverse opening extending entirely through the same adjacent to the lower end of said lower portion, pin means receivable within said transverse opening of said rod means and extending outwardly of said rod means a distance greater than the size of the opening of the attaching member, whereby said rod means provides a safety connection between said propelling vehicle and said trailing vehicle.

Claim 7

A safety hitch for selectively connecting a trailing vehicle having a tongue to a propelling vehicle having an attaching member with an opening therethrough, comprising a ball member carried by said propelling vehicle, said ball member including a body having an enlarged substantially spherical portion at one end, mounting means at the other end of said body extending through the opening in the attaching member, means for connecting said mounting means to said attaching member along a generally vertical axis, said Body having an axial bore extending entirely through the same, a socket member fixed to the tongue of the trailing vehicle, said socket member having a partly spherical recess for receiving the enlarged spherical portion of said body, said socket member having an opening extending entirely through the same along the vertical axis of said recess, the opening of said socket member being substantially larger than the bore of said ball member, substantially rigid rod means having an elongated substantially straight lower portion extending through the opening of said socket member and extending through the bore of said ball member, said rod means having an upper portion disposed at an angle to said lower portion and extending outwardly to a position overlying said socket member, said rod means having a transverse opening extending entirely through the same adjacent to the lower end of said lower portion, pin means receivable within said transverse opening of said rod means and extending outwardly of said rod means a distance greater than the size of the opening of the attaching member, whereby said rod means provides a safety connection between said propelling vehicle and said trailing vehicle.