Truck-trailer combination with improved hitch

Claim 2

In a truck-trailer combination with the truck having a bed, an improved hitch unit comprising: a beam; a pair of spaced rigid members; resilient means interconnecting the beam and the members with the members being secured to and extending laterally from the beam at spaced locations thereon, one of the members being near one end of the beam and the other member being intermediate the ends of the beam; means coupled with the members for securing the same to the frame of the truck near the rear wheel assembly thereof with said beam extending forwardly of said other member; and a hitch ball secured to the beam forwardly of said other member.

Claim 3

In a combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included snubber means between said beam and said members.

Claim 4

In a combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the beam has means thereon for removably mounting said hitch ball thereon at any one of a number of operative locations along the length thereof.

Claim 5

In a combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein is included a tongue segment adapted to be coupled to the trailer and movable onto the ball, said segment having a hitch part provided with a recess for receiving the ball, and including a connector rotatably mounted on the lower part of the ball and movable into coupled relationship with said hitch part.

Claim 6

In a combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein said hitch part has a generally horizontally disposed flange provided with a recess in the outer periphery thereof, said connector including a body haVing an upper surface and a projection extending upwardly from the surface, said projection having a lateral portion in overlying spaced relationship to said upper surface, said portion receivable within the recess of the flange when the segment is lowered onto the ball, whereby the portion can be moved into overlying relationship with the flange to couple said hitch part to the ball when the connector is rotated through an angle relative to the ball.

Claim 7

In a combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein the segment has means thereon for adjustably mounting the same on the trailer.

Claim 8

In a combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ratio of the distance between the hitch ball and said other member and the distance between said members is a value between 1 and 2.

Claim 9

In combination: a pick-up truck having a flat bed and frame means beneath the bed; a hitch unit mounted on said bed near the rear end of the truck, said hitch unit including a beam and a pair of spaced, rigid members secured to and extending transversely of the beam at spaced locations along the length thereof, there being resilient snubber means between said beam and said members, one of the members being adjacent to the one end of the beam and the other member being intermediate the ends of the beam; means securing each rigid member, respectively, to said frame means with the beam extending fore-and-aft relative to the bed and said one end of the beam being adjacent to the rear of said bed; a hitch ball secured to said beam at a location near the other end thereof; a trailer having a tongue provided with a generally vertical segment; and means on the hitch ball and said segment for releasably interconnecting the same, whereby the truck can be coupled to the trailer and at least a portion of the load of the trailer will be distributed between the front and rear wheels of the truck.

Claim 10

In combination: a pick-up truck having a flat bed and frame means beneath the bed; a hitch unit mounted on said bed near the rear end of the truck, said hitch unit including a beam and a pair of spaced, rigid members secured to and extending transversely of the beam at spaced locations along the length thereof, there being resilient snubber means between said beam and said members, one of the members being adjacent to the one end of the beam and the other member being intermediate the ends of the beam; means securing each rigid member, respectively, to said frame means with the beam extending fore-and-aft relative to the bed and said one end of the beam being adjacent to the rear of said bed; a hitch ball secured to said beam at a location near the other end thereof; a trailer having a tongue provided with a generally vertical segment; and means on the hitch ball and said segment for releasably interconnecting the same, whereby the truck can be coupled to the trailer and at least a portion of the load of the trailer will be distributed between the front and rear wheels of the truck.

Claim 11

In the combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein said tongue has a gooseneck shape and includes a second, vertical segment, the first-mentioned vertical segment being tubular and telescopically receiving the second segment, there being means for adjustably interconnecting the first and second segments.

Claim 12

In the combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the lower end of the segment has a recess for receiving said hitch ball and a notched flange surrounding the recess, said hitch ball having a rotatable connector mounted thereon, said connector having a projecting portion for entering the notch of said flange and for overlying the flange when the hitch ball is received within said recess to thereby interconnect the hitch ball and the segment.

Claim 13

The combination as set forth in claim 8, wherein the ratio of the distance between the hitch ball and said other member and the distance between said members is a value between 1 and 2.