Trailer coupling means

Claim 3

In an apparatus for joining a trailer and automobile together, the combination comprising: a. an automobile or like vehicle, said automobile having a carriage with front and rear ground wheels and a body means, b. sub-frame means mounted on said carriage and extending to said body means, said frame means having a center of weight distribution for the trailer forward of said rear wheels of the automobile, c. demountable frame means mounted on the exterior of said body means and fixably attached to said sub-frame means, d. a trailer, with ground engaging means, said trailer having a second frame means extending forwardly of said ground engaging means for coupling to said automobile, e. first plate means mounted on said demountable frame means, said first plate means defining an aperture therein, f. a second plate mounted on said second frame means, said second plate defining a pivot means which extends through the aperture defined in said first plate means, roller means connected to said trailer frame means for supporting the load of said trailer and transmitting it to said second plate, said roller means being mounted to pivot about said pivot means.

Claim 4

In an apparatus for joining a trailer and automobile together, the combination comprising: a. an automobile or like vehicle, said automobile having a carriage with front and rear ground wheels and a body means, b. sub-frame means mounted on said carriage and extending to said body means, said frame means having a center of weight distribution for the trailer forward of said rear wheels of the automobile, c. demountable frame means mounted on the exterior of said body means and fixably attached to said sub-frame means, d. a trailer, with ground engaging means, said trailer having a second frame means extending forwardly of said ground engaging means for coupling to said automobile, e. first plate means mounted on said demountable frame means, said first plate means defining an aperture therein, f. a second plate mounted on said second frame means, said second plate defining a pivot means which extends through the aperture defined in said first plate means, roller means connected to said trailer frame means for supporting the load of said trailer and transmitting it to said second plate, said roller means being mounted to pivot about said pivot means.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said sub-frame means further defines at least one mounting plate mounted on said sub-frame substantially flush with said body member, and matching plate means mounted on said demountable plate means for securing said demountable frame to said sub-frame at a point substantially flush with said body contour.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said demountable frame means is cantilevered forward at its attachment to said sub-frame to throw the center of weight distribution forward of said rear wheels.

Claim 7

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second plate further defines a detent means for said roller means, said roller and detent means combining to provide self-alignment between said automobile and trailer.

Claim 8

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pivot means is resiliently mounted within said aperture defined by said second plate.

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second plate defines a protuberance for engagement in the aperture defined by said first plate means, said first plate means also having a self-locking means for gripping said protuberance when said plates are aligned.

Claim 10

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said roller means is mounted on a second plate means, said first plate means and second plate being mounted together for adjustment along the longitudinal axis of said automobile and trailer.

Claim 11

An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said roller means is mounted on a second plate means with said second plate means secured to said first plate means by a spring-loaded self-aligning means.