Slide lock trailer hitch

Claim 1

A trailer hitch comprising: a. a fore and aft elongated framework including a rear cross beam mounted on the front end of the trailer, said framework having a central longitudinal axis; b. a draft tube pivotally mounted at its after end on said cross beam substantially on said central longitudinal axis, said draft tube extending forwardly and being swingable from side in a substantially horizontal plane; c. a draw bar having its after portion slidably mounted within the forward portion of said draft tube for translational movement relative thereto between a first rearwardly retracted position and a second forwardly projected position; d. latch means for detachably locking said draft tube to said bar in said first position of said draw bar, said latch means including a latch bar mounted transversely on said draw bar, a transverse latch detent pivotally mounted on said draft tube and capable of engaging said latch bar in said first position of said draw bar, and a spring biasing said latch detent toward a position of engagement with said latch bar in said first position of said draw bar, said latch means further including a lever connected to said latch detent, said lever being capable of overcoming the biasing force of said spring and removing said latch detent from said latch bar upon the application of supervening force on said lever to permit the movement of said draw bar from said first position toward said second position; e. a transverse centering frame mounted on the forward end of said framework, said centering frame including a horizontal transverse top plate, a horizontal transverse bottom plate and a pair of vertical end plates defining with said top and bottom plates a horizontal transversely elongated aperture centered on said central longitudinal axis, said draw bar projecting forwardly through said aperture; f. coupling means on the forward end of said draw bar for detachably connecting said draw bar to a towing vehicle; and, g. centering means mounted on said draw bar and engageable with said end plates of said centering frame for biasing said draw bar toward alignment with said central longitudinal axis as said draw bar is urged from said second position toward said first position and said centering means encounters said end plates, said centering means including a pair of rearwardly converging side walls mounted on the lateral sides of said draw bar, said side walls being engageable with said vertical end plates of said centering frame as said draw bar is moved through said transversely elongated aperture from said second position toward said first position.