Retractable trailer hitch ball

Claim 2

A retractable hitch ball assembly comprising a housing adapted to be fixed to the bottom side of a truck bed adjacent to a hitch ball clearance opening in such bed, an elevator plate for a hitch ball pivotally mounted for vertical swinging movement in said housing, a hitch ball having a lost motion pivotal connection with the elevator plate in said housing and extending above the elevator plate, the housing having a hitch ball clearance opening formed in its top wall through which the hitch ball can be extended or retracted by the swinging movement of the elevator plate, and a remotely operated linear actuator means in said housing including a cam-like elevating and load bearing block element adapted to slide under the elevator plate and traverse the elevator plate in opposite directions to raise and lower the elevator plate with said hitch ball.

Claim 3

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 1, and a biasing spring within said housing and bearing downwardly on the elevator plate and depressing it on its pivot toward the bottom wall of the housing to maintain the hitch ball retracted in said housing.

Claim 4

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 1, and the linear actuator means comprising a substantially horizontal axis hydraulic cylinder having an extensible and retractable rod connected with said block element, and the block element having sliding engagement with the bottom face of said elevator plate and sliding engagement with the bottom wall of said housing.

Claim 5

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 3, and said elevator plate having a substantially flat bottom surface and said block element having an arcuate upper leading corner engaging the bottom surface of the elevator plate with a camming action.

Claim 6

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 4, and the block element having a substantially level top face rearwardly of said arcuate corner and a parallel flat bottom face, whereby the block element can stably support a substantial load transmitted to it through the hitch ball while the block element and hitch ball are in extended positions with the block element in general vertical alignment with said hitch ball.

Claim 7

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 1, and a stop ring depending from the top wall of said housing adjacent to the hitch ball clearance opening, and a cooperative plate on the hitch ball adapted to abut said stop ring to position and lock the hitch ball in its extended use position.

Claim 8

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 1, and said lost motion pivotal connection comprising slotted lugs on said elevator plate adapted to receive between them a base portion of the hitch ball having a pivot opening, and a pivot element extending through said pivot opening and through the slots of said lugs, said lugs being disposed near one end of the elevator plate away from the pivot axis of the elevator plate.

Claim 9

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 1, and said housing being elongated and having at least a detachable end wall, said elevator plate and hitch ball being disposed within one end portion of the housing, and said linear actuator means being disposed within the other end portion of the housing, the pivot axis of the elevator plate being located near the longitudinal center of the housing and near the top of the linear actuator means.

Claim 10

A retractable hitch ball assembly adapted for mounting on the bed of the hauling truck for gooseneck trailer vehicles, comprising a housing having a top wall opening near one end thereof, an elevator plate within the housing below said top wall opening and having one end thereof pivotally attached to side walls of the housing whereby the other end of the elevator plate may be swung vertically toward and away from said top wall opening, a hitch ball unit pivotally connected with said other end of the elevator plate and extending above the elevator plate and adapted to enter and pass through said top wall opening when said other end of the elevator plate is raised, means in said housing resiliently biasing the elevator plate toward a downward inclined position where said other end of the elevator plate engages a bottom wall of the housing and said hitch ball unit is retracted inside of said housing, and a remotely controlled linear actuator disposed in said housing in an end portion thereof away from said elevator plate and including a lifting and weight supporting block element which cammingly engages the bottom of said elevator plate and slidably engages the bottom wall of said housing.

Claim 11

A retractable hitch ball assembly adapted for mounting on the bed of the hauling truck for gooseneck trailer vehicles, comprising a housing having a top wall opening near one end thereof, an elevator plate within the housing below said top wall opening and having one end thereof pivotally attached to side walls of the housing whereby the other end of the elevator plate may be swung vertically toward and away from said top wall opening, a hitch ball unit pivotally connected with said other end of the elevator plate and extending above the elevator plate and adapted to enter and pass through said top wall opening when said other end of the elevator plate is raised, means in said housing resiliently biasing the elevator plate toward a downward inclined position where said other end of the elevator plate engages a bottom wall of the housing and said hitch ball unit is retracted inside of said housing, and a remotely controlled linear actuator disposed in said housing in an end portion thereof away from said elevator plate and including a lifting and weight supporting block element which cammingly engages the bottom of said elevator plate and slidably engages the bottom wall of said housing.

Claim 12

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 9, and said linear actuator comprising a fluid pressure operated double acting power cylinder having an extensible and retractable rod coupled with said block element.

Claim 13

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 9, and said elevator plate comprising a flat elongated plate and said block element having a forward upper rounded corner forming a cam face and a level surface rearwardly of said cam face, said block element having a level bottom face.

Claim 14

A retractable hitch ball assembly as defined in claim 9, and said hitch ball unit including an upper ball element, an intermediate cylindrical body portion and a base portion which is pivotally connected with said other end of the elevator plate through a slotted pivotal connection, and engageable stop and positioning elements for the hitch ball unit on the hitch ball unit and on the top wall of the housing.