Quick change ball hitch apparatus

Claim 2

A ball hitch connector apparatus adapted for use with a conventional ball hitch socket, comprising: (a) a support base having an upwardly extending stub shaft portion, the stub shaft portion having a bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the stub shaft portion; (b) a generally spherical body with a first bore extending radially inward from a bottom surface of the spherical body, the first bore being adapted to receive a stub shaft portion of the support base, the spherical body having a second bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the spherical body so as to be in communication with the first bore, the second bore being positioned to align itself with the bore of the stub shaft portion of the support base when the stub shaft portion is inserted into the first bore of the spherical body and the spherical body is rotated to angularly align the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body; and (c) latch pin means adapted to be received in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body for retention of the spherical body on the stub shaft portion when the stub shaft portion is positioned in the first bore of the spherical body, the latch pin means being slidable between a locked position wherein the latch pin means is positioned in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body and a released position wherein the latch pin means is removed from the bore of the stub shaft portion and extends beyond the outer surface of the spherical body, the ball hitch socket cooperating with the second bore to retain the latch pin means in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body when the ball hitch socket is secured to the spherical body, the latch pin means includes retention means cooperating with the spherical body for retaining the latch pin means in the second bore of the spherical body when in the released position.

Claim 3

A ball hitch connector apparatus adapted for use with a conventinal ball hitch socket, comprising: (a) a support base having an upwardly extending stub shaft portion, the stub shaft portion having a bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the stub shaft portion through to an opposite outer surface of the stub shaft portion; (b) a generally spherical body with a first bore extending radially inward from a bottom surface of the spherical body and being adapted to receive the stub shaft portion of the support base, the spherical body having a second bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the spherical body through to an opposite outer surface of the spherical body, the second bore being in communication with the first bore, the second bore being positioned to align itself with the bore of the stub shaft portion when the stub shaft portion of the support base is inserted into the first bore of the spherical body and the spherical body is rotated to angularly align the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body; and (c) a latch pin adapted to be received in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body, the latch pin being slidable between a locked position wherein the latch pin is positioned in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body and a released position wherein the latch pin is removed from the bore of the stub shaft portion and extends beyond the outer surface of the spherical body, the spherical body including retention means cooperating with the latch pin for preventing the latch pin from being removed from the spherical body when in the released position, the ball hitch socket cooperating with the second bore of the spherical body to retain the latch pin in the bore of the stub shaft and the second bore of the spherical body when the ball hitch socket is secured to the spherical body thereby preventing accidental movement of the latch pin into the released position.

Claim 4

A ball hitch connector apparatus adapted for use with a conventinal ball hitch socket, comprising: (a) a support base having an upwardly extending stub shaft portion, the stub shaft portion having a bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the stub shaft portion through to an opposite outer surface of the stub shaft portion; (b) a generally spherical body with a first bore extending radially inward from a bottom surface of the spherical body and being adapted to receive the stub shaft portion of the support base, the spherical body having a second bore extending inwardly from an outer surface of the spherical body through to an opposite outer surface of the spherical body, the second bore being in communication with the first bore, the second bore being positioned to align itself with the bore of the stub shaft portion when the stub shaft portion of the support base is inserted into the first bore of the spherical body and the spherical body is rotated to angularly align the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body; and (c) a latch pin adapted to be received in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body, the latch pin being slidable between a locked position wherein the latch pin is positioned in the bore of the stub shaft portion and the second bore of the spherical body and a released position wherein the latch pin is removed from the bore of the stub shaft portion and extends beyond the outer surface of the spherical body, the spherical body including retention means cooperating with the latch pin for preventing the latch pin from being removed from the spherical body when in the released position, the ball hitch socket cooperating with the second bore of the spherical body to retain the latch pin in the bore of the stub shaft and the second bore of the spherical body when the ball hitch socket is secured to the spherical body thereby preventing accidental movement of the latch pin into the released position.

Claim 5

A ball hitch connector apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the retention means includes a projection extending partially into the second bore of the spherical body, the latch pin including a recessed portion between first and second ends cooperating with the first and second ends to define shoulder portions proximate the first and second ends, the projection engaging the shoulder portions proximate the first and second ends to prevent removal of the latch pin from the spherical body.

Claim 6

A ball hitch connector apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the latch pin is substantially cylindrical, the recessed portion of the latch pin including a relatively flat surface for slidable engagement with the projection.

Claim 7

A ball hitch connector apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein the first and second ends of the latch pin include an "O" ring for providing a seal between the latch pin and an inner surface of the second bore of the spherical body.