The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 08, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1997
Ronald Harold Richardson, Merrickville, Ontario, CA;
Other;
Abstract
A self aligning hitch arrangement for attachment to the drawbar of a towing vehicle for lifting and aligning a trailer tongue into place on a towing ball includes a mounting plate attachable to the drawbar and having side members which support a horizontal transverse pivot in front of (i.e. on the vehicle side of) the ball. A ramp member supported by the pivot has a ramp plate with its front edge spaced behind the ball member, and is pivotable between a raised position in which the plate lies at a suitable angle for lifting the trailer tongue onto the ball, and a lowered position in which the plate lies at a steeper angle and allows the tongue to fall onto the ball. The ramp member also has diverging flanges to guide the trailer tongue laterally into position over the ball. A latch carried by the side members can hold the ramp member in its raised position and has an abutment which is struck by the tongue as this becomes located over the ball, causing it to release the ramp member and allowing this to fall to its lowered position while the tongue falls onto the ball.