Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-01-30
Johnson, Brian L. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S504000, C280S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179318
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hitch guide and more particularly to a hitch guide for use in guiding a gooseneck trailer hitch into alignment with a hitch ball mounted in the bed of a truck.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is a difficult task to connect the hitch of a trailer or the like to a towing vehicle. It is especially difficult to connect the hitch of a gooseneck trailer to the hitch ball which is positioned in the bed of a truck. The hitching operation is made even more difficult due to the fact that the gooseneck trailers normally have a great amount of weight present on the hitch which makes it difficult to move the trailer so that the trailer hitch may be precisely aligned with the hitch ball on the truck. It is therefore necessary that the truck be precisely positioned with respect to the trailer hitch of the gooseneck trailer.
Many types of alignment devices have been previously provided for trailers, but is believed that there is not a prior art solution to the problem of conveniently connecting the gooseneck hitch of a gooseneck trailer to the hitch ball in the bed of a truck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A hitch guide is disclosed for use in guiding a gooseneck trailer hitch into alignment with a hitch ball mounted in the bed of a truck with the gooseneck trailer hitch including a substantially vertically disposed post having a substantially horizontally disposed first support plate secured to the lower end thereof which has an opening formed therein for receiving the hitch ball therein. In most prior art gooseneck trailer hitches, a second plate is pivotally secured to the first support plate and is positioned immediately therebelow with the second plate having an opening formed therein which is adapted to register with the opening in the first support plate when the second plate is pivotally moved to its unlocked position. In the instant invention, the second plate is removed from the post and the hitch guide of this invention is substituted therefore. The hitch guide of this invention comprises a guide plate having a forward end, a rearward end, first and second sides, an upper surface and a lower surface. The rearward end of the guide plate is positioned beneath the first support plate on the vertically disposed post and is pivotally secured to the support plate so as to be movable between locked and unlocked positions. The rearward end of the guide plate has a circular opening formed therein which is adapted to register with the opening in the first support plate when the guide plate is in its unlocked position and which is partially offset therefrom when the guide plate is in its locked position. The guide plate has a ball guide wall extending downwardly from its lower surface for guiding the gooseneck trailer hitch into alignment with the hitch ball so that the openings in the guide plate and the first support plate will be aligned with the hitch ball. The guide plate has an angular ramp portion at its forward end which extends upwardly and forwardly. With the gooseneck trailer hitch being in a stationary position, the truck is backed rearwardly with respect to the trailer hitch so that the hitch ball in the bed of the truck comes into contact with the lower surface of the guide plate within the guide plate wall. The guide plate and the ball guide wall guides the trailer hitch into alignment with the hitch ball so that the hitch ball may be received by the opening in the first support plate and the opening in the guide plate.
It is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved hitch guide.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch guide for use in guiding a gooseneck trailer hitch into alignment with a hitch ball mounted in the bed of a truck.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch guide of the type described above which laterally moves the trailer hitch into alignment with the hitch ball.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch guide of the type described above which is adapted to vertically move the trailer hitch upwardly with respect to the hitch ball or to move the ball hitch downwardly with respect to the trailer hitch through the action of the compression of the truck springs to bring the trailer hitch into alignment with the ball hitch.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch guide which may be easily mounted on a gooseneck trailer hitch without expensive modification thereof.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
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Draper Deanna
Johnson Brian L.
Thomte Dennis L.
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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