Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-13
2001-02-27
Swann, J. J. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S511000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06193258
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hitches for trailers, wagons and other towed vehicles. More specifically, this invention relates to an apparatus for, and method of, easily and quickly aligning the tongue and hitch first portion on the trailer (“coupler” or “socket”) with the receiver and hitch second portion, usually a ball on a post (“ball”), on the towing vehicle, and for lifting the trailer hitch on and off the ball.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,445 (Williams, Jr.) discloses a trailer hitch with a winch and cable which passes around a pulley located below the tongue. The cable is provided with a hook which is connected to a ball mount.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,386 (Lazar) discloses a self-aligning and self-connecting ball and socket hitch. The hitch ball has a housing with rearwardly diverging walls which guide the tongue on the towed vehicle to align the tongue with the ball. Also, a vertically inclined slide plate engaging the hitch ball lifts the tongue up and over the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,408 (Norton, et al.) discloses a trailer connecting guide which comprises a winch, a winch cable guide, and a pulley on the trailer tongue. In operation, the winch cable is connected to the towing vehicle near the ball post, passed around the pulley, and through the cable guide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,160 (Weaver) discloses a trailer hitch with a winch and a multi-position arm pivotally attached to the underside of the tongue of the trailer forward of the winch. In operation, the arm is locked into a downwardly extending position, and the winch strap passes over it to lift the tongue over the ball.
British Patent No. 477,180 (Scamell, et al.) discloses an improved towing hook for vehicles wherein a winch cable passes between a set of rollers above and forward of a pivotal hook hitch on the towing vehicle.
PCT Published Application No. WO 90/10550 (Suitor) discloses a trailer tongue with a mounting plate carrying a winch. The winch is located beneath a socket hitch which has a downwardly extending cable guide through which the cable passes when it is connected to the ball post.
Still, there is a need in the trailer hitch industry for a safe, effective and durable hitch alignment and lifting device. This invention addresses that need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a device for aligning the trailer tongue and hitch first portion (“coupler” or “socket”) with the receiver and hitch second portion (“ball”) on the towing vehicle, and for lifting the coupler on and off the ball. The invented device comprises a vertical member near a hitch ball and a pivotal arm that pivots vertically from a rearwardly inclined angle to a generally upright or somewhat forward angle. In the present invention, the arm is moveable to at least two different pivoting regions, a lower region and an upper region, for advantageously positioning the arm for loading and unloading, respectively.
The device comprises a generally “U-shaped,” swiveling vertical post assembly on or connected to the towing vehicle surrounding and in close proximity to the ball. The swiveling vertical post assembly swivels at a vertical axis at its attachment point with the towing vehicle, thereby allowing the user to load or unload a trailer from the vehicle when the trailer is not perfectly aligned directly behind the vehicle.
The swiveling vertical post assembly has a pivotal arm which can be moved from an upper position to a lower position. In both the upper position and the lower position, the pivotal arm is allowed to rotate from a generally vertical position to a rearwardly inclined position.
The swiveling vertical post assembly also has a stationary post extending between the upper front portions of the swiveling vertical post assembly. This stationary post has a lower cable receiver at or near its bottom surface. The lower cable receiver is for receiving a cable connected to a winch on the tongue of the trailer. The tongue of the trailer has a cable guide in front of the winch near the front end of the tongue.
The invention has two (2) modes of operation: 1) on-loading the coupler onto the ball; and 2) off-loading the coupler from the ball. Each of these two modes of operation has two further modes of operation: (a) when the vehicle is at a higher elevation than the trailer; and (b) when the trailer is at a higher elevation than the vehicle.
On-Loading.
During on-loading, in the first mode, where the vehicle is at a higher elevation than the trailer, slack cable from the winch is directed through the tongue cable guide, over the pivotal arm, over the stationary post and connected to the lower cable receiver. However, in the second mode, where the trailer is at a higher elevation than the vehicle, the slack cable from the winch is directed in like manner to the first mode, but under the stationary post for connection to the lower cable receiver. By running the cable in this manner, when the slack is taken out of the cable, the pivotal arm experiences a small, yet sufficient, amount of resistance, thereby keeping the pivotal arm from dropping hard onto the stationary post due to the effect of gravity.
For both modes, when slack is taken out of the cable by operating the winch, the tongue and coupler are pulled up to contact the pivotal arm, thereby causing the pivotal arm to be pulled up to a generally vertical position within the swiveling vertical post. The coupler is then directly above the ball, and when some slack is let back into the cable, the coupler settles down on top of the ball.
Off-Loading.
During off-loading, in the first mode, where the vehicle is at a higher elevation than the trailer, slack cable from the winch is directed through the tongue cable guide, over the pivotal arm, over the stationary post and connected to the lower cable receiver. However, in the second mode where the trailer is at a higher elevation than the vehicle, the slack cable from the winch is in like manner to the first mode, but under the stationary post and connected to the lower cable receiver. By running the cable in this manner, when the slack is taken out of the cable the pivotal arm experiences a small, yet sufficient amount of resistance, thereby keeping the pivotal arm from dropping hard onto the stationary post due to the effect of gravity.
When slack is taken out of the cable by operating the winch, the tongue and coupler are pulled up off the ball, and the pivotal arm is allowed to rotate rearwardly. Then, when some slack is let into the cable, the pivotal arm rotates further rearwardly, and tongue and coupler are allowed to settle down behind the ball.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3201144 (1965-08-01), Smyser
patent: 3767230 (1973-10-01), DeVries
patent: 3938122 (1976-02-01), Mangus
patent: 4173353 (1979-11-01), Steele
patent: 4186938 (1980-02-01), Youngblood
patent: 4903978 (1990-02-01), Schrum
patent: 5005852 (1991-04-01), Smyly
patent: 5009445 (1991-04-01), Williams, Jr.
patent: 5080386 (1992-01-01), Lazar
patent: 5085408 (1992-02-01), Norton et al.
patent: 5314202 (1994-05-01), Wilkins
patent: 5405160 (1995-04-01), Weaver
patent: 5516139 (1996-05-01), Woods
patent: 5882029 (1999-03-01), Kennedy
patent: 872433 (1953-02-01), None
patent: 477180 (1936-08-01), None
patent: PCT/GB90/00383 (1909-03-01), None
Charles F. and Shirley Lee Leonard
Cuff Michael
Pedersen Barbara S.
Pedersen Ken J.
Swann J. J.
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