Patent ID: 9272590
Filing Date: 2016-03-01
CPC Classification: B60D

Claim Text:
1. An alignment apparatus for a trailer tongue with trailer ball receiver with an inverted ball socket, comprising; a. a tongue mount that includes a top mount and a bottom mount located on opposite top and bottom sides of a trailer ball receiver, said top mount and said bottom mount selectively connected together and securely attaches to said trailer tongue, said top mount and said bottom mount each include a horizontal plate with a U-shaped cutout formed therein sufficient width to allow the ball attached to a towing vehicle to slide vertically therein, said top mount includes an upward extending, perpendicular aligned front plate located above and in front of said ball socket, said bottom mount includes a downward extending, perpendicular aligned rear plate located behind said ball socket; b. a guide member extending forward from said tongue mount, said guide member including a two side plates and a transverse plate located between said side plates, said transverse plate slides vertically and selectively locks in lower position or elevated position to said front plate on said top mount, said guide member includes a forward extending guide funnel attached to said side plates or said transverse plate, said guide funnel includes a top surface, two side surfaces, an open bottom, a wide front opening and a narrow rear opening, said rear opening being located adjacent to said U-shaped cutouts formed on said top mount and said bottom mount, said guide funnel is extends upward and forward from said tongue mount; and, c. means for selectively locking said transverse plate on said front plate to sufficiently lower said guide funnel and said front opening on said guide funnel to capture a ball attached to towing vehicle moving towards said guide funnel or sufficiently raise said guide funnel above to allow the towing vehicle to freely turn.