Patent ID: 7097193
Filing Date: 2006-08-29
Classification: B60D,B62D

Abstract:
1. A gooseneck trailer hitch assembly, comprising: a hitch mounting block including a block tube with a vertical central axis adapted to be connected to a trailer hitch support frame, a top plate fixed to the block tube, a vertical shaft connected to the top plate and coaxial with the block tube, a hard rubber band mounted in a lower end of the block tube and coaxial shaft, and a steel ring mounted inside the hard rubber band in a position coaxial with and separated from the block tube; a tower assembly including a steel spherical member slidably mounted on the vertical shaft of the block tube, an upper ring with an upper ring aperture that is smaller in diameter than the steel spherical member a flanged ring with a central ring aperture that is smaller in diameter than the steel spherical member, a plurality of bolts clamping the upper ring and the flanged ring to the steel spherical member, a tower assembly tube with an upper end that is fixed to the upper ring and wherein the tower assembly is pivotable about a sphere center and slidable vertically along the vertical shaft with the steel spherical member, and a tube positioning member fixed to the tower assembly tube and having a wedge surface that contacts the steel ring and moves the tower assembly tube toward a vertical position as the tower assembly moves toward the top plate and a tube positioning surface on the tube positioning member that is generally parallel to a tube axis and wherein the tube positioning surface engages a ring radially inner surface on the steel ring in response to movement of the tower assembly tube toward the top plate after the tube axis is generally coaxial with the vertical shaft; and a hitch connector assembly connected to the tower assembly tube.