Patent ID: 6483059
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
For signaling a failure of a ball-and-socket hitch having a wishbone-shaped tow bar universally pivotally connected at its socket to the ball mounted on a rear of a towing vehicle and coaxially pivotally connected at its outer ends to a spoiler mounted on a front of a towed vehicle, a device comprising a break-away switch mounted on a first bracket, said first bracket being adapted to be mounted on a rear of the towing vehicle with an actuating member of said switch positioned immediately above the ball of the hitch and at a rear of said switch, a second bracket mounted on a front of the towed vehicle at substantially a midpoint between the tow bar outer ends and a cable connected between said actuating member and said second bracket, said cable having a length such that, when a distance between said switch and said second bracket exceeds a predetermined threshold, said cable pulls said actuating member rearwardly to actuate said switch.