Patent ID: 6328326
Filing Date: 2001-12-11
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
A hitch for coupling a first vehicle to a second vehicle, said hitch comprising:(a) a tongue housing for attaching to said first vehicle, said tongue housing having a forward end and a rear end, said tongue housing comprising a top wall, a bottom wall spaced apart from said top wall by two spaced apart side walls disposed therebetween, said top, bottom and side walls defining a throat, said throat having an open first end and an open second end;(b) a first guide member attached to said housing, comprising:(i) a first cam member;(ii) a first pocket and a second pocket, said first and second pockets being located on either side of said first cam member;(c) a tongue having a first end and a second end, said tongue being extendable and retractable within said throat, said tongue having a width narrower than the distance between said two spaced apart side walls of said tongue housing;(d) retaining means for preventing said tongue from being removed from said throat;(e) a second guide member, coplanar with said first guide member and attached to said second end of said tongue, said second guide member comprising:(i) a second cam member and a third cam member;(ii) a third pocket located between said second and third cam members;(f) a coupler attached to said second end of said tongue;(g) a first vertical wall substantially enclosing a forward end of said tongue housing and defining a slot therein, said slot having a width of at least the distance between said spaced apart side walls of said tongue housing and having a height of at least the thickness of said tongue;wherein said first and second guide members become matingly engaged upon retraction of said tongue within said throat and wherein said first and second guide members cooperate to align said tongue with said first and second vehicles by the mating engagement of said first cam member with said third pocket and said second and third cam members with said first and second pockets; and(h) lock means for locking said tongue in a fixed position relative to said tongue housing upon full engagement of said first and second guide members; andwherein said tongue is capable of lateral articulation when said tongue is not locked in said fixed position, said retaining means for preventing said tongue from being removed from said throat comprises a trunnion extending through said tongue at a location proximal to said first end of said tongue, said trunnion having a height greater than the height of said slot in said vertical wall, and the length of said top wall extends beyond the first end of said tongue when said tongue is in said fixed position.