Patent ID: 8376387
Filing Date: 2013-02-19
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
1. A hitch ball assembly, comprising: a ball mount platform having a front end, a rear end, a flat top, a ball mount throughbore, and opposed sides; a removable rigid retaining bracket configured to engage the ball mount platform, wherein the retaining bracket comprises: a blind bore cavity formed in the body top surface and having an upper blind bore diameter different from and larger than a lower throughbore diameter, with the upper blind bore cavity having a non-circular shape configured to conform to at least a portion of a shape of a side edge of a hitch ball flange; and a pair of opposed, downwardly depending rigid sides configured to engage the sides of the ball mount platform, wherein the sides define a substantially rectangular channel having an open front end, an open rear end, and an open bottom; and a hitch ball having a ball portion with a hitch ball flange and a shank and configured to engage the blind bore cavity of the bracket and the ball mount platform throughbore such that the hitch ball flange engages and remains stationary within the rigid upper blind bore cavity of the bracket and the hitch ball shank extends through the lower throughbore of the bracket and the ball mount throughbore such that the retaining bracket remains attached to the ball mount platform when the hitch ball is fastened to the ball mount platform, and wherein the rear end of the retaining bracket body is forward of the rear end of the ball mount platform when the retaining bracket and hitch ball are attached to the ball mount platform.