Patent ID: 6505849
Filing Date: 2003-01-14
Classification: B60D

Abstract:
A ball clamp coupler comprising:a. a coupler housing having a coupler socket defined within its interior, the coupler socket having a bottom socket opening whereby a hitch ball may be inserted within the socket opening to rest within the coupler socket; b. a ball clamp within the interior of the coupler housing, the ball clamp being movable into and out of the coupler socket; c. an actuator bracket affixed to the coupler housing at its exterior; d. a clamp driving member affixed to the ball clamp and extending from the interior of the coupler housing to its exterior, and adjacent the actuator bracket; e. an actuator lever pivotally affixed to the actuator bracket at a lever pivot, and pivotally and translatably affixed to the clamp driving member at a driving member pivot adjacent the actuator bracket and outside the coupler housing, â€ƒwhereby rotating the actuator lever about the lever pivot causes the actuator lever to rotate and translate with respect to the clamp driving member at the driving member pivot and move the clamp driving member within the interior of the coupler housing, and thereby move the ball clamp into and out of the coupler socket.