Abstract:
An interchangeable hitch assembly including a hitch member supported on a hitch post, the hitch member including plural hitches each in a separate radial position, where the hitch member is rotable to place one of the hitches in a selected position for attachment, a locking assembly adapted to hold the one of the hitches in said selected position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION DATA 
     The present invention claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/746,779 filed on Dec. 28, 2012 which is incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a trailer hitch assembly. More particularly, the present invention relates to an interchangeable trailer hitch assembly having a hitch member that includes plural hitches and is mounted so that it can be rotated to select the appropriate hitch and lock the assembly in the selected rotational position. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Two wheel trailers are often used to transport larger welders. When a larger welder needs to be moved, it is typically attached to a vehicle by an appropriate hitch. Vehicles and trailers may be equipped with a variety of hitches leading to instances where the hitch receiver and hitch on a given trailer and vehicle pair do not match. The term vehicle, as used herein, will include ordinary meaning of the word and any other structure that has a hitch ball or other member to which a hitch may be attached and the trailer moved including for example, trailer dollies, fork-lifts, motor vehicles, tractors, four wheelers, snow-mobiles, and the like. 
     In a fleet operation, this may lead to considerable time spent searching for a two wheel trainer having the appropriate hitch/receiver to match the hitch/receiver on the transporting vehicle. In this regard, trailers with interchangeable hitches have been provided. In particular, trailers have been provided with a hitch assembly that contains two of the most common hitch types i.e. a two inch ball hitch and lunette eye hitch separately bolt on to the trailer. In this way, a trailer hitch matching the vehicle&#39;s hitch is provided to the vehicle operator and then bolted to the trailer. While this avoids searching through a fleet of trailers to find a matching hitch, this type of interchangeable hitch requires time and tools to install it before the trailer can be moved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to an interchangeable hitch assembly including a hitch member supported on a hitch post, the hitch member including plural hitches each in a separate radial position, where the hitch member is rotable to place one of the hitches in a selected position for attachment, a locking assembly adapted to hold that hitch in the selected position. 
     The present invention further relates to an interchangeable hitch assembly including a tubular base; a hitch post rotatably supported within the tubular base; a hitch member supported on the hitch post, the hitch member including plural hitches each extending outward from the hitch post in a separate radial position, wherein the hitch post is rotatable within the tubular base to place one of said hitches in a selected position for attachment; and a locking assembly adapted to hold the one of the hitches in the selected position. 
     The present invention still further relates to an interchangeable hitch assembly having a hitch member including plural hitches. According to one aspect of the invention, hitch member includes a lunette-eye hitch and a ball hitch. According to another aspect of the invention, the lunette-eye hitch and ball hitch are on opposite ends of hitch member and face outwardly relative to each other. The hitch member is rotatably mounted to selectively position one or the plural hitches in an outward facing position. According to another aspect of the invention, a locking member is provided to fix the rotational position of the hitch member. According to another aspect of the invention, hitch member is mounted on a post that rotates to allow the appropriate hitch to extend outward from the trailer for attachment to a vehicle. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the post is mounted within a tubular base that allows for rotation of the post within the tubular base. Plural openings are provided on one or both of the post and the tubular base to allow fixation of the post at a selected height by inserting a pin through corresponding openings in the cylinder and the post. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an interchangeable hitch assembly according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevational view thereof; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of an interchangeable hitch assembly mounted on a trailer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An interchangeable hitch assembly according to the concepts of the present invention is generally indicated by the number  10  in the accompanying drawings. Hitch assembly  10  is used in connection with a trailer  100 . The trailer  100 , shown, is a two wheel trailer and is provided merely as an example. It will be appreciated that the interchangeable assembly  10  may be used in connection with other trailers. Trailer  100  includes a frame  110 . Frame  110  includes a bed portion  112  on which a load is supported. In the example shown, bed portion  112  is used to support welding equipment W including large scale welders, power supplies, inverters, and related equipment that must be towed behind a vehicle. It will be appreciated that the trailer  100  may be used for other similar applications, for example, large scale portable generators, lighting equipment, and the like. A nose portion, generally indicated by the number  115  extends forward from bed portion  112 . 
     An interchangeable hitch assembly  10  according to the concepts of the present invention is supported on nose portion  115 . Hitch assembly  10  generally includes a hitch member  20  supported on a hitch post  30 . 
     Hitch member  20  is rotatable so that the selected hitch  22  may be rotated into a position for attachment to the vehicle. In that regard, the hitch member  20  may rotate about the hitch post  30 , or, as shown, hitch member  20  may fixed to hitch post  30  and hitch post  30  is rotatable to achieve the same effect. Hitch member  20  may be of any shape or length. In the example shown, hitch member  20  includes a rectangular length of channel iron defining a central bore  21  through which the end  31  of hitch post  30  extends. Hitch member  20  may be attached to hitch post  30  in any known manner including a fastener or a weld. 
     In the example shown, hitch member  20  includes two hitches  22  at either end of the hitch member  20 . This example is not limiting as more than two hitches  22  may be included in hitch member  20 . Each hitch  22  may be of a different size or type to allow the user to match the hitch to the hitch ball or other attachment on the vehicle. In the example shown, the first hitch  24  and the second hitch  26  are diametrically opposed from each other such that the hitch post  30  under goes a 180° rotation to substitute one hitch  22  for the other in the forward facing position. As shown, first hitch  24  may be a ball hitch defining a ball receiver  42  and carrying appropriate latch assembly  44  to secure the ball hitch  24  to a hitch ball on a vehicle. Second hitch  26  may be a lunette eye. These two examples are provided for the most commonly used hitches, but should not be considered limiting a any other hitch may be provided as needed for a given application. 
     A locking assembly  50  is provided to hold hitch post  30  against further rotation once the hitch member  20  is in the desired position. In the example shown, locking assembly  50  includes a first receiver  51  formed in hitch post  30  and a second receiver  52  formed in an adjacent fixed surface. For example, hitch post  30  may be mounted within a tubular base  55  that defines second receiver  52 . When the hitch post  30  is in the desired position, first and second receivers  51 ,  52  are aligned. A lock pin  56  may then be inserted to prevent further rotation of the hitch post  30 . Lock pin  56  may be any member that can be inserted through both receivers  51 , 52  to prevent relative movement between the hitch post  30  and base  55 . To secure the lock pin  56  against axial movement, lock pin  56  may include a cotter pin, a rectangle ball, safety wire, or other fastener  59  to hold the lock pin against axial movement that would cause it to disengage one or both of the receivers  51 , 52 . In the example shown, lock pin  56  is a ball lock pin having a selectively retractable ball bearing that hold the axial position of the pin. A button  61  or other release mechanism is provided to retract the ball allowing the lock pin  56  to be quickly removed. For security purposes, the lock pin  56  may include a lock that requires a key or combination before it can be removed. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, first and second receivers  51 , 52  may include multiple openings to accommodate multiple rotational positions. In the example shown, since the hitches are diametrically opposed a single opening extending through the hitch post  30  will accommodate both positions. It will be appreciated that openings at other circumferential positions may be provided to lock the hitch post  30  at rotational positions between 0 and 180 degrees. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the invention, second receiver  52  may include multiple openings in the vertical direction to provide a height adjustment for the hitch member  20 . As shown, second receiver  52  may include a column of openings formed in base  55 . To adjust the height of hitch member  22 , first receiver  51  may be aligned with any one of these openings before lock pin  56  is inserted to set the position of hitch member  20 . Such height adjustment may be used to align hitch member  20  with the hitch ball or other hitching device on the vehicle to ensure that the trailer nose is in the proper position relative to the vehicle. 
     As will be appreciated, the height adjustment, like the switching between hitches, may be accomplished without any tools. In the examples shown, a single lock pin  56  is used to set the height and rotational position of hitch member  20 . These functions may be performed by separate lock assemblies  50  as an option.