Abstract:
A hitch ball with a locking bail for use with gooseneck hitch assemblies. The hitch ball includes a hitch ball body having a ball-mount on a first end. A second end forms a base that is insertable into a mating receiver mounted in a tow vehicle. A locking bail is pivotably coupled to the hitch ball body and is moveable from an unlocked orientation overlying the ball-mount to a locked orientation extending generally transversely to the hitch ball body. The locking bail is configured to function as a handle when in the unlocked orientation to provide a clean and easily graspable structure for handling and installing the hitch ball in a tow vehicle. The locking bail prevents coupling of a trailer or hitch assembly with the hitch ball when in the unlocked orientation and provides a visual indication of the locked or unlocked state of the hitch ball.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/011,939, filed Jun. 13, 2014. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Gooseneck trailers are commonly used for a variety of purposes, ranging from hauling livestock or construction machinery to recreational use such as camper-trailers. Gooseneck trailers are typically coupled directly to the tow vehicle using a hitch ball mounted to the frame of the tow vehicle, such as in the bed of pick-up truck. 
     A drawback to mounting a hitch ball on the tow vehicle is that the hitch ball limits use of the tow vehicle for purposes other than towing. For example, when mounted in the bed of a pick-up truck, the hitch ball protrudes upward from the bed and can interfere with loading and unloading of items in the bed. Accordingly, manufacturers have provided a variety of assemblies and hitch balls that enable removal of the hitch ball when not in use. 
     These assemblies and hitch balls present their own drawbacks. It can be difficult to discern whether the hitch ball is engaged and/or locked in position when installing it in the tow vehicle. Grease and grime collect on the hitch ball during use. Such grime can make gripping and handling of the hitch ball during installation and removal of the hitch ball from the tow vehicle a difficult and messy process. 
     There is thus a need for a removable hitch ball that provides a visual and/or audible indication of its engagement with the tow vehicle. There is also a need for a hitch ball that can be easily handled and that can be handled without transferring grease or grime onto the user. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of various aspects of the invention is provided here to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described in the Detailed-Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. In brief, this disclosure describes, among other things, a hitch ball with a locking bail that is useable as a handle and as an actuator for a locking mechanism. 
     The hitch ball includes an elongate hitch ball body with a ball-mount disposed on its top end and a base insertable into a receiver of a vehicle disposed on its bottom end. A locking mechanism is disposed within the hitch ball body. The locking mechanism includes a locking piston or plunger disposed in a hollow extending into the bottom end of the hitch ball body. The locking piston is slideable within the hollow to selectively obstruct movement of one or more locking bearings within a corresponding number of ports in the base and into the hitch ball body. An actuation assembly that includes a bail or lever is provided in engagement with the locking mechanism and can be pivoted to move the locking piston between locked and unlocked orientations. The bail also functions as a handle for manually engaging and moving the hitch ball. 
     In the unlocked orientation, the bail is positioned to extend in a spaced relationship with the ball-mount which prevents coupling of a trailer coupler with the ball-mount. In one embodiment, when the lever is pivoted to advance the locking mechanism to the unlocked orientation, the bail overlies the ball-mount and generally inline with the length of the hitch ball body. As such, the bail provides a visual indication that the hitch ball is unlocked from the tow vehicle receiver, prevents coupling of a trailer or hitch assembly with the hitch ball, and provides a convenient and clean gripping location for handling of the hitch ball by a user. 
     In the locked orientation, the bail is pivoted so as not to interfere with coupling of a trailer coupler to the ball-mount. In one embodiment, the bail is pivoted to extend generally perpendicular to the length of the hitch ball body and is biased laterally to engage a notch in the hitch ball body. When the lever is pivoted to the non-interfering orientation, the locking piston is moved by the bail to force the locking bearings radially outwardly from the hitch ball body to engage the receiver in the tow vehicle. The bail thus, provides a visual, audible, and/or tactile indication when the locked orientation is achieved. The hitch ball is also prevented from becoming inadvertently unlocked during use by engagement of the bail with the notch and by obstruction of movement of the bail by a trailer or hitch assembly coupled to the ball-mount above the bail. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hitch ball with a locking bail in an unlocked orientation depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is cross-sectional side elevational view of the hitch ball taken generally along line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional front elevational view of the hitch ball taken generally along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the hitch ball of  FIG. 1  in a locked orientation depicted in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the hitch ball taken generally along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4  with a hitch coupler shown in phantom lines to show the relative position of the hitch coupler when coupled to the hitch ball; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional front elevational view of the hitch ball taken generally along line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 4 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional top plan view of the hitch ball taken generally along line  7 - 7  in  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The subject matter of select embodiments of the invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. But the description itself is not intended to necessarily limit the scope of claims. Rather, the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways to include different components, steps, or combinations thereof similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , a hitch ball or hitch ball assembly  10  with a locking bail or lever  12  is described in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The hitch ball assembly  10  comprises an elongate hitch ball body  14  having a spherically shaped top end forming a ball or ball-mount  16  and a bottom end forming a base  17  configured to be received within a mating receiver disposed in a tow vehicle. The ball-mount  16  is spherical, having dimensions suitable for coupling with a desired gooseneck trailer hitch or other trailering assembly. The ball-mount  16  is preferably integral with the hitch ball body  14  but might alternatively be configured to enable use of interchangeable ball-mounts or spherical heads  16  of different dimensions, or the like. The base  17  is shown as being generally cylindrical to enable receipt thereof in a cylindrical receiver, but can be alternatively shaped to enable use with receivers of varied configurations. 
     The locking bail  12  is connected to a locking mechanism and is moveable relative to the hitch ball body  14  between an unlocked orientation as shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and a locked orientation as shown in  FIGS. 4-7 . In the unlocked orientation, the locking bail  12  extends over the ball mount  16  thereby blocking a trailer coupler from engagement therewith. In the locked orientation, the bail  12  is disposed generally perpendicular to the hitch ball body  14  and allows access to the ball mount  16  for attaching a trailer coupler. 
     A bore, hole or hollow  18  extends generally coaxially into the hitch ball body  14  from its bottom end and into the base  17 . The hollow  18  may comprise a blind hollow having a closed end interior to the hitch ball body  14 . 
     A pair of ports  20  is provided in a sidewall of the base  17 . The ports  20  are arranged on diametrically opposite sides of the body  14  and are open to the exterior of the base  17  and to the hollow  18  on the inside of the body  14 . An internal diameter of each port  20  is sized to receive a respective locking bearing  22  therein and to enable movement of the bearing  22 , such as by rolling or sliding, along the length of the ports  20 . A portion of each port  20  nearest to the exterior of the hitch ball body  14  may have a reduced diameter or include a lip, flange, tab, retainer or other feature to prevent the locking bearing  22  from fully escaping the port  20 , however the locking bearing  22  must be able to at least partially protrude from the port  20 . 
     A locking piston, plunger or cam follower  24  is slideably disposed within the hollow  18  and is moveable coaxially within the hollow  18 . The piston  24  includes a tab  26  which extends from a top end thereof in a direction parallel to the length of the locking piston  24 . An oblique slot  28  is disposed in the tab  26  and is positioned at an angle that is between parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the axial movement of the locking piston  24 . In the embodiment shown, the oblique slot  28  is oriented at about 45° from the axis of the locking piston  24 . The terms “about” or “approximately” as used herein denote deviations from the exact value by +/−10%, preferably by +/−5% and/or deviations in the form of changes that are insignificant to the function. 
     An annular depression  30  is provided proximate a bottom end of the locking piston  24  and extends at least partially about the circumference of the locking piston  24 . The annular depression  30  can be a continuous depression or trough that extends about the circumference of the locking piston  24  or the annular depression  30  can comprise a plurality of separate depressions configured to align with a respective port  20  for at least partial receipt of the locking bearings  22  as described below. The dimensions of the annular depression  30  are sufficient to receive the locking bearings  22  at least partially therein. Although the hitch ball  10  is described herein with a pair of ports  20 , locking bearings  22 , and associated components the hitch ball  10  can be configured to include any number ports  20 , locking bearings  22 , and associated components without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention described herein. For example, the hitch ball  10  might be configured with one, three, ten, or another number of locking bearings  22 . 
     A transverse bore  34  is provided in the hitch ball body  14  to receive an actuation assembly  36 . The bore  34  is oriented to extend through the diameter of the hitch ball body  14  at a location between the ball-mount  16  and the base  17  of the hitch ball body  14 . The actuation assembly  36  includes a pair of bail axles  38 , a cam pin  40 , and the locking bail  12 . The bail axles  58  are disposed in the transverse bore  34 ; one axle  38  disposed at each end of the bore  34 . The bail axles  38  are slideable in an axial direction along the length of the bore  34  and are rotatable within the bore  34  about the axis of the bore  34 . Each bail axle  38  extends a distance from the respective end of the bore  34  to couple to a respective end of the locking bail  12 . 
     A cam pin  40  is connected at opposite ends to the bail axles  38  and extends therebetween. The spacing between inward facing ends of the bail axles  38  is wider than the diameter of the locking piston  24 . The cam pin  40  is oriented parallel to but offset from the axis of the bore  34  and may be described as eccentrically mounted between the bail axles  38  and relative to the axis of bore  34 . The cam pin  40  passes through the oblique slot  28  in the tab  26  of the locking piston  24 . A biasing member, such as a coil spring  42 , is disposed around the cam pin  40  between the tab  26  and one of the bail axles  38 . The spring  42  thus biases the bail axles  38 , and thus the actuation assembly  36  toward one end of the bore  34  as depicted in  FIGS. 3, 6 , and  7 . 
     The locking bail  12  comprises a U-shaped lever having a cross-member  44  with a leg  46  extending from each end thereof and coupling to a respective bail axle  38 . Other configurations or forms of levers  12  can be employed without departing from the scope of embodiments of the invention described herein. For example, it is foreseen that the lever  12  may include a single leg extending from one side of the hitch ball with a handle of the lever  12  projecting outward from a distal end thereof instead of having a cross-member extending between a pair of legs to form a bail. In the embodiment shown, the cross-member  44  and the legs  46  are dimensioned such that the locking bail  12  can extend from each bail axle  38  and over the top of the ball-mount  16  when the actuation assembly  36  is in the unlocked orientation ( FIGS. 1-3 ). The locking bail  12  is preferably dimensioned to provide sufficient space between the ball-mount  16  and the cross-member  44  of the locking bail  12  when in the unlocked orientation to enable insertion of a user&#39;s hand or fingers therebetween. The cross-member  44  may include one or more gripping features  48  to increase comfort and/or aid grasping the cross-member  44  by hand. 
     The hitch ball body  14  includes a horizontal detent or notch  50  which extends radially outward from the bore  38  and is engageable by a proximate leg  46  of the bail  12  when the bail  12  is in the locked orientation, the leg  46  being urged into the notch  50  by the action of the coil spring  42 . The coil spring  42  is positioned between the tab  26  and the bail axle  38  on a side of the tab  26  opposite the horizontal notch  50  so that the spring  42  urges the bail axles  38  and bail  12  in a direction which advances the proximate leg  46  of bail  12  into the horizontal notch  50 . Similarly, the hitch ball body  14  may also include a vertical detent or notch  52  which extends radially outward from the bore  38  and is engageable by a leg  46  of the bail  12  when the bail  12  is in the unlocked orientation. Again, the leg  46  is urged into the notch  52  by the action of the coil spring  42 . Alternatively, the locking bail  12  may simply be biased to rest against and/or slide along the exterior surface of the body  14  when not in the locked orientation. 
     Together, the locking bearings  22 , piston  24 , bail axles  38 , cam pin  40 , and coil spring  42 , acting within the hollow  18 , ports  20  and transverse bore  34  of the hitch ball body  14  comprise an embodiment of a locking mechanism for retaining the base  17  of the hitch ball  10  in the hitch receiver of a vehicle. The locking mechanism is operated by the locking bail  12  to change the locked or unlocked condition of the locking mechanism. 
     The hitch ball  10  may further include a security pin  54  that extends across the hollow  18  below the piston  24  in a position closely spaced to the bottom of the piston  24  when the piston  24  is in the locked orientation. The security pin  54  acts to prevent the piston  24  from falling or traveling out of the hollow  18  and thereby inadvertently releasing the ball  10  from the receiver upon failure of other parts of the latching mechanism, such as breakage of the cam pin  40 . Under such circumstances, the security pin  54  will retain the piston  24  in the locked orientation, allowing the hitch ball  10  to remain safely locked in position. The security pin  54  may be, for example, a roll pin driven through aligned openings in the hitch ball body  14 . 
     With continued reference to  FIGS. 1-7 , installation of the hitch ball  10  in a properly equipped towing vehicle is described in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The hitch ball  10  is initially in or is placed in the unlocked orientation as depicted in  FIGS. 1-3 . In the unlocked orientation, the locking bail  12  and/or the cross-member  44  thereof can function as a handle for lifting, carrying, and otherwise handling the hitch ball  10 . Because the locking bail  12  is not in contact with, and does not form a part of the contact surfaces between the hitch ball  10  and the trailer coupler or hitch assembly to be coupled to the hitch ball  10 , the bail  12  can remain relatively clean and free of grease and grime. Users are thus provided with a clean surface for handling the hitch ball  10 . 
     The base  17  of the hitch ball  10  is inserted into a receiver in the tow vehicle (not shown). The actuation assembly  36  is then operated to lock the hitch ball  10  into the receiver. The locking bail  12  is pivoted to rotate the bail axles  38  within the transverse bore  34 . The rotation moves the cam pin  40  along an arcuate path about the axis of rotation of the bail axles  38 . Engagement of the cam pin  40  in the oblique slot  28  in the locking piston  24  causes the locking piston  24  to move within the hollow  18  toward the bottom end of the hitch ball  10  as the cam pin  40  moves through the arcuate path. 
     In the unlocked orientation, the annular depression  30  in the locking piston  24  is aligned with the ports  20  to enable free movement of the locking bearings  22  into the hitch ball body  14  and into the hollow  18  such that the locking bearings  22  do not protrude outwardly from exterior of the hitch ball  10 . As the locking piston  24  is moved downwardly the locking bearings  22  are forced radially outward out of and away from the hollow  18 . The locking bearings  22  are thus moved to at least partially protrude from the ports  20  and to engage the corresponding features of the receiver in the tow vehicle. The receiver includes one or more features configured to align with and receive at least a portion of the locking bearings  22  that protrude from the hitch ball body  14 . Engagement of the locking bearings  22  with the receiver prevents withdrawal of the hitch ball  10  from the receiver. 
     Upon complete or nearly complete pivoting of the locking bail  12  to the locked orientation, the locking bail  12  aligns with the notch  50  or a similar feature on the hitch ball body  14 . The bias provided by the spring  42  moves the bail axles  38  transverse to the hitch ball body  14  and thereby draws the locking bail  12  into the horizontal notch  50 . The notch  50  is configured and dimensioned to receive at least a portion of the proximate leg  46  of the locking bail  12  therein and to resist further pivotal movement of the locking bail  12  while engaged with the notch  50 . 
     As depicted in  FIGS. 4-7 , in the locked orientation the locking bail  12  is positioned generally perpendicular to the hitch ball body  14  of the hitch ball  10  so as not to impede or obstruct coupling of a trailer or hitch assembly with the ball-mount  16 . The hitch ball  10  is substantially prevented from unlocking or decoupling from the receiver in the tow vehicle by both engagement of the locking bail  12  with the notch  50  and by obstruction of movement of the locking bail  12  by the presence of a trailer coupler or hitch assembly  60  coupled to the ball-mount  16 , e.g. the locking bail  12  is prevented and obstructed from moving to the unlocked orientation by the trailer coupler or hitch assembly  60  as can be discerned from  FIG. 5 . 
     To remove the hitch ball  10  from the receiver in the tow vehicle, the trailer or hitch assembly must first be decoupled therefrom and removed. The locking bail  12  is next moved transversely to the hitch ball body  14  to slide the bail axles  38  within the transverse bore  34  against the bias of the spring  42 . The locking bail  12  is moved transversely a sufficient distance to disengage the notch  50 . The locking bail  12  can then be pivoted upwardly or toward the ball-mount  16  to: rotate the bail axles  38 , move the cam pin  40  in a reverse direction along the arcuate path, draw the locking piston  24  upwardly toward the ball-mount  16  via interaction of the cam pin  40  with the oblique slot  28 , and realign the arcuate depression  30  with the ports  20 . The locking bearings  22  can again recede into the hitch ball  10  to disengage with the receiver and enable withdrawal of the base  17  of the hitch ball  10  therefrom. The locking bail  12  is thus again placed in a position that is easily useable as a handle for withdrawing the hitch ball  10  from the receiver in the tow vehicle and for handling the hitch ball  10  as desired. In the unlocked orientation, the proximate leg  46  of the bail  12  will align with the vertical notch  52  (if one is provided) and be urged into the notch  52  by the spring  42 . Engagement of the leg  46  with a notch  52  in the unlocked position merely acts as a convenience by preventing the bail  12  from moving unexpectedly during carrying, storage or reinsertion of the hitch ball  10  into the receiver. The notch  52  is not considered to be essential to the operation of the hitch ball  10 . 
     Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. It is to be understood that when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked orientation, the bail  12  could extend at an orientation other than overlying the ball mount  16  to interfere with coupling of a trailer coupler to the ball mount  16 . For example, if the bail  12  is angled and locked in place so that the cross member  44  extends in alignment with the neck of the hitch ball  10  between the ball mount  16  and base  14 , so that the bail would prevent the trailer couple from passing over the ball mount  16 , the bail  12  would interfere with coupling of a trailer coupler to the ball mount  16 . 
     Embodiments of the technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Identification of structures as being configured to perform a particular function in this disclosure and in the claims below is intended to demarcate those structures as including a plurality of possible arrangements or designs within the scope of this disclosure and readily identifiable by one of skill in the art to perform the particular function in a similar way without specifically listing all such arrangements or designs. Certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.