Patent EA-001698-B1 (EA)
Title: Hitch assembly and trailer
IPC: B60D1/42
Filed: 1998-07-14
Abstract: 1. A hitch assembly (10) to connect a trailer (12) to a motor vehicle (14) comprising: a hitch receiver (44) mountable to a motor vehicle; a mounting member (46) securable to said hitch receiver; an adaptor structure (56) including a vertically orientated receiving tube (58) connected to said mounting member, said receiving tube having a top end and a bottom end; and a sliding ring (64) for connection to a trailer and encircling said receiving tube and a spring (66) extending about said receiving tube and disposed adjacent said sliding ring, said sliding ring being movable vertically along said receiving tube between said top end and said bottom end to provide a first degree of motion to the trailer when secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver and rotatable about a vertical axis of said receiving tube to provide a second degree of motion to the trailer when secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver. 2. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including an extendable swivel tongue (76) attachable to said sliding ring, said swivel tongue including a distal end and rotatable about a longitudinal axis to provide a third degree of motion to the trailer. 3. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said swivel tongue includes a pivot pin (81) extending therethrough perpendicular to said longitudinal axis allowing said distal end to pivot about said longitudinal axis. 4. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 2 including a second spring (68) extending about said receiving tube adjacent the other side of said sliding ring. 5. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including at least one bumper tube (86) disposed in spaced relation to said mounting member. 6. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 1 including a roller (88) and bumper tube (86) adapted to be secured to either one of the trailer and motor vehicle, said roller abutting said bumper tube. 7. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 5 including a horizontal adaptor (90) secured to said at least one bumper tube, said horizontal adaptor defining the spaced relation between said bumper tube and said mounting member. 8. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 3 including a stop collar (84) disposed about said swivel tongue and a spring (82) to urge said stop collar over said pivot pin to resist said swivel tongue from pivoting about said pivot pin. 9. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said bumper tube and said roller are aligned both vertically and laterally with a pin point connecting said adaptor structure to the trailer. 10. A hitch assembly (10) to connect a trailer (12) to a motor vehicle (14) comprising: a hitch receiver (44) mountable to a motor vehicle; a mounting member (46) securable to said hitch receiver; an adaptor structure (56) including a vertically orientated receiving tube (58) connected to said mounting member, said receiving tube having a top end and a bottom end; a sliding ring (64) for connection to a trailer and encircling said receiving tube and movable vertically along said receiving tube between said top end and said bottom end to provide a first degree of motion to the trailer when said secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver and rotatable about a vertical axis of said receiving tube to provide a second degree of motion when secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver; an extendable swivel tongue (76) attachable to said sliding ring, said swivel tongue including a distal end and rotatable about a longitudinal axis to provide a third degree of motion to the trailer; and a spring (66) extending about said receiving tube adjacent said sliding ring. 11. A hitch assembly (10) to connect a trailer (12) to a motor vehicle (14) comprising: a hitch receiver (44) mountable to a motor vehicle; a mounting member (46) securable to said hitch receiver; an adaptor structure (56) including a vertically orientated receiving tube (58) connected to said mounting member, said receiving tube having a top end and a bottom end; a sliding ring (64) for connection to a trailer and encircling said receiving tube, said sliding ring being movable vertically along said receiving tube between said top end and said bottom end to provide a first degree of motion to the trailer when secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver and rotatable about a vertical axis of said receiving tube to provide a second degree of motion to the trailer when secured by said mounting member to said hitch receiver; an extendable swivel tongue (76) attachable to said sliding ring, said swivel tongue including a distal end and rotatable about a longitudinal axis to provide a third degree of motion to the trailer; a spring (66) extending about said receiving tube adjacent said sliding ring; and at least one bumper tube (86) disposed in spaced relation to said mounting member and adapted to be secured to either one of the trailer and motor vehicle and at least one roller (88) adapted to be secured to the other one of the trailer and motor vehicle, said at least one roller abutting said at least one tube. 12. A hitch assembly as set forth in claim 11 including an adaptor structure (90) extending substantially perpendicularly to said mounting member.