Patent ID: 7850190

Claim:
A hitch and coupling arrangement for automatically hitching an anhydrous ammonia nurse tank wagon for being towed by an applicator implement and for interconnecting a first coupler section located at one end of a nurse tank transfer hose and a mating second coupler section located at one end of an applicator implement supply hose so as to form a fluid coupler assembly permitting the flow of ammonia from the nurse tank to the applicator hose, the improvement comprising: said applicator implement including: a rearwardly opening tongue receptacle fixed at a given height above the ground for receiving a forward end of a tongue of said nurse tank wagon; a fore-and-aft extending guide track mounted above said tongue receptacle; a carriage being mounted for movement along said guide track; said first coupler section being mounted for movement with said carriage, with said supply hose being flexible and of a length sufficient for permitting said carriage to move feely along said guide track so as to move said first coupler section along a coupling path; and a reversible power device being coupled to said carriage for selectively moving the carriage along said guide track; and said nurse tank wagon including: a tongue having a forward end defined by a tongue coupler, and having a support stand mounted for selective movement between a retracted stored position, wherein it extends along a remaining portion of said tongue and an extended position, wherein it supports said tongue coupler at least approximately at said given height above the ground; said first and second coupler sections being constructed for becoming locked together to form said fluid coupler assembly when said first and second coupler sections are forced together; and a hose support being coupled between said tongue and said hose at a region adjacent said second coupler section and supporting said second coupler section in substantial alignment with said coupling path, whereby, once said tongue coupler is received in said receptacle, said power device may be operated to bring said first coupler section into locked engagement with said second coupler section.