Patent ID: 7131658

Claim:
A trailer hitch for connecting a trailer to the rear of a towing vehicle, said towing vehicle including a vehicle mounting bar, and said trailer including a trailer tongue with upper and lower surfaces, and a hitch ball coupler mounted on the upper surface of the trailer tongue including a ball receiver socket for connection to the towing vehicle, said trailer hitch comprising: a hitch ball and a hitch ball support stem extending from said hitch ball for mounting to the vehicle mounting bar of the towing vehicle with said hitch ball positioned above the vehicle mounting bar and said hitch ball support stem positioned below said vehicle mounting bar, a guide bar mounted to said hitch ball support stem and extending downwardly from said vehicle mounting bar, a guide bar alignment plate mounted to the trailer tongue and defining an opening for receiving said guide bar as said guide bar approaches said opening, and said opening of said alignment plate including angled surfaces intersecting at a crotch for centering said crotch with respect to said guide bar in response to said guide bar engaging said angled surfaces.