Patent ID: 8444167

Claim:
A hitch lock device comprising: (a) a standard hitch ball; (b) a threaded bolt having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the standard hitch ball, wherein a first locking pin slot is disposed in a first side of the threaded bolt and a second locking pin slot is disposed in a second side of the threaded bolt opposite the first locking pin slot; (c) a nut adapted to be threaded onto the threaded bolt and move upwardly and downwardly on the threaded bolt in a standard manner; (d) a removable lock adapted to receive a key, the removable lock can move between a locked position when the key is turned in a first direction and an unlocked position the key is turned in a second direction; (e) a slot disposed in the threaded bolt at the second end, the slot is adapted to receive the removable lock; and (f) a first locking pin slidably disposed in the first locking pin slot, and a second locking pin slidably disposed in the second locking pin slot, a locking pin spring connects the locking pins together, the locking pins can each move between an out position wherein the locking pins protrude from their respective locking pin slots and an in position wherein the locking pins are housed in their locking pin slots, the locking pin spring biases the locking pins in the out position; wherein when the locking pins are squeezed to the in position the nut can be threaded past the locking pins toward the first end of the threaded bolt and when the locking pins are released to the out position the nut cannot pass the locking pins, wherein when the removable lock is inserted into the slot in the second end of the threaded bolt the removable lock physically blocks movement of the locking pins to the in position and when the key moves the removable lock to the locked position, the removable lock engages an inner surface of the slot preventing removal of the removable lock.