Patent ID: 6851696

Claim:
A hitch assembly comprising: a hitch bar assembly coupled with a hitch receiver of a tow vehicle for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the tow vehicle; a hitch box assembly coupled with the hitch bar assembly for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the hitch bar assembly, the hitch box assembly having a first pivot point; an overcenter latch assembly securing the hitch box assembly to the hitch bar assembly; a front support member pivotally connected to the hitch box assembly at the first pivot point for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the hitch box assembly and for pivoting during turns; a strut assembly pivotally connected to the front support member for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the front support member and the strut assembly includes a second pivot point; a ball mount assembly pivotally connected to the strut assembly at the second pivot point for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the strut assembly, wherein the ball mount assembly laterally pivots about the second pivot point within the strut assembly during turns, the ball mount assembly including a tail tube extending rearwardly; a ball plate assembly attached to the ball mount assembly for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the ball mount assembly which includes a hitch ball for removable attachment of the trailer for transferring pulling and stopping forces to and from the trailer; a tail support assembly attached to a trailer frame and coupled with the tail tube whereby the tail support assembly restricts lateral movement of the tail tube and ball mount assembly so the trailer remains relative to the ball mount assembly at all times; a slide assembly residing within the ball mount assembly such that forces inherent in towing the trailer are not transferred through the slide assembly whereby the slide assembly slides forwards and backwards to accommodate the change in radial movement of converging links during turns; the converging links pivotally connected between the hitch box assembly at the first pivot point and the slide assembly whereby the angular position between the first pivot point and slide assembly can be varied, the converging links effectively moving the pivot point between the tow vehicle and trailer forward of the hitch assembly, wherein forces inherent in towing the trailer are not transferred through the converging links; a hanging support assembly attached to the strut assembly including at least one vertical link pivotally attached to the ball mount assembly for transferring tongue weight from the ball mount assembly through the strut assembly and front support member to the hitch box assembly and hitch bar assembly so tongue weight is not exerted on the converging links or the slide assembly; a jack assembly attached between the trailer frame and the front support member for distributing tongue weight among tow vehicle wheels and trailer wheels.