Patent ID: 7398987

Claim:
A hitch coupler comprising: an E-shaped frame including a back plate, a top plate connected to a top portion of the back plate, a middle plate connected to a middle portion of the back plate and a bottom plate connected to a bottom portion of the back plate, the top plate, the middle plate and the bottom plate including aligned openings; a pin extending through the aligned openings in the top plate, the middle plate and the bottom plate, the pin being configured to slide within the aligned openings; a conical spring surrounding and engaging the pin, the conical spring biasing a bottom of the pin through the middle plate and the bottom plate; a first vertical strengthening rib extending along a rearward-facing surface of the back plate between the upper plate and the middle plate; and a second vertical strengthening rib extending along the rearward-facing surface of the back plate between the middle plate and the bottom plate.