Patent ID: 7431319

Claim:
A hitch assembly for securing a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, the hitch assembly comprising: a. A hitch member for attachment to the towing vehicle, said hitch member comprising a drop ball mount, said drop ball mount having a first section and a second section, said second section being inclined relative to said first section, said first section having an opening extending therethrough; and said hitch member including a drawbar, said drawbar being elongated, a first end of said drawbar being secured to a drop ball mount, a second end of said drawbar having a closed surface, said closed surface enabling cooperative engagement with a hitch alarm, said drawbar being secured to an undersurface of the second section; b. a shank assembly including a shank, a first ball mount, a ballast, and a coupling, said shank extending through said opening of said first section of said drop ball mount, said first ball mount threadingly engageable to and disposed at a first end of the shank, said ball mount being interchangeable with a second ball mount, said first ball mount accommodating first load conditions, said second ball mount accommodating load conditions different from said first load conditions, said first and second ball mounts being attachable to said towing vehicle, said ballast abutting either an upper surface or an undersurface of said first section of said drop ball mount, said coupling for attachment to said second end of said shank assembly, said coupling enabling a secure engagement between said shank assembly and said drop ball mount; c. a tow vehicle mount for secure retention to said towed vehicle, said tow vehicle mount comprising a receiver tube secured to a vehicle mount, said receiving tube for cooperative engagement with said drawbar extending therewithin, said tow vehicle mount including a retention surface; and d. a hitch alarm mounted with said retention surface, said hitch alarm for detecting an unauthorized removal of either the hitch member or the towed vehicle from the towing vehicle, said hitch alarm having an armed condition and an alarm condition, said hitch alarm being substantially hidden from view when said drawbar is secured to said vehicle mount.