Patent ID: 7017935

Claim:
A ball hitch coupler for use with a towing vehicle having a ball hitch comprising a ball section mounted on a shaft section, the ball hitch coupler comprising: a.) a locking rod; b.) a coupler housing comprising a ball hitch cavity structured and positioned to receive the ball hitch; c.) the coupler housing further comprising a locking passageway sized and configured to releasably receive the locking rod, wherein the locking rod has a first end opposite a second end and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, wherein the locking passageway is positioned in the coupler housing to allow insertion of the ball hitch into the ball hitch cavity when the locking rod is removed from the locking passageway, and wherein the locking passageway is positioned to prevent the removal of the ball hitch from the ball hitch cavity when the locking rod is fully inserted into the locking passageway, the locking passageway having a section provided with an impediment, wherein the locking rod comprises a keyed section permitting the locking rod to be insertable past the impediment, wherein the keyed section has a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the locking rod.