Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BALL HITCH FIFTH WHEEL
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present application relates to a fifth wheel hitch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Traditional kingpin and fifth wheel hitches used on recreational
vehicles are similar to
those used on tractor trailer combinations and have the same disadvantages.
The kingpin must
be at a very specific height for its entry into the fifth wheel hitch. The
operator of the vehicle
must back into the kingpin when it is at its proper height. Performing this
task can be nearly
impossible in locations other than a large, level, and flat surface.
[0003] Another problem with traditional kingpin and fifth wheel hitches is
the constraint of
the trailer to rotate in a single plane. In a traditional fifth wheel hitch,
the pin is locked with a
jaw that restrictively limits the out of plane movement with respect to the
hitch. While this may
work for a tractor trailer combination, it is extremely undesirable for
smaller vehicles. Traveling
over uneven terrain will necessitate out of plane movement. A previous attempt
to provide out
of plane movement with a fifth wheel hitch has been to provide a pivot pin
below the fifth wheel
plate. This is done to provide a gimbaled connection and this allows the
entire fifth wheel plate
to pivot, but adds significant weight and complexity to the hitch.
[0004] An additional problem of traditional fifth wheel hitches and other
hitches is difficulty
in determining whether a secure connection has been made. The locking parts
within a
traditional fifth wheel hitch are not visible when the hitch is properly
connected. As such, a user
of such a hitch is required to test the connection before traveling. If this
is not done, the user
runs the risk of dropping the trailer. This unsafe situation can damage the
towing vehicle as well
as other vehicles near the towing vehicle. A more flexible system that
provides assurance a
proper connection has been made is needed for an ordinary recreational user
that may lack the
requisite skill to align a king pin in a fifth wheel hitch.
[0005] This present disclosure relates to hitch receivers and adapters,
primarily for
gooseneck and fifth wheel trailers. Many trailers utilize a fifth wheel
kingpin. These trailers
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require a bed-mounted kingpin receiver and skid plate to receive and affix the
trailer. These bed-
mounted kingpin receivers consume a significant amount of space in the bed and
commonly
require bed mounted rails. The kingpin devices are frequently heavy and
difficult to maneuver.
Many users tow different styles of trailer, which require different vehicle
mounts. One of these
mounts is a gooseneck ball. The gooseneck ball is unobtrusive and mounted near
the bed floor.
It protrudes above the floor but is commonly removable to allow the bed of the
vehicle to be
unobstructed so it can be used for other purposes. The location of the
gooseneck ball is
determined by the manufacturer of the vehicle and typically, there is no
adjustment provision
made for the location of the gooseneck ball. Due to the absence of any
adjustment for the
location of the gooseneck ball in the bed, the distance between the gooseneck
ball and the cab of
a pickup is fixed. A user towing different types of trailers may find that
lack of adjustment in the
location of the ball inconvenient when towing different trailers. This
inconvenience is
particularly exacerbated by the fact that typical hitch assemblies that have
been used as an
adapter connecting to existing gooseneck offer no adjustment of the location
of the trailer
attachment with respect to the gooseneck ball. The ability to move the trailer
attachment point
with respect to the gooseneck ball is useful to change the distance between
the trailer and cab of
the pickup towing the trailer. Some trailers need more distance than others
from the cab to
facilitate turning without the trailer hitting the cab.
[0006] In addition to the issues mentioned above, current fifth wheel
hitches have bed rails
that are rigidly affixed to their frames. The rigid connection of the bed
rails to the fifth wheel
hitch means that as forces act on the hitch, those forces are transferred
directly to the bed via the
bed rails. Those forces will cause damage over time due to the fact that the
bed of a towing
vehicle is not sufficiently rigid withstand such forces. An improved device is
needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is for a fifth wheel hitch that is useful for
receiving a coupler
that may be in the shape of a ball. The fifth wheel hitch has a frame that is
mountable to a
vehicle surface. The frame includes an outer sleeve that is fixed with respect
to the frame. A
receiver tube is telescopingly received inside the outer sleeve and moveable
longitudinally with
respect to the outer sleeve. The receiver tube has an upper end, a lower end,
and a support wall
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within the receiver tube that is located between the upper and lower ends. The
receiver tube is
selectively lockable with respect to the outer sleeve. Additionally, the outer
sleeve may include
a fastener driven through it that is adapted for impinging on the receiver
tube. The receiver tube
and outer sleeve may both have apertures through them that are alignable and
adapted for
receiving a pin to lock the receiver with respect to the outer sleeve.
Further, a catch pin may be
retractably located in the receiving tube so that in a first position it acts
to restrain a hitch ball
placed within the receiver, and in a second withdrawn position, the hitch ball
is free to be
removed from the receiver.
[0008] The present disclosure describes a frame that can be affixed to a
towing vehicle
through a vehicle-mounted ball. The vehicle-mounted ball is commonly used with
a gooseneck
trailer setup. The vehicle-mounted ball is attached to the towing vehicle,
commonly in the bed of
a pickup truck. In the present disclosure, a ball cage is placed over the
vehicle-mounted ball and
the ball is captured in the cage by pins that secure and prevent the ball from
being removed. A
frame has a cage pocket that is sized to receive the ball cage in one of two
orientations. The ball
cage has a threaded fastener that extends through an elongate hole in the
frame that allows the
frame and ball cage to be drawn together. Because the ball cage is attached to
the vehicle, the
frame is drawn down to the vehicle and secured.
[0009] Attaching to a vehicle-mounted ball is a non-rigid connection that
allows movement
of the hitch with respect to the towing vehicle. Shifting of the fifth wheel
hitch with respect to
the bed of the towing vehicle can damage the bed unless the bed is protected
from the shifting of
the fifth wheel hitch. Bed supports overlie the bed and the frame has foot
portions that slide with
respect to the bed supports. As such, the frame of the fifth wheel hitch and
its foot portions may
slide with respect to the bed supports, which mitigates damage to the bed.
[0010] In one aspect, there is provided a single point hitch comprising: a
gooseneck ball cage
having a bottom wall with a ball aperture for receiving a gooseneck ball, said
gooseneck ball
cage having side walls affixed between said bottom wall and a top wall, said
side walls having a
transverse aperture adapted to receive a pin to constrain a portion of said
gooseneck ball within
said gooseneck ball cage, said top wall having a threaded fastener extending
therefrom in a
direction opposite of said bottom wall, said gooseneck ball cage having a ball
axis extending
perpendicularly through said ball aperture; a frame having a lower planar wall
and an upper
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planar wall, said frame having a sleeve portion fixed with respect to said
frame and located
between said upper planar wall and said lower planar wall, said sleeve portion
having a
transverse hole extending therethrough, said sleeve portion having a centrally
located sleeve axis
extending through said sleeve; said frame having a cage pocket affixed thereto
adjacent said
sleeve portion for selectively receiving said gooseneck ball cage, said upper
planar wall having
an elongate aperture adapted to receive said threaded fastener, said cage
pocket for receiving said
gooseneck ball cage in a first orientation defined by said ball axis being
relatively close to said
sleeve axis and a second orientation defined by said ball axis being
relatively far from said sleeve
axis, said threaded fastener for extending through said elongate aperture in
said first and said
second orientation, a nut for threadably receiving said threaded fastener to
draw said gooseneck
ball cage into said cage pocket; and a receiver tube including a hitch
receiving pocket, said
receiver tube being telescopingly received within said sleeve portion, said
receiver tube
moveable with respect to said sleeve portion along said sleeve axis, said
receiver tube having an
upper end facing away from said frame, and a lower end, said receiver tube
including a support
wall within said receiver tube located intermediate to said upper and lower
ends, said hitch
receiving pocket defined by said upper end of said receiver tube, an inner
surface of said receiver
tube, and said support wall, said hitch receiving pocket for receiving a hitch
ball and said support
wall adapted for supporting said hitch ball, said receiver tube having
transverse holes located
between said lower end and said support wall, said receiver tube being
selectively lockable with
respect to said sleeve portion when one of said transverse holes of said
sleeve portion are aligned
with one of said transverse holes of said receiver tube.
[0011] In another aspect, there is provided a single point hitch
comprising: a gooseneck ball
cage having a ball aperture for receiving a gooseneck ball, said gooseneck
ball cage having a
transverse aperture adapted to receive a pin to constrain a portion of said
gooseneck ball within
said gooseneck ball cage, said gooseneck ball cage having a ball axis
extending perpendicularly
through said ball aperture and said ball axis centrally located within said
ball aperture, said ball
aperture and said ball axis nearer a first end of said gooseneck ball cage
than a second end of
said gooseneck ball cage; a frame having a sleeve portion fixed with respect
to said frame and
having transverse holes extending therethrough, said sleeve portion having a
centrally located
sleeve axis extending therethrough; said frame having a cage pocket affixed
thereto, said cage
pocket adapted to receive said gooseneck ball cage in a first orientation
defined by said ball axis
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being relatively close to said sleeve axis and a second orientation defined by
said ball axis being
relatively far from said sleeve axis, a threaded fastener for drawing said
gooseneck ball cage into
said cage pocket; and a receiver tube including a hitch receiving pocket, said
receiver tube being
telescopingly received within said sleeve portion, said receiver tube
telescopically moveable with
respect to said sleeve portion along said sleeve axis, said receiver tube
having an upper end
facing away from said frame, a lower end and including a support wall within
said receiver tube
located intermediate to said upper and lower ends, said receiver tube being
selectively lockable
with respect to said sleeve portion.
[0012] In another aspect, there is provided a single point hitch
comprising: a frame for being
affixed to a towing vehicle; a receiver tube including a hitch receiving
pocket, said receiver tube
being fixed with respect to said frame, said receiver tube having an upper end
facing away from
said frame, and a lower end, said receiver tube including a support wall
therein located
intermediate to said upper and lower ends; bed supports; said frame including
foot portions
affixed to said frame opposite said receiver tube, said foot portions
overlying corresponding said
bed supports, said foot portions slidable in a longitudinal direction with
respect to said bed
supports; a ball cage for constraining a portion of a gooseneck ball within
said ball cage, said
ball cage engaging a threaded fastener extending between said ball cage and
said frame, said
threaded fastener for drawing said frame nearer said ball cage and biasing
said foot portions
toward said bed supports when said ball cage constrains said portion of said
gooseneck ball.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] A preferred embodiment of this invention has been chosen wherein:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fifth wheel hitch;
[0015] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the fifth wheel hitch shown in
FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the fifth wheel hitch shown in FIGS. 1
and 2 taken about
the centerline of the hitch ball;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a side view of the fifth wheel hitch shown in FIGS. 1-3;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the fifth wheel hitch taken
perpendicularly to that of
FIG. 2 through the center of the hitch ball;
Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
[0019] FIG. 6 is sectional view of the fifth wheel hitch taken through the
center of a spring
loaded locking pin;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a locking mechanism
that uses a non-
spring pin for locking;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a magnified view of the sectional view shown in FIG. 7;
[0022] FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the single point hitch;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a top view of the single point hitch;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a right side view of the single point hitch as affixed to
a towing vehicle;
[0025] FIG. 12 is a rear view of the single point hitch as affixed to a
towing vehicle;
[0026] FIG. 13 is a front view of the single point hitch as affixed to a
towing vehicle;
[0027] FIG. 14 is a side section view taken about the line 14-14 of the
single point hitch
shown in FIG. 13;
[0028] FIG. 15 is an isometric view of the single point hitch with the
locking mechanism
installed;
[0029] FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the area shown in FIG. 14;
[0030] FIG. 17 is an isometric section view 17-17 of the single point hitch
shown in FIG. 15
before assembly to the ball cage, partial view A is an isometric section view
of the ball cage 80
in an alternate orientation;
[0031] FIG. 18 is atop isometric view of a lock;
[0032] FIG. 19 is a bottom isometric view of the lock in FIG. 18;
[0033] FIG. 20 is an isometric view of the reversible ball cage;
[0034] FIG. 21 is an isometric view of the reversible ball cage in the
orientation shown in
partial view A in FIG. 17;
[0035] FIG. 22 is a bottom isometric view of the single point hitch;
[0036] FIG. 23 is a side section view of the single point hitch in FIG. 17
with the ball cage in
the orientation shown in partial view A;
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[0037] FIG. 24 is a side section view of the single point hitch in FIG. 17;
and
[0038] FIG. 25 is a front section view taken about the line 25-25 of the
single point hitch in
FIG. 24 through the sleeve axis.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a view of a fifth wheel hitch 10 as it is used with a
pin box 11 of a
mating trailer. The trailer is not shown but may be a recreational vehicle or
other trailer that
would be towed using a fifth wheel in a pickup truck or other towing vehicle
capable of
supporting a fifth wheel hitch. For the purposes of this description
hereinafter, a pickup truck
will be considered the towing vehicle.
[0040] The fifth wheel hitch 10 is used with a hitch ball 16 that extends
downwardly from an
adapter 12 that is attached to a pin box 11. The pin box adapter 12 is adapted
to receive a
kingpin on a fifth wheel trailer (not shown). A hitch ball 16 is shown, but it
is not absolutely
necessary that the hitch ball 16 that acts as a coupling member be a complete
ball. Production of
a ball is a simple way to achieve the goals of this invention and provides
rounded contact
surfaces that assist the function of the invention. It is possible that the
coupling member, which
is shown as a hitch ball 16 in the figures, be a non-spherical shape or a
partially spherical shape.
Having the lowermost portion of the hitch ball 16 as a spherical shape is
generally advantageous
to facilitate smooth movement. The hitch ball 16, or more generally hitch 16,
is best seen in
FIG. 3. The hitch 16 provides multiple degrees of freedom for rotation when it
is connected to
the fifth wheel hitch 10. The fifth wheel hitch 10 has a frame 18 that is
adapted to be mounted
into the bed of a pickup truck. The frame 18 shown in FIGS. 1-3 has horizontal
bed rails 20 that
are mounted to the bed. However, the frame 18 may be of the type that has
downwardly
extending mounting lugs that are adapted to mate with the pickup
manufacturers' sockets that
may be provided as original equipment or as aftermarket accessories. The frame
18 shown in
FIGS. 1-3 or one using lugs will work well with the concept of the present
invention.
[0041] The frame 18 includes an outer sleeve 26 that is welded within the
frame 18. The
outer sleeve 26 includes an upper end 28 and a lower end 30. The frame 18
includes a lower
planar wall 19 and an upper planar wall 21 where the outer sleeve 26 is
affixed. Located
between the lower and upper planar walls 21, 19 are vertical walls 23. The
frame further
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
includes bent tubular members 25 where the walls 19, 21, 23 are affixed. The
outer sleeve 26 is
affixed to the vertical walls 23 to provide additional rigidity. The outer
sleeve 26 also includes
threaded holes 32 that are best shown in FIG.5. The threaded holes 32 include
bolts 34 that
extend into the outer sleeve 26. The outer sleeve 26 includes aligned
transverse holes 36 on
opposite sides of the outer sleeve 26 that are perpendicular to the threaded
holes 32. These
transverse holes 36 are adapted to receive a pin 38 that extends through the
outer sleeve 26. The
pin 38 is bent downwardly at one end and cannot be passed through its
corresponding hole 36.
The opposite end of the pin 38 receives a cotter pin 40 that holds the pin in
the transverse holes
36 on an opposite side of the outer sleeve 26. It is contemplated that the
cotter pin 40 could be
replaced with an E-clip, snap ring, or other mechanical fastening device. A
receiver tube 46 is
slidingly and telescopically received in the outer sleeve 26. The outer sleeve
26 is coaxially
aligned with receiver tube 46 shown in FIG. 3. The receiver tube 46 has an
upper end 48 and a
lower end 50. The receiver tube 46 is defined by a continuous sidewall 47
having an outer
surface 49 and an inner surface 51. The receiver tube 46 is shown as a
cylindrical cross section,
but it is contemplated that the receiver tube 46 could be a rectangular or
other enclosed polygon
shape. A support wall 52 is located near the upper end 48 of the receiver tube
46. The support
wall 52 is welded into the receiver tube 46 and is adapted for supporting the
weight of the hitch
ball 16. A receiver pocket 53 is defined by the inner surface 51 of the
receiver tube 46, the upper
end 48 and the support wall 52. The support wall 52 is adjustable with respect
to the outer sleeve
26 and may be adjusted to a height that locates the support wall 52 within the
outer sleeve 26.
The receiver tube 46 has a funnel 54 located at its upper end 48. The funnel
54 has an upper
edge 56 that defines its outer diameter and the funnel 54 has an inner
diameter 58 that is
concentrically aligned with the receiver tube 46 inner surface 51 that defines
the inner diameter
of the receiver tube 46. The funnel 54 extends well outwardly of the outer
surface 49 of the
receiver tube 46. As such, the funnel 54 is cantilevered with respect to the
receiver tube 46. It is
possible that gussets may be added to support the funnel 54, but is generally
not necessary if a
thick enough material is chosen to make the funnel 54. The funnel 54 is
adapted to guide the
hitch ball 16 into the receiver tube 46. The receiver tube 46 has a series of
transverse holes 61
that are selectively alignable with the holes 36 in the outer sleeve 26. When
the holes 61 in the
receiver tube 46 are aligned with the holes 36 in the outer sleeve 26, pin 38
may be inserted
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
through the aligned holes 61, 36 to selectively lock the vertical position of
the receiver tube 46
with respect to the outer sleeve 26 and frame 18.
[0042] A locking mechanism 62 is located on the receiver tube 46. The
locking mechanism
62 is near the upper end 28 of the receiver tube 46 is adapted to retain the
hitch ball 16 within the
receiver tube 46. The pin 66 is chordally located with respect to the center
of the diameter of the
receiver tube 46. In other words, the pin 66 is offset from the center of the
receiver tube 46. The
side of the pin 66 is adapted to prevent upward movement of the hitch ball 16
from the receiver
tube 46 as can be seen in FIG. 6. A first position is shown in FIG. 6 and
corresponds to a
locking position that acts to retain the hitch ball 16 in the receiver tube.
The pin 66 is movable
away from the receiver tube 46 so that the pin is retracted from the receiver
tube 46, and this
corresponds to a second and unlocked position of the pin 66 that allows
removal of the hitch ball
16 from the receiver tube 46. The pin 66 may be retracted by a pull rod 68
that is inserted into
loop 70 of the pin 66 and pulled away from the receiver tube 46. The pin 66
serves to lock the
hitch ball 16 within the receiver tube 46 when the pin 66 is in its first
position.
[0043] A user of the fifth wheel hitch 10 will first determine the height
above the truck bed
that is desired and set the height of the receiver tube 46 with respect to the
frame 18. This is
done by removing the pin 38 from the outer sleeve 26 and the receiver tube 46.
Holes in the
receiver tube 61 and outer sleeve 36 are aligned at the desired height and the
pin 38 is inserted
through the aligned holes 61, 36. The cotter pin 40 or other mechanical
locking device is then
snapped into the pin 38 to prevent it from being dislodged from the holes 61,
36. To further lock
the receiver tube 46, bolts 34 are tightened against the receiver tube 46.
This not only locks the
receiver tube 46 with respect to the outer sleeve 26 but serves to prevent
rattling of the receiver
tube 46. The rattling would be felt by a driver of the towing vehicle and the
bolts 34 provide a
more responsive connection during towing. With the receiver tube 46 set at the
proper height,
the driver of the towing vehicle will back the vehicle, to which the fifth
wheel hitch 10 is
attached, underneath the hitch ball 16 of the trailer to be towed. It is not
critical that the hitch
ball 16 on the trailer be in the same plane as the receiver tube 46. When the
receiver tube 46 is
near the hitch ball 16 the driver will stop the vehicle and lower the hitch
ball 16 into the receiver
tube 46. The funnel 54 assists in this effort because the hitch ball 16 need
only be near the
receiver tube 46 and the hitch ball 16 will be guided into the receiver tube
46. The user of the
fifth wheel hitch 10 knows with absolute certainty that a secure connection is
made to the hitch
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
ball 16 because he can see the receiver tube 46 and the hitch ball 16 as they
connect and the
receiver tube 46 completely circumscribes the hitch ball 16. The pin 66 of
locking mechanism
62 must be moved into the second position (withdrawn from the receiver tube
46), which will
allow the hitch ball 16 to rest on the support wall 52. The pin 66 will be
biased into its first,
locked position by spring 64. The biasing spring 64 will serve as an effective
mechanism to
prevent the pin 66 from retracting.
[0044] A single point adaptation of the hitch 110, shown in FIGS. 9-25, has
the capability to
affix to a bed-mounted hitch ball 112 which is affixed to a towing vehicle 14.
Bed-mounted
hitch balls 112 are commonly used with gooseneck trailers (not shown). The
hitch 110 is shown
with a pin box adapter 12, frame attaching brackets 122, and bed supports 120.
The frame
attaching brackets 122 are attached to the frame of the vehicle to provide
support underneath the
bed surface of the vehicle 14 in the event that additional structure or
reinforcement is needed. It
is contemplated that the bed supports 120 may be fastened to the frame
attaching brackets
through apertures 117 that allow a fastener to pass through and affix the bed
supports 120 to the
vehicle 14. Otherwise, the bed supports 120 rest on the bed surface of the
vehicle 14 and are
held in place when the hitch 110 is attached to the vehicle 14. Generally, the
bed supports 120
do not slide with respect to the bed surface of the towing vehicle 14 and the
frame attaching
brackets 122 provide as direct connection to the frame to ensure that the bed
supports 120 do not
slide with respect to the frame and bed surface. Often, frame attaching
brackets 122 are not
necessary. Many uses of the hitch 110 will have bed supports 120 that contact
the surface of the
bed and do not need any further connection to the bed other than resting upon
the bed. In some
cases it may be desirable to put a high friction coating on the lower surfaces
of the bed supports
120 where they contact the bed. The bed supports 120 spread load placed on the
hitch 110 and
prevent damage to the bed. The bed supports 120 have portions that are bent
upwardly to
provide additional strength.
[0045] A frame 118 is formed from structural components that are welded,
riveted, or
otherwise fastened together. The frame 118 shares many components with frame
18 and also
includes additional features. The fifth wheel hitch 110 of the present
invention is used with a
hitch ball 16 that extends downwardly from the pin box adapter 12 on the
trailer. The fifth wheel
hitch 110 of the present invention may also be used with a trailer that has a
hitch ball 16
Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
extending directly from the trailer. The hitch ball 16 provides multiple
degrees of freedom for
rotation when it is connected to the fifth wheel hitch 110.
[0046]
The frame 118 includes a lower planar wall 119 and an upper planar wall 121
where a
locking wall 126 is affixed. The locking wall 126 is a vertical wall that
extends between the
upper and lower planar walls 119, 121, which is best seen in FIG. 16. Also
located between the
lower and upper planar walls 121, 119 are vertical walls 123. The frame 118
includes bent
tubular members 125 where the walls 119, 121, 123 are affixed. The frame
further includes foot
portions 127 that are affixed to the bent tubular members 125. The foot
portions 127 are
restrained with respect to the bed supports 120 with a tab 129 extending
upwardly from the bed
supports 120 through a slot 131 in the foot portions 127. The tab 129 can be
any upwardly
extending member that protrudes through the slots 131. The tab 129 can be
replaced with an
upwardly extending bolt or boss that rides in a corresponding slot 131 and
restrains movement of
the foot portions 127 with respect to their corresponding bed support 120. The
foot portions 127
are particularly restrained from lateral movement with respect to the bed
supports 120, but
longitudinal movement in the longest direction of the slots 131 is possible.
When the frame 118
and its foot portions 127 move with respect to the bed supports 120, the tabs
129 ride in their
corresponding slots 131 to the extent that the tabs 129 reach the ends of
their slots 131. Once a
pin (not shown) extends through the tab 129, the foot portion 127 is affixed
to the bed support
120 in such a way that the foot portions 127 cannot be lifted off the bed
supports 120, yet the
foot portions 127 remain able to slide in a longitudinal direction. To further
facilitate the sliding
motion of the foot portions 127 with respect to the bed, a low friction
material such as nylon,
Derlin or Teflon may be inserted between the foot portions 127 and bed
supports 120. Such low
friction inserts are not limited to the examples mentioned. It may also be
desirable to use grease
or other lubricants to reduce he friction between the foot portions 127 and
bed supports 120. In
the instances where a high friction coating is used on the bed supports 120
opposite where the
foot portions 127 slide, such a high friction coating will encourage sliding
of the foot portions
127 with respect to the bed supports 120 as opposed to the bed supports 120
sliding with respect
to the bed. Once the hitch 110 is in place, forces will be exerted on the
hitch 110 as the towing
vehicle accelerates or decelerates. Those forces will cause some sliding of
the hitch 110 with
respect to the bed supports 120. Thus, the foot portions 127 will slide with
respect to bed
supports 120. The locking wall 126 also includes threaded holes 132 that are
best shown in FIG.
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
16. The threaded holes 132 include bolts 134 that extend into the locking wall
126. Side walls
210 include a series of transverse holes 136 at various vertical heights that
are perpendicular to
the threaded holes 132. The side walls 210 may contain a threaded hole that
includes a bolt 151
that extends through, as shown in FIG. 25. The locking wall 126, side walls
210, and back wall
214 form the sleeve portion that is affixed to the frame 118. In the
embodiment of the invention
shown in FIGS. 10-25, the sleeve portion is a rectangular shape, but it could
have a circular cross
section like the outer sleeve 26 described above. Transverse holes 136 are
adapted to receive a
pin 138 that extends through the side walls 210. The pin 138 is bent
downwardly at one end and
cannot be passed through its corresponding hole 136. The opposite end of the
pin 138 receives a
cotter pin that holds the pin in the transverse holes 136. It is contemplated
that the cotter pin
could be replaced with an E-clip, snap ring, or other mechanical fastening
device. A receiver
tube 146 is slidingly and telescopically received in the sleeve portion of the
frame 118,
particularly through an upper receiver aperture 135 and lower receiver
aperture 137 in the upper
and lower planar walls, 121 and 119. The receiver tube 146 has an upper end
148 and a lower
end 150 and is aligned with a sleeve axis 145. The sleeve axis 145 is shown in
FIGS. 23 and 24.
The receiver tube 146 is shown as a cylindrical cross section, but it is
contemplated that the
receiver tube 146 could be a rectangular or other enclosed polygon shape. A
support wall 152 is
located near the upper end 148 of the receiver tube 146. The support wall 152,
shown in FIG.
22, is welded into the receiver tube 146 and is adapted for supporting the
weight of the hitch ball
16. The support wall is shown as a vertical wall as shown in FIG. 17, but it
is contemplated that
the support wall 152 may include a larger bearing surface at its upper end to
distribute the weight
of the hitch ball 16 received upon it. A receiver pocket 153 is defined by the
inner surface of the
receiver tube 146, the upper end 148, and the support wall 152. The receiver
tube 146 has a
funnel 154 located at its upper end 148. The funnel 154 has an upper edge 156
that defines its
outer diameter and the funnel 154 has an inner diameter 158 that is
concentrically aligned with
the receiver tube 146 inner surface that defines the inner diameter of the
receiver tube 146. The
funnel 154 extends well outwardly of the outer surface of the receiver tube
146. As such, the
funnel 154 is overhangs the receiver tube 146. It is contemplated that gussets
may be added to
support the funnel 154. The funnel 154 is adapted to guide the hitch ball 16
into the receiver
tube 146. The receiver tube 146 has a series of transverse holes 161 that are
selectively alignable
with the holes 136 in the side walls 210. When the holes 161 in the receiver
tube 146 are aligned
12
Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
with the holes 36 in the side walls 210, a pin 138 may be inserted through the
aligned holes 161,
136 to selectively lock the vertical position of the receiver tube 146 with
respect to the frame
118. Once locked into the desired vertical position, the receiver tube 146 can
be tightened to the
frame 118 using bolts 134, 151 to apply biased pressure and prevent the
receiver tube 146 from
rattling and prevent any relative movement with respect to the frame 118.
[0047] A locking mechanism 162 located on the receiver tube 146. The
locking mechanism
162 near the upper end of the receiver tube 146 is adapted to retain the hitch
ball 16 within the
receiver tube 146. The pin 166 is chordally located with respect to the center
of the diameter of
the receiver tube 146. In other words, the pin 166 is offset from the center
of the receiver tube
146. The side of the pin 166 is adapted to prevent upward movement of the
hitch ball 16 from
the receiver tube 146 as can be seen in FIGS. 23 and 24. The pin 166 is
movable away from the
receiver tube 146 so that the pin is retracted from the receiver tube 146, and
this corresponds to a
second and unlocked position of the pin 166 that allows removal of the hitch
ball 16 from the
receiver tube 146. The pin 166 may be retracted by a pull rod 168 that is
inserted into loop 170
of the pin 166 and pulled away from the receiver tube 146. The pin 166 serves
to lock the hitch
ball 16 within the receiver tube 146 when the pin 166 is in its locked
position.
[0048] The hitch 110 as shown in FIGS. 9-25 is held to the bed of the
towing vehicle at a
single point. That single point of attachment is often abed-mounted hitch ball
112. This may
not always be the case, and although not shown, a shank or other connection
that allows some
translational movement with respect to the bed may be used. Such a flexible
connection allows
the relative movement of the hitch 110 and therefore, its foot portions 127
with respect to the bed
supports 120 as described above. In the case a gooseneck ball 112 is used as
the single point of
attachment, a gooseneck ball cage 80 is used to affix the hitch to the hitch
ball 112. The
gooseneck ball cage 80 has a bottom wall 82, side walls 86, 88, end walls 90,
92, and a top wall
94. The side walls 86, 88 extend beyond end wall 92. The portions of the side
walls 86, 88 that
extend beyond end wall 92 are offsetting portions 87 and 89 respectively. The
bottom wall 82
has a ball aperture 84 that is sized to allow the bed-mounted hitch ball 112
to pass through. On
opposite ends of the bottom wall 82 are arcuate notches 85. The side walls 86,
88 have apertures
96 that receive a locking pin 98. The locking pin 98 extends across and
through both side walls
86, 88 to capture the hitch ball inside the ball cage 80, as shown in FIG. 16.
The locking pin 98,
when extending through the side walls 86, 88 overlays a part of the ball
aperture that is offset
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
from the center of the ball aperture 84. The end walls 90, 92 and side walls
86, 88 are spaced
apart enough to allow the hitch ball 112 to be located between them. The
spacing of the end
walls 90, 92 and side walls 86, 88 define an approximately square chamber 93
for receiving the
ball 112 above the ball aperture 84. The chamber 93 circumscribes the ball
112. The top wall 94
has an aperture 100 that receives a threaded fastener 102. In the embodiment
shown herein, the
threaded fastener 102 is a carriage bolt, but other types of fasteners are
contemplated. Instead of
a carriage bolt, it is contemplated a captured nut or threaded hole is located
where the threaded
fastener 102 extends from the top wall 94. It may also be the case that the
threaded fastener 102
is welded to the top wall 94. The threaded fastener 102 has a locking aperture
104 extending
through it that is spaced from the top wall 94 and the threaded fastener is
retained to the top wall
94 in the ball cage 80 with a clip 105. The threaded fastener 102 is aligned
with the ball aperture
84 to form a cage axis 101. The cage axis 101 is the centerline of the chamber
93 that
circumscribes the ball 112. Thus the cage axis 101 is also the centerline of
the ball 112 when the
ball cage 80 contains the ball within its chamber 93. The cage axis 101 is
shown in FIGS. 23 and
24. The chamber 93 for receiving the ball 112 is not centered with respect
between opposite
ends of the bottom wall 82, nor is the chamber 93 centered with respect to the
notches 85 in the
bottom wall. The chamber 93 and cage axis 101 is biased to be nearer a first
end 95 of the ball
cage 80 than a second end 97 of the ball cage 80. The offset biased location
of the chamber 93
can be seen in FIGS. 19 and 20 which show that the offsetting portions 87, 89
act to space the
chamber 93 farther from the right end of the bottom wall 82 as viewed in FIG.
21.
[0049] The frame 118 has a cage pocket 200 affixed thereto, shown in
section views FIG.
15-16 and adjacent the receiver tube 146 and sleeve portion. The cage pocket
200 has a front
wall 212, the back wall 214, and shares the same side walls 210 as described
in the sleeve
portion. The front wall 212 includes a biasing bolt 213 that can impinge on a
portion of the ball
cage 80, particularly end walls 90 or 92. It is contemplated that the side
walls 210 do not extend
between the cage pocket 200 and the sleeve portion. The top of the cage pocket
200 is defined
by the upper planar wall 121. The cage pocket 200 receives the ball cage 80 to
affix the hitch
110 to the towing vehicle 14. Because of the shape of the cage pocket 200 and
ball cage 80, the
cage pocket 200 can receive the ball cage in two different orientations. A far
orientation is
shown in FIG. 23 and a close orientation is shown in FIG. 24. The far
orientation is denoted by
the distance between the cage axis 101 and the sleeve axis 145 being larger
than the distance
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Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
between the cage axis 101 and the sleeve axis 145 shown in FIG. 24, which
represents the close
orientation. This shift of the ball cage 80 between its close orientation and
far orientation shifts
the entire hitch 110 with respect to the ball 112. Because the ball 112
location is fixed within the
bed, this shifts the entire hitch 110 with respect to the cab. The far
orientation locates the entire
hitch 110 relatively far from the cab and the close orientation locates the
entire hitch relatively
near to the cab. The shift in relative location with respect to the cab is
simply accomplished by
merely rotating the cage lock 180 degrees to achieve the desired orientation
that will
accommodate the trailer that is intended to be towed. Regardless of the
orientation, the threaded
fastener 102 can pass through an elongate aperture 133 in the upper planar
wall 121 to allow a
nut 107 to be threaded onto the fastener 102. The elongate aperture 133 is
long enough to
accommodate the relative positional shift of the threaded fastener 102 with
respect to the
elongate aperture 133. When the ball cage 80 is in its far orientation, the
threaded fastener 102 is
near the left end of the elongate aperture 133 as shown in FIG. 23. When the
ball cage 80 is in
its close orientation, the threaded fastener 102 is near the right end of the
elongate aperture 133
as shown in FIG. 24. A conical washer 109 held between the tightened nut 107
and upper planar
wall 121 provides a biasing force once the hitch 110 is assembled to the
towing vehicle. The
conical washer 109 flattens out as the nut 107 is tightened and is resilient
to maintain a certain
amount of axial force on the threaded fastener 102. A nut 107 is described
herein, but it is
contemplated that other methods or devices can be used to draw the ball cage
80 into the cage
pocket 200 to affix the ball cage 80 to the frame 118. In the event that the
aperture 100 in the top
wall 94 of the ball cage 80 is threaded, a bolt could be used to draw the ball
cage 80 into the cage
pocket 200.
[0050] A cage lock 180 is shown installed in FIG. 14 and standalone in
FIGS. 18 and 19.
The cage lock 180 has a nut retaining plate 182 with a nut locking aperture
184. The nut locking
aperture 184 has an interior shape that prevents the nut 107 from rotating
when the nut 107 is
located therein. For example, the interior shape of the locking aperture 184
may be of a similar
shape to a twelve point socket or similar variant that fits the nut 107 in a
complementary fashion.
As shown, the aperture 184 allows the close or far ball cage 80 installation
orientation, shown in
FIG. 23 (far) and FIG. 24 (close). FIG. 14 shows the ball cage 80 and cage
lock 180 affixed in
the far orientation. In either orientation, the notch 85 provides clearance
for the lower end 150 of
the receiver tube 146. The cage lock 180 includes a padlock 186 having a
shackle 187 that
Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
extends through tube apertures 189, 191 in a tube 188 and the locking aperture
104 in the
threaded fastener 102 to prevent the hitch 110 from being removed. In addition
to preventing the
hitch 110 from being removed, the shackle 187 blocks the nut 107 from
traveling along the
threaded fastener 102 in the unlikely event that it would rattle loose. The
tube apertures may be
small apertures 189 or large apertures 191. The large apertures 191 allow
increased room to
install the padlock 186.
[0051] To install the hitch 110 to the towing vehicle 14, the user first
installs the vehicle-
mounted ball 112. The user next locates the ball cage 80 over the ball 112 by
passing the ball
112 through the ball aperture 84 and installing pins 98 through apertures 96.
The ball cage 80 is
installed in either the far or the close orientation. If the user wants the
receiver and pivot point of
the trailer to be relatively near the cab of the towing vehicle, he will use
the near orientation. If
the user wants to have the receiver and pivot point of the trailer to be
relatively far from the cab
of the towing vehicle, he will rotate the ball cage 80 one hundred eighty
degrees from its near
orientation so that the ball cage 80 is in its far orientation. The user may
then locate the bed
supports 120 on the towing vehicle 14. The user then lowers the frame 118 and
aligns the
threaded fastener 102 with the elongate aperture 133. The nut 107 is tightened
to draw the ball
cage 80 upward, and because it is attached to the vehicle-mounted ball 112,
the frame 118 is
drawn down to the towing vehicle 14. Once the nut 107 is sufficiently tight,
the user may tighten
the biasing bolt 213 to further secure the ball cage 80 into the ball pocket
200. The user may
also install pins to secure the tabs 129 of the bed supports 120 to the foot
portions 127 of the
frame 118. At that point, the optional cage lock 180 may be installed. The
user may have to
rotate the nut 107 slightly to align the aperture 184 and allow the nut
retaining plate 182 to
surround the nut 107. The padlock 186 may then be installed through the tube
188 and the
aperture 104 in the threaded fastener 102.
[0052] It is understood that while certain aspects of the disclosed subject
matter have been
shown and described, the disclosed subject matter is not limited thereto and
encompasses various
other embodiments and aspects. No specific limitation with respect to the
specific embodiments
disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred. Modifications may be made
to the disclosed
invention within the scope of the following claims.
16
Date Recue/Date Receievd 2020-10-02
