Trailer coupler

A new and improved trailer coupler system for connecting a trailer to a ball hitch on a towing vehicle comprising:

• (a) a housing and having a recessed socket with a downwardly directed socket opening for receiving said ball hitch;
• (b) a first a retractable latching plate having a first spring assembly and a second retractable latching plate having a second spring assembly, whereby said first plate and said second plate are connected to said housing and wherein said first plate and said second plate may retract in opposite directions when said first spring assembly and said second spring assembly are respectively compressed for allowing said ball hitch to enter and exit said recessed socket and wherein said first plate and said second plate may further cooperate with said recessed socket such that said ball hitch is trapped in said socket;
• (c) a first locking mechanism connected to said housing and a second locking mechanism connected to said housing for automatically positioning said first plate and said second plate respectively that cooperates with said first plate and said second plate respectively to provide:
• (1) an unlocked configuration wherein said first plate and said second plate may retract when respective said first spring assembly and said second spring assembly are compressed allowing for said ball hitch to enter and exit said recessed socket, and
• (2) a locked configuration wherein said first plate and said second plate may not retract thereby confining said ball hitch in said recessed socket.

A new and improved trailer coupler for connecting a trailer to a ball hitch mounted on the rear end of a towing vehicle comprising:

• (a) a housing having a recessed socket with a downwardly directed socket opening for receiving said ball hitch, an interior cavity in communication with said socket, a top, a bottom, a top aperture on said top of said housing, a bottom aperture on said bottom of said housing, a passageway through said housing aligned between said top aperture and said bottom aperture;
• (b) a retractable latching plate generally disposed in said housing interior cavity and said socket and having a spring assembly wherein said plate may retract when said spring assembly is compressed for allowing said ball hitch to enter and exit said recessed socket and wherein said plate may further cooperate with said recessed socket such that said ball hitch is trapped in said socket;
• (c) a locking mechanism disposed in said interior cavity and having a spring loaded pin with a first portion and a second portion, wherein said pin is aligned in said passageway of said housing such that said pin first portion operatively extends through said top aperture of said housing wherein said locking mechanism automatically cooperates with said plate to provide:
• (1) an unlocked configuration wherein said plate may freely retract when said spring assembly is compressed allowing for said ball hitch to enter and exit said recessed socket, and
• (2) a locked configuration wherein said pin communicates with said plate such that said plate may not retract thereby confining said ball hitch in said recessed socket;
• (d) an access port disposed in said bottom of said housing wherein said access port provides access to said interior cavity of said housing and said retractable latching plate spring assembly;
• and
• (e) a visual indicator disposed on said first portion of said pin for determining if said locking mechanism is in said unlocked configuration or said locked configuration whereby said visual indicator is visible when said locking mechanism is in said locked configuration.
• (f) a remotely controlled motor in communication with said pin for selectively raising said pin whereby pin no longer communicates with said plate and thereby said locking mechanism is changed from said locked configuration to said unlocked configuration.