Hydraulic gooseneck trailer coupler system and method

A piston rod to trailer coupler bushing, the bushing comprising, any of:

• a top configured to affix to a bottom of a piston rod;
• a bottom configure to affix to a trailer coupler;
• a height from the top to the bottom, wherein,
• the height equals near 1.5 inches;
• a top internal diameter near a piston rod diameter, wherein,
• the internal tip diameter is 2 thousandths of an inch greater than an outer diameter of the piston rod;
• a bottom internal diameter greater than an outer dome diameter of a coupler by 15 to 30 thousandths;
• wherein, the bottom internal bushing diameter is greater than the top internal bushing diameter;
• a ramp from the bottom internal diameter to the top internal diameter;
• a varying wall thickness from a bottom wall thickness near 0.375 inches;
• wherein, the bushing outer bottom diameter is less than an outer diameter of a top of the coupler;
• and
• wherein a bottom edge is chamfered at about 45 degrees;
• and
• a top of the outer coupler dome surface is cut down, flattening the top;
• and
• wherein, a mounted rod sits into the top bushing opening and may extend ¼ inch deep into the bushing;
• and
• wherein, a weld about the bottom external bushing to top coupler face may be a ¼ inch weld, and a about the top external bushing to external rod may be a ¼ inch weld.

A method of securing a piston rod to a trailer coupler, the method comprising an of:

• acquiring a piston rod to trailer coupler bushing;
• placing a bottom of the bushing juxtaposition a top of the coupler, circumscribing a coupler dome, where a small tolerance of 15 to 30 thousandths may be used;
• acquiring a coupler, a conventional and casted coupler, where casting accounts for small variability;
• using a BULLDOG coupler;
• sliding, bushing to rod may be tight at 2 thousandths of an inch, rod into a bushing;
• welding between the bushing bottom and the top of the coupler along an outer wall of the bushing, ¼ fillet weld.
• flattening an outer dome top of the coupler;
• welding inside the bushing from the lowest inner cavity to just above the coupler dome, making solid weld surface, a fill weld to cover top of the coupler dome;
• machine flattening the fill weld of the bushing;
• inserting machined flat rod end into a top of bushing until the rod end meets the flattened fill weld;
• securing, vising, rod to flattened surface vertically and rotationally before welding;
• welding the top of the bushing to an outer surface of the rod using a ¼ inch fillet weld.

A method of preventing piston rod rotation in a free end hydraulic system, the method comprising, any of:

• anchoring a guide rod to a hydraulic cylinder top cap off of axial center;
• passing the guide rod through an off center guide through hole in a piston head;
• running the guide rod into a piston rod's guide rod cavity from a rod's first end;
• securing the first end of the rod to the piston head;
• extending a second end of the rod out of the cylinder through an end nut;
• and
• leaving the second end free.

A Non-rotating free end hydraulic piston, the piston comprising, any of:

• a cylinder;
• a top cap welded to a top of the cylinder;
• a guide rod anchor disposed in the top cap;
• a guide rod anchored to the top cap at the guide rod anchor;
• an off center guide through hole in a piston head;
• a guide cavity in the piston rod disposed off axial center and aligned with the through hole in the piston head.

An automatic trailer coupling device, the device comprising:

• a trailer neck;
• a hydraulic cylinder housed in and mounted to the trailer neck;
• a hydraulic piston fitted in the hydraulic cylinder;
• a ball coupler connected to a hydraulic piston rod;
• a user interface connected to a hydraulic pump;
• and
• wherein, the user interface provides extending and retracting of the piston.

A method of coupling a trailer, the method comprising:

• retracting a hydraulic piston-ball coupler;
• positioning the ball coupler over a ball hitch;
• lowering the hydraulic piston;
• encircling the ball hitch with the ball coupler;
• and
• locking a lock on the ball coupler.