Integral vehicle trailer hitch and electrical system
OwnerFrank Deloach, Jr.inventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Trailer hitch apparatus is disclosed of the type having a ball and socket coupling wherein the ball includes an upper cap and lower ball section with opposing overlying faces in which electrical contacts are incorporated and wherein the upper cap section is suspended in the socket coupling and contoured to seat with the lower ball section to provide an unlimited universal-type action to insure positive electrical contact regardless of tilting and rotational movements.
Claims11
A trailer hitch for connecting a towing vehicle having an electrical power source to a towed vehicle having at least one electrically actuated device, said hitch comprising:
- a ball section adapted to be connected to one of said vehicles, said ball section including a vertically disposed face having electrical contact means and means adapted to connect said contact means to one of said power source and said device;
- a socket coupling adapted to be connected to the other of said vehicles, said socket coupling including a housing for tiltably and rotationally engaging said ball section for transmitting towing force between said vehicles, a cap section having a vertically disposed face overlying said ball section face, said cap section face having electrical contact means for engaging said ball section contact means, means adapted to connect said cap sectin contact means to the other of said power source and said device, and means for mounting said cap section on said housing whereby said housing may move relative to said cap section during tilting of said housing relative to said ball section, but said cap section may rotate relatively with said housing relative to said ball section;
- said cap section and said ball section having interengaging means for maintaining said faces in a constant parallel relationship during said tilting whereby said contact means are maintained in interengagement.
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said ball and cap sections are contoured to overlie and seat with one another so that trailer weight exerted at the socket coupling is carried jointly by said cap and ball sections to the exclusion of said electrical contact means.
Trailer hitch apparatus of the ball and socket coupling type having an integral electrical system wherby mechanical and electrical connection between a towing vehicle and a trailer may be made simultaneously, said apparatus comprising:
- a ball section adapted for connection to said towing vehicle;
- a socket coupling adapted for connection to said towed vehicle;
- a cap section carried by said socket coupling overlying said ball section;
- electrical contact means carried by respective opposing faces of said cap and ball sections providing electrical conduction therebetween when overlying in a seated position;
- contoured interface means formed on said ball and cap sections enabling said sections to seat with one another in an integral manner and carry the trailer weight jointly without any of said weight being carried by said electrical contact means;
- and
- said ball and cap section generally forming a completed trailer hitch ball when seated in said integral manner accommodating use of conventional socket couplings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.