Trailer hitch guide
OwnerAlbert F. Fath, IVinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer hitch guide with a first portion to be mounted on a tractor vehicle, and a second portion to be mounted on a trailer vehicle. The first portion having a guide telescopically mounted to the tractor such that it can be viewed by the tractor operator while the vehicle is in motion. The second portion having a hood telescopically mounted to the trailer drawbar at a height equal to that of the guide. The relative spacial relation between the hood and guide emulating the relative spacial relation between the tractor hitch ball and trailer drawbar, such that when the operator is attempting to couple the tractor to the trailer, he can position the tractor for coupled engagement with the trailer by viewing the relative spacial relation of the two portions of the trailer hitch guide.
Claims11
A trailer hitch guide for emulating the relative position of a tractor hitch ball and a trailer drawbar in such a manner that a tractor operator can known the relative position of the tractor ball and the trailer drawbar, said hitch guide comprising:
- a first portion adapted to be permanently mounted to a tractor vehicle;
- a second portion adapted to be permanently mounted to a trailer drawbar;
- said first portion having an elevated guidance means extending upwardly for viewing by an operator of a tractor vehicle;
- said second portion having a contact plate for at least partially receiving the guidance means such that the relative spacial relation between the guidance means and the contact plate emulates the relative distance between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer drawbar with the vertical distance between the guidance means and the contact plate emulating the relative height between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer drawbar;
- said second portion also having a vertical support sleeve adapted to be mounted on the trailer, with the contact plate mounted on said support sleeve at a height corresponding to that of the guidance means;
- and
- slide means mounted on top of said support sleeve for providing horizontal adjustment between the contact plate and the support sleeve such that the contact plate remains positioned the same vertical distance above the trailer drawbar during horizontal adjustment.
In combination, a tractor vehicle having a hitch ball mounted on a rear portion thereof and a trailer vehicle having a coupler mounted thereon for coupling engagement with said hitch ball, and a trailer hitch guide for emulating the relative position of the tractor hitch ball and a trailer coupler in such a manner that a tractor operator knows the relative position of the hitch ball with respect to the trailer coupler, said hitch guide comprising:
- a first portion adapted to be permanently mounted on the tractor vehicle;
- a second portion adapted to be permanently mounted to the trailer vehicle;
- said first portion having an elevated guidance means positioned generally above the hitch ball for viewing by the operator of the tractor vehicle;
- said second portion having contact means positioned generally above the trailer coupler for viewing by the tractor vehicle operator and for engagement with the elevated guidance means such that the relative spacial relation between the guidance means and the contact means emulates the relative distance between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer coupler with the vertical distance between the guidance means and the contact means emulating the relative height between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer coupler;
- p1 said second portion also having a vertical support sleeve adapted to be mounted on the trailer, with the contact means mounted on said support sleeve at a height corresponding to that of the guidance means;
- and
- slide means mounted on top of said support sleeve for providing horizontal adjustment between the contact means and the support sleeve such that the contact means remains positioned the same vertical distance above the trailer coupler during horizontal adjustment.
A trailer hitch guide for emulating the relative position of a tractor hitch ball and a trailer drawbar, when such trailer drawbar includes a hood adapted to receive the tractor hitch ball, in such a manner that the tractor operator can know the relative position of the tractor ball and the trailer drawbar, said hitch guide comprising:
- a) a first support sleeve mounted on the tractor vehicle;
- b) a first slide rod telescopically engaging the first support sleeve;
- c) first lock means locking the first slide rod on the first support sleeve;
- d) a second support sleeve mounted to the trailer vehicle;
- e) a second slide rod telescopically engaging the second support sleeve;
- f) second lock means for locking the second slide rod on said second support sleeve;
- g) guidance means carried by said first slide rod for simulating the trailer ball;
- h) simulated hood means for simulating the hood included on the trailer drawbar;
- i) a contact plate extending downwardly from said simulating hood for contacting the guidance means when the hood carried by the trailer drawbar and the tractor ball are brought into engagement;
- j) horizontal slide means for providing horizontal adjustment of said simulated hood means with a first end of said horizontal slide means engaging a free end of said second slide rod and a second end of said horizontal slide means carrying said simulated hood means;
- k) third lock means for locking the slide means on the free end of the second slide rod;
- and
- l) said contact plate at least partially receiving the guidance means such that the relative spacial relation between the guidance means and the contact plate emulates the relative distance between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer drawbar with the vertical distance between the guidance means and the contact plate emulating the relative height between the tractor hitch ball and the trailer drawbar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.