Hitch for goose neck trailer

A trailer hitch assembly securable to a vehicle having a pair of parallel spaced frame members, said hitch comprising:

• a cross-member having a first and second ends positionable between and attachable to said frame members, said cross-member further including an integral cylindrical sleeve and a resilient retaining means insertable therethrough;
• a socket having an upper end, a lower end and an exterior surface, said socket further including a vertical groove and an intersecting eccentric groove formed on said exterior surface of said socket, said eccentric groove having a tapered end that is flush with said exterior surface, said socket being attachable to said cross-member by inserting said socket into said sleeve and engaging said retaining means with said vertical groove, said socket being removable from said sleeve by engaging said retaining means with said eccentric groove and pulling upwards on said socket when said retaining means opposes said tapered end;
• and
• a ball hitch member attached to said upper end of said socket, said ball hitch member being attachable to a trailer.

A trailer hitch assembly securable to a vehicle having a pair of parallel spaced frame members, said hitch comprising:

• a cross-member having first and second ends and an opening formed in said cross-member between said ends, said cross-member positionable between and attachable to the frame members of the vehicle;
• a socket having an upper end, a lower end and an exterior surface, said socket being insertable within said opening;
• a first groove and an intersecting second groove formed on said exterior surface of said socket;
• a retaining means transversely insertable into said opening for releasably securing said socket to said cross-member, said socket being securable by inserting said socket into said opening and engaging said retaining means with said first groove, said socket being releasable by engaging said retaining means with said second groove and pulling upwards on said socket;
• and
• a ball hitch attached to said upper end of said socket, said ball hitch being attachable to a trailer.

A trailer hitch assembly securable to a vehicle having a pair of parallel spaced frame members and a cargo bed mounted thereupon, said hitch comprising:

• a cross-member with first and second ends and a ball socket protruding upwards therefrom;
• first and second mounting brackets secured to each end of said cross-member respectively;
• clamping means securable to each mounting bracket, said clamping means and said mounting brackets attachable to said frame members for releasably securing said hitch assembly to the frame members;
• adjusting means for adjusting the position of said hitch assembly with respect to said frame members to accommodate varying frame members and cargo bed configurations, said adjusting means including:
• a pair of horizontal slots formed on said mounting brackets and corresponding retaining bolts for selective adjustment of said brackets in a horizontal direction;
• and
• a pair of vertical slots formed on said mounting brackets and corresponding retaining bolts for selective adjustment of said brackets in a vertical direction.

A method for installing and removing a ball hitch used in a trailer hitch assembly, said method comprising the steps of:

• inserting said ball hitch into said hitch assembly;
• engaging said ball hitch to a locked position within said trailer hitch assembly by translation of said ball hitch in a linear direction in relation to said hitch assembly;
• rotating said ball hitch within said hitch assembly to an unlocked position;
• and
• separating said ball hitch from said trailer hitch assembly by pulling away said ball hitch from said hitch assembly along said linear direction.