US 6,305,705 B1 · No-sway hitch

Abstract

An improved trailer hitch is provided which provides greater control over the towing vehicle and towed vehicle by eliminating swaying of a towed vehicle and permitting the towing vehicle-towed vehicle combination to make sharper turns. The hitch comprises a beam mounted to the parallel side frame members of a towing vehicle. Pivotally attached to the beam are a pair of crossover arms which are also pivotally attached at their opposite ends to a trailer receiver. The receiver includes a traditional trailer attachment for connection to a towed vehicle. The receiver further includes an oscillator mounted on the receiver. This oscillator is operable for moving laterally along a long metal tube which is attached at each end to the frame members of the towing vehicle. The pivotal attachment at each end of the cross-over bars coupled with the lateral movement of the oscillator along the curved tube transfer forces which would normally produce sway in a towed vehicle to the beam mounted near the rear axle of the towing vehicle and to the frame members to which it is attached.

Claims18

Dependent claims

In a trailer hitch for connecting a trailer to a towing vehicle, wherein the towing vehicle includes substantially parallel frame members and an axle substantially perpendicular to the parallel frame members, said hitch comprising:

a frame beam adapted for parallel orientation to the axle and having opposed ends, said frame beam adapted for attachment to a parallel frame member at each of said opposed ends;
a pair of cross-over bars, each of said cross-over bars presenting opposed ends, and each of said pair of cross-over bars being operatively attached to said frame beam at one of said opposed ends;
a receiver operatively attached to each of said other opposed cross-over ends, said receiver presenting a top plate and a bottom plate and a tubular receiver therebetween;
a trolley housing removably attached to said receiver top plate, said trolley housing presenting a box-shaped enclosure including a top plate, a bottom plate, a front plate, a back plate, and two side plates;
at least one pair of rotatable tracking rollers positioned in said housing;
a pin securing each of said tracking rollers, said tracking rollers being rotatable about said pin;
and
a slide bar presenting opposed ends, said slide bar extending through said trolley housing and being positioned between said tracking rollers, and said slide bar being operably attachable to the vehicle parallel frame members at each of said opposed ends thereof.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

No-sway hitch

Life of this patent

No-sway hitch

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18