Trailer hitch guide
AssigneeFarrugia Companies, LLC
InventorTerry L. Farrugia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer hitch guide for ball-and-socket type hitches has an upright rod visible through the rear window of a towing vehicle, a base adapted to be magnetically attached to a socket-forward portion of the trailer-side hitch socket, and a lever arm that extends below the hitch socket to be tripped by the ball portion of the hitch as the towing vehicle is backed up toward the trailer. The socket-forward mounting of the base places the lever arm forward of the trailer socket, such that the guide rod is visibly tripped before the hitch ball is vertically aligned with the trailer socket.
Claims7
A trailer-side hitch guide for a ball-and-socket hitch, the hitch guide comprising a single guide rod comprising an upper rod portion with a magnetic base for magnetic attachment to a generally vertical front face of a socket-forward portion of a trailer-side hitch socket, the upper rod portion extending upwardly from the hitch socket to a point visible to a driver of a towing vehicle equipped with a hitch ball when the magnetic base is attached to the hitch socket, the guide rod further comprising a lever arm portion extending below the magnetic base forwardly of and below a socket opening on the hitch socket when the magnetic base is attached to the hitch socket, such that a hitch ball being driven into alignment with the hitch socket breaks the magnetic attachment of the guide rod to the hitch socket through the lever arm portion, causing the guide rod to begin to fall over before the hitch ball is vertically aligned with the trailer socket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.