Beryl D Vinchattle

US Patent:

46661778, May 19, 1987

Filed:

May 14, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/863042

Inventors:

Beryl Vinchattle - Fort Dodge IA

International Classification:

B60D 106

US Classification:

280478B

Abstract:

A hitch for coupling a drawbar on a draft vehicle to a tongue bar on a trailer or pulled vehicle includes a preferably square tubular housing having a forward end for removable attachment to the drawbar and a rearward end for receiving and removably securing the tongue bar. Projecting from the rearward end is a four sided funnel or hopper shaped tongue bar guide comprising respective top and bottom immovable plates rigidly secured to the top and bottom edges of the housing and movable opposed side plates each hingedly secured to opposed sides of the housing so as to be separately movable away from and into abutment with the top and bottom plates. Spring means yieldingly hold the side plates in abutment with the top and bottom plates and a releasable locking assembly within the housing holds the side plates immovable while the tongue bar is being introduced and guided into the housing. A spring loaded hitch pin on the housing automatically engages the tongue bar at a predetermined point of movement with the tongue bar engaging the locking assembly to release it so that each side plate can yield and swing outwardly from contact by the tongue bar in a turning movement during travel. The side plates are automatically returned to locked position when the tongue bar is unhitched and removed from the housing.