Abstract: A coupler for a trailer and the like, the coupler having a body and cap hinged together at a front portion and closeable along parting faces and having an internal cavity formed by the body and the cap for the ball which is conventionally secured to either the trailer or the towing vehicle. The body forms a major portion of the ball cavity and includes a ball centering upper surface which extends substantially laterally across the upper surface of the cavity, forming a self-centering bearing surface for the ball. An automatic closing device is formed on a front portion of the cap and body wherein insertion of the ball into the ball cavity automatically closes the cap with respect to the body. The closing device includes a protrusion on the cap at an opposite side of the hinge where the cap encloses the ball cavity. The protrusion extends through an aperture in the body and projects into the ball cavity when the cap is in an open position.

Abstract: A vehicle hitch device is provided wherein a draft body having a hollow and a notch therein from an open end thereof, is pivotally connected with draft thrust transmission means, for the latter pivotally to reach hitching and release positions. Presser and biasing means, affording rectilinearly movable presser means slidably within the hollow of the draft body, and biasing means, has recessed contact structure of the presser means adjacent to the open end of the draft body, for the head of a stemmed head member to be pressed into the open end of the draft body against bias of the biasing means while the draft thrust transmission means is in a hitch release position and the head of a stemmed head member contacts the presser means in the recess of the contact structure of the presser means, causing the presser means to retract and the stem of a stemmed head member to be in the notch.

Abstract: Presented is a trailer hitch assembly for use in connecting a trailer tongue to a conventional ball-type trailer hitch, including a socket member to grasp the trailer hitch ball while permitting pivotal movement of the trailer hitch assembly on the ball, and a sleeve mechanism for locking the trailer hitch assembly to prevent release of the trailer hitch ball by the trailer hitch assembly when the trailer hitch assembly is pivotally attached to a towing tractor, and which locks the trailer hitch assembly in a closed condition when the trailer is left unattended and disengaged from a tractor.

Abstract: A hitch assembly having a base defining a path of travel, a cam member borne by the base for movement about an axis substantially normal to the path of travel, a pair of grasping members received on the base in juxtaposition for movement along the path of travel and having cam ways through which the cam member is extended, and a lever affixed on the cam member and movable to cause the cam member in engagement with the cam ways to move the grasping members along the path of travel between opened and closed positions.

Abstract: Apparatus for locking and holding structures to one another in a releasable manner, including a separable element which may be fastened to each of the structures. One of the elements may be a generally spherical member, similar to the ball fixture utilized in cooperation with a trailer hitch. The other fixture includes a housing with a dual-acting or compound motion mechanism pivotally mounted therein. The mechanism may comprise a gate having a locking surface which cooperates with a locking seat in the housing to receive and lock the spherical element therebetween. A locking mechanism may be movably mounted on the gate to limit the movement of the latter as well as to fix it in the locking position.

Abstract: Apparatus for locking a coupling socket member in engagement with a mating ball member is disclosed. A ball retainer member is located within the coupling socket member and is movable from a lowered release position to a raised locked position. The ball retainer member is in engagement with the ball member in its raised position to lock the ball member to the coupling socket member. A latch bolt has a lower portion engaged with the ball retainer member and an upper portion which projects upwardly through an aperture in the coupling socket member. The upper end of the latch bolt has a notch formed therein. A cam lever overlies the aperture in the coupling socket member and has a pivot end pivotably attached to the latch bolt and an opposite free end. When the cam lever is pivoted from its release position to its locking position, it raises the bolt to move the ball retainer member from its lower release position to its raised locking position.