Trailer hitch

Claim 1

A trailer hitch for automatically coupling a traction vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising: an elongated shank having a keeper notch adjacent one end; an elongated socket member having an axial bore in one end portion for receiving the notched end portion of said shank, said socket member having a bell-shaped flange coaxial with the axial bore and having a lateral opening communicating with the axial bore, said socket member having an upwardly open elongated recess in its end portion opposite the axial bore forming opposed upstanding walls and a transverse upstanding stop section between the axial bore and the recess, said stop section forming the inward limit of the socket member axial bore; a pawl pivotally connected with said socket member and engageable with the keeper notch, said pawl being disposed between said walls within the elongated recess in overlying relation intermediate its ends with respect to said stop section and having a partcylindrical portion abutting said stop section opposite said shank; and, a spring normally biasing said pawl into the socket member lateral opening, whereby said stop section, by being disposed between the rearward limit of said shank and said pawl part-cylindrical portion, prevents forward or rearward movement of a towed vehicle with respect to a towing vehicle.