| 摘要 |
A locking device for use with a trailing hitch assembly comprising a tow bar with an upstanding ball element and a hitch bar with a downwardly opening socket element sized to fit onto the ball element for coupling a trailer to a towing vehicle. The device has a support plate rigidly connectable vertically and transversely onto the tow bar at a short distance in front of the ball element. It also has an L-shaped locking member comprising a vertical wall and a locking wall projecting perpendicularly from the upper edge of the vertical wall. A first pivot pivotably connects in parallel relationship the vertical wall of the L-shaped locking member to the support plate with the locking wall projecting forwardly towards and above the ball element. This first pivot extends into first holes made in the vertical wall and the support plate close to one of their adjacent side edges at the bottom thereof. The device further has a hooking member comprising a hook-shaped end and an opposite end; a second pivot pivotably connects in parallel relationship the hooking member to the vertical wall of the L-shaped locking member so that it extends just above the upper edge of the support plate. The second pivot extends into second holes made in the opposite end of the hooking member and in the vertical wall on the same side edge as, and above, the first hole. The hooking member is long enough to cause its hook-shaped end to engage and hook onto the upper corner of the support plate that is transversely opposite to the second holes. In use, one can rotate the L-shaped locking member about the first pivot in such a manner as to remove the locking wall from above the ball element and thus to allow uncoupling of the socket element from the ball element, only when the hooking member is previously rotated to disengage its hook-shaped end from the hooking corner.
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