Coupling guide for trailer hitches

摘要

An elongated bar is mounted on a trailer tongue for longitudinal sliding and lateral pivoting movement relative thereto, the forward end of the bar providing releasable engagement with a trailer hitch ball component on a tow vehicle. In one embodiment the forward end of the bar has a centering notch arranged to engage the stem of the hitch ball, the bar underlying the companion hitch socket component on the trailer tongue. In another embodiment the forward end of the bar is provided with the socket component of a trailer hitch for engagement with the companion ball component on a tow vehicle. The rearward end of the bar is connected to a pair of restraining chains or rods which are connected to laterally spaced terminals on the tongue, such that the chains or rods limit the rearward, forward and lateral movement of the bar. An elongated cable, wound on a spring-retractable reel in a cable housing secured to the bar just rearwardly of the centering notch or hitch component, is provided with a loop at its outer end for slipping freely over the hitch ball component on the tow vehicle, the tensioned cable thereby swinging the bar into alignment with the hitch ball component on the tow vehicle and maintaining said alignment as the tow vehicle is moved to bring the hitch ball and socket components together.