Hitch assembly

Abstract

A hitch assembly including a frame for being attached to a tow vehicle; a cradle assembly pivotally attached to the frame for pivotal fore and aft movement; a hitch receiver mounted to the cradle assembly for being attached to a trailer; a leaf spring mounted to the cradle assembly and the fore end of the frame for controlling fore and aft movement of the cradle assembly; and shock absorbers mounted to the cradle assembly and the aft end of the frame for dampening fore and aft movement of the cradle assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a tow vehicle: said hitch assembly comprising:
 (a) a frame for being attached to the tow vehicle, said frame having a fore end and an aft end; 
 (b) a cradle assembly pivotally attached to said frame for pivotal fore and aft movement between a fore position and an aft position; 
 (c) a hitch receiver mounted to said cradle assembly for being attached to the trailer; 
 (d) fore spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said fore end of said frame for controlling fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; said fore spring means including a leaf spring having a first end, a second end, and a midportion; said midportion of said leaf spring being attached to said frame; 
 (e) aft spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said aft end of said frame for dampening fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; 
 (f) a first control rod construct attaching said first end of said leaf spring to said cradle assembly; and 
 (g) a second control rod construct attaching said second end of said leaf spring to said cradle assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. The hitch assembly of  claim 1  in which is included a thrust bar having a first end attached to said midportion of said leaf spring and having a second end attached to said aft end of said frame. 
     
     
       3. A hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a tow vehicle; said hitch assembly comprising:
 (a) a frame for being attached to the tow vehicle, said frame having a fore end and an aft end; 
 (b) a cradle assembly pivotally attached to said frame for pivotal fore and aft movement between a fore position and an aft position: said cradle assembly including a right side cradle leg construct, a left side cradle leg construct, and a transverse body member joining said right and left side cradle leg constructs together; 
 (c) a hitch receiver mounted to said cradle assembly for being attached to the trailer; 
 (d) fore spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said fore end of said frame for controlling fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; 
 (e) aft spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said aft end of said frame for dampening fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; 
 (f) a right pivot bolt pivotally joining said right side cradle leg construct to said frame; 
 (g) a left pivot bolt pivotally joining said left side cradle leg construct to said frame; 
 (h) fore stop means for limiting the fore movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; and 
 (i) aft stop means for limiting the aft movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°. 
 
     
     
       4. The hitch assembly of  claim 3  in which said fore stop means includes a rubber bumper; and in which said aft stop means includes a rubber bumper. 
     
     
       5. A hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a tow vehicle; said hitch assembly comprising:
 (a) a frame for being attached to the tow vehicle, said frame including a front crosspiece having a right end and a left end, a rear crosspiece having a right end and a left end, a right side construct extending between said right ends of said front and rear crosspieces, and a left side construct extending between said left ends of said front and rear crosspieces; 
 (b) a cradle assembly pivotally attached to said frame for pivotal fore and aft movement between a fore position and an aft position; said cradle assembly including a right side cradle leg construct, a left side cradle leg construct, and a transverse body member joining said right and left side cradle leg constructs together; 
 (c) a right pivot bolt pivotally joining said right side cradle leg construct to said frame; 
 (d) a left pivot bolt pivotally joining said left side cradle leg construct to said frame; 
 (e) a hitch receiver mounted to said cradle assembly for being attached to the trailer; 
 (f) fore spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said fore end of said frame for controlling fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; said fore spring means including a leaf spring having a first end, a second end, and a midportion; 
 (g) a spring mounting plate having a lower end attached to said frame and having an upper end attached to said midportion of said leaf spring; 
 (h) a first control rod construct attaching said first end of said leaf spring to said cradle assembly; and a second control rod construct attaching said second end of said leaf spring to said cradle assembly; 
 (i) a thrust bar having a first end attached to said midportion of said leaf spring and having a second end attached to said aft end of said frame; 
 (j) aft spring means mounted to said cradle assembly and said aft end of said frame for dampening fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; said aft spring means including a right side shock absorber having a lower end mounted to said rear crosspiece of said frame and having an upper end mounted to said cradle assembly; said aft spring means including a left side shock absorber having a lower end mounted to said rear crosspiece of said frame and having an upper end mounted to said cradle assembly; 
 (k) fore stop means for limiting the fore movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; said fore stop means includes a rubber bumper; and 
 (l) aft stop means for limiting the aft movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; said aft stop means includes a rubber bumper. 
 
     
     
       6. A hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a tow vehicle; said hitch assembly comprising:
 (a) a frame having a fore end and an aft end;   (b) a cradle assembly attached to said frame for fore and aft movement between a fore position and an aft position, said cradle assembly including a right side cradle leg construct, a left side cradle leg construct, and a transverse body member joining said right and left side cradle leg constructs together;   (c) a hitch receiver mounted to said cradle assembly and being attachable to the trailer;   (d) a fore spring mounted to said cradle assembly and said fore end of said frame and being adapted to control fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly;   (e) an aft spring mounted to said cradle assembly and said aft end of said frame and being adapted to dampening fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly;   (f) a right pivot bolt pivotally joining said right side cradle leg construct to said frame;   (g) a left pivot bolt pivotally joining said left side cradle leg construct to said frame;   (h) fore stop means for limiting the fore movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; and   (i) aft stop means for limiting the aft movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°.   
     
     
       7. The hitch assembly of claim 6, further including a thrust bar attached to said fore and aft springs. 
     
     
       8. The hitch assembly of claim 6 in which said fore stop means includes a rubber bumper; and
 in which said aft stop means includes a rubber bumper.   
     
     
       9. A hitch assembly adapted to couple a trailer to tow a vehicle; said hitch assembly comprising:
 (a) a frame adapted to be attached to the tow vehicle, said frame including a front crosspiece having a right end and a left end, a rear crosspiece having a right end and a left end, a right side construct extending between said right ends of said front and rear crosspieces, and a left side construct extending between said left ends of said front and rear crosspieces;   (b) a cradle assembly pivotally attached to said frame for pivotal fore and aft movement between a fore position and an aft position; said cradle assembly including a right side cradle leg construct, a left side cradle leg construct, and a transverse body member joining said right and left side cradle leg constructs together;   (c) a right pivot bolt pivotally joining said right side cradle leg construct to said frame;   (d) a left pivot bolt pivotally joining said left side cradle leg construct to said frame;   (e) a hitch receiver mounted to said cradle assembly for being attached to the trailer;   (f) a fore spring mounted to said cradle assembly and said fore end of said frame and adapted to control fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly;   (g) a spring mounting plate having a lower end attached to said frame and having an upper end attached to said fore spring;   (h) a control rod construct attaching said fore spring to said cradle assembly;   (i) a thrust bar having a first end attached to said fore spring and having a second end attached to said aft end of said frame;   (j) an aft spring mounted to said cradle assembly and said aft end of said frame and adapted to dampen fore and aft movement of said cradle assembly; said aft spring including a right side shock absorber having a lower end mounted to said rear crosspiece of said frame and having an upper end mounted to said cradle assembly; said aft spring including a left side shock absorber having a lower end mounted to said rear crosspiece of said frame and having an upper end mounted to said cradle assembly;   (k) a fore stop for limiting the fore movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; said fore stop means includes a rubber bumper; and   (l) an aft stop for limiting the aft movement of said cradle assembly to approximately 15°; said aft stop includes a rubber bumper.