Trailer hitch coupling device

A trailer hitch coupling device for altering the angle of the tongue of the trailer hitch with respect to the vehicle. The trailer hitch coupling device includes a rod. The rod is elongate and has a first end and a second end. The rod has a front side, a back side and a pair of lateral sides. The rod is generally hollow and has a plurality of pairs of opposed holes therein. The holes extend through the lateral sides. The front side of the rod has an elongate slot therein. A bar is integrally coupled to and extends away from the back side of the rod. The rod has a free end having a bore extending therein such that the bar is substantially hollow. The bar has a peripheral side wall having a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures therein. The bore is adapted for receiving the tongue portion of a trailer hitch. A ball engaging member for engaging a ball hitch is movably positioned in the rod and extending outwardly through the slot. A plurality of securing members removably secures the tongue in the bar and selectively secures the ball engaging member between the first and second ends of the rod.

I claim:

1. A trailer hitch coupling device for coupling a trailer to a vehicle, the trailer having a tongue portion extending therefrom, the vehicle having an elongate member extending rearwardly from the vehicle and having a ball portion thereon, said device comprising:

a rod being elongate and having an upper first end and a lower second end, said rod having a front side, a back side and a pair of lateral sides, said rod being generally hollow, said rod having a plurality of pairs of opposed holes therein, said holes extending through said lateral sides, said front side of said rod having an elongate slot therein;

a bar, said bar being fixedly coupled to and extending substantially perpendicularly away from said back side of said rod, said bar having a free end having a bore extending therein for receiving the tongue portion of the trailer, said bar having a peripheral side wall having a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures therein for receiving a fastener passing through the tongue portion and said bar;

a ball engaging member, said ball engaging member being movably positioned in said rod and extending through said slot;

a plurality of securing members for removably securing said tongue in said bar and for selectively securing said ball engaging member between said first and second ends of said rod;

a pair of bracing members, each of said bracing members comprising a wall, each of said walls being integrally coupled to and extending between said back side of said rod and said bar, a first of said walls extending upwardly from an upper surface of said bar toward said upper first end of said rod, a second of said walls being extending downwardly from a lower surface of said bar toward said lower second end of said rod for securing said bar in the substantially perpendicular relationship to said rod.

2. The trailer hitch coupling device as in claim 1, wherein said ball engaging member comprises:

a base portion, said base portion being movably positioned in said rod such that said base portion may selectively be positioned between said first and second ends of said rod, said base portion having at least one opening extending therethrough;

an arm portion, said arm portion being integrally coupled to and extending away from said base portion, said arm portion extending through said slot; and

a ball receiving member, said ball receiving member being integrally coupled to a free end of said arm.

3. The trailer hitch coupling device as in claim 1, wherein each of said securing members comprises:

a pin, wherein one of said pins is extended through said opposed apertures in said bar for extending through an opening in said tongue portion, and another of said pins is extended through one of said pairs of opposed holes and through said opening in said base member.

4. The trailer hitch coupling device as in claim 1, wherein a distance between the upper first end of said rod and said bar is approximately three times a distance between the lower second end of said rod and said bar.

5. A trailer hitch coupling device for coupling a trailer to a vehicle, the trailer having a tongue portion extending therefrom, the vehicle having an elongate member extending rearwardly from the vehicle and having a ball portion thereon, said device comprising:

a rod, said rod being elongate and having a first end and a second end, said rod having a front side, a back side and a pair of lateral sides, said rod being generally hollow, said rod having a plurality of pairs of opposed holes therein, said holes extending through said lateral sides, said front side of said rod having an elongate slot therein, said slot extending from a point generally adjacent to said first end to a point generally adjacent to said second end;

a bar, said bar being integrally coupled to and extending away from said back side of said rod, said bar having a free end having a bore extending therein such that said bar is substantially hollow, said bar having a peripheral side wall having a plurality of pairs of opposed apertures therein, said bore having a size and shape adapted for receiving said tongue portion, said bar being orientated generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said rod, said bar being positioned nearer said second end;

a ball engaging member, said ball engaging member comprising;

a base portion, said base portion being movably positioned in said rod such that said base portion may selectively be positioned between said first and second ends of said rod, said base portion having a pair of openings extending therethrough, each of said openings corresponding to one of said pair of opposed holes;

an arm portion, said arm portion being integrally coupled to and extending away from said base portion, said arm portion extending through said slot;

a ball receiving member, said ball receiving member being integrally coupled to a free end of said arm, said ball receiving member being adapted to removably couple to said ball portion;

a plurality of securing members for removably securing said tongue in said bar and for selectively securing said ball engaging member between said first and second ends of said rod, each of said securing members comprising a pin, wherein one of said pins is extended through said opposed apertures in said bar and through an opening extending through said tongue, and wherein each of two of said pins are extended through one of said pairs of opposed holes and through one of said openings in said base member; and

a pair of bracing members, each of said bracing members comprising a wall, each of said walls being integrally coupled to and extending between said back side of said rod and said bar, a first of said walls extending upwardly from an upper surface of said bar toward said upper first end of said rod, a second of said walls being extending downwardly from a lower surface of said bar toward said lower second end of said rod for securing said bar in the substantially perpendicular relationship to said rod;

wherein a distance between the upper first end of said rod and said bar is approximately three times a distance between the lower second end of said rod and said bar.