Hitch damping system

1. A hitch dampening system for damping longitudinal movement of a towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle, the hitch dampening system comprising:

a first assembly for being coupled to the towed vehicle;

a second assembly for being coupled to the towing vehicle;

a plurality of dampening members being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said first assembly to swing in an arc with respect to said second assembly such that said dampening members reduce longitudinal forces exerted on the towing vehicle by the towed vehicle when a momentum of the towed vehicle differs from a momentum of the towing vehicle;

each of said dampening members comprising a swing arm rotatably coupled to said first assembly, each of said swing arms being rotatably coupled to said second assembly opposite of said first assembly such that said swing arm of each of said dampening members defines the radius of the arc said first assembly swings along with respect to said second assembly; and

each of the dampening members comprising a pair of pivot rods, each pivot rod of said pair of said pivot rods being integrally coupled to opposite ends of the associated one of said dampening members, one of said pivot rods being rotatably coupled to said first assembly and the other one of said pivot rods being rotatably coupled to said second assembly, the associated one of said pivot rods rotatably coupled to said first assembly extending through a portion of said first assembly, the associated one of said pivot rods being rotatably coupled to said second assembly extending through a portion of said second assembly, said pivot rods permitting said swing arm of the associated one of said dampening members to rotate with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly such that said first assembly swings in an arc with respect to said second assembly.

2. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

a head assembly being coupled to said first assembly, said head assembly being adapted for selectively receiving a hitch pin of the towed vehicle such that said head assembly is for selectively securing the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle when said head assembly receives the hitch pin.

3. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 2 , further comprising:

said first assembly comprising a pair of swing plates, each of said dampening members being coupled to one of said swing plates such that each of said dampening members is positioned between the associated one of said swing plates and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said swing plates to swing with respect to said second assembly, said head assembly being operationally coupled between said swing plates such that said head assembly is adapted for operationally coupling said swing plates to the towed vehicle.

4. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

said second assembly comprising a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall defining an aperture such that said first assembly is positioned in said aperture defined by said perimeter wall, said dampening members being coupled to said perimeter wall such that each of said dampening members is positioned between said perimeter wall and the associated one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said perimeter wall being adapted for being mounted to the towing vehicle.

5. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising:

said first assembly comprising a locking plate, said locking plate being coupled to one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said locking plate comprising a notch extending into said locking plate, said notch of said locking plate being selectively aligned with a locking bore extending into said perimeter wall of said second assembly such that said notch of said locking plate and said locking bore of said perimeter wall are adapted for selectively receiving a locking pin to selectively inhibit movement of said first assembly with respect to said second assembly to facilitate engaging the hitch pin of the towed vehicle with said head assembly when said notch and the locking bore are aligned.

6. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 3 , further comprising:

said first assembly comprising a pair of mounting members, each of said mounting members being coupled to said swing plates such that said mounting members extend between said swing plates, one of said mounting members is positioned in a spaced relationship to the other one of said mounting members, said head assembly being pivotally coupled to said mounting members such that a portion of said head assembly is positioned between said mounting members, said head assembly pivoting with respect to said mounting members to accommodate minor rolling of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle.

7. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

said first assembly and said second assembly each comprising a plurality of bearing portions, each of said bearing portions being operationally coupled to one of said pivot rods of the associated one of said dampening members, said bearing portions being for facilitating rotation of said swing arms with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly.

8. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:

a plurality of shock absorbing assemblies being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, each of said shock absorbing assemblies being adapted for absorbing longitudinal forces between the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle.

9. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 1 ,

wherein each of said dampening members comprises a pair of bearing portions, each of said bearing portions being operationally coupled to one of said pivot rods of the associated one of said dampening members, said bearing portions being for facilitating rotation of said swing arms with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly;

a head assembly being coupled to said first assembly, said head assembly being adapted for selectively receiving a hitch pin of the towed vehicle such that said head assembly is for selectively securing the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle when said head assembly receives the hitch pin;

wherein said first assembly comprises a pair of swing plates, each of said dampening members being coupled to one of said swing plates such that each of said dampening members is positioned between the associated one of said swing plates and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said swing plates to swing with respect to said second assembly, said head assembly being operationally coupled between said swing plates such that said head assembly is adapted for operationally coupling said swing plates to the towed vehicle;

wherein said first assembly comprises a pair of mounting members, each of said mounting members being coupled to said swing plates such that said mounting members extending between said swing plates, one of said mounting members is positioned in a spaced relationship to the other one of said mounting members, said head assembly being pivotally coupled to said mounting members such that a portion of said head assembly is positioned between said mounting members, said head assembly pivoting with respect to said mounting members to accommodate minor rolling of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle;

wherein said second assembly comprises a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall defining an aperture such that said first assembly is positioned in said aperture defined by said perimeter wall, said dampening members being coupled to said perimeter wall such that each of said dampening members is positioned between said perimeter wall and the associated one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said perimeter wall being adapted for being mounted to the towing vehicle;

wherein said first assembly comprises a locking plate, said locking plate being coupled to one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said locking plate comprising a notch extending into said locking plate, said notch of said locking plate being selectively aligned with a locking bore extending into said perimeter wall of said second assembly such that said notch of said locking plate and said locking bore of said perimeter wall are adapted for selectively receiving a locking pin to selectively inhibit movement of said first assembly with respect to said second assembly to facilitate engaging the hitch pin of the towed vehicle with said head assembly when said notch and the locking bore are aligned; and

a plurality of shock absorbing assemblies being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, each of said shock absorbing assemblies being adapted for absorbing longitudinal forces between the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle.

10. A hitch dampening system for damping longitudinal movement of a towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle, the hitch dampening system comprising:

a first assembly being adapted for being operationally coupled to the towed vehicle;

a second assembly being adapted for being operationally coupled to the towing vehicle;

a plurality of dampening members being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said first assembly to swing in an arc with respect to said second assembly such that said dampening members are adapted for reducing longitudinal forces exerted on the towing vehicle by the towed vehicle when a momentum of the towed vehicle differs from a momentum of the towing vehicle;

a head assembly being coupled to said first assembly, said head assembly being adapted for selectively receiving a hitch pin of the towed vehicle such that said head assembly is for selectively securing the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle when said head assembly receives the hitch pin;

said first assembly comprising a pair of swing plates, each of said dampening members being coupled to one of said swing plates such that each of said dampening members is positioned between the associated one of said swing plates and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said swing plates to swing with respect to said second assembly, said head assembly being operationally coupled between said swing plates such that said head assembly is adapted for operationally coupling said swing plates to the towed vehicle; and

said first assembly comprising a pair of mounting members, each of said mounting members being coupled to said swing plates such that said mounting members extend between said swing plates, one of said mounting members is positioned in a spaced relationship to the other one of said mounting members, said head assembly being pivotally coupled to said mounting members such that a portion of said head assembly is positioned between said mounting members, said head assembly pivoting with respect to said mounting members to accommodate minor rolling of the towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle.

11. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 10 , further comprising:

each of said dampening members comprising a swing arm, said swing arm of each of said dampening members being rotatably coupled to said first assembly, said swing arm of each of said dampening members being rotatably coupled to said second assembly opposite said first assembly such that said swing arm of each of said dampening members comprises the radius of the arc said first assembly swings with respect to said second assembly to reduce the force exerted on the towing vehicle by the towed vehicle when the momentum of the towed vehicle differs from the momentum of the towing vehicle.

12. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 11 , further comprising:

each of the dampening members comprising a pair of pivot rods, each of said pivot rods being a coupled to opposing ends of said swing arm of the associated one of said dampening members, one of said pivot rods being rotatably coupled to said first assembly such that the other one of said pivot rods is rotatably coupled to said second assembly, said pivot rods being for permitting said swing arm of the associated one of said dampening members to rotate with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly such that said first assembly swings in an arc with respect to said second assembly.

13. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 12 , further comprising:

said first assembly and said second assembly each comprising a plurality of bearing portions, each of said bearing portions being operationally coupled to one of said pivot rods of the associated one of said dampening members, said bearing portions being for facilitating rotation of said swing arms with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly.

14. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 10 , further comprising:

a plurality of shock absorbing assemblies being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, each of said shock absorbing assemblies being adapted for absorbing longitudinal forces between the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle.

15. A hitch dampening system for damping longitudinal movement of a towed vehicle with respect to the towing vehicle, the hitch dampening system comprising:

a first assembly being adapted for being operationally coupled to the towed vehicle;

a second assembly being adapted for being operationally coupled to the towing vehicle;

a plurality of dampening members being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said first assembly to swing in an arc with respect to said second assembly such that said dampening members are adapted for reducing longitudinal forces exerted on the towing vehicle by the towed vehicle when a momentum of the towed vehicle differs from a momentum of the towing vehicle;

a head assembly being coupled to said first assembly, said head assembly being adapted for selectively receiving a hitch pin of the towed vehicle such that said head assembly is for selectively securing the towed vehicle to the towing vehicle when said head assembly receives the hitch pin;

said first assembly comprising a pair of swing plates, each of said dampening members being coupled to one of said swing plates such that each of said dampening members is positioned between the associated one of said swing plates and said second assembly, said dampening members permitting said swing plates to swing with respect to said second assembly, said head assembly being operationally coupled between said swing plates such that said head assembly is adapted for operationally coupling said swing plates to the towed vehicle; and

said second assembly comprising a perimeter wall, said perimeter wall defining an aperture such that said first assembly is positioned in said aperture defined by said perimeter wall, said dampening members being coupled to said perimeter wall such that each of said dampening members is positioned between said perimeter wall and the associated one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said perimeter wall being adapted for being mounted to the towing vehicle.

16. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising:

each of said dampening members comprising a swing arm, said swing arm of each of said dampening members being rotatably coupled to said first assembly, said swing arm of each of said dampening members being rotatably coupled to said second assembly opposite said first assembly such that said swing arm of each of said dampening members comprises the radius of the arc said first assembly swings with respect to said second assembly to reduce the force exerted on the towing vehicle by the towed vehicle when the momentum of the towed vehicle differs from the momentum of the towing vehicle.

17. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 16 , further comprising:

each of the dampening members comprising a pair of pivot rods, each of said pivot rods being a coupled to opposing ends of said swing arm of the associated one of said dampening members, one of said pivot rods being rotatably coupled to said first assembly such that the other one of said pivot rods is rotatably coupled to said second assembly, said pivot rods being for permitting said swing arm of the associated one of said dampening members to rotate with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly such that said first assembly swings in an arc with respect to said second assembly.

18. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 17 , further comprising:

said first assembly and said second assembly each comprising a plurality of bearing portions, each of said bearing portions being operationally coupled to one of said pivot rods of the associated one of said dampening members, said bearing portions being for facilitating rotation of said swing arms with respect to said first assembly and said second assembly.

19. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising:

said first assembly comprising a locking plate, said locking plate being coupled to one of said swing plates of said first assembly, said locking plate comprising a notch extending into said locking plate, said notch of said locking plate being selectively aligned with a locking bore extending into said perimeter wall of said second assembly such that said notch of said locking plate and said locking bore of said perimeter wall are adapted for selectively receiving a locking pin to selectively inhibit movement of said first assembly with respect to said second assembly to facilitate engaging the hitch pin of the towed vehicle with said head assembly when said notch and the locking bore are aligned.

20. The hitch dampening system as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising:

a plurality of shock absorbing assemblies being operationally coupled between said first assembly and said second assembly, each of said shock absorbing assemblies being adapted for absorbing longitudinal forces between the towed vehicle and the towing vehicle.