The invention relates to a lockable tow hitch. The tow hitch comprises a housing having a generally hemispheral socket for receiving a tow ball, and a handle mountable on the housing. The handle has having a rod member slidably projecting into the housing and arranged for moving a locking element within the housing between an engaged position at which it holds the tow ball within the socket and a disengaged position where the tow ball is free to move into and out of the socket. The tow hitch further comprises a catch member movable between a holding position wherein it secures the handle against sliding and an open position where the handle is free to slide, and a lock arranged to lock the locking element in the engaged position when the lock is locked, and to free the locking element for moving to the disengaged position when the lock is unlocked.
1. A tow hitch comprising,
a housing having a generally hemispherical socket for receiving a tow ball, a handle mountable on the housing having a rod member slidably projecting into the housing and arranged for moving a locking element within the housing between an engaged position at which it holds the tow ball within the socket and a disengaged position where the tow ball is free to move into and out of the socket, a catch member movable between a holding position wherein it secures the handle against sliding and an open position where the handle is free to slide, a lock arranged to lock the locking element in the engaged position when the lock is locked, and to free the locking element for moving to the disengaged position when the lock is unlocked, and
wherein the lock is arranged to project into and engage an aperture in the locking element when it is locked and to move out of engagement with the aperture when it is unlocked.
2. The tow hitch according to claim 1 , wherein the lock sits flush with the housing when locked.
3. The tow hitch according to claim 1 comprising an adjustment member extending through the socket and movable into and out of a hemispherical cavity formed by the socket for receiving the tow ball.
4. The tow hitch according to claim 1 wherein the catch member is pivotally mounted on the handle in cooperative relationship with a spring member arranged to urge the catch member into the holding position.
5. The tow hitch according to claim 1 wherein the socket is located in a forward end of the housing and the lock is located at the forward end between the socket and the handle.
6. The tow hitch according to claim 1 , wherein the lock is located on a side of the housing.
7. The tow hitch according to claim 1 , wherein the lock is operated by a key.
8. A tow hitch comprising:
a housing having a generally hemispherical socket for receiving a tow ball,
a handle mountable on the housing having a rod member slidably projecting into the housing and arranged for moving a locking element within the housing between an engaged position at which it holds the tow ball within the socket and a disengaged position where the tow ball is free to move into and out of the socket,
a catch member movable between a holding position wherein it secures the handle against sliding and an open position where the handle is free to slide, and
a lock arranged to lock the locking element in the engaged position when the lock is locked, and to free the locking element for moving to the disengaged position when the lock is unlocked, a resilient member arranged to exert force to move the locking element into the engaged position when the catch member is in the holding position, the resilient member comprising a spring surrounding the rod member and arranged so that the spring lies in a tubular cavity in the locking member with opposite ends of the spring respectively abutting a shoulder formed internally of the housing and a wall formed at the bottom of the tubular cavity.
9. A tow hitch comprising:
a housing having a generally hemispherical socket for receiving a tow ball,
a handle mountable on the housing having a rod member slidably projecting into the housing and arranged for moving a locking element within the housing between an engaged position at which it holds the tow ball within the socket and a disengaged position where the tow ball is free to move into and out of the socket,
a catch member movable between a holding position wherein it secures the handle against sliding and an open position where the handle is free to slide, and
a lock arranged to lock the locking element in the engaged position when the lock is locked, and to free the locking element for moving to the disengaged position when the lock is unlocked,
wherein the lock comprises a slidable core that projects into and engages in an aperture of the locking element, when the lock is locked, and disengages from the aperture when the lock is unlocked.
10. The tow hitch according to claim 9 , wherein the slidable core slides substantially at a right angle to the rod member.