Multi-function anti-rotational/anti-theft hitch ball assembly
View Patent ↗The Multi-Function Anti-Rotational/Anti-Theft Hitch Ball Assembly of the present invention provides a trailer hitch assembly that includes an anti-rotational hitch ball mechanism that can also serve as an anti-theft hitch ball mechanism and can further simultaneously function as an attachment method for securing additional hitch accessories to the ball mount. The invention provides an engagement method for interlocking the hitch ball with the ball mount preventing rotation of the hitch ball relative to the ball mount. The interlocking engagement assembly may also be locked in place preventing the hitch ball from being removed from the ball mount if the hitch ball fastener is removed. In addition, a component of the assembly can serve as an attachment method for securing additional accessories to the ball mount.
1. A hitch ball assembly, comprising:
a ball mount platform having a front end, a rear end, a flat top, a ball mount throughbore, and opposed sides;
a removable rigid retaining bracket configured to engage the ball mount platform, wherein the retaining bracket comprises:
a body having a planar top surface and a planar bottom surface, a front end, and a rear end, with the ends being closed ends;
a blind bore cavity formed in the body top surface and having an upper blind bore diameter different from and larger than a lower throughbore diameter, with the upper blind bore cavity having a non-circular shape configured to conform to at least a portion of a shape of a side edge of a hitch ball flange; and
a pair of opposed, downwardly depending rigid sides configured to engage the sides of the ball mount platform, wherein the sides define a substantially rectangular channel having an open front end, an open rear end, and an open bottom; and
a hitch ball having a ball portion with a hitch ball flange and a shank and configured to engage the blind bore cavity of the bracket and the ball mount platform throughbore such that the hitch ball flange engages and remains stationary within the rigid upper blind bore cavity of the bracket and the hitch ball shank extends through the lower throughbore of the bracket and the ball mount throughbore such that the retaining bracket remains attached to the ball mount platform when the hitch ball is fastened to the ball mount platform, and wherein the rear end of the retaining bracket body is forward of the rear end of the ball mount platform when the retaining bracket and hitch ball are attached to the ball mount platform.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the retaining bracket is metallic.
3. A removable rigid retaining bracket configured to attach a hitch ball to a ball mount platform, comprising:
a body having a planar top surface, a planar bottom surface, a front end, and a rear end, with the ends being closed ends;
a blind bore cavity formed in the body top surface and having an upper blind bore diameter different from and larger than a lower throughbore diameter, with the upper blind bore cavity having a non-circular shape configured to conform to at least a portion of a shape of a side edge of a hitch ball flange; and
a pair of opposed, downwardly depending rigid sides configured to engage the sides of a ball mount platform, wherein the sides define a substantially rectangular channel having an open front end, an open rear end, and an open bottom, and wherein the rear end of the retaining bracket body is forward of the rear end of the ball mount platform when the retaining bracket and hitch ball are attached to the ball mount platform.
4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the retaining bracket is metallic.
5. A method of interlocking a hitch ball to a ball mount platform, comprising the steps of:
placing a rigid retaining bracket onto a ball mount platform having a front end and a rear end, the retaining bracket comprising opposed sides, a body having a planar top surface, a planar bottom surface, a front end and a rear end with the ends being closed ends, a blind bore cavity formed in the body top surface and having an upper blind bore diameter different from and larger than a lower throughbore diameter, and with the upper blind bore cavity having a non-circular shape configured to conform to at least a portion of a shape of a side edge of a hitch ball flange, and a pair of opposed, downwardly depending sides, wherein the sides define a substantially rectangular channel having an open front end, an open rear end, and an open bottom;
placing the rigid retaining bracket on the ball mount platform such that the lower throughbore aligns with a ball mount throughbore of the ball mount platform, the opposed sides of the retaining bracket mate with the sides of the ball mount platform, and the rear end of the retaining bracket body is forward of the rear end of the ball mount platform;
placing a shank of a hitch ball through the blind bore cavity and the platform throughbore such that the hitch ball flange engages the upper blind bore and the shank extends through the lower throughbore and the platform throughbore;
attaching a fastener to the ball mount shank such that the torque supplied to the shank is transferred to the platform via the rigid retaining bracket; and
maintaining the bracket in place on the ball mount platform until the hitch ball is removed from the ball mount platform.
6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the retaining bracket is metallic.