Quick releasing hitch pin
A hitch pin for quick and easy release of a hitch assembly. The hitch pin has a shaft with added hole for connection to a removable lock cap by a coupler pin. The quick releasing hitch pin device may be used to secure a hitch and hitch receiver. In addition, the combination of a removable lock cap allows the hitch pin to gravity release thereby freeing the operator to operate the vehicle with hitch in order to release a bound-up hitch pin from the hitch receiver on the draft implement. This method makes for a less cumbersome and safer release of a hitch pin in varied situations, such as when an implement is on fire risking life, limb and property.
1. A hitch pin assembly comprising:
a. a shaft comprising:
i. an upper orifice;
ii. a lower orifice;
b. a handle assembly having a locking orifice:
c. a coupler pin inserted into the locking orifice and the upper orifice, wherein the handle assembly is mounted to the shaft; and
d. wherein the shaft is configured to drop through a hitch assembly under the force of gravity when the coupler pin is removed from the locking orifice and the upper orifice.
2. The hitch pin assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a. a hitch clip pin inserted into the lower orifice; and
b. wherein the shaft is configured to drop under the force of gravity while the hitch clip pin is retained in the lower orifice.
3. The hitch pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaft is further configured to drop under the force of gravity when the coupler pin is removed from the upper orifice and a binding force is removed by moving a draw vehicle relative to an implement.
4. The hitch pin assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a. a hitch clip pin inserted into the lower orifice; and
b. wherein the hitch pin assembly is further configured to allow the shaft to be installed from a top of the hitch assembly when the hitch clip pin is removed from the lower orifice.
5. The hitch pin assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coupler pin further comprises:
a. a wire safety latch configured to retain the coupler pin in the upper orifice.
6. The hitch pin assembly of claim 5 , wherein the wire safety latch is configured to form a handle.
7. A hitch pin assembly comprising:
a. a shaft comprising:
i. an upper orifice;
ii. a lower orifice;
b. a lock cap comprising:
i. a locking orifice;
ii. a cavity operable to receive the shaft and align the locking orifice and the upper orifice; and
c. a coupler pin inserted through the locking orifice and the upper orifice.
8. The hitch pin assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lock cap further comprises:
a. a handle extending on a side opposite the cavity.
9. The hitch pin assembly of claim 8 , wherein the coupler pin further comprises:
a. a rod comprising:
i. a first end;
ii. a free end;
b. a wire safety latch comprising:
i. a pivot end pivotally mounted at the first end of the rod;
ii. a lock end; and
c. wherein the wire safety latch is configured to pass through the handle to engage the free end of the rod thereby retaining the coupler pin in the upper orifice.
10. The hitch pin assembly of claim 7 , wherein the shaft further comprises:
a. an upper end that is tapered; and
b. a lower end that is tapered and opposite the upper end.
11. A method for releasing a hitch assembly bound by a horizontal binding force, the method comprising the steps of:
a. inserting a shaft into a lock cap, the shaft having an upper orifice;
b. aligning the upper orifice with a locking orifice disposed through the lock cap;
c. inserting a coupler pin through the upper orifice of the shaft and the locking orifice of the lock cap;
d. coupling the hitch assembly with the shaft inserted through the hitch assembly from above, the shaft having the coupler pin inserted through the upper orifice of the shaft;
e. removing the coupler pin from the shaft; and
a. moving a draw vehicle thereby releasing the horizontal binding force and allowing the shaft to fall under the force of gravity.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the coupler pin comprises a wire safety latch, the wire safety latch is inserted through a handle of the lock cap.
13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
a. after the step of inserting the coupler pin through the upper orifice and the locking orifice, securing the coupler pin through the upper orifice and the locking orifice by passing a wire safety latch through a handle of the lock cap and retaining the wire safety latch onto a free end of the coupler pin.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
a. after the step of inserting the coupler pin through the upper orifice and the locking orifice, securing the coupler pin through the upper orifice and the locking orifice by retaining a wire safety latch onto a free end of the coupler pin.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein prior to the step of removing the coupler pin from the shaft, the method comprises:
a. unlatching a wire safety latch from a free end of the coupler pin.