20120139210 | Pintle Hitch For Coupling A Towed Implement To A Towing Vehicle - A pintle coupler adapted to mate with a hitch ball for connecting a towed implement to a towing vehicle comprises a flat plate member that is bolted or otherwise affixed to a trailer tongue and that has an aperture formed therethrough of a size to fit over the hitch ball. Pivotally joined to the undersurface of the flat plate is a retainer plate having a U-shaped inset whose width is only slightly larger than the diameter of the hitch ball's pedestal. The retainer plate is movable between a first position where the inset is out of alignment with the aperture in the flat plate to a second position where the two are aligned. Further apertures in the flat plate and the retainer plate become aligned when the retainer plate is in its second position, allowing a spring-ball detent pin to be inserted for locking the retainer plate against rotation relative to the flat plate. | 06-07-2012 |