Invertible gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism

Abstract

An invertible gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism is provided. A frame supports a housing having an opening therein for receiving a hitch member in an upright use position or in inverted storage position. A base portion of the hitch member has a circumscribing groove therein to permit cooperation with a pin of a retaining assembly. A user may selectively extend or retract the pin from receipt in the groove by rotating a spaced apart handle when the ball is in either the use or storage positions to retain the hitch member in the opening.

1 . A gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism comprising: 
 a frame;    a housing coupled with the frame, the housing having an opening therein;    a hitch member having a portion thereof which is selectively slidably received within the opening in the housing in an upright position and an inverted position, and wherein the portion of the hitch member is cylindrical and includes an annular groove in an outer surface thereof which entirely circumscribes the portion; and    a pin member coupled with the housing for selectively retaining the hitch member in the housing, wherein the pin member is selectively movable between a first position, where a portion of the pin member extends into the opening, and a second position, where the pin does not extend into the opening.    
   
   
       2 . The mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the pin member cooperates with the groove when the hitch member is in either of the upright and the inverted positions and the pin member is in the first position to retain the hitch member in the housing.  
   
   
       3 . The mechanism of  claim 2 , wherein the pin member, when in its first position and cooperating with the groove, permits the hitch member to rotate during use.  
   
   
       4 . The mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the groove is generally uniform in depth along its length.  
   
   
       5 . The mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the housing includes a bore therein that communicates with the opening, wherein at least a portion of the pin member is slidably received in the bore in the housing, wherein the first position of the pin member is an extended position, where a portion of the pin extends into the opening through the bore, and wherein the second position of the pin member is a retracted position, where the pin does not extend into the opening.  
   
   
       6 . The mechanism of  claim 5 , wherein the pin is biased to the extended position.  
   
   
       7 . A gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism comprising: 
 a housing having a generally cylindrical opening therein;    a hitch member having a ball portion and a base portion, wherein the base portion is generally cylindrical in nature and includes a groove in an outer surface thereof that completely circumscribes the base portion, wherein the base portion of the hitch member is sized for selective receipt within the opening, wherein the base portion is receivable in the opening in a first position where the ball portion is above the base portion, and wherein the base portion is alternatively receivable in the opening in a second position where the ball portion is below the base portion; and    a retaining assembly coupled with the housing, wherein the retaining assembly selectively cooperates with the groove of the hitch member to prevent the hitch member from being removed from receipt within the housing, and wherein the retaining assembly permits the base portion to rotate in the opening during use when the base portion is received in the opening in the first position.    
   
   
       8 . The mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the groove has a generally uniform depth and width.  
   
   
       9 . The mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the retaining assembly includes a pin, wherein the pin is movable between a first position and a second position, and wherein the pin is received in the groove and cooperates therewith to prevent the hitch member from be removed from receipt within the housing when the pin is in the first position and the base portion of the hitch member is received in the opening in the first position.  
   
   
       10 . The mechanism of  claim 9 , wherein the pin is extended into the opening in its first position and wherein the pin does not extend into the opening in its second position.  
   
   
       11 . The mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the pin is biased to its first position.  
   
   
       12 . The mechanism of  claim 11 , wherein the opening includes a reduced diameter portion therein adjacent a lower portion of the housing, the reduced diameter portion creating a ledge in the opening upon which the base portion of the hitch member rests when the hitch member is received in the housing.  
   
   
       13 . The mechanism of  claim 12 , wherein the first position of the base portion where the ball portion is above the base portion is an upright use position, wherein the second position of the base portion where the ball portion is below the base portion is an inverted storage position, and wherein the reduced diameter portion is sized to permit the ball portion to pass therethrough when the base portion is received in the opening in the inverted storage position.  
   
   
       14 . The mechanism of  claim 13 , wherein the base portion has an upper surface adjacent the ball portion and a lower surface opposite the upper surface, and wherein the groove is equidistant from the upper and lower surfaces, whereby the pin cooperates with the groove to retain the hitch member in the housing both when the base portion is received in the opening in the use position and when the base portion is received in the opening in the storage position.  
   
   
       15 . The mechanism of  claim 14 , wherein the retaining assembly includes a bore in the housing that communicates with the opening, wherein at least a portion of the pin is slidably received in the bore in the housing, wherein the first position of the pin is an extended position, where a portion of the pin extends into the opening through the bore, and wherein the second position of the pin is a retracted position, where the pin does not extend into the opening.  
   
   
       16 . The mechanism of  claim 15 , wherein the bore and the pin are radially aligned with the opening.  
   
   
       17 . A gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism for mounting to a vehicle having a vehicle frame, the mechanism comprising: 
 a frame for coupling the mechanism to the vehicle frame;    a generally tubular housing connected to the frame, the housing having a cylindrical opening therein;    a hitch member having a ball portion, and a cylindrical base portion, wherein the base portion includes a groove in an outer surface thereof which circumscribes the entire base portion and is of a generally uniform depth and width, wherein the base portion of the hitch member is selectively and alternatively slidably received within the cylindrical opening in the housing in an upright use position, where the ball portion is above the base portion, and an inverted storage position, where the ball portion is below the base portion; and    a pin member movably coupled with the housing and positioned for selective cooperation with the groove of the base portion when the base portion is received in the cylindrical opening in the upright use position for selectively retaining the hitch member in the housing during use and wherein the pin member permits the base portion to rotate in the cylindrical opening when it is cooperating with the groove to retain the hitch member in the housing during use.    
   
   
       18 . The mechanism of  claim 17 , wherein the opening in the housing has a central longitudinal axis, wherein the hitch member has a central longitudinal axis, wherein the central longitudinal axis of the opening and the central longitudinal axis of the hitch member are coaxial when the hitch member is received in the housing, and wherein the pin member permits the hitch member to rotate about its central longitudinal axis when the hitch member is in the upright use position during use.  
   
   
       19 . The mechanism of  claim 18 , wherein the housing includes a bore therein that communicates with the opening, wherein at least a portion of the pin member is slidably received in the bore in the housing, wherein the pin member is selectively movable between an extended position, where a portion of the pin member extends into the opening through the bore, and a retracted position, where the pin member does not extend into the opening.  
   
   
       20 . The mechanism of  claim 19 , wherein the bore and the pin member are radially aligned with the opening.