Towing assembly

Abstract

A towing assembly is provided including a hitch ball receiver having a hitch ball mounting aperture and a recess around the aperture, a hitch ball including a base and a mounting shank where the base is sized and shaped to be received in the recess and a fastener engaging the shank and securing the hitch ball to the hitch ball receiver.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A towing assembly comprising:
 a hitch ball receiver comprising:
 a body capable of selectively engaging a trailer hitch in at least first and second positions; 
 a tongue connected with the body, wherein the tongue includes a first face axially below the body when the body is in the first position and a second face positioned axially above the body when the body is in the second position; 
 a first acircular recess having a sidewall positioned on the first face; and 
 a second recess positioned on the second face; 
   a hitch ball; and   a base integrally formed with the hitch ball, the base having a perimeter, wherein a substantial portion of the perimeter of the base is engageable with the sidewall of the first recess to prevent rotation of the hitch ball during installation.   
     
     
         2 . The towing assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the perimeter of the base is engageable with the second recess to prevent rotation of the hitch ball during installation. 
     
     
         3 . The towing assembly of  claim 2  further comprising a through-hole on the tongue and extending between the first and second faces. 
     
     
         4 . The towing assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the hitch ball further includes a threaded member extending below the base, the threaded member extending through the through-hole when attached to the hitch ball receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The towing assembly of  claim 4  further comprising a threaded nut capable of threadingly engaging the threaded member, wherein engagement of the substantial portion of the perimeter of the base with the first or second recess prevents rotation of the hitch ball during threading of the nut onto the threaded member. 
     
     
         6 . The towing assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a lock washer and wherein the lock washer fits within either of the first and second recesses. 
     
     
         7 . The towing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the substantial portion of the perimeter is a majority portion. 
     
     
         8 . The towing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first acircular recess and said second recess having a substantially oval shape with two parallel flats thereon. 
     
     
         9 . The towing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first acircular recess is a channel. 
     
     
         10 . The towing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said hitch ball receiver is a hitch bar. 
     
     
         11 . A towing assembly, comprising:
 a hitch ball receiver having first and second faces, wherein the first face includes at least one acircular recess having a sidewall and the second face includes a second recess;   a hitch ball;   a base integrally formed with the hitch ball, the base having a perimeter, wherein a substantial portion of the perimeter of the base is engageable with the sidewall of the first recess;   a threaded member extending below the base;   a lock washer attached with the threaded member and capable of fitting within either of the first and second recesses; and   a nut capable of engaging the threaded member, wherein the substantial portion of the perimeter of the base engaging the sidewall of the first recess prevents rotation of the hitch ball during engagement of the nut with the threaded member.   
     
     
         12 . The towing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein engagement of the perimeter of the base with the second recess prevents rotation of the hitch ball during engagement of the nut with the threaded member. 
     
     
         13 . The towing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the perimeter of the base is generally acircular. 
     
     
         14 . The towing assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the generally acircular perimeter of the base is of a generally mating shape as the first acircular recess. 
     
     
         15 . The towing assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second recess is an acircular recess of a shape different than the first acircular recess. 
     
     
         16 . The towing assembly of  claim 11  wherein the perimeter of the base corresponds in length to a perimeter of the sidewall. 
     
     
         17 . A towing assembly, comprising:
 a hitch ball receiver having a first face and a second face;   an axial through-hole in the hitch ball receiver extending between the first and second faces of the hitch ball receiver;   a first acircular recess positioned on the first face, the first acircular recess having a sidewall;   a second acircular recess positioned on the second face;   a hitch ball comprising:
 a ball portion; 
 a base portion having a perimeter; and 
 a threaded member extending from the base; 
   a lock washer attached with the threaded member and capable of fitting within either of the first and second recesses; and   a nut engageable with the threaded member, wherein a substantial portion of the perimeter of the base is engageable with the sidewall of the first recess to prevent rotation of the hitch ball during engagement of the nut with the threaded member.   
     
     
         18 . The towing assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first acircular recess is a closed perimeter recess. 
     
     
         19 . The towing assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the first acircular recess is positioned axially relative to the through-hole with the through-hold being within the closed perimeter. 
     
     
         20 . The towing assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the hitch ball receiver is capable of selectively engaging a trailer hitch in at least first and second positions whereby the first face is positioned axially below the hitch ball receiver when the hitch ball receiver is in the first position and the second face is positioned axially above the hitch ball receiver when the hitch ball receiver is in the second position.