Abstract:
A winch rigging link has a body defining a cable retainer and a soft shackle retainer at opposite ends. The body has a length, a width less than the length, and a depth less than the width. Furthermore, the body defines opposing faces bounded by the length and width and spaced apart by the depth. The soft shackle retainer comprises a channel running widthwise across the soft shackle retainer an in between the faces. The channel defines a bearing surface having curvature in a lengthwise and widthwise plane. The cable retainer may be permanently attached to a winch cable and the soft shackle retainer attached to a soft shackle or the like when required for winch rigging. The configuration of the link maximises the bend radius of the soft shackle or the like retained by the soft shackle retainer, despite the relatively narrow profile of the body thereof.
Abstract:
A hitch assembly for coupling a trailer to a tow vehicle comprises a king ball including a base and a king pin extending vertically from a top surface of the base, the king pin including a ball positioned on a distal end opposite the base, the ball adapted to be pivotally received into a hitch of the trailer. A hitch block includes a draw bar and a housing, the drawbar adapted to be horizontally inserted into a receiver mounted onto the tow vehicle, the housing including a throat adapted to receive the base of the king ball. A locking mechanism is adapted to automatically engage the king pin when the base of the king ball is inserted into the throat of the housing to secure the base of the king ball within the throat of the housing and locking the king ball and the hitch block together.
Abstract:
A winch cable storage device includes a cable-tensioning mechanism for attachment to a cable winch. The manual cable tensioner is removably attached to the cable winch and includes a level wind feature. The level winder includes a flexible frame attached between the cable winch and the cable-tensioning mechanism. The cable-tensioner includes a clamp housing and a pair of opposed, spring-loaded friction pads.
Abstract:
An adaptor plate generally Y-shaped in plan is provided having a central opening formed therethrough. The adaptor plate is positionable over the step plate of a step bumper with the opening in the plate registered with the central hitch ball mounting shank receiving opening formed in the step plate and the adaptor plate is secured to the step plate through the utilization of the threaded shank of a hitch ball and the attendant nut and washer therefor. The free ends of the divergent arms of the Y-shaped adaptor plate project rearwardly of the rear margin of the step plate and have front-to-rear extending openings formed therein with which elongated hooks of trailer safety chains may be engaged and the forwardly projecting stem of the Y-shaped adaptor plate at least closely opposes the center face plate portion of the associate step bumper projecting upwardly from the forwardly margin of the step plate to thereby limit angular displacement of the adaptor plate relative to the step plate about the shank of the attaching hitch ball. The adaptor plate defines a rearwardly opening recess between the free ends of the rearwardly divergent arms of the adaptor plate and the recess provides clearance for a trailer hitch tongue coupler engaged with the hitch ball.
Abstract:
A single length, wire-formed latch is pivotally attached to the hook of the chain and is so configured as to blockingly span the mouth of the chain-receiving slot of the hook when the latch is in its closed position. By grasping opposite limbs of the latch disposed on opposite sides of the hook, the latch may be pulled back against the resistive tension in the limbs to open the slot and allow the ingress and egress of the chain. One illustrated embodiment utilizes a pair of spaced mounting holes in the hook body which receive corresponding inturned, free ends of the limbs, while a second embodiment utilizes a single mounting hole in the hook body to receive one of the free ends of the limbs, the other limb having its free end extending across and bearing against an exposed, offset fulcrum surface on the exterior of the hook body to resiliently stress the limbs when the latch is pulled back into its open position.
Abstract:
A trailer connecting guide for use with a boat trailer or the like. The trailer connecting guide is attached to one side of the tongue of the trailer and is operable to guide the trailer sufficiently close to the tow vehicle to complete the connection. The trailer connecting guide assembly includes a pulley, a mounting bolt, and a winch cable guide. The cable guide is mounted between the pulley and trailer tongue and includes at least one elongated slot adjacent to the pulley track which restricts the lateral movement of the winch cable with respect to the pulley track to prevent the winch cable from pumping out of the pulley track. In operation, a length of cable is first let off the winch and the end of the winch cable is attached to the towing vehicle adjacent the vehicle hitch. A portion of the cable is then slipped around the pulley and guide assembly and any excess slack in the cable is taken up by operation of the winch. Then, as the winch continues to be operated, the trailer tongue and vehicle hitch are brought together sufficiently close to permit the connection to be completed.
Abstract:
A safety cable trailer coupler having a steel cable loop for encircling the shank of a ball hitch. The cable is fed through a slidable sleeve and the ends of the cable are pressed into a ferrule, and the ferrule may be bolted to a trailer tongue immediately behind the trailer coupler.
Abstract:
An apparatus for simplifying the launching and retrieval of a boat from its trailer is provided. The apparatus includes a longitudinal body, an electrical or manual winch, a coupler for mounting to the trailer hitch ball on the towing vehicle, a trailer hitch ball for coupling the boat trailer to the apparatus and a locking assembly to secure the apparatus to the boat trailer structure.
Abstract:
An improved hitching guidance device to facilitate the coupling of towing and towed units is herein presented. Such a device is advantageous when the towed unit, with its hitch ball receiver cup, cannot be readily visualized by the operator of the backing unit. The apparatus mounts on the hitch ball and uses electrical contacts, acting as switches, to sense the spatial orientation of a fine braided steel wire. This wire is wound under spring tension on an automatic reeling device and is stretched between the hitch ball and the hitch receiver cup where the wire is in turn fixed to the hitch cup in an exact and known location on the cup by a unique universal adapter clamp. Information relative to the position of the wire, and therefore relative to the position of the ball and receiver cup and their relationship to each other, is transmitted to the drivers area by a 6 conductor wire. This information is displayed on a guiding light console, visible to the towing vehicle operator. By appropriate response to the information displayed visually and audibly from this guiding light console, an operator can, with utmost precision, position the hitch ball of virtually any towing vehicle under the receiver cup of the towed unit, even under the most vexing of circumstances.
Abstract:
A trailer hitch alignment device adapted to be releasably mounted to the draw bar of an automobile including a spring loaded spool from which a cable is played out to be turned around a guide pulley into a tubular guide. The tubular guide is pivotally mounted to align with the cable, concurrently articulating the wiper of a potentiometer. The potentiometer is connected to a meter inside the automobile, providing a visual indication of the angle of departure of the cable. Thus, by stretching the cable to connect to the hitch of a trailer, a remote indication on the meter will indicate the necessary direction of advancement of the automobile in order to effect alignment for coupling.