The present invention provides an articulated safety hitch which is a more secure and flexible replacement for the conventional hitch and ball towing systems long used in light to heavy duty towing, thus improving safety, longevity, strength, serviceability, and ease of manufacture. Instead of a single ball typically used in conventional hitch and ball towing systems, the inventive articulated safety hitch can move in all directions with wide bearing separation and without binding up or slipping off. In addition, the inventive articulated safety hitch is simple to build and uses readily available, off-the-shelf components as wearable items, such as existing trailer tongues and ball coupler designs.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, vehicles, and methods for a break- away tow hook. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a tow hook configured to extend in a first direction from a surface of a vehicle and to receive a towing line. A mount is configured to displaceably secure the tow hook to the surface. The mount is configured to maintain a position of the tow hook relative to the surface in response to a pulling force being applied to the tow hook in a first direction away from the surface of the vehicle. The mount is further configured to enable the tow hook to move relative to the surface in response to the tow hook incurring a force in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at least partially toward the surface of the vehicle.

An anhydrous ammonia trailer hitch incorporating a base; a vehicle mounting receiver hitch fixedly attached to and extending forwardly from the base; a bolt mounted to the base, the bolt being adapted for moving between latching and releasing positions; a release plate having a first eye fitted for receiving the bolt, the bolt extending into the eye upon movement to the latching position; a remotely actuatable linear motion actuator connected operatively to the bolt for moving the bolt between the latching and releasing position; a tongue mount fixedly attached to the release plate; and at least a first safety chain mount fixedly attached to the release plate.

Disclosed is a protective cover for trailer coupling devices. The protective cover includes a shaft with a hollowed inner core for housing a trailer coupling device and a protective pad that is adjoined to one end of the shaft. When installed, the protective casing cover protects a trailer's coupling device from adverse weather conditions. Additionally, upon installation, the protective pad of the protective cover serves to prevent or reduce damage to a vehicle when a driver backs up too far while trying to align a vehicle's trailer hitch with a trailer's coupling device.

Hybrid energy absorbing assembly for attachment to a vehicle for a vehicle, comprising a bumper beam comprising a plastic material; and a towing assembly, wherein the towing assembly comprises a metal insert. The invention also relates to a metal insert for such a hybrid energy absorbing assembly. Moreover, the invention relates to a vehicle provided with such a hybrid towing bumper beam assembly, wherein the metal insert is connected to a body-in-white of the vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing such a hybrid towing bumper beam assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising placing the metal insert in a mold; introducing molten thermoplastic material, to a mold to in site form the energy absorbing assembly and thus overmolding the metal insert with the thermoplastic material, thereby embedding the metal insert in the bumper beam.

A trailer hitch for a motor vehicle comprises a coupling arm, on one end region of which a coupling body, in particular a coupling ball, is arranged for hitching a trailer or coupling a load carrier to the motor vehicle. At least one support element forming at least part of an outer surface of the coupling body and/or of the coupling arm is provided on the coupling body and/or on the coupling arm, said support element having a greater strength and/or hardness than an in particular metal basic material of a main body of the coupling body or coupling arm on which the support element is arranged or which bears the support element.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, vehicles, and methods for a break-away tow hook. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a tow hook configured to extend in a first direction from a surface of a vehicle and to receive a towing line. A mount is configured to displaceably secure the tow hook to the surface. The mount is configured to maintain a position of the tow hook relative to the surface in response to a pulling force being applied to the tow hook in a first direction away from the surface of the vehicle. The mount is further configured to enable the tow hook to move relative to the surface in response to the tow hook incurring a force in a second direction, wherein the second direction is at least partially toward the surface of the vehicle.

The present invention provides an articulated safety hitch which is a more secure and flexible replacement for the conventional hitch and ball towing systems long used in light to heavy duty towing, thus improving safety, longevity, strength, serviceability, and ease of manufacture. Instead of a single ball typically used in conventional hitch and ball towing systems, the inventive articulated safety hitch can move in all directions with wide bearing separation and without binding up or slipping off. In addition, the inventive articulated safety hitch is simple to build and uses readily available, off-the-shelf components as wearable items, such as existing trailer tongues and ball coupler designs.

The present invention relates to an automotive tow hitch device including a body for coupling to a vehicle, and defining a receiver for receiving a shackle arrangement for coupling to another vehicle. Advantageously, either vehicle can be used to tow and extract the other vehicle when stuck using the shackle arrangement,

A towing safety device is attached to a tow or winch line to dampen the recoil of a line if connecting hardware fails during towing or pulling. The dampener comprises a reversibly closable opening and may be stored empty and folded in a vehicle when not in use. When filled with weighted matter, such as sand, soil or stones found in the field and attached to the towing hardware and tow line at two points, the towing safety device is deployed to avoid or reduce the likelihood of injury or property damage that can occur with a freely ricocheting line.