US Patent 7571922 Trailer hitch coupling and anti-theft device therefore

A hitch coupling features a hitch ball receiving socket, a guide body connected thereto and a mounting body extending from the guide body at an end opposite the socket. The guide body features two generally vertical side walls horizontally spaced apart adjacent the socket and diverging horizontally away therefrom and a ramping surface defined between the two generally vertical side walls extending upward away from the mounting body toward the socket. The sloped ramping surface encourages mating of the hitch and socket under the weight of a trailer. A rear wall of the socket extends downward toward the ramping surface to block inadvertent withdrawal of a hitch ball. When the coupling is not in use, access to the socket can be blocked by a unique anti-theft device that is removable to avoid interference with subsequent use of the sloped ramping surface.