Trailer coupling for motor vehicles

The trailer coupling (1) for motor vehicles has a control plate (13a,13b) installed on at least one longitudinal wall of the pivotable coupling housing (5). The control plate has control cams (16a,16b) and guide slots (18a,18b,19) for the lowering and raising of the coupling housing during its pivoting movement and simultaneous, position-dependent initiation of the rotational movement of the coupling ball neck (3), whereby the control cams and guide slots are provided with movement follow-up pins (20,21,24,25,28).