PICKUP HITCH WITH DIRECT FORCE INTRODUCTION

The present invention relates to a trailer coupling device (10) for releasably coupling a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising: - a fastening means (12) for fastening the trailer coupling device (10) to a vehicle, - a coupling means (16) for establishing and releasing a form-locking coupling engagement with a counter-coupling means, wherein when the coupling engagement is established and the trailer coupling device (10) is operated as intended in towing operation, a pulling force acts on the coupling means (16) along a pulling force direction of action (ZWR), - a displacement device (14) for displacing the coupling means (16) along a displacement axis (V), which encloses an angle with the pulling force direction of action (ZWR), wherein the displacement device (14) has a housing component (24) that is immovable relative to the fastening means (12) and a movement component (28) that is displaceable relative to the housing component (24) along the displacement axis (V), wherein the coupling means (16) is coupled for joint displacement with the movement component (28), so that the coupling means (16) is displaceable between a coupling readiness position at a greater distance from the fastening means and a coupling operating position at a distance closer to the fastening means and different from the former, and wherein the coupling means (16) has a power transmission section (36a, 36b) which in the coupling operating position is in or can be brought into force-transmitting contact engagement directly with a power transmission section (42) of the fastening means (12).