Pivotal tow bar assembly
OwnerTod Westerveltinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tow bar assembly for use in connecting a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle. The tow bar assembly includes a drawbar and a housing assembly capable of being configured with a supplemental braking system. A connector secures the housing to a tow hitch member, such that two separate, non-planar perpendicular axes of pivotal rotation are created. The tow hitch assembly includes at least one arm with an inner and outer portion, wherein the inner portion rotates about a central axis relative to the inner portion within the outer portion. A fourth pivotal axis is created by a connection of mounting brackets to the tow hitch member.
Claims19
A tow bar assembly for connecting a towing vehicle to a towed vehicle, comprising:
- a drawbar that is receivable within a receiver of a towing vehicle;
- a housing having oppositely oriented first and second ends, wherein the first end of the housing connects the housing to the drawbar and the second end of the housing is defined by a pair of vertically oriented opposing generally parallel and spaced flanges adapted to receive a first pivot member;
- a connector having oppositely oriented first and second ends,
- the first end of the connector oriented between the flanges of the second end of the housing and connected to the second end of the housing via the first pivot member such that the connector and housing are pivotal along a first pivot axis,
- the second end of the connector defined by a pair of horizontally oriented opposing generally parallel and spaced flanges adapted to receive a second pivot member;
- a tow hitch member having at least one arm connected to the second pivot member and extending from the second pivot member to a mounting bracket for connection to the towed vehicle and such that the connector and tow hitch member are pivotal about a second pivot axis, whereby the tow bar assembly permits universal pivoting motion between the towing vehicle and the towed vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.