Tow bar quick-release mechanism

A tow bar retention mechanism for a vehicle tow bar of a combat vehicle comprising:

• a tow bar retention arm;
• an elongated locking beam;
• a quick-release locking mechanism adapted to lock the tow bar retention arm in a locked position to place the vehicle tow bar of the combat vehicle in a stowed position, wherein the quick-release locking mechanism is adapted to unlock the tow bar retention arm to allow the tow bar retention arm to be moved to an unlocked position to allow the vehicle tow bar to be moved to a tow position;
• a quick-release safety mechanism adapted to be placed in a first position to prevent the quick-release locking mechanism to be moved from the locked position, and wherein the quick-release safety mechanism is adapted to be placed in a second position to allow the quick-release locking mechanism to be moved from the locked position to the unlocked position;
• and
• a spring mounted to move the tow bar retention arm from the locked position toward the unlocked position.

A method of quickly lowering a vehicle tow bar on a ground military vehicle from a stowed position to a lower position comprising:

• pulling a quick-release safety pin at least partially from a quick-release locking pin;
• upon the pulling of the quick-release safety pin at least partially from a quick-release locking pin, moving a quick-release locking pin from a first position, that does not allow a tow bar retention arm to move, to a second position that allows the tow bar retention arm to move;
• moving a tow bar retention arm from a locked position, that prevents movement of the vehicle tow bar from the stowed position to the lower position, to an unlocked position;
• pushing the vehicle tow bar from the elongated locking beam;
• allowing gravity to lower the vehicle tow bar to the ground;
• and
• moving the vehicle tow bar to a towing position.