# US 11,110,763 B2 · Tow bar quick-release mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,110,763 B2 - Document ID: US11110763B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/381,311 - Filed: 2019-04-11 - Published: 2020-10-15 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2019-04-11 - Assignees: The Government of the United States, as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Applicants: Government of the United States, AS Represented By the Secretary of the Army - Inventors: Kirill Pavlov; William E. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11110763B2 ## CPC - B60D 1/54: collapsible or retractable when not in use, e.g. hide-away hitches - B60D 1/155: comprising telescopic or foldable parts - B60D 1/26: for remote control, e.g. for releasing - B60D 1/02: Bolt or shackle-type couplings - B60D 2001/544: {One pivot axis} - F41H 7/02: Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks (endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D {; vehicles for placing portable or sectional bridges E01D15/127; vehicles carrying floating bridges E01D15/22}) - B60D: VEHICLE CONNECTIONS - F41H: ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL ## Abstract One example embodiment is a tow bar retention mechanism for a vehicle tow bar of a combat vehicle. The tow bar retention mechanism includes a tow bar retention arm, an elongated locking beam, a quick-release locking mechanism, and a quick-release safety mechanism. The quick-release locking mechanism locks the tow bar retention arm in a locked position placing the vehicle tow bar in a stowed position. The quick-release locking mechanism also unlocks the tow bar retention arm allowing the tow bar retention arm to move to an unlocked position allowing the vehicle tow bar to move to a tow position. The quick-release safety mechanism may be placed in a first position preventing the quick-release locking mechanism from moving from the locked position. The quick-release safety mechanism may also be placed in a second position allowing the quick-release locking mechanism to move from the locked position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tow bar quick-release assembly comprising: an elongated locking beam; a tow bar retention arm adapted to be moved to a locked position, wherein when in the locked position a tow ring of a tow bar assembly of an armored vehicle is positioned around the elongated locking beam and the tow bar retention arm prevents removal of the tow ring from the elongated locking beam; a quick-release locking pin adapted to be inserted into the elongated locking beam and inserted at least partially into the tow bar retention arm to prevent the tow bar retention arm moving from the locked position to an open position, and wherein when the tow bar retention arm is in the open position the tow ring may be removed from the elongated locking beam; a quick-release safety pin adapted to be connected to the quick-release locking pin to prevent the quick-release locking pin from being removed from the tow bar retention arm without applying a threshold amount of force to the quick-release safety pin; and a compression spring mounted within the elongated locking beam adapted to push the quick-release locking pin away from the tow bar retention arm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 1 wherein a main body portion of the quick-release locking pin is cylindrical in shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 1 wherein the quick-release safety pin further comprises: a pull-pin adapted to be pulled from the quick-release locking pin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 3 wherein the pull-pin is a cotter pin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 4 further comprising: a lanyard attached to the pull-pin adapted to pull the pull-pin from the quick-release locking pin. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 1 wherein the tow bar retention arm is C-shaped. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 6 wherein the tow bar retention arm has a first end and a second end, wherein the quick-release locking pin passes at least partially through the tow bar retention arm at the first end when the tow bar retention arm is in the locked position, and wherein the tow bar retention arm rotates about the second end about a pivot point passing through the elongated locking beam. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 7 further comprising: a coil spring adjacent the second end biasing the tow bar retention arm toward the open position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 1 further comprising: a rectangularly box shaped strap housing assembly with an open end; and a tie-down strap with a first end attached to the strap housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 9 wherein a force exerted by the tie-down strap is removed when the tow bar retention arm is moved to the unlocked position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The tow bar quick-release assembly of claim 9 wherein the tow bar assembly of the armored vehicle is mounted on a front end of the armored vehicle in a substantially vertical position when the tow bar retention arm is in a locked position around the tow ring. ### Claim 12 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. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tow bar retention mechanism of claim 12 wherein the tow bar retention arm and the elongated locking beam wrap around a portion of the vehicle tow bar of the combat vehicle when in the locked position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The tow bar retention mechanism of claim 12 further comprising: a coil spring adjacent the second end biasing the tow bar retention arm toward the open position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The tow bar retention mechanism of claim 12 wherein the quick-release safety mechanism further comprises: a safety pin adapted to be pulled from the quick-release locking mechanism. ### Claim 16 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. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of quickly lowering a vehicle tow bar of claim 16 further comprising: towing the ground military vehicle to a different location than from where the quick-release safety pin was pulled. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of quickly lowering a vehicle tow bar of claim 16 further comprising: automatically moving the quick-release locking pin from the first position to the second position.