Configurable trailer hitch apparatus
OwnerDavid McConnellinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a configurable trailer hitch that provides an extended towing position for transferring a tractor force to a load, and a retracted storage position for safely stowing the hitch under a towing vehicle. The trailer hitch has a spring loaded retaining pin which engages a hitch receiver when the trailer hitch is placed in the towing position, and a storage latch adapted to hold the hitch receiver when the trailer hitch is placed in the storage position.
Claims10
A configurable trailer hitch apparatus having a towing position for exerting a tractor force on a load, and a storage position, comprising:
- a frame member adapted to mount to a towing vehicle;
- a top plate fastened to the frame member;
- a bottom weldment positioned in parallel relation to the top plate;
- a hitch receiver positioned in pivoting relation between the top plate and bottom weldment;
- a pivot pin positioned through a plurality of apertures formed in the frame member, top plate, bottom weldment, and hitch receiver, and forming a pivot therein;
- a hitch ball assembly fastened to the hitch receiver, and operable to couple to the load when the apparatus is configured in the towing position;
- a retaining pin positioned through the top plate and bottom weldment, and operable to hold the hitch receiver when the apparatus is configured in the towing position;
- and
- a storage latch mounted to the frame member and operable to grasp the hitch receiver when the apparatus is configured in the storage position.
A configurable trailer hitch apparatus having a towing position for exerting a tractor force on a load, and a storage position, comprising:
- a frame member adapted to mount to a towing vehicle;
- a top plate fastened to the frame member, and having first and second apertures formed therein;
- a bottom weldment positioned in parallel relation to the top plate and having third and forth apertures formed therein;
- a backstop plate positioned and secured between the top plate and the bottom plate;
- a hitch receiver tube positioned in pivoting relation between the top and bottom plates, and having fifth and sixth apertures formed therein through opposite sides of the tube;
- a hitch ball assembly configured to couple to the hitch receiver, and operable to connect to the load when the apparatus is in the towing position;
- a pivot pin inserted through the first, third, fifth and sixth apertures forming a pivot;
- a wing fastened to and extending from the hitch receiver, and having a seventh aperture formed therein;
- a retaining pin positioned through the second and fourth apertures, and operable to engage the seventh aperture when the hitch receiver is configured in the towing position;
- a storage latch mounted to the frame member and operable to grasp the hitch receiver when the apparatus is configured in the storage position;
- and wherein the pivot is positioned so that a towing force is centered about the pivot pin when the hitch receiver is configured in the towing position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.