Wide range bumper mounted hitch

In combination, an elongated horizontal base member for mounting in transverse position on one end of a towing vehicle, a pair of horizontal support arms having one pair of corresponding ends on said base member, at points spaced therealong, for shifting along said base member and horizontal swinging relative to said base member about upstanding axes shiftable along said base member with said one pair of arm ends between first outwardly convergent positions and second substantially aligned positions generally paralleling said base member with said one pair of arm ends disposed remote from each other and the other pair of arm ends disposed adjacent each other, and a hitch member to which said pair of arm ends are pivotally secured, said hitch member and said base member including coacting lock means operative to releasably lock said hitch member in position relative to said base member when said arms are disposed in said second positions thereof, said base member and arms including deactivatable means operative, when activated, to limit shifting movement of said one pair of ends of said arms along said base member toward the corresponding ends thereof when said arms are in said first position, and operable to prevent shifting of said one pair of arm ends along said base member when said arms are in said second positions, said deactivatable means comprising a pair of abutment arms pivotally supported at one pair of ends thereof from the opposite end portions of said base member for horizontal swinging between open positions with the other pair of ends of said abutment arms projecting outwardly of said base member and closed generally aligned positions with said other pair of ends of said abutment arms swung inwardly toward said base member and toward each other, said other pair of ends of said abutment arms, when the latter are in said closed positions being abuttable by said one pair of ends of said support arms to limit shifting of the latter toward the corresponding ends of said support member.

An improved tow bar for vehicles comprising, in combination:

• a. a horizontal base member with an inside and an outside, said outside including an elongated horizontal channel;
• b. means for attaching the base member to a vehicle;
• c. first and second horizontal pivot arms, each arm having an outside end and an inside end, said arms slidably and pivotally mounted at their outside ends in the channel;
• d. hitch means pivotally connected to the inside ends of the pivot arms;
• e. releasable latch means in the base member for engaging and holding the hitch means in fixed position relative to the channel;
• and
• f. abutment means at the opposite ends of the channel to maintain the slidable pivot arms and hitch means in the channel.