Towing apparatus

Abstract

A towing apparatus is disclosed which has a hitch receiver that is moveable underneath a tow vehicle between a rearward hitching position and a forward towing position. The apparatus has a stationary guide rail which is longitudinally mounted underneath the tow vehicle rearward of the rear axle. A carriage is slidably engaged on the guide rail and has a rearwardly extending hitch receiver. At the rearward hitch position the hitch receiver is substantially in the conventional towing position at the rear bumper of the tow vehicle. After hitching a towed vehicle to the receiver, the tow vehicle is backed up to move the carriage and receiver forwardly on the guide rail to the towing position which is ideally adjacent to the rear axle. The carriage and receiver with attached hitch are then locked in place at said position. A towed vehicle may be either directly hitched to the receiver or may be hitched by way of an intermediate coupling section. The coupling section has a hitch to attach to the receiver on the tow vehicle, a second receiver on the coupling section for receiving the towed vehicle hitch and connector brackets that also attach to the towed vehicle. The intermediate coupling section provides an extension for proper positioning of the towed vehicle when the carriage is in the towing position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.