Apparatus and method for quickly releasing a harness from a vehicle
OwnerRobert D. Knoxinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hitch assembly includes two frame members. One frame member of the frame includes a locking assembly for coupling the hitch assembly to a shaft of a sulky. The other frame member of the frame is adapted to secure the frame assembly to a harness of an animal such as a horse. A release assembly such as a pull pin assembly is utilized to releasably secure the first frame member to the second frame member. A method for releasing an animal harness from a vehicle is also described.
Claims13
A hitch assembly for securing an animal harness to a vehicle, comprising:
- a first frame member adapted to be secured to the animal harness, the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto;
- a second frame member releasably secured to the first frame member, the second frame member (i) being adapted to be secured to the vehicle, and (ii) having a second hollow tube secured thereto;
- and
- a release assembly comprising a pin positionable between a pin-engaged position and a pin-disengaged position;
- wherein the first frame member is secured to the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the pin-engaged position, and the first frame member is separable from the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the pin-disengaged position, and the pin is positioned in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube when the pin is positioned in the pin-engaged position.
A method of operating a hitch assembly to release an animal harness from a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- decoupling a first frame member of the hitch assembly from a second frame member of the hitch assembly;
- and
- moving the first frame member relative to the second frame member such that the first frame member is spaced apart from the second frame member,
- wherein (i) the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto, (ii) the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and (iii) the decoupling step comprises removing a pin from the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
A hitch assembly for coupling a horse harness to a shaft of a sulky, comprising:
- a first frame member having a number of harness-receiving openings defined therein;
- and
- a second frame member releasably secured to the first frame member, the second frame member having a locking assembly releasably securing the second frame member to the shaft of the sulky;
- wherein:
- the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto,
- the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and
- the first frame member is secured to the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube, and
- the first frame member and the second frame member are movable relative to one another when the pin is removed from the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
A method of operating a hitch assembly to selectively secure and release a horse harness from a shaft of a sulky, comprising the steps of:
- securing the hitch assembly to the horse harness and the shaft of the sulky such that (i) the horse harness is advanced through a number of harness-receiving openings defined in a first frame member of the hitch assembly, and (ii) a second frame member of the hitch assembly is releasably coupled to the shaft of the sulky;
- decoupling the first frame member from the second frame member;
- and
- moving the first frame member relative to the second frame member such that the first frame member is spaced apart from the second frame member;
- wherein the horse harness is freely movable relative to the shaft of the sulky during the moving step;
- and wherein:
- the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto,
- the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and
- the securing step comprises positioning a pin in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.