Apparatus for attaching a towing device to a vehicle

An apparatus for attaching a towing device to a receiving member of a vehicle, the receiving member having at least two aligned apertures positioned on opposing sides thereof, the apparatus comprising:

• a tubular shell having a wall, the shell having a channel therethrough, the shell further having a first aperture and a second aperture through the wall, the first aperture and the second aperture aligned and positioned on opposing sides of the shell, the tubular shell including a release knob aperture through the wall of the shell;
• a first pin carried by the shell and within the channel, the first pin aligned with the first aperture of the shell;
• a second pin carried by the shell and within the channel, the second pin aligned with the second aperture of the shell;
• a cam having a first cam surface and a second cam surface disposed on opposite sides thereof, the first cam surface being slidably coupled with the first pin and the second cam surface being slidably coupled with the second pin, the cam being movable inside the channel of the shell between a retracted position and an extended position, the first cam surface slidably guiding the first pin to extend and protrude through the first aperture in the extended position, the second cam surface slidably guiding the second pin to extend and protrude through the second aperture in the extended position, the first cam surface slidably guiding the first pin to retract into the channel in the retracted position, the second cam surface slidably guiding the second pin to retract into the channel in the retracted position, wherein the shell is configured to be inserted into the receiving member of the vehicle to align the first and second apertures of the channel with two aligned apertures of the receiving member when the cam is in the retracted position with the first and second pins retracted into the channel, such that the first and second pins extend and protrude through the two aligned apertures of the receiving member which are aligned with the first and second apertures of the channel when the cam is in the extended position;
• a drive gear and a gear rack operatively coupled with the drive gear, the gear rack being attached to the cam;
• and
• a release knob connected to the drive gear inside the channel of the shell and protruding through the release knob aperture to outside of the shell, the release knob comprising a turn knob connected to the drive gear, the turn knob being rotatable to manipulate the drive gear to move the cam between the retracted position and the extended position.