Safety restraint for vehicle towing assemblies

A safety apparatus for use in towing, comprising:

• a towing assembly for connecting a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle;
• and
• a restraint comprising a hollow, cylindrical body at least partially encapsulating the towing assembly, the restraint body being extendable from a first length to a second, longer length and having a first diameter at the first length and a second, smaller diameter at the second length, wherein the restraint body has a tensile yield strength sufficient to enable the towing vehicle to tow the towed vehicle after failure of the towing assembly and wherein the restraint body is extended to the second 1ength when the restraint is attached to the towed and towing vehicles and a friction-based gripping reaction is achieved between the towing assembly and the restraint body when the body has the second diameter.

An apparatus for use as a safety restraint for towing assemblies, rotating shafts, and structures, comprising:

• a cylindrical, hollow body with a wall formed of a plurality of fibers woven in a crosshatch pattern, whereby the hollow body has a first diameter and a first length when at rest and a second diameter less than the first diameter and a second length greater than the first length under a tensile load;
• and
• connecting members at the ends of the wall for connecting the apparatus to a support structure when one of a towing assembly, a rotatable shaft, or other structure is received within the hollow body, wherein the connecting members are configured to allow the body to rotate at the ends of the wall about a longitudinal axis of the body and wherein the connecting members comprise mounting plates.