Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Patent
1997-07-14
1999-11-23
Mai, Lanna
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
G60D 100
Patent
active
059886676
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to receiver trailer hitches and in particular to an anti-rattle device to eliminate undesirable noise, movement and vibration sometimes associated with removable mounts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Receiver-type trailer hitches employ a removable ball mount which is slidably received into a hitch receiver with a somewhat loose fit therebetween necessary to facilitate insertion and removal of the ball mount. The ball mount is secured in the hitch receiver by a cross pin and clip. The most common form of a receiver trailer hitch employs a ball mount with a square shank formed from tubing or solid bar stock which is sized and configured to be inserted into a complementary receiver tube. The ball mount may be removed when it is not going to be used. Various ball mount configurations may be used with a given receiver to accommodate trailers of various heights or various ball mount lengths.
Receiver-type hitches are also used with bicycle carriers, ski carriers and other devices having a mounting member adapted for insertion into a receiver-type hitch.
In receiver-type hitches it is necessary to provide clearance between the outer surface of the shank of the ball mount and the complementary inner surface of the receiver to facilitate easy insertion and removal of the shank. Also clearance must be provided between the cross pin and corresponding holes in the receiver and shank to facilitate insertion and removal of the crosspin. The clearance between the shank and the receiver permit relative movement vertically, laterally and rotationally. The clearances between the crosspin and the holes in the receiver and shank permit relative fore and aft movement. While the clearances are necessary, such erratic movements are undesirable in that they may result in unwelcome rattle noise, vibration and shock.
It would be very advantageous if a means could be provided that eliminates the free play movement between a mount shank, hitch receiver and crosspin in all directions. The instant invention provides such a device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to eliminate undesirable relative movement between the shank of a removable mount and the receiver of a receiver-type trailer hitch to eliminate noise, vibration and shock.
It is a further object to eliminate such undesirable relative movement in all directions.
It is yet another object to provide a device which can achieve the foregoing but cannot be inadvertently mistaken by the user as being the sole means to secure the mount shank in the receiver tube.
It is yet another object to accomplish the foregoing with a device that can be used on existing receiver hitches without requiring modification of either the mount or receiver.
It is yet a still further object to achieve all of the foregoing by providing a device that is inexpensive and easy to install.
These and other objects and advantages are achieved by the invention as will be apparent from the following description, drawing and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partial exploded perspective of a hitch receiver and a ball mount to be inserted therein along with the anti-rattle device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a partial perspective of the coupled hitch receiver and ball mount with the anti-rattle device of the present invention installed;
FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of the assembled ball mount, receiver and anti-rattle device of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a cross-section along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the plate of the anti-rattle device of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the isolator of the anti-rattle device of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective of an assembled ball mount and receiver with an alternate embodiment of the anti-rattle device of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the anti-rattle device 10 of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a pl
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Doigan Lloyd D.
Draw-Tite Inc.
Lerner Avraham H.
Mai Lanna
Redman Leon E.
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