Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-19
2001-04-17
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S416100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217054
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a hitch and more particularly to a hitch which is installed on the tongue of a trailer, or other device, to enable the trailer, or other device, to be secured to the rearwardly extending tow bar of a towing vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Garden tractors and all terrain vehicles (ATVs) are frequently used to tow trailers, sprayers, fertilizer spreaders, etc. Normally, the device being towed has a forwardly extending tongue with a clevis-like hitch at its forward end which is secured to the rearwardly extending tow bar of the towing vehicle by means of a hitch pin. Once the hitch pin has been extended through the tongue hitch and tow bar, it is normally necessary to crawl under the vehicle or tongue to extend a retaining pin through the lower end of the hitch pin to ensure that the tongue hitch will not become disconnected from the tow bar. Further, the conventional type of hitch just described provides a certain amount of play therein due to the fact that the thickness of the tow bar is normally considerably less than the distance between the upper and lower clevis elements of the hitch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The hitch of this invention is designed to be used in conjunction with a towing vehicle having a rearwardly extending tow bar with a hitch ball secured thereto with the hitch ball including a ball sphere having a threaded shank extending downwardly therefrom which is received in an opening by the tow bar and which is secured therein by a nut on the threaded shank below the tow bar for maintaining the hitch ball on the tow bar. The hitch of this invention comprises a first plate having rearward and forward ends, and upper and lower sides. The first plate is provided with one or more openings at its rearward end for receiving bolts extending therethrough to secure the first plate to the tongue of the towed vehicle. The first plate has a generally circular-shaped opening formed therein at its forward end for receiving the ball sphere. The first plate also has an elongated slot formed therein which extends forwardly from the circular-shaped opening for receiving the shank of the hitch ball. A second plate having rearward and forward ends is selectively slidably mounted on the upper side of the first plate with the second plate being movable between a forward position and a rearward position with respect to the first plate. The forward end of the second plate has a semi-circular opening formed therein which at least partially receives the lower portion of the ball sphere and the shank below the ball sphere when the second plate is in its forward position to prevent the hitch from being detached from the hitch ball. A removable pin extends through the first and second plates to maintain the second plate in its forward position.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved hitch device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a hitch device which is secured to the forward end of the tongue of a towed vehicle or device which is quickly and easily secured to a hitch ball mounted on the rearward end of the tow bar of the towing vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch which is safe to use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch device which prevents excessive movement between the hitch device and the hitch ball mounted on the tow bar of the towing vehicle.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a hitch device of the type described above which is refined in appearance and durable in use.
These and other objects will be obvious to those skilled in the art.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1636295 (1927-07-01), Dempsey
patent: 2321535 (1943-06-01), Weiss
patent: 2475780 (1949-07-01), Fearnehough
patent: 2628050 (1953-02-01), Hardwick
patent: 2984502 (1961-05-01), Tyrrell
patent: 3061334 (1962-10-01), Everett et al.
patent: 3159368 (1964-12-01), Ahlbin et al.
patent: 3900214 (1975-08-01), Brockelsby
patent: 4360217 (1982-11-01), Pittman
patent: 4786119 (1988-11-01), Smuda
patent: 5219435 (1993-06-01), Sprunger
patent: 5433467 (1995-07-01), Easterwood
patent: 5671938 (1997-09-01), Olson
Klimek David L.
Nickels Gary R.
Fischer Andrew J.
Hurley Kevin
Thomte Dennis L.
Zarley McKee Thomte Voorhees & Sease
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