Removable hitch attachment for earth-moving equipment

Details Removable hitch attachment for earth-moving equipment Removable hitch attachment for earth-moving equipment

2001-05-23

2002-12-03

Pezzuto, Robert E. (Department: 3671)

Excavating

Combined or convertible

C037S903000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06487799

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to earth-moving equipment, and more particularly to a hitch attachment that is removably mountable on earth-moving equipment.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Operators of earth-moving equipment and other construction equipment often need to move trailers and similar non-powered towable vehicles around a job site. While these towable vehicles have hitch couplings for attachment to a drive vehicle such as a truck, most pieces of earth-moving equipment do not include the mating hitches to attach to the towable vehicles. As a result, it can be difficult to move the towable vehicle with the earth-moving equipment. Typically, an operator will attach the towable vehicle to the earth-moving equipment using a chain.
Prior attempts to provide a towing capability to earth-moving equipment have involved structural changes to the bucket of the earth-moving equipment which are often permanent, or have involved complex assemblies attached at multiple locations on the equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a removable hitch attachment configured to operatively couple a towable vehicle with a bucket of a piece of earth-moving equipment, where the bucket has wall portions terminating in two or more generally linear edges that define an opening of the bucket. The removable hitch attachment includes a hitch mount configured to permit mounting of a hitch onto the removable hitch attachment and an edge engaging structure configured to secure the hitch mount to the bucket. The edge engaging structure is configured to receive one of the edges of the bucket to secure the removable hitch attachment to the bucket, and is further configured to secure the removable hitch attachment to the bucket independent of engagement with the other edges of the bucket and free of any structural modification of the bucket. In addition, the removable hitch attachment is configured to be easily installed onto and removed from the bucket to selectively accommodate towing operations and earth-moving operations.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4037681 (1977-07-01), Gorby
patent: 5097609 (1992-03-01), Swaggert
patent: 5570897 (1996-11-01), Wass
patent: 5833008 (1998-11-01), Reed et al.
patent: 6022184 (2000-02-01), Friedland
patent: 6135701 (2000-10-01), Galloway, Sr.

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