Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-05
2004-11-30
Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C280S490100, C280S901000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06824157
ABSTRACT:
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hitch assembly which is vertically adjustable. In particular, the present invention relates to a hitch assembly having a telescoping tower which allows for raising and lowering the height of the hitch ball in the bed of the truck to establish the correct towing height.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The related art has shown various types of hitch assemblies which have an adjustable height. Illustrative are U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,172 to Juan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,553 to Van Vleet; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,570 to Linger et al.
Jaun shows a trailer hitch assembly system for mounting a gooseneck or fifth wheel type trailer hitch in the bed of a pickup truck. The hitch assembly system includes a support member having a well which is mounted below the surface of the bed of the pickup truck. A base portion is mounted in the well and extends above the surface of the bed of the pickup truck. The base portion can have a plurality of openings which allows the trailer hitch receiver to be fixed at various vertical positions. A locking pin or securing clip mechanism is used to hold the trailer hitch receiver in place on the base portion. The bed of the truck must be modified to allow for use of this trailer hitch assembly.
Van Vleet shows a hitch ball coupling device which is vertically adjustable. However, this coupling device is intended to be mounted to the rear of the towing vehicle and is not intended to be mounted in the bed of a truck.
Linger et al shows a fifth wheel hitch assembly having head supports which are height adjustable to enforce the versatility of the hitch assembly in interconnecting towing vehicles and towed vehicles of various heights and dimensions. This hitch assembly can not be easily adjusted by a single user.
There remains the need for a hitch assembly which is mounted in the bed of a truck and which can be vertically adjusted quickly and easily by a single user and which does not require extensive modification of the bed of the truck.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An adjustable hitch assembly for mounting in the bed of a truck. The hitch assembly includes a mounting assembly for removably securing the hitch assembly in the bed of the truck. The mounting assembly has end rails and side rails with a mounting sleeve mounted between the side rails. The telescoping tower includes an inner tower and a top plate and is slidably inserted into the interior of the mounting sleeve. The inner tower of the telescoping tower has holes which can be aligned with holes in the mounting sleeve. Pins are provided to insert through the holes of the mounting sleeve and the telescoping tower. To secure the hitch ball at a desired height, the pins are inserted into the holes in the mounting sleeve and holes in the inner tower to secure the inner tower at a set height in the mounting sleeve. In one (1) embodiment, the mounting sleeve and the inner tower have a square cross-section with front and back walls. In this embodiment, the front and back walls of the mounting sleeve each have a pair of holes with the holes spaced apart along a horizontal line. The inner tower has several pairs of holes which can be aligned with the holes of the mounting sleeve to adjust the height of the hitch ball. In one (1) embodiment, a fifth wheel head assembly is connected by an adaptor to the hitch ball. Thus, by adjusting the height of the hitch ball, the height of the fifth wheel head assembly can be adjusted. In this embodiment, the flange of the top plate of the telescoping tower has a notch which is engaged by the fifth wheel head assembly and prevents the head assembly from rotating when the towed vehicle turns.
The present invention relates to an adjustable hitch assembly for mounting in a bed of a truck which comprises: a mounting assembly for mounting to the bed of the truck; a mounting sleeve mounted on the mounting assembly and having a sidewall with holes in the sidewall; a telescoping tower slidably mounted in the mounting sleeve and having opposed ends with a sidewall extending between the ends and having holes in the sidewall; a top plate mounted at one end of the telescoping tower; a hitch ball mounted on the top plate; and a pair of pins configured to be inserted through the holes in the mounting sleeve and through the holes in the telescoping tower to secure the telescoping tower in the mounting sleeve.
Further, the present invention relates to a hitch assembly for mounting in a bed of a truck, which comprises: a pair of end rails having opposed ends and configured to be mounted on the bed of the truck; a pair of side rails having opposed ends and mounted at the opposed ends to the end rails such that the side rails extend between the end rails and are perpendicular to the end rails and parallel to each other; a mounting sleeve mounted between the side rails and spaced between the end rails, the mounting sleeve having a sidewall with at least two horizontally aligned holes in the sidewall; a tower slidably mounted in the mounting sleeve and having opposed ends with a sidewall extending therebetween with at least two horizontally aligned holes in the sidewall; a top plate mounted on one end of the tower; a hitch ball mounted on the top plate; and at least two pins configured to be inserted into the holes in the mounting sleeve and the holes in the tower to secure the tower in the mounting sleeve at a desired height.
Still further, the present invention relates to a method for adjusting a height of a hitch ball in a bed of a truck, which comprises the steps of: providing a hitch assembly having a mounting assembly for mounting to the bed of the truck; a mounting sleeve mounted on the mounting assembly and having a sidewall with holes in the sidewall; a tower slidably mounted in the mounting sleeve and having opposed ends with a sidewall extending between the ends and having holes in the sidewall; a top plate mounted at one end of the tower; a hitch ball mounted on the top plate; and a pair of pins configured to be inserted through the holes in the mounting sleeve and through the holes in the tower to secure the tower in the mounting sleeve; mounting the mounting assembly in the bed of the truck; inserting the tower in the mounting sleeve; sliding the tower in the mounting sleeve until holes in the sidewall of the tower are aligned with holes in the mounting sleeve and the hitch ball is essentially at a desired height spaced apart from the bed of the truck; and inserting the pins into and through the holes in the mounting sleeve and into the holes and through the holes in the tower.
The substance and advantages of the present invention will become increasingly apparent by reference to the following drawings and the description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3796444 (1974-03-01), Hixon
patent: 4248451 (1981-02-01), Usinger
patent: 4546994 (1985-10-01), Taylor
patent: 4662647 (1987-05-01), Calvert
patent: 4832358 (1989-05-01), Bull
patent: 5016898 (1991-05-01), Works et al.
patent: 5143393 (1992-09-01), Meyer
patent: 5344172 (1994-09-01), Juan
patent: 5975553 (1999-11-01), Van Vleet
patent: 6341795 (2002-01-01), Zerkel
patent: 6386570 (2002-05-01), Linger et al.
Hurley Kevin
McLeod Ian C.
Moyne Mary M.
LandOfFree
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