Tow hitch assembly for all-terrain vehicles

Details Tow hitch assembly for all-terrain vehicles Tow hitch assembly for all-terrain vehicles

2001-07-23

2003-03-25

Hurley, Kevin (Department: 3619)

Land vehicles

Wheeled

Articulated vehicle

C280S491500, C280S416100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06536794

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to tow hitches for vehicles and particularly to tow hitches for use on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).
2. Description of the Related Art
All terrain vehicles (ATV's) frequently are equipped with a rearwardly projecting, flat tow bar with a hole therethrough that will allow a trailer to be attached and pulled. Generally a bifurcated end of a tongue on the trailer straddles the flat tow bar and is secured to the tow bar with a pin dropped through holes in the bifurcated end and the hole in the tow bar.
Such hook-ups are not always satisfactory since a fully universal connection is not provided. Many trailers have a receptacle on the connector end of the trailer tongue that will fit over and be locked to a ball of a towing vehicle. This hook up will provide the desired universal connection, but if a ball is secured to the flat tow bar with as bolt inserted through the ball and the flat tow bar it must be removed before the flat tow bar can again be used with a trailer tongue having a bifurcated end. Also, the flat tow bar frequently does not have an attached ring to which a safety chain of a trailer tongue can be secured.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a tow hitch that is readily secured to the flat tow bar of an ATV and that will then accommodate attachment of trailers having a safety chain on the trailer tongue and with either a ball receptacle or a bifurcated end on the trailer tongue.
FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
Principal features of the tow hitch of the invention include a first embodiment having an adapter receptacle with an attachment plate, an insert box and a safety chain ring. A ball support has an insert to fit into and to be pinned to the adapter receptacle and an extending plate with a hole through which a towing ball is mounted and a second hole to receive a pin to secure a clevis on the end of a trailer tongue to the tow hitch.
Another embodiment of the tow hitch of the invention includes an angled attachment plate having offset legs and with a safety chain ring.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3718317 (1973-02-01), Hilmer
patent: 4697818 (1987-10-01), Moore
patent: 5702118 (1997-12-01), Hanson et al.
patent: 6125945 (2000-10-01), Skaggs et al.
patent: 6312004 (2001-11-01), Kiss
patent: 6315316 (2001-11-01), Wyant
patent: 6390489 (2002-05-01), Friesen

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