Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
3~
,
EXTENDABLE AND RFiTR~CTABLE HITCH ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
.
This invention relates to new and useful improve-
ments in hitch assemblies, par-ticularly hitch assemblies
for use with trucks, dump trucks, four-wheel drive vehi-
cles and the like.
Conventionally, such hitch assemblies are bolted
to the frame members or bumper assembly a-t the rear of the
vehicle and extend therefrom whether in use or not and this
ex-tens:ion can cause inconven.iences par-ticularly when unload-
ing grain or the like ei-ther a-t an elevator or into an au-
ger assembly for movement to a storage bin or seed drill
or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention shows an extending and re-
trac-ting hitch assembly which can be mounted ei-ther between
the frame members of a vehicle or the sill members of a
dump truck. Alternatively, -the assembly can be pre-assem-
bled in-to a subframe which in turn can be bolted between
the frame members.
In accordance with the invention there is provided
an ex-tendable and retracable hitch assembly for vehicles
which include spaced and parallel, longitudinally extend-
ing supports such as frame or sill members; comprising in
combination a hitch bar, a swinging li.nk component, means
to support said link component transversely to adjacent
the rear of the supports oE the vehicle, for swinging fore
and aft movement from an extended working position to a
retracted stored position and v ce-versa, means to pivotal-
ly mount said hitch bar adjacent the rear end thereof, to
said link component, means mounted to the supports of the
vehicle to support the front end of said hitch bar in
either position, and means to detachably secure said hitch
bar in either said direction.
Another advantage o:F the invention ls :Eound in
the simplicity o:E construction which al.lows the hitch to
be extended and retracted read:ily and easily and to be de-
tachably locked in either of these positions.
A still further advantage of the invention is to
provide a device of the character herewithin described
which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture
and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is
designed.
With the foregoing in view, and other advantages
as will. become apparent to those skill.ed in the art to which
this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the
invention is herein described by reference to the accompany-
$
ing drawings forming a part hereoE, which includes a des-
cription of the best mode known to the applicant and of
the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the
present invention, in which:
DESCRIPTION OE THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing
one embodimen-t of the hi-tch assembly in the extended posi-
tion and mounted between the frame members of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is a par-t:ially exploded view of the pre-
:l0Eerred embodiment with -the rear support lin]cacJe removed for
clarity.
Figure 3 is an isometric view of an alternative
construction of the hitch bar and front support assembly.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of an alternative
embodiment shown mounted to the truck chassis.
Figure 5 is an exploded isometric view of the
hitch assembly in conjunction with the frame of a vehicle.
Figure 6 is an isometric view of an alternative
bracket assembly per se.
20Figure 7 is an isometric view of the hitch as-
sembly pre-assembled into a subframe.
In the drawings like characters of reference in-
dicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
t~
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Proceedlng ~herefore to describe the invention in de-
tail, reference should first be made to Figure 1 which shows
the hitch assembly collectively designated 10 mounted be-t-
ween spaced and parallel sill members 11 of a dump truck or
the like (not illustrated) and including the transverse mem-
ber 12 adjacent the rear ends 13B of the sills.
The hitch assembly 10 includes a draft or hitch bar
13, a swinging link component collectively designated 14 and
a keeper component collectively designated 15 which acts to
suppoxt the front end of -the`draft bar 13.
The swinging link component 14 consists of a transver-
sely extending bearing member 15A journalled upon pins 16 ex-
tending inwardly from the sills 11. These pins may either be
welded to -the sill or bolted therethrough, or alterna-tively,
may be suppor-ted upon brackets as will hereinafter be described.
The member 15A is preferably in the form of an angle iron with
bearing bosses 16A welded thereto at the ends thereof.
A pair of spaced and parallel brackets or lugs 17 are
secured intermediate the ends of the member 15A and extend
perpendicularly therefrom and bearing tube 18 is secured to the
underside of -the hitch bar 13 adjacent the rear end 19 -thereof.
A pivot pin 20 extends through the brackets and through the
bearing -tube 18 which is situa-ted between -the
f ~
brackets thus mounting the rear end of the hitch bar 13 for
partial pivotal movement to the swinging link component as
clearly shown.
The keeper assembly includes a pair of angle
brackets 21 secured either by welding or bolts -to the under-
side of the cross member 12 in spaced and parallel relation-
ship. An elongated sleeve 22 having an internal configura-
tion similar to the cross sec-tional configuration of -the
hi-tch bar 13, is provided with stub shaf-ts 23 on either
side oE the front end 24 thereoE which bearingly engage
within bearing sleeves 25 secured to the aEoremen-tioned
brackets 21 thus mounting -the sleeve assembly for pivotal
movement between these brackets.
In Figure 1, the sleeve 22 is relatively short
and is open at both ends so that the hitch bar can slide
therethrough. An aperture (not illustrated) is provided
adjacent the Eront end of the hitch bar engageable by a
pin 26 which also engages through apertures within -the up-
per and lower walls oE the sleeve -thus holding the hi-tch
bar in the extended or towing position illustrated in Fi-
gure lo In this connection, a hitch aperture 27 is formed
adjacent the rear end of the hitch bar to receive a conven-
tional hitch pin so that whatever is being towed, can be
detachably secured to -the hitch bar in a conventional
~ ~ ~4
-- 6
manner.
However, when it is desired to store the hitch
assembly in the retracted position, the device being towed
is detached from the hitch bar whereupon pin 26 is removed.
The hi-tch bar is then moved forwardly in the direction of
arrow 28 with the swinging link components supporting the
rear end and the front end sliding through the sleeve 22
until a further aperture 29 aligns with the apertures
through the sleeve whereupon pin 26 may be re-engaged thus
storing the hitch assembly out of the way.
In Figure 2, the sleeve 22 is longer and a Eront
aperture 30 is provided to receive pin 26 through an aper-
ture (not illustrated) in the hitch bar. This main-tains
the hitch bar in the stored or retracted position. When
extended to the extended position, the pin 26 engages through
a rear aperture 31 in the sleeve and through the single aper-
ture in the hitch bar.
Figure 3 shows a modification in which the hitch
bar 13A is provided with a front sleeve por-tion 32 and the
keeper 22A consists of an elongated plate 33 with a sleeve
bracket 34 adjacent the rear end thereof. Bracket 32 em-
braces the keeper plate 33 and bracket 34 embraces the hitch
bar 13A.
Figures 5 and 6 show a similar assembly to tha-t
illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 designed specifically for a
light truck or a four-wheel drive recreational vehicle.
Reference character 35 illustra-tes the spaced and
parallel longi-tudinally extending frame members. ~rackets
36 include bearing stub shafts 37 and lugs 38 wi-th the lugs
being engageable under -the frame members and the main or
vertical portions 39 of the brackets engaging -the outer
faces of the frame members. They may be bolted or welded
into position.
Similar brackets 39A are si-tuated adjacent -the
rear ends 40 of -the members and similar numbers have been
glven to -these bracke-ts except that -the sufEix "A" has been
added.
The fron-t brackets 36 support the keeper component
15 and the rear brackets 36A support the swinging link com-
ponent 14. It will be appreciated that either of -the em-
bodiments of the hitch bar and sleeve illustrated in Figures
1 and 2, can be utilized with this embodiment illustrated in
Figure 5.
~0 Figure 6 shows an alternative bracke-t arrangement
designated 41 including the main or vertical portion 42,
bearing stub shaft 43 and a lug 44 extending from the upper
edge of the portion 42. These are preferably bolted -to -the
lower flange 45 of the frame members 35.
Al-though -the pin 26 may be used wi-thin apertures
29 and 46 in a manner similar to that described in Figure
1, an alternative me-thod of holding -the swinging lin~ and
hitch bar in the retracted position includes a lug 47 se-
cured as by welding adjacent one end of member 15, said lug
having an aperture 48 therethrough. An aperture 49 is
formed through the vertical flange 50 of the adjacent frame
member 35 and pin 26 may engage through aperture 49 and
through the aperture 48 in lug 47 when the assembly is
swung to the retracted position, thus hold:ing same in this
posi-tion.
When removed, gravity assists in the downward
and rearward swinging action of the hitch bar and link as-
sembly 14 whereupon pin 26 may be engaged through the sleeve
aperture and through the forward aperture 46 of the hitch
bar. It will also be noted that the bearing 18 in this
embodiment is placed on the upper side of the hitch bar.
:[t will be understood that ei-ther position of the bearing
may be used depending upon design parameters.
Figure 4 shows an embodiment which is particularly
suitable for use with heavy duty dump trucks in which the
assembly may be mounted between the frame members, one of
which 35A, is illustrated.
The swinging link component is similar -to that here-
- 9 -
inbefore described and includes -the lug 47 and aperture 49
hereinbefore described, for holding the hi-tch assembly in
the retracted position.
Ilowever, in this embodiment, sills 50 are mounted
upon the frame members 35A and interferes with the re-trac-
tion of the hitch bar through sleeve 22.
In this embodiment, a receiver 51 is secured inter-
mediate the ends of the transverse tube 52 which is support-
ed between -the truck frame members in a manner hereinbefore
described.
This receiver includes a base plate or member 53,
side members 54 (one only of which is shown) and a top plate
55 with the side plates 54 and top plate 55 ex-tending rear-
wardly and around to the base plate 53 to form the bearing
tube 52 engaging around a pin 52A suppor-ted from the cross
member 12 by brackets 12A depending therefrom. This base
plate 53 extends rearwardly beyond the top pla-te 55 to as-
sist in the reception of the front end 56 of the hitch bar
57. It rests and slides upon the planar base plate 53 and
when in the extended position shown in Figure 4, may be re-
tained by means of a pin 26.
However, when it is desired to retract this assem-
bly, the pin 26 is removed and the hitch assembly is swung
rearwardly in a direction opposite to arrow 28 thus remov-
ing the front end 56 of the draw bar 57 from the receivex
51. The hitch bar is then swung upwardly in the direction
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of arrow 58 to clear the truck frame and -to extend between
the sills 50 whereupon the assembly is swung forwardly in
the direction of arrow 28 wi-th the front end 56 of the
hitch bar engaging over a roller 59 journalled intermediate
the sills 50 upon supporting structure (not illustrated).
The assembly is then swung forwardly until pin 26 can be
engaged through the aperture 49 and through the apertured
lug 47 thus holding the hitch assembly in the retracted
position. In order to prevent rattling from occurring
due to subsequent wear, a rubber bumper 59~ may be secured
to the underside of a cross member 60 be-tween the sill5,
rearwardly of roller 59, said rubber bumper being posi-
tioned so tha-t it engages the upper surface of the hitch
bar 57 when apertures 49 and 48 are aligned and pinned.
Alternatively, a further roller 61 may be provided
adjacent and above roller 59 for a similar purpose.
When extending this embodiment, pin 26 is removed
thus permitting the assembly to swing rearwardly assisted
by gravity until the end 56 res-ts upon the rearwardly ex-
tending base 53 of the receiver whereupon, by backing up
the truck, it is guided into position so that pin 26 can
be engaged through the receiver and through the aperture
in the front end 56 of the hitch bar 57.
Figure 7 shows the assembly mounted within a sub-
;"t~
frame and although any of the assemblies illustrated and
described can be so moun-ted, it is designed primarily for
use with the assembly shown in Figure 5 and adapted for
securement to light trucks or four-wheel drive recreation-
al vehicles and the like.
A pair of spaced and parallel longitudinally ex-
tending members 62 are provlded with forwardly and rear-
wardly extending angle iron members 63 -thus forming a rec-
tangular subframe. Lugs 64 extend forwardly from the ends
of the rear member 63 and may be secured as by bolts (not
illustrated) to -the bumper brackets (not illustrated).
Plates 65 are secured to and extend from the upper edges
oE -the longitudinal members 62 and may be welded or bolts
to the underside of the frame members 35 and a pair of
these longitudinal members is shown in fragmentary form in
Figure 5.
The swinging link component 14 is similar to that
described in the previous embodiments and the keeper compo-
nent 15 is similar to that described in Figures 1, 2 and 5.
The keeper component 15B in this embodiment and in
Figure 5 includes a transverse member 66 with bearing sleeves
secured adjacent either end similar to bearing sleeve 16A in
Figure 1. Supports pins 67 are supported from the side mem-
bers 62 and extend inwardly and engage these bearing sleeves
~ t
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to support the keeper component 15s. The slee-ve 22 extends
rearwardly from the member 66 similar to the sleeve in Figure
2 and is braced by diagonal members 68 upon each side -there-
of as shown in Figures 5 and 7. A pin 26 (no-t illustrated
in Figures 5 and 7) engages through an aperture 69 adjacent
the rear end of sleeve 22 and through one or the other aper-
tures 46 or 29 in the hitch bar 13. These apertures are
shown in Figure 5 but not in Figure 7. However, the member
14 may be held by a link 47 and pin 70 (shown in Figure 7)
in any of the embodiments or by the method of a pin through
apertures 29 and 46 as shown in Figure 2.
Since various modifications can be made i.n my inven
-tion as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely
different embodiments of same made within the spirit and
scope of the claims without departing from sucn spiri-t and
scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the ac-
companying specification shall be interpreted as illustra-
tive only and not in a limiting sense.
