Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
HITCH ATTACHABLE RELEASING HOLDER FOR SAFETY CHAINS
This disclosure relates to the field of hitches for connecting a towed vehicle
to a towing
vehicle and in particular a safety chain for towed vehicles.
BACKGROUND
Trailer safety chains are described in United States Patent Numbers 6,179,317
to Hurst, et
al. and 6,279,939 Austin. Typically there are right and left safety chains
attached at rear
ends thereof to the trailer on corresponding right and left sides of the
trailer hitch
member, and the front end of each chain comprises a hook or the like adapted
to attach to
the towing vehicle. The two separate chains provide redundancy in case one
chain fails.
A problem with safety chains is that the location of the attachment points for
the chains
on the towing vehicle vary with the different towing vehicles used. The
distance from the
point where the trailer hitch member engages the hitch member of the towing
vehicle can
vary considerably from one towing vehicle to another. Thus the chains in some
cases can
be too short to reach the attachment location on the towing vehicle. To avoid
that
scenario where the safety chains are too short and the trailer connection
cannot be made
at all, it is common to make the chains quite long, such that in many cases
once attached
the chains droop and drag on the ground. This contact with the ground causes
the links to
wear and weaken the chain such replacement is required.
United States Patent Numbers 5,362,084 to Edwards and 9,079,465 to Sanftleben
and
address the problem by providing hangers to maintain the chains above the
ground. The
apparatus of United States Published Patent Application Number 2018/0326802 of
the
present inventor Olson also maintains the chains above the ground and
discloses a chain
hanger system which releases the chain when forces exerted on the chain exceed
a release
force.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure provides a quick attach safety chain securing and
releasing
apparatus that overcomes problems in the prior art.
In a first embodiment the present disclosure provides a method of releasably
supporting a
safety chain on a hitch member, the hitch member configured to insert into a
substantially horizontally oriented socket mounted on a towing vehicle
substantially in
alignment with an operating travel direction of the towing vehicle. The hitch
member has
a rectangular cross-section with a horizontal width dimension and a vertical
height
dimension, and the hitch member comprises a hitch ball extending upward from a
rear
end of the hitch member. The method comprises forming a hollow rectangular
component with an inner width dimension slightly greater than the width
dimension of
the hitch member and with an inner height dimension slightly greater than the
height
dimension of the hitch member, the inner width and inner height dimensions
selected
such that the hollow rectangular component is slidable onto the hitch member
from a
front end of the hitch member; attaching first and second hangers, each with a
hook at a
lower end thereof, to corresponding first and second sides of the hollow
rectangular
component with the corresponding hooks extending outward from the hollow
rectangular
component, and with the hooks oriented upward such that a selected link of the
safety
chain can be dropped downward onto each hook; configuring each hook to bend to
release the selected link from the hook when a force exerted on the hook by
the safety
chain exceeds a release force; sliding the hollow rectangular component onto
the hitch
member from the front end of the hitch member with the hooks oriented upward;
inserting the front end of the hitch member into the socket; connecting a
towed vehicle to
the hitch ball; and moving a selected link of the safety chain downward into
engagement
with each hook.
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=
In a second embodiment the present disclosure provides a safety chain holder
and release
apparatus for releasable attachment to a hitch member, the hitch member
configured to
insert into a substantially horizontally oriented socket mounted on a towing
vehicle
substantially in alignment with an operating travel direction of the towing
vehicle. The
hitch member has a rectangular cross-section with a horizontal width dimension
and a
vertical height dimension, and the hitch member comprises a hitch ball
extending upward
from a rear end of the hitch member. The apparatus comprises a hollow
rectangular
component with an inner width dimension slightly greater than the width
dimension of
the hitch member and with an inner height dimension slightly greater than the
height
dimension of the hitch member, the inner width and inner height dimensions
selected
such that the hollow rectangular component is slidable onto the hitch member
from a
front end of the hitch member. First and second hangers, each with a hook at a
lower end
thereof, are attached to corresponding first and second sides of the hollow
rectangular
component with the corresponding hooks extending outward from the hollow
rectangular
component, and with the hooks oriented upward such that a selected link of the
safety
chain can be dropped downward onto each hook. The hooks are each configured to
bend
to release the selected link from the hook when a force exerted on the hook by
the safety
chain exceeds a release force.
In a third embodiment the present disclosure provides a safety chain holder
and release
apparatus for releasable attachment to a hitch member, the hitch member
configured to
insert into a substantially horizontally oriented socket mounted on a towing
vehicle
substantially in alignment with an operating travel direction of the towing
vehicle. The
hitch member has a rectangular cross-section with a horizontal width dimension
and a
vertical height dimension, and the hitch member comprises a hitch ball
extending upward
from a rear end of the hitch member. The apparatus comprises a U-shaped
bracket
comprising first and second legs extending upward from corresponding first and
second
ends of a base, wherein a distance between inner faces of the first and second
legs is at
least equal to the width dimension of the hitch member such that the legs are
slidable
along corresponding first and second sides of the hitch member. First and
second
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laterally aligned bolt apertures are defined in upper portions of the
corresponding first
and second legs, and a distance from an inner face of the base to a lower edge
of each
bolt aperture is at least long as the height dimension of the hitch member.
First and
second hangers each comprise a bolt opening in an upper end thereof and a hook
at a
.. lower end thereof configured to insert through a selected link of a safety
chain. A bolt
has a nut configured to be threaded on an end of the bolt. The U-shaped
bracket is
movable upward on the hitch member forward of the hitch ball with the first
and second
legs moving along corresponding first and second sides of the hitch member
such that the
inner face of the base contacts a bottom side of the hitch member, and when
the base
contacts the bottom side of the hitch member, the bolt is insertable through
the bolt
opening of the first hanger, the bolt aperture of the first leg, then the bolt
aperture of the
second leg, then through the bolt opening of the second hanger such that the
nut can be
threaded onto the bolt to secure the U-shaped bracket and hangers to the hitch
member.
When the U-shaped bracket and hangers are attached to the hitch member, first
and
second hooks of the corresponding first and second hangers extend upward and
laterally
away from the hitch member. The hooks are configured to support the safety
chain a
desired distance above a road surface and are configured to bend to release
the selected
link from the hooks when a force exerted on one of the hooks by the safety
chain exceeds
a release force.
A simple and economical holder for safety chains is provided with chain hooks
that bend
to releases the chains when some event occurs that causes the safety chain to
exert a
release force on the hooks of the holder. In many cases the hooks can then
simply be
bent back into shape, or if damage is excessive the hangers or entire holder
can be
replaced with little cost. The holder is easily attachable with no tools.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
While the invention is claimed in the concluding portions hereof, preferred
embodiments
are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best
understood in
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conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the
several
diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a hitch member of the prior art in position
to be
inserted into a socket mounted on a towing vehicle;
Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 1-1 in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a schematic end view of an embodiment of the safety chain holder and
release
apparatus of the present disclosure with phantom lines indicating the position
of the
hitch member when installed;
Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of Fig. 3 in position to be
installed
on the hitch member of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of Fig. 3 installed on the
hitch
member and the hitch member installed on the towing vehicle, and a towed
vehicle
connected to the hitch ball, and with the safety chain installed;
Fig. 6 is a schematic end view of an alternate embodiment of the safety chain
holder
and release apparatus of the present disclosure with phantom lines indicating
the
position of the hitch member when installed;
Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of the embodiment of Fig. 6 installed on the
hitch
member and the hitch member installed on the towing vehicle;
Fig. 8 schematically illustrates side views of the hangers and the U-shaped
bracket of
the embodiment of Fig. 6.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS
Figs. 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a hitch member 3, such as is well known
in the art,
that is configured to insert into a substantially horizontally oriented socket
5 mounted on
a towing vehicle 7 substantially in alignment with an operating travel
direction T of the
towing vehicle 7. The hitch member 3 has a rectangular cross-section with a
horizontal
width dimension WD and a vertical height dimension HD, and a hitch ball 3'
extends
upward from a rear end of the hitch member 3.
Figs. 3 - 5 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a safety chain holder
and release
apparatus 1 of the present disclosure for releasable attachment to the hitch
member 3.
The apparatus 1 comprises a hollow rectangular component 9 with an inner width
dimension WD+ slightly greater than the width dimension WD of the hitch member
3
and with an inner height dimension HD+ slightly greater than the height
dimension HD
of the hitch member 3. The inner width and inner height dimensions WD+, HD+
selected
such that the hollow rectangular component 9 is slidable onto the hitch member
9 from a
front end 3A of the hitch member 3.
First and second hangers 11A, 11B, each with a hook 13 at a lower end thereof,
are
attached, typically by welding, riveting, or the like, to corresponding first
and second
sides of the hollow rectangular component 9 with the corresponding hooks 13
extending
outward from the hollow rectangular component 9. The hooks 13 are oriented
upward
such that a selected link 15A of the safety chain 15 can be dropped downward
onto each
hook 13.
The hooks 13 are a relatively weak material compared to the chain 15 and thus
are each
configured to bend to release the selected link 15A from the hook 13 when a
force
exerted on the hook 13 by the safety chain 15 exceeds a release force. The
hangers can
for example be formed from a cylindrical hook rod with a diameter that is less
than about
one half of a diameter of a cylindrical chain rod forming the links of the
chain 15.
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The hollow rectangular component 9 is then slid onto the hitch member 3 with
the hooks
13 oriented upward, and the front end 3A of the hitch member 3 is inserted
into the
socket 5 and locked in place with a pin 17. A towed vehicle is connected to
the hitch ball
3', and a selected link 15A of each of the typical right and left safety
chains 15 is dropped
downward into engagement with each hook 13. One fairly common mishap that
operators encounter is forgetting to lift the selected chain links 15A off the
hooks 13
when disconnecting the safety chain 15 from the towing vehicle, and then
driving away.
With the present apparatus 1 the hooks 13 simply bend releasing the links 15A
and the
towing vehicle 7 can carry on.
Figs. 6 - 8 schematically illustrate an alternate embodiment of a safety chain
holder and
release apparatus 101 of the present disclosure for releasable attachment to
the hitch
member 3. The apparatus 101 comprises a U-shaped bracket 109 comprising first
and
second legs 119A, 119 B extending upward from corresponding first and second
ends of
abase 121. The distance between inner faces of the first and second legs 119A,
119B is
equal to the width dimension WD+, slightly greater than the width dimension WD
of the
hitch member 3 such that the legs 119 are slidable along corresponding first
and second
sides of the hitch member 3.
First and second laterally aligned bolt apertures 123 are defined in upper
portions of the
corresponding first and second legs 119. The distance BD from an inner face
125 of the
base 121 to a lower edge of each bolt aperture 123 is equal to the height
dimension HD+,
slightly greater than the height dimension HD of the hitch member 3. First and
second
hangers 127A, 127B each comprise a bolt opening 129 in an upper end thereof
and a
hook 131 at a lower end thereof configured to insert through a selected link
15A of the
safety chain 15.
The U-shaped bracket 109 is movable upward on the hitch member 3 forward of
the hitch
ball 3' with the first and second legs 119A, 119B moving along corresponding
first and
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second sides of the hitch member 3 such that the inner face 125 of the base
121 contacts a
bottom side 2 of the hitch member 3. When the base 121 contacts the bottom
side 133 of
the hitch member 3, a bolt 135 is insertable through the bolt opening 129 of
the first
hanger 127A, the bolt aperture 123 of the first leg 119A, then the bolt
aperture 123 of the
second leg 119B, then through the bolt opening 129 of the second hanger 127B
such that
a nut 137 can be threaded onto the bolt 135 to secure the U-shaped bracket 109
and
hangers 127 to the hitch member 3.
The nut 137 may conveniently be a lock nut operative to resist rotational
movement with
respect to the bolt 135. The nut 137 can thus be tightened to a desired
position where the
upper ends of the legs 119 remain slightly greater than the width dimension WD
of the
hitch member 3. The U-shaped bracket 109 in combination with the bolt 135 then
essentially form the rectangular component 9 described above and simply be
slid onto the
hitch member 3 as described above.
The illustrated hooks 131 are formed from cylindrical hook rod with a diameter
DH that
is less than about one half of a diameter CH of a cylindrical chain rod
forming the links
of the chain 15. The hooks 131 are economically manufactured by bending a
length of
the cylindrical hook rod to form the bolt openings 129 and hooks 131. Thus
when a hook
131 has been bent into the position 131' shown in Fig. 6 and the selected link
15A
released, the hook 131 can either be simply bent back into the desired
operating position,
or can be removed and replaced at little cost.
The present disclosure provides a method of releasably supporting a safety
chain 15 on a
hitch member 4, the hitch member 3 configured to insert into a substantially
horizontally
oriented socket 5 mounted on a towing vehicle 7 substantially in alignment
with an
operating travel direction T of the towing vehicle 7. The hitch member has a
rectangular
cross-section with a horizontal width dimension WD and a vertical height
dimension HD,
and the hitch member 3 comprises a hitch ball 3 extending upward from a rear
end of the
hitch member 3. The method comprises forming a hollow rectangular component 9,
109
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with an inner width dimension WD+ slightly greater than the width dimension WD
of the
hitch member 3 and with an inner height dimension HD+ slightly greater than
the height
dimension HD of the hitch member, the inner width and inner height dimensions
WD+,
HD+ selected such that the hollow rectangular component is slidable onto the
hitch
member from a front end of the hitch member; attaching first and second
hangers 11A,
11B, 127A, 127B, each with a hook 13, 131 at a lower end thereof, to
corresponding first
and second sides of the hollow rectangular component 9, 109 with the
corresponding
hooks 13, 131 extending outward from the hollow rectangular component 9, 109,
and
with the hooks 13, 131 oriented upward such that a selected link 15A of the
safety chain
15 can be dropped downward onto each hook 13, 131; configuring each hook 13,
131 to
bend to release the selected link 15A from the hook when a force exerted on
the hook 13,
131 by the safety chain 15 exceeds a release force; sliding the hollow
rectangular
component 9, 109 onto the hitch member 3 from the front end 3A of the hitch
member 3
with the hooks 13, 131 oriented upward; inserting the front end 3A of the
hitch member
3 into the socket 5; connecting a towed vehicle 39 to the hitch ball 3'; and
moving a
selected link 15A of the safety chain 15 downward into engagement with each
hook.
The presently disclosed apparatus and method provide a simple, economical, and
easily
attachable holder for safety chains that requires no tools to install on the
hitch member
and also releases the chains when some event occurs that causes the safety
chain to exert
a release force on the hooks of the holder.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the
invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in
the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction
and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or
modifications in
structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within
the scope of
the claimed invention.
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