Wide range bumper mounted hitch
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various forms of wide range bumper mounted hitches have been heretofore designed for the purpose of easing the task of hitching one vehicle to another. However, most wide range tow hitches either require special mounting structure or are not of a substantially fully retractable type. 
     Examples of previously patented tow hitches including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,147,027, 3,419,285, 3,666,121, 3,704,900, 3,774,949 and 3,794,355. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The wide range hitch of the instant invention is basically in the form of an elongated horizontal bumper member and may be used in lieu of a conventional bumper. The hitch includes a rearwardly extendable and laterally shiftable hitch member whereby the connection of a vehicle to be towed to the hitch member may be more readily accomplished and the rearwardly extendable hitch member may be thereafter forwardly retracted toward and releasably locked in a predetermined position. In addition, the elongated bumper defining horizontal base member of the wide range tow hitch includes mounting structure therefor whereby the base member may be supported from opposite side rail ends of a vehicle chassis frame in a shock absorbing manner. 
     The main object of this invention is to provide a wide range tow hitch including a rearwardly extendable and laterally displaceable hitch member for easing the task in coupling a vehicle to be towed to the hitch member. 
     Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a tow hitch including a rearwardly extendable and laterally shiftable hitch member which may automatically be locked in predetermined position upon forward retracting of the rearwardly extendable hitch member. 
     Another important object of this invention is to provide a wide range tow hitch with mounting structure therefor whereby the tow hitch may be supported from the frame rails of an associated vehicle in a shock absorbing manner and with the tow hitch being operable to serve the function of a bumper. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide a tow hitch in accordance with the preceding objects and which may be readily adapted for use on various different motor vehicles. 
     A final object of this invention to be specifically enummerated herein is to provide a wide range tow hitch in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation. 
     These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of a pickup truck with the wide range tow hitch assembly of the instant invention mounted on the truck in lieu of the conventional rear bumper thereof, the hitch member of the tow hitch being illustrated in a rearwardly displaced position for wide range shifting; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but with the rearwardly extendable and laterally shiftable hitch member in the forwardly retracted towing position thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1 and with alternate wide range positions of the hitch element being illustrated in phantom lines; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the right hand end portion of the tow hitch with the wide ranging hitch element thereof illustrated in an intermediate shifted position to the left and with parts of the hitch being broken away and illustrated in horizontal section; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5--5 of FIG. 2; and 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6--6 of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a vehicle in the form of a pickup truck. The pickup truck 10 includes the usual load bed 12 supported from the opposite side longitudinal frame rails 14 and 16 of the chassis of the pickup truck 10. The rear of the load bed 12 is closed by means of the usual tail gate 18. 
     The wide range tow hitch of the instant invention is referred to in general by the reference numeral 20 and includes an elongated C-shaped channel member 22 defining a base member. The channel member 22 includes upper and lower flanges 24 and 26 interconnected along one pair of corresponding edge portions by means of an upstanding vertical flange 28 extending and secured therebetween. The longitudinal marginal edges of the flanges 24 and 26 remote from the flange 28 terminate in downwardly and upwardly directed vertically aligned flanges 30 and 32 whose free edges are disposed in vertically spaced relation. 
     Opposite end portions of the flange 28 have a pair of mounting plates 34 secured thereto and the free end portion 36 of a piston rod 38 is equipped with a mounting plate 40 secured to each mounting plate 34 by means of fasteners 42. The piston rods 38 are slidingly telescopingly received in mounting cylinder portions 44 secured to the frame rails or members 14 and 16 by means of universal mounting plates 45 and fasteners 46. Compression springs (not shown) are disposed in each mounting cylinder portion 44 and yieldingly bias the piston rods 38 to the rearmost displaced positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5. However, the compression springs yieldingly resist forward shifting of the piston rods 38 within the mounting cylinder portions 44. 
     It will of course be noted that the piston rods 38 and mounting cylinder portions 44 are parallel and extend longitudinally of the vehicle 10. 
     The hitch 20 includes a pair of channel-shaped support arms 50 and 52 including axle pins 54 secured through one pair of corresponding ends thereof. The ends of the axle pins 54 have wheels 56 journaled thereon and each pair of wheels 56 is captively received between the flanges 30 and 32 and the opposing portions of the flange 28. In this manner, the ends of the support arms 50 and 52 provide with the wheels 56 may shift longitudinally of the channel member 22 and also swing relative to the latter about the center axes of the axle pins 54. 
     The hitch 20 further includes a hitch member referred to in general by the reference numeral 60 and the latter includes an elongated hitch element 62 which is horizontally disposed and extends longitudinally of the vehicle 10. The hitch element 62 is apertured at its rear end as at 64 and extends through and is secured to an upstanding plate 66. The plate 66 is welded to the hitch element 62 centrally intermediate the opposite ends of the element 66 and upper and lower horizontal flanges 68 and 70 are secured to and project rearwardly from the upper and lower marginal portions of the plate 66. The ends of the support arms 50 and 52 remote from the axle pins 54 are pivotally supported between corresponding ends of the plates 68 and 70 as at 72 and 74 and the hitch element 62 projects forwardly of the plate 66 and terminates in a barb type end portion 76 including a forwardly and upwardly facing cam surface 78 and a rearwardly and upwardly facing abutment surface 80. 
     The central portion of the flange 28 has an opening 82 formed therethrough and a pair of rearwardly projecting upstanding plates 84 are secured to and project rearwardly from the flange 28 on opposite sides of the opening 82. 
     The hitch member 60 further includes a horizontal transverse abutment bar 86 secured to the underside of the hitch element 62 and the lower portion of the rear face of the plate 66. The forward end of the hitch element 62 is projectable rearwardly through the opening 82 and rearward penetration of the hitch element 62 through the opening 82 is limited by engagement of the opposite ends of the bar 86 with the adjacent ends of the support arms 52 when the latter are in the forwardly retracted substantially aligned positions illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. 
     A strap member 88 extends between and is secured to the upper portions of the rear marginal edges of the plates 84 and thereby braces the latter. Further, a pivot shaft 90 is journaled between the plates 84 and includes an upwardly projecting T-shaped handle 92. In addition, the pivot shaft 90 includes a radially outwardly projecting abutment flange 94 and an elongated expansion spring 96 extends between and is connected to the plates 84. The spring 96 engages the handle 92 to bias the upper portion of the handle 92 in a forward direction. 
     Upon rearward insertion of the rear end of the hitch element 62 through the opening 82 the cam surface 78 abuts the flange 94 so as to cam the handle 92 in the direction of the arrow 100 in FIG. 5. Thus, the upper portion of the cam surface 78 passes beneath the free end of the flange 94 as the opposite ends of the bar 86 abut the adjacent ends of the arms 50 and 52. Thereafter, the tension of the springs 96 swings the handle 92 in a direction opposite to the arrow 100 so as to swing the abutment flange 92 downward behind the abutment surface 80 so as to prevent rearward displacement of the hitch element 62 relative to the channel member 22. 
     A pair of arms 102 and 104 have one pair of corresponding ends thereof pivotally supported from the opposite ends of the channel member 22 between the flanges 30 and 32 by means of pivot fasteners 106. The arms 102 and 104 are thus horizontally swingable and may be angularly displaced between positions substantially paralleling the channel member 22 and retracted in the opposite ends thereof (see FIG. 2) and rearwardly projecting positions such as those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The free ends of the arms 102 and 104 include locking flanges 106 and 108 which are closely abutted against the inner surface of the flange 28 when the arms 102 and 104 are swung to the positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. Furthermore, the free ends of the arms 50 and 52 overlie the flanges 106 and 108 when the arms 102 are swung to the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 and the hitch member 60 is forwardly retracted to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 5 thereby retaining the arms 102 and 104 in the retracted positions. Also, the arms 102 and 104 are spring biased to the retracted positions thereof by means of springs 109. 
     In operation, when it is desired to rearwardly extend the hitch member 60 the handle 92 is pulled forwardly in the direction of the arrow 100 so as to elevate the abutment flange 94 above the abutment surface 80 after which the hitch member 60 may be rearwardly extended so as to withdraw the forward barbed end 76 of the hitch element 72 from the opening 82. As the hitch member 60 is rearwardly extended the arms 50 and 52 swing from the retracted positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 to the extended positions illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Thereafter, the arms 102 and 104 may be swung to the open positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thereafter, the hitch member 60 may be shifted longitudinally of the channel member 22 between the phantom and solid line positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 3. After the forward end portion of a trailer tongue 110 or the like has been coupled to the hitch element 62 by means of any suitable fastener 112, the vehicle 10 may be moved forward slightly in a manner to ensure that the hitch member 60 is generally centered relative to the channel member 22. Thereafter, the arms 102 and 104 may be swung to the retracted positions thereof and the vehicle 10 may be operated in reverse thereby causing the hitch member 60 to be rearwardly displaced relative to the channel member 22. As the hitch member 60 is rearwardly displaced the roller or wheel-equipped ends of the arms 50 and 52 will move apart along the channel member 22 and abut the adjacent ends of the arms 102 and 104 and ride over the outer sides of the flanges 106 and 108. In addition, the forward end of the hitch element 62 will be forwardly projected through the opening 82 and the cam surface 78 will engage the flange 94 so as to cam the latter upwardly out of the way until such time as the spring 96 may swing the handle in a counterclockwise direction as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings to again swing the flange 94 downwardly behind the abutment surface 80 thereby locking the hitch member 60 in the forwardly retracted position. 
     When the arms 50, 52, 102 and 104 are in the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings the abutting engagment of the remote ends of the arms 50 and 52 with the adjacent ends of the arms 102 and 104 prevent lateral shifting of the hitch member 60 relative to the vehicle 10 along the channel member 22. Of course, inasmuch as the piston rods 38 are spring mounted from the mounting cylinder portions 44 the entire wide range tow hitch 20 functions as a shock absorbing bumper. 
     The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes 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 suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.