Patent ID: 6783315
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: B60P,B60R

Abstract:
An apparatus for a pivoting loading platform for motor vehicles, the platform being connected to a trailer hitch attached to the rear of the motor vehicle, comprising:a) a trailer hitch fixedly attached to said rear end of said vehicle, said hitch having a square receptacle therein a square tube member, wherein said square tube member has a plurality of holes therein for receiving a trailer hitch pin so that said square tube member can be removably fixedly attached to said trailer hitch; b) a platform, said platform being pivotal, said platform being substantially planar, said platform having a front and a rear end, a first and a second side, a top and a bottom, said platform having a wall disposed an said front, said rear end and said first side of said platform wherein said wall extends beyond said top and bottom of said platform to form a top and bottom wall around the platform wherein said wall can contain articles therein, said top and bottom wall having an inner and outer surface; c) a ramp disposed on said second side of said platform, wherein said ramp is extendable away from said second side of said platform to make it easier to load articles onto said platform; d) a pair of bearing assemblies having a square throughbore therein, said first bearing assembly being about intermediately mounted on said inner surface of said front, bottom wall and said second bearing assembly being about intermediately mounted on said inner surface of said rear, bottom wall, wherein said rear bottom wall has an aperture therein, said aperture being aligned with said square throughbore of said second bearing assembly to permit said square tube member to pass therethrough; e) wherein said square tube member has a first end and a second end wherein said first end of said square tube member has said plurality of holes therein for receiving said trailer hitch pin for connection to said trailer hitch, wherein said second end of said square tube member is disposed in said square throughbore of said first bearing assembly and said first end of said square tube member passes through said square throughbore in said second bearing assembly disposed on said rear, bottom wall to permit the square tube member and platform to pivot about the pair of bearing assemblies; f) a stationary frame having a pair of spaced apart, parallel members extending laterally from said square tube member to said inner surface of said first side of said bottom wall, wherein said stationary frame has at least one cross member for providing support to said pair of parallel members, each of said parallel frame members having a first and second end, wherein each of said first ends of said parallel members are fixedly connected to said square tube member and each of said second ends of said parallel members are removably fixedly connected to said outer surface of said first side of said bottom wall; and, g) a latch mechanism disposed on each of said second ends of said parallel members; said latch mechanism providing removable fixed connection to said outer surface of said first side of said bottom wall so that the platform can pivot when the latch mechanism does not connect the frame and wall of the platform.