Patent ID: 6145720
Filing Date: 2000-11-14
Classification: B60R,Y10S

Abstract:
A cargo carrier for attachment to a rear portion of a vehicle via a receiver type trailer hitch including a receiver tube of non-circular cross-section located in the central vertical plane of said vehicle, said carrier comprising a support member having a rear portion and a front portion sized and shaped for releasable insertion into said receiver tube, first retainer means to releasably retain said front portion of said support member within said receiver tube, a frame including a U-shape portion formed by a bight and a pair of legs, said bight extending transversely of and fixed to said rear portion of said support member, said legs extending rearwardly of said bight and parallel to and equally laterally spaced from said support member, each leg having a rear free end, said frame arranged to be horizontally disposed and cantilevered from said support member when the latter is inserted and retained into said receiver tube, a cargo receiving container and pivot means pivoting said container to the rear ends of said legs about a pivot axis parallel to said bight for pivotal tilting movement of said container between an upright transport position resting on and supported by said frame and a tilted position rearwardly of said legs and clearing said frame to permit access to the rear portion of said vehicle, a releasable fixing means to fix said bight to said rear portion of said support member including a T-shaped sleeve defining a main leg and a transverse leg sized and shaped to slidably fit around said rear portion of said support member with said main leg upwardly extending from said support member, and a connector member secured to the center of said bight and downwardly extending therefrom and releasably inserted within said main leg of said T-shaped sleeve whereby said U-shape portion of said frame is disposed above said receiver tube.