Abstract:
A step holding member has a first end which is insertable into a receiver-type trailer hitch and a second end which is adapted for holding a step member for stepping onto the tailgate of a pickup truck. In another embodiment of the invention the step holding member telescopes in and out towards a side of a pickup truck allowing for easy storage when telescoped in. In a third embodiment the step holding member folds inwards from the pickup towards the trailer hitch for storage. A fourth embodiment is adapted for mounting directly onto a trailer hitch drawbar so that the hitch may be used for towing with the step in place for use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally to a step for a vehicle, and more particularly, to a step attached to a receiver type trailer hitch at the rear of a pickup truck to aid a person stepping into and out of the vehicle, especially with the tailgate of the pickup down. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     With the increased use of relatively large pickup trucks, there exists a need for an inexpensive and easy to use step to aid persons in entering and leaving the rear of such vehicles when the tail gate is down. The step of the present invention is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, and it is convenient to use to step onto the tailgate of a pickup truck. While foldup and sliding steps are known for trucks and other vehicles, such steps are limited for attachment to bumpers or for permanent attachment to a vehicle, and such known step do not meet the need of all users. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,475 to Dick describes folding steps connected to a drawbar which inserts into a receiver hitch on one end and has legs which rest on the ground on the other end. It is intended for use for entry into a camper mounted on a pickup. U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,362 to Ludwick describes a step which is insertable into a receiver type hitch and rotates under the drawbar when not in use. This device cannot be utilized when the tailgate is down. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,654 to Sauber describes vehicle steps which mount onto a truck body. U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,930 to Elia describes a ladder which can be secured to the inner surface of the tailgate of a truck to permit access to to the bed of the truck when the tailgate is down. U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,996 to Graffy et. al. describes a step which permanently attaches to the tailgate of a pickup. None of these patents, however, whether taken alone or in proper combination, show the trailer hitch step of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the invention is to provide a step capable of being inserted into a receiver-type trailer hitch on a pickup truck enabling a user to step onto the tailgate of a pickup truck when the tailgate is in the down position. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a step which will telescope toward the trailer hitch and be secured when not in use. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a step which will fold inwards from the side of a pickup towards the trailer hitch and be secured when not in use. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a step that can be attached to an existing ball mount drawbar thus allowing for use of a trailer ball mounted to the drawbar for towing purposes as well as providing easier access into the bed area of a pickup but also allowing for easy removal of the trailer hitch step when desired. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a step which is sturdy and economical to manufacture. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the trailer trailer hitch step deployed in a receiver type trailer hitch which is mounted on the rear of a pickup truck. 
     FIG. 2 shows the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver type trailer hitch as viewed from above when mounted on the rear of a pickup truck. 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the trailer hitch step which is mounted in a receiver hitch which is attached to the rear of a pickup truck. 
     FIG. 4 is a view in section of the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver hitch taken along lines  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a view of a second embodiment of a trailer hitch step deployed in a receiver type trailer hitch which is mounted on the rear of a pickup truck wherein the trailer hitch step can be telescoped outward for use and inward when not in use. 
     FIG. 6 an end view of the second embodiment of the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver hitch which is attached to the rear of a pickup truck. 
     FIG. 7 is a view in section of the second embodiment of the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver hitch taken along lines  7 — 7  in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a view in section of the trailer hitch step of taken along lines  8 — 8  in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 shows of a third embodiment of a trailer hitch step deployed in a receiver type trailer hitch wherein the trailer hitch step can be folded inward, as shown in the Figure, when not in use. 
     FIG. 10 shows the trailer hitch step of FIG. 9 deployed in a receiver type trailer hitch unfolded for use in stepping onto the pickup tailgate or bed. 
     FIG. 11 shown a mechanism for securing the trailer hitch step of FIG.  9  and FIG. 10 when folded. 
     FIG. 12 shows a fourth embodiment of the trailer hitch step deployed upon the drawbar of a receiver type trailer hitch. 
     FIG. 13 is a view in section of the fourth embodiment of the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver hitch taken along lines  13 — 13  in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a view in section of the fourth embodiment of the trailer hitch step mounted in a receiver hitch taken along lines  14 — 14  in FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, FIG.  1  through FIG. 4 shows the a first embodiment of the trailer hitch step, In FIG.  1  through FIG. 3 the trailer hitch is shown deployed in a receiver type trailer hitch. Reference numeral  1  indicates the trailer hitch step as a whole, while reference numeral  2  indicates a receiver type trailer hitch into which the trailer hitch step is installed. Reference numeral  3  indicates a clevis pin which secures the trailer hitch step to the receiver type trailer hitch. The clevis pin is secured by clip  4  which is shaped like a hairpin with one leg of the pin going through a hole in the shaft of the clevis pin. Reference numeral  5  indicates an L-shaped arm upon which step  6  is attached. The L-arm can be fabricated from two inch outside diameter square steel tubing having a wall thickness suitable for supporting the weight of a man standing on the step. Fabrication is accomplished by cutting two pieces of two inch steel tubing at a 45-degree angle and welding the two pieces together to form the L-arm. The step member can be fabricated from a piece of material such as steel or diamond plate aluminum having a non-slip surface. Reference numeral  12  indicates a method for attaching the step member to the L-shaped arm such as bolts and nuts, welding or such. 
     FIG. 4 is a top sectional view taken along lines  4 — 4  in FIG.  3 . It shows details of the attachment of the trailer hitch step to the receiver hitch. The trailer hitch step  1  is inserted into the generally rectangular opening  7  of receiver type trailer hitch  2 . Clevis pin  3  is inserted through holes  10  and  11  of the trailer hitch step which are colinear with holes  8  and  9  of the receiver hitch. Clip  4  is inserted through a hole in the clevis pin to prevent the clevis pin from falling out of the holes. 
     FIGS. 5 through 8 show a second embodiment of the trailer hitch step. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing step  20  inserted into receiver hitch  2 . Extension arm  22  extends out of L-arm  21  past the side of the deployed tailgate for use of the step and slides back in for storage when not in use. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view showing L-shaped arm  21  secured in the receiver hitch by clevis pin  3 . Extension arm  22  is slideably inserted into the L-shaped arm and supports step  19 . Clevis pin  23  secures the extension arm to the L-shaped arm. The extension arm supports step member  19 . The L-arm is fabricated from steel tubing having a nominal extension dimension of two inches. The extension arm is fabricated from a square tubing whose external dimension is slightly smaller than the internal dimension of the square tubing comprising the L-arm. 
     FIG. 7 is a top sectional view of the second embodiment taken along lines  7 — 7  of FIG.  6 . L-shaped arm  21  has a first end  25  which is secured in receiver hitch  2  by clevis pin  3  which passes through holes  8  and  9  of the receiver hitch and holes  38  and  39  of the first end of the L-shaped arm. The L-shaped arm has second end  26  into which first end  27  of extension arm  22  is slideably inserted. 
     FIG. 8 is an end sectional view taken along lines  8 — 8  in FIG.  7 . Second end  37  of extension arm  22  supports step  19  which is attached to the extension arm. The extension arm is secured to L-shaped arm  21  by clevis pin  23  which passes through holes  29  of the L-shaped arm and colinear holes  28  of the extension arm. Clip  24  secures the clevis pin from accidental removal. When the extension arm is telescoped back into the L-shaped arm, holes  33  align with holes  29  to allow securing of the extension arm with a clevis pin in the collapsed configuration. Stops  34  and  35  on the inner surface of the top of the L-shaped arm are disposed to engage stop  36  on the extention arm to prevent removal of the extension arm from the L-shaped arm when clevis pin  23  is not inserted. 
     FIG.  9  through FIG. 11 show a third embodiment of the trailer hitch step in which the arm supporting the step is hinged to permit the step to be folded out of the way when the tailgate is up so that the step will be out of the way if the trailer hitch step is not removed when the pickup truck is driven. 
     In FIG. 9 reference numeral  45  indicates the trailer hitch step as a whole. First arm  46  is L-shaped and has a first end  47  which is adapted to fit into and attach to a receiver hitch and a second end  48  to which second arm  49  is attached with a hinge  50 . First end  51  of the second arm is connected to the second end of the first arm by said hinge means which consists of a pair of plates  52  which are welded to opposing exterior sides of the second end of the L-shaped arm. Bolt  53  extends through a pair of holes in the pair of plates and a colinear pair of holes in the first end of the second arm to form the hinge. The bolt can be secured with a nut welded onto the threaded end of the bolt. The second arm has first side  44  and second side  45 . Second step member  55  is attached to said second side of said second arm enabling the user to step into the pickup truck bed when the trailer hitch step is folded up as shown in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 10 is a perspecitve view showing the trailer hitch step on a pickup truck in the unfolded position. First step member  56  is attached to the first side of the second arm; the first step member enables the user to step onto the tailgate when the trailer hitch step is unfolded as shown in FIG.  10 . First step member is secured to the second end of the second arm by attaching means  58 . Second step member is similarly secured to said second end of said second arm by attaching hardware  59 . 
     FIG. 11 shows a mechanism for securing the second arm when it is in the folded position. First step member  56  is shown in the folded position where the securing mechanism comprises eyebolt  61  having threaded end  62  and eye end  63  is disposed within U-shaped bracket  64  having first leg  65  and second leg  66  wherein the U-shaped bracket is attached to the upper surface of L-shaped arm  46  with spring  67  longitudinally coiled around the threaded end with the spring disposed between first leg  65  and nut  67  which is threaded onto the threaded end of the eyebolt. The nut is forced against the second leg of the U-shaped bracket and the second end  62  of the eyebolt  61  is forceably disposed in aperature  68  in end plate  69  of first step member  56 , securing the first step member. Pulling on first end  63  of the eyebolt will move the eyebolt to release the second arm so that it may be unfolded. 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a fourth embodiment of the trailer hitch step which mounts directly onto a draw bar which is mounted in a receiver type trailer hitch. Reference numeral  70  indicates the trailer hitch step as a whole while reference numeral  75  indicates a drawbar onto which the trailer hitch step is mounted. The drawbar is mounted into receiver type trailer hitch  74 . The trailer hitch step comprises first arm  73  which has first end  79  to which sleeve  76  is attached and second end  80  into which first end  81  of extension arm  72  is inserted with step means  71  attached to second end  82  of said extension arm. The drawbar is inserted through the sleeve by which the trailer hitch step as a whole is supported. The sleeve is formed of square steel tubing whose interior dimension is slightly larger than the exterior size of the drawbar. The extension arm is telescopically received within the second end of the first arm as described above for the second embodiment. 
     FIG. 13 is an end sectional view taken along lines  13 — 13  of FIG.  12 . Drawbar  75  is disposed through sleeve  76 . Threaded nut  77  is welded to the sleeve, and bolt  78  is screwed through the nut and a hole in said sleeve and against the drawbar to secure the trailer hitch step to the drawbar. 
     FIG. 14 is a side sectional view taken along lines  14 — 14  of FIG.  12 . Drawbar  75  passes through sleeve  76  and into receiver hitch  74 .