Abstract:
The present invention is a configurable trailer hitch that provides an extended towing position for transferring a tractor force to a load, and a retracted storage position for safely stowing the hitch under a towing vehicle. The trailer hitch has a spring loaded retaining pin which engages a hitch receiver when the trailer hitch is placed in the towing position, and a storage latch adapted to hold the hitch receiver when the trailer hitch is placed in the storage position.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to trailer hitches and more particularly to a configurable trailer hitch that can easily be transitioned from a towing position to a stored position. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Trailer hitches of many varieties have been available to mount to the frame of towing vehicles and adapted to couple to towable vehicles such as trailers. Typically, a towing ball is mounted on an arm that extends outwardly from the towing vehicle. This arrangement is advantageous when towing a trailer because it provides a convenient coupling point, providing ample space for turning and maneuvering. However, a tripping and collision hazard is presented to persons passing by the rear of the vehicle when the towing ball is uncoupled. As a remedy, many trailer hitches provide a means to remove the arm and ball when not in use. However, most trailer hitches make no provision for storing the arm and ball either on or in the vehicle which increases the probability of loss or unavailability of the arm and ball when they are needed. 
         [0003]    There have been various attempts to provide a ball and arm that can be rotated from a towing position to a stored position such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,930 to Philall that shows a pivotally mounted tow bar which may be pivoted to a retracted position. This reference teaches a retractable tow bar that is tucked inside a bumper utilizing a spring loaded locking arrangement. Another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,292 to Adair shows a trailer hitch that can be mounted in both a towing and storage position. 
         [0004]    Despite these and other offerings, there continues to be a need for a configurable trailer hitch that can be mounted on a vehicle that can easily be transitioned between a storage position and towing position without the use of tools. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A first aspect of the present invention is a configurable trailer hitch apparatus having a towing position for exerting a tractor force on a load, and a storage position, which includes a frame member adapted to mount to a towing vehicle, a top plate fastened to the frame member, a bottom weldment positioned in parallel relation to the top plate, a hitch receiver positioned in pivoting relation between the top plate and bottom weldment, a pivot pin positioned through a plurality of apertures formed in the frame member, top plate, bottom weldment, and hitch receiver, and forming a pivot therein, a hitch ball assembly fastened to the hitch receiver, and operable to couple to the load when the apparatus is configured in the towing position, a retaining pin positioned through the top plate and bottom weldment, and operable to hold the hitch receiver when the apparatus is configured in the towing position, and a storage latch mounted to the frame member and operable to grasp the hitch receiver when the apparatus is configured in the storage position. 
         [0006]    Another aspect of the present invention is a configurable trailer hitch that is placed in a towing position by swinging the hitch receiver from an intermediate position while exerting a downward force on the retaining pin until the aperture formed in the wing of the hitch receiver aligns with the retaining pin, and then releasing the retaining pin so that it engages with the aperture formed in the wing. 
         [0007]    Yet another aspect of the present invention is a configurable trailer hitch that is placed in a storage position first by exerting a downward force on the retaining pin, and then swinging the hitch receiver in a direction toward the frame member so that it engages the storage latch and is held in the storage position. 
         [0008]    These and other aspects of the present invention will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the configurable trailer hitch shown in the towing position. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the top plate. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the bottom plate. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the hitch receiver. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view is the storage latch. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  an isometric view of the configurable trailer hitch in an intermediate position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  an isometric view of the configurable trailer hitch in the storage position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8). 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  there is shown an isometric view of a configurable trailer hitch apparatus  10  arranged in a towing position. The frame member  12  is adapted to attach to a pair of left and right members (not shown) located on an underside of a vehicle (not shown). The frame member  12  is fabricated from a metal tube of suitable construction and size to transfer or couple a towing or tractor load to a vehicle. 
         [0019]    A spacer plate  14  is welded to a side of the frame member  12 . A wall plate  16  is welded to the frame member  12 , and to the spacer plate  14 . A top plate  18  is welded to the spacer plate  14 , and extends in a perpendicular manner from the wall plate  16 . 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the top plate  18  is fabricated from a plate  20  having a first aperture  22  and a second aperture  24  formed therein. The plate  20  has a first edge  26  positioned at an oblique angle. 
         [0021]    Now referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , a bottom weldment  28  is welded to the wall plate  16 , extending in perpendicular relation to the wall plate  16 , and in parallel relation to the top plate  18 . The bottom weldment  28  is fabricated by welding a lower plate  30  to a second spacer plate  32 . A third aperture  34  is formed in the second spacer plate  32  and the lower plate  30 . A fourth aperture  36  is formed in the lower plate  30 . One skilled in the art would readily recognize that the bottom weldment  28  could be formed from a single piece of material using an appropriate milling operation on a single piece of material. 
         [0022]    A backstop plate  29  ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 7 ) is mounted in a vertical manner and welded between the top plate  18  and the bottom weldment  28 . The backstop plate  29  extends to, and is welded to the wall plate  16 . The top plate  18 , wall plate  16 , and bottom weldment  28 , and backstop plate  29  define a welded assembly  27  that is itself welded to the spacer plate  14  and to the frame member  12 . 
         [0023]    Now referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 , a hitch receiver  40  is formed from a tube  42  having a fifth aperture  44  and a sixth aperture  46  formed therein. A wing  48  is welded to an outer wall of the tube  42  and extends outward in a transverse manner. A seventh aperture  50  is formed in the wing  48 . A collar  52  is fabricated on the tube  42 . 
         [0024]    The hitch receiver  40  is positioned between the top plate  18  and the bottom weldment  28 , and is placed in aligned relation so that the fifth aperture  44  is aligned with the first aperture  22  ( FIG. 2 ), and the sixth aperture  46  is aligned with the third aperture  34  ( FIG. 3 ). A pivot pin  54  is inserted through the frame member  12 , and through the first, third, fifth, and sixth apertures labeled by the numerals  22 ,  34 ,  44  and  46  respectively forming a pivot  57 . A hitch ball assembly  56  is inserted into the hitch receiver  40  and held in place by a lynch pin (not shown). 
         [0025]    Now referring to  FIG. 1-FIG .  4 , a pin  58  is positioned through the fourth aperture  36  in the bottom weldment  28 , and through the second aperture  25  of the top plate  18 . A spring  60 , retainer  62 , and a handle  63  are assembled on the pin  58  forming a retaining pin  64 . The retaining pin  64  is inserted through the seventh aperture  50  on the wing  48  when the configurable trailer hitch  10  is maintained in a towing position as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this configuration, a towing force  66  provided by the vehicle (not shown) intersects or is centered about the pivot  57 . 
         [0026]    Now referring to  FIGS. 1 and 5 , a storage latch  68  is welded to the frame member  12 . The storage latch  68  is formed from a strip of metal  70  and has a shape that includes an outer lip  71  useful for holding the hitch receiver  40  when it is placed in the storage position. 
         [0027]    Now referring to  FIG. 6  the configurable trailer hitch  10  is shown in an intermediate position. Here, the hitch receiver  40  and the hitch ball assembly  56  have been released by the pivot pin  64  and rotated about the pivot  57  in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  80 . 
         [0028]    Now referring to  FIG. 7  the configurable trailer hitch  10  is shown in a storage position. Here, the hitch receiver  40  and the hitch ball assembly  56  have been rotated about the pivot  57  in a direction generally indicated by the arrow  82  to engage the latch  68 . 
       Operation 
       [0029]    The operation of the present invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized in the paragraphs which follow. 
         [0030]    In operation, the trailer hitch apparatus  10  is placed in the towing position as shown in  FIG. 1  from the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 6  by means of swinging the hitch receiver  40  in a direction opposite that indicated by the arrow designated with the numeral  80  ( FIG. 6 ), and simultaneously exerting a downward force on the retaining pin  64 , until the hitch receiver  40  encounters the backstop plate  29 . In this position, the aperture  50  formed in the wing  48  ( FIG. 4 ) of the hitch receiver  40  becomes aligned with the retaining pin  64 . Once this is achieved, the retaining pin  64  is released so that it engages with the aperture  50  formed in the wing  48  of the hitch receiver  40 , holding the hitch receiver  40  in place against the backstop plate  29 . 
         [0031]    Referring both to  FIG. 1  and to  FIG. 4 , the frame member  12  is adapted to mount to a towing vehicle (not shown) which is operable to exert a tractor or pulling force on a load (not shown) through the hitch ball assembly  56 . The hitch ball assembly  56  is fastened to the hitch receiver  40  in a manner discussed earlier in this specification. The hitch receiver  40  is maintained in the towing position, as shown in  FIG. 1 , by means of engagement, wherein the retaining pin  64  is inserted through the aperture  50  of the wing  48  of the hitch receiver  40  holding the hitch receiver  40  against the backstop plate  29 . The hitch receiver  40  is supported by the second spacer plate  32  of the bottom weldment  28  ( FIG. 3 ) and is guided by the top plate  18 . The hitch receiver  40  is pivotally supported by the pivot  57 , providing a means for the tractor or towing force  66  to be centered about the pivot  57 . 
         [0032]    Now referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  6 , and  7 , the trailer hitch apparatus  10  is placed in the storage position as shown in  FIG. 7  from the towing position shown in  FIG. 1  by means of exerting a downward force on the retaining pin  64 , and then swinging the hitch receiver  40  in a direction toward the frame member  12  as indicated by the arrow generally indicated by the numeral  80  ( FIG. 6 ) causing it to move through the intermediate position shown in  FIG. 6 , and continuing to swing the hitch receiver so that it engages the storage latch  68  with the outer lip  71  extending beyond the hitch receiver  40  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0033]    Now referring to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 , the trailer hitch apparatus  10  is placed in the intermediate position as shown in  FIG. 6  from the storage position  FIG. 7  by exerting a downward force on the outer lip  71  of the storage latch  68 , and by swinging the hitch receiver  40  in a direction opposite of that shown by the arrow generally designated by the numeral  82  ( FIG. 7 ). 
         [0034]    In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown and describe, since the means herein disclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.