Abstract:
A rigging arm device includes an elongated bar assembly having a proximate end, and a distal end, a receiving assembly adapted to be removably affixed to the trailer hitch of a motor vehicle and to receive and retain the proximate end of the bar assembly, and a hook assembly operatively affixed to said distal end of said bar assembly. The, hook assembly selectively engages and retains a refuse container for transport and further includes a latch assembly to unlock and lock the hook assembly to the handles of the refuse container.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/890,518, filed Oct. 14, 2013, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a rigging arm adapted to removably affix to a trailer hitch of a vehicle and having a hook assembly adapted to engage and retain a handle of a refuse container for transport of the container. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     One (1) of the many chores that plague our everyday lives is the taking out of trash from wastebaskets and other sources commonly found in the American household. Although not time consuming and simple in routine, the job is often burdened by simple problems. Many of us place our trash inside of large trash cans with attached hinged lids. These cans are typically provided by local municipalities or recycling centers, and are used with trucks that automatically pick up the trash cans with a large swing arm. However, these receptacles must be moved to curbside locations for pickup. Those with long and/or inclined driveways or paths often find the moving of such receptacles time consuming or difficult. Those who are elderly or disabled may find such a task impossible. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which large wheeled trash cans may be easily moved about over long distances. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention in providing a rigging arm device that includes an elongated bar assembly having a proximate end, and a distal end, a receiving assembly adapted to be removably affixed to the trailer hitch of a motor vehicle and to receive and retain the proximate end of the bar assembly, and a hook assembly operatively affixed to said distal end of said bar assembly. The, hook assembly selectively engages and retains a refuse container for transport and further includes a latch assembly to unlock and lock the hook assembly to the handles of the refuse container. In this manner, the use of the present invention allows for true hands-free opening of a large trash can that is quick, easy, and effective. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a tow hitch rigging arm  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the tow hitch rigging arm  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the tow hitch rigging arm  10  depicted with a latch pin  60  in an open position in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 4  is a section view along a line A-A as shown on  FIG. 1  of the tow hitch rigging arm  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  tow hitch rigging arm 
               20  receiver assembly 
               22  hitch plate 
               23  hitch plate aperture 
               24  receiver tube 
               26  receiver tube aperture 
               28  receiver tube block 
               30  bar assembly 
               31  bar 
               32  pin 
               34  pin aperture 
               36  pin spring 
               38  spring retainer 
               40  hook assembly 
               42  attachment hook 
               44  yoke 
               50  latch assembly 
               52  latch tube 
               54  tube block 
               60  latch pin 
               62  turned diameter 
               64  shoulder 
               66  ring aperture 
               68  spring 
               72  pull ring 
               100  refuse container 
               102  tongue 
               104  hitch ball 
               106  container handle 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 4 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a tow hitch rigging arm (herein referred to as the “apparatus”)  10 , which provides a means to attach a user&#39;s wheeled refuse container  100  to a hitch drawbar  104  on a user&#39;s vehicle with a bar assembly  30  having a hook assembly  40  and a movable latch assembly  50 . The terms “front” and “back” or “rear” are used in reference to the position of the refuse container  100  as being the back/rear of the apparatus  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an isometric view of the apparatus  10  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The apparatus  10  is comprised of a receiver assembly  20 , a bar assembly  30 , a hook assembly  40 , and a latch assembly. The bar assembly  30  is comprised preferably of a square tubular steel bar  31  provided with a protective coating, or plating, to inhibit corrosion. The bar  31  may have a cross-sectional shape other than a square tube, such as a round pipe, without limiting the scope of the apparatus  10 . The length of the bar  31  may vary in other embodiments in order to accommodate the attachment to other towing vehicles without limiting the scope of the apparatus  10 . 
     The receiver assembly  20  is preferably comprised of a receiver tube  24  welded to a flat steel hitch plate  22 . The receiver tube  24  is comprised of a length of tubular steel having a similar, albeit larger, cross-section to the bar  31  such that the bar  31  may be accommodated within the receiver tube  24  with a sliding fit tolerance. A receiver tube block  28 , comprised preferably of a short length of tubular steel having a cross-sectional size and shape to fit within the receiver tube  24 , is welded at a lower end of the receiver tube  24  to block the passage and further downward travel of the bar  31  as seen in  FIG. 4 . A receiver tube aperture  26  is disposed in a wall of the receiver tube  24  to accommodate a pin  32  located within the bar  31  which will lock the bar  31  into the receiver tube  24  when engaged. The longitudinal axis of the receiver tube  24  is oriented at an angle to the surface of the hitch plate  22 . The illustration of the preferred embodiment depicts the upper end of the receiver tube  24  as being cut at some angle other than square to the longitudinal axis. This is not a defining point of the apparatus  10  and it is understood that any disposition with a horizontal plane should not be considered as a limitation to the scope of the apparatus  10 . Disposed in the hitch plate  22  is a hitch plate aperture  23 , as seen in  FIG. 4 , for the purpose of attaching the hitch plate  22  to a tongue  102 , or similar provision on a user&#39;s tow vehicle, with a through bolt, such as the threaded shank of a hitch ball  104 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a section view along line A-A as shown in  FIG. 1  of the apparatus  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The internal components and features of the bar assembly  30  of the apparatus  10  are more clearly shown and detailed within this illustration. Disposed in a lower end of the bar  31  is a pin aperture  34  through which the pin  32  protrudes. The pin  32  is held in position within the pin aperture  34  by a pin spring  36 . The pin spring  36  is preferably a “U”-shaped spring which is compressed between an inner surface of the pin  32  and the back wall of the bar  31  tube. The pin spring  36  may alternately be comprised of a coil spring having one (1) or more coils and torsion arms which hold the pin  32  within the pin aperture  34  until the pin  32  is displaced manually. In any case the pin spring  36  is held in the proper location by a spring retainer  38 . The spring retainer  38  is preferably a threaded fastener which passes through an over-sized aperture (not shown) in a tube wall of the bar  31  and is secured in a threaded aperture on an opposite tube wall while passing through and securing the pin spring  36  in a proper location within the bar  31 . The spring retainer  38  could also be comprised of any other retaining device, such as a tapered steel pin wedged into tapered apertures in opposing tube walls of the bar  31 , without limiting the scope of the apparatus  10 . 
     The hook assembly  40  comprises a yoke  44  and a pair of attachment hooks  42 . In the preferred embodiment, the hook assembly  40  is formed from a round steel rod. The yoke  44  portion of the hook assembly  40  is attached at its midpoint near the upper end of the tube  31  such that two distal ends extend horizontally and laterally outward, perpendicular to the bar assembly  30 . Each of the two distal ends of the yoke  44  are formed into “U”-shaped, upwardly turned attachment hooks  42 . The hook assembly  40  is preferably provided with a protective coating, or plating, to inhibit corrosion. Other materials and/or shapes can be used for the fabrication of the hook assembly without limiting the scope of the apparatus  10 . The yoke  44  of the hook assembly  40  is of sufficient length to space the attachment hooks  42  to receive the handles  106  of a common refuse container  100  and maintain the stability of the refuse container  100  during transportation. As the attachment hooks  42  engage the refuse container handles  106 , the orientation of the open ends of the attachment hooks  42  cause them to be turned forward away from the refuse container  100  such that the container handles  106 , and thus the refuse container  100 , will be towed by the apparatus  10 . 
     The latch assembly  50  is comprised preferably of a round tubular steel latch tube  52 , a cylindrical latch pin  60 , latch tube block  54 , and a pull ring  72 . The latch assembly  50  is disposed at the end of the bar  31  opposite the receiver assembly  20 . More specifically, as indicated in the figures, when the bar  31  is operatively inserted downward into the open end of the receiver tube  24 , the latch assembly  50  is affixed to the upper end of the bar  31  such that it is set at an upwardly inclined angle from the perpendicular of the bar  31 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal axis of the latch assembly  50  is oriented upwardly from a horizontal plane at an approximate angle of forty degrees (40°) which allows a sufficient clearance with any portion of the refuse container  100 . Additionally, the longitudinal axis of the latch assembly  50  is set parallel to the intended vehicular path of travel. In the preferred embodiment, the latch tube  52  is welded to the upper end of the bar  31  and is further provided with a protective coating, or plating to resist corrosion. The end of the bar  31  may be provided with a concave surface to increase the contact area between the latch tube  52  and the bar  31  for improved weld penetration. 
     The latch pin  60  is comprised preferably of a commercial aluminum alloy round bar with a diameter of a size to fit within the latch tube  52  with a sliding fit tolerance. One (1) end of the latch pin  60  is provided with a turned diameter  62  along some part of the length being somewhat smaller than the original diameter. This turned diameter  62 , as can be seen in  FIG. 4 , is formed to accommodate the insertion of that end of the latch pin  60  through a coiled compression spring  68 . The shoulder  64  is the step between the turned diameter  62  and the original diameter of the latch pin  60 . The spring  68  is positioned in all configurations of the apparatus  10  to have one (1) end in contact with the shoulder  64  of the latch pin  60 . In this manner, the spring  68  causes the latch pin  60  to extend from the latch tube  52  to a locked position (see  FIG. 1 ). A ring aperture  66  is disposed near the end of latch pin  60  in the turned diameter  62  to accept and retain the pull ring  72 . The pull ring  72  allows the user to move the latch pin  60  to an unlocked position and limits its range of motion within the latch tube  52 . It is understood that the latch pin  60  may be provided with any machining reliefs or chamfers as deemed necessary without limiting the scope of the apparatus  10 . 
     A latch tube block  54 , comprised preferably of a short length of round tubular steel having an outside diameter sized to fit within the latch tube  52  and an inside diameter sized to accommodate the turned diameter  62  with a sliding fit tolerance, is welded at the front end of the latch tube  60  as can be seen in  FIG. 4 . The purpose of this latch tube block  54  is to form an opposing surface to the shoulder  64  of the latch pin  60  and trap the compression spring  68  thereby presenting two (2) working surfaces upon which the spring  68  can act to keep the latch assembly  50  closed. The pull ring  72  is comprised of a formed loop of metal, or other suitable material, inserted into the ring aperture  66  to serve the dual purposes of containing the latch pin  60  within the latch tube  52  and providing a gripping structure for the user to retract the exposed end of the latch pin  60  into the rear of the latch tube  52 , thereby opening the latch assembly  50  as can be seen in  FIG. 3 . 
     In operation, when the pull ring  72  is pulled away from the hook assembly  40  such that the large diameter of the latch pin  60  is drawn into the latch tube  52  and the captured spring  68  is further compressed as seen in  FIG. 3 ; all impediments to engaging the attachment hooks  42  into the handles of the refuse container  100  are removed, and the refuse container  100  can be tilted and placed in the apparatus. When the pull ring  72  is released, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the spring  68  expands to force the latch pin  60  to extend from the front of the latch tube  52  to block the removal of the attachment hooks  42  from the handles  106  of the refuse container  100 . 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized in a simple and straightforward manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the apparatus  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIG. 1 . The method of installing and utilizing the apparatus  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring a model of the apparatus  10  having the proper overall length and appropriate hitch adapter to match the user&#39;s towing vehicle; installing the receiver assembly  20  on the tongue  102 , or other attachment point, of the user&#39;s towing vehicle preferably by means of inserting a threaded fastener, such as a hitch ball  104 , through the hitch plate aperture  23 ; inserting the bar assembly  30  into the receiver assembly  20  until the pin  32  fits through the receiver tube aperture  26  and locks the bar  31  into the correct position; parking user&#39;s towing vehicle in proximity to the refuse container  100 ; pulling the pull ring  72  on the latch pin  60  away from the hook assembly  40  to retract the latch pin  60  into the latch tube  52  thus permitting access to the attachment hooks  42 ; tilting the refuse container  100  and engaging the attachment hooks  42  into the handles of the refuse container  100 ; releasing the pull ring  72  so as to allow the latch pin  60  to return to the “closed” position thereby preventing the attachment hooks  42  from becoming disengaged from the handle of the refuse container  100 ; towing the refuse container  100  to the desired location; pulling the pull ring  72  away from the hook assembly  40  to retract the latch pin  60  into the latch tube  52  thus allowing sufficient clearance to disengage the handle of the refuse container  100  from the attachment hooks  42 ; returning the refuse container  100  to the full upright position; removing the bar assembly  30  from the receiver assembly  20  by pushing in on the pin  32  to permit the pin  32  to disengage from the receiver tube aperture  26 ; storing the bar assembly  30  in a convenient location until the refuse container  100  again needs to be relocated. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.