Abstract:
Disclosed is a tow adapter for coupling a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. The tow adapter includes a bracket adapted to be attached to the towing vehicle, a loop suitable to support a tether to enable the towing vehicle to tow the device to be towed, the loop having first and second ends operably mounted to the bracket, a hook operably mounted to the bracket and positioned central of the loop such that at least part of a curved portion of the hook is disposed within the loop, the hook and the loop being pivotable relative to the bracket about a pivot operably attached to the bracket. The tether may be threaded through the loop and attached to the hook to enable the towing vehicle to tow the device to be towed.

Description:
The present application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/227,657, filed Mar. 27, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety. This application also incorporates by reference the entire contents of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/838,646, filed Mar. 15, 2013. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
     This invention is directed to a novel tow hook for securing a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. More specifically, described is a novel tow hook for securing a device to be towed to a towing vehicle having a bracket secured to the towing vehicle and a loop and hook for securing a tether where the loop and hook are pivotable relative to the bracket. 
     One common method of coupling a towing vehicle to a device to be towed is by means of a tether, such as a chain, strap, rope or the like. Various tow adapters for coupling towing vehicles to devices to be towed by a tether have been proposed in the prior art. These prior art devices do not allow for attaching the tether to the towing adapter securely, requiring the tether to be tied or otherwise attached to the tow adapter. Moreover, these prior art tow adapters are not flexible and receptive to facilitate towing. 
     It may be desired to tow a vehicle using a hook-and-loop assembly for securely connecting a towing vehicle to a device to be towed by means of a tether. However, when the towing vehicle is not being used to tow a device, it may be desirable to have the towing adapter moved to a storage position to prevent damage or injury. It is therefore desirous to have a tow hook system that is capable of selectively accommodating a tether secured to a hook and loop assembly or being moved to a storage position. 
     Disclosed is a tow adapter for coupling a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. The device comprises a bracket adapted to be attached to a vehicle to support a tow adapter; a loop suitable to support a tether to enable the towing vehicle to tow a device to be towed, the loop having a first end and a second end each adapted to be mounted to the bracket; a hook positioned central of the loop, the loop and hook pivotable relative to the bracket; and the hook and loop are adapted to enable a tether to thread through the loop and attach to the hook. 
     According to a first alternative embodiment, the loop may be secured to the hook and the hook and loop pivot together relative to the bracket. In another embodiment, the hook and loop pivot independently relative to one another. 
     The tow adapter may include a pin or threaded rod adapted to provide the pivot between the bracket and loop and hook. 
     The bracket of the tow adapter may be alternatively a single stamped piece having a portion providing stops for the loop or hook; or may be a welded assembly including a stop for at least one of the loop or hook. 
     Also disclosed in this application is a kit for a tow adapter suitable for coupling a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. The kit includes a bracket securable to the towing vehicle, the bracket includes a U-shaped loop having opposite first and second ends for receiving a tether for towing the device to be towed and a hook central of the opposite first and second ends. The hook and loop are pivotable relative to the bracket. The kit also includes fasteners suitable to fasten the bracket to the vehicle. 
     In one embodiment, the kit includes a tether, such as a chain or strap, for coupling the device to be towed to the towing vehicle. 
     In various other embodiments, the bracket is a single stamped piece having a portion providing stops for the loop or hook. Further to this embodiment, the loop may pivot relative to the bracket. In further aspects, the first and second ends each include an opening for receiving a pin and the kit further includes said pin. The pin may be a threaded rod. 
     In another embodiment, the bracket comprises a welded assembly. Further to this embodiment, the hook pivots relative to the bracket. The hook pivots about a pin or threaded rod. The hook may be secured to the pin and include a stop for limiting rotation of the hook about the pin. 
     Finally disclosed is a method for securing a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. The method includes the steps of assembling a tow adapter having a loop suitable to support a tether to enable the vehicle to tow a device to be towed, the loop having a first end and a second end attached to a bracket and a hook attached to the bracket central of the loop, the loop and hook pivotable relative to the bracket; attaching the bracket to the vehicle; and attaching a tether to the device to be towed, threading the tether over and through the loop, and attaching the tether to the hook. 
     In various alternative embodiments of this method, the hook and loop may be pivotable relative to one another. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of a tow adapter according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the tow adapter according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the tow adapter according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of a tow adapter according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the tow adapter according to the second embodiment; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the tow adapter according to the second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Various embodiments of the pivoting tow hook are illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 . A first embodiment of the pivoting tow hook is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , while a second embodiment of the pivoting tow hook is illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 . The pivoting tow hook is provided to allow a towing vehicle to couple to a device to be towed by means of a tether, such as a chain, strap, rope, or other flexible length. 
     According to the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , a pivoting tow hook  100  is provided. The pivoting tow hook  100  includes a bracket  102  for securing the tow hook to a towing vehicle, a loop  104  for receiving a tether  126 , and a hook  106  for securing the tether  126 . The embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  further includes a pin  108  which may be a threaded rod, such as a bolt, a solid rod, or some other type of fastener. 
     According to the illustrated embodiment, the loop  104  includes opposite first  110  and second  112  ends. Each of the opposite ends  110 ,  112  includes an opening for receiving the pin  108 , allowing the loop  104  to freely pivot about the pin  108 . The bracket  102  further includes stops  114  limiting the travel of the loop  104 . 
     The bracket  102  according to the first embodiment is manufactured by stamping a single piece of metal to form the desired shape. This shape includes a backplate  116  for securing the bracket  102  to the towing vehicle, with integral mounting holes  118  for receiving fasteners  128  or the like. The bracket also includes a base  120 . According to the first embodiment, the hook  106  is secured to the loop  104  and immovable relative thereto. Finally, the bracket includes stops  114  for limiting the travel of the loop  104  and hook about the pin  108 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , these stops  114  are positioned so that the loop  104  can be moved from a flush position parallel to the backplate  116  and a normal position perpendicular to the backplate  116 . In the flush position, the hook  106  and loop  104  are not available for securing the tether  126  while in the normal position both the hook  106  and loop  104  are positioned to receive the tether  126 . 
     Further according to this first illustrated embodiment, the pin  108  is removable. The pin  108  may be, for example, a bolt or other type of screw fastener secured either by a separate fastener (such as a nut) or one of the ends  110 ,  112  of the loop  104  may be threaded to receive the pin  108 . Alternatively, the pin may be a solid or hollow, non-threaded length of metal, secured by means well known in the art, such as a cotter pin, split pin, retaining pin, spring clip, or the like. The pin  108  is designed to be easily removed with appropriate tools, such as a wrench (for a threaded rod) or spring clip pliers (for a pin and spring-clip assembly) and replaced without requiring additional tools, such as a welding device. This arrangement allows for the loop  104  and hook  106  to be removed from the tow hook  100  by a consumer or end-user. 
     A second arrangement of the pivoting tow hook is illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6  and designated generally  100 ′. According to this embodiment of the invention, the tow hook  100 ′ includes a bracket  102 ′, a loop  104 ′, a hook  106 ′, and a pin  108 ′. The loop  104 ′ includes opposite first  110 ′ and second  112 ′ ends pivotally secured to the bracket. The pin  108 ′ is designed to pivot relative to the loop  104 ′ and bracket  102 ′. The hook  106 ′ includes a base  122 ′ that is attached to the pin  108 ′ and the loop  104 ′, such as by welding. The base of the hook  122 ′ extends on opposite sides of the pin  108 ′ and provides a stop against further travel of the hook  106 ′ and loop  104 ′. 
     Further according to this embodiment, the bracket  102 ′ includes a backplate  116 ′ with integrally formed mounting holes  118 ′ for attaching the bracket  102 ′ to the towing vehicle. The bracket also includes side plates  124  for holding the pin  108 ′ in position. These side plates  124  are welded to the backplate  116 ′ and allow the pin  108 ′ to pivot freely. 
     The loop  104 ′ includes opposite first  110 ′ and second  112 ′ ends, these opposite ends may be secured to the bracket  102 ′ so that the hook does not pivot relative to the bracket  102 ′. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the hook  106 ′ and loop  104 ′ are movable between a first position where the hook and loop together are used for securing a tether and a second position where the hook and loop are flush with the towing vehicle. In this second arrangement, the hook and loop are in a stored position and not used for securing a tether. 
     Also disclosed in this application is a method for securing a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. This method includes the steps of assembling a tow adapter, attaching the tow adapter to a vehicle, attaching a tether to the device to be towed, and securing the tether to the tow adapter. 
     According to the first step of the method, a tow adapter is assembled. In a first embodiment, illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the tow adapter includes a bracket  102 , a loop  104 , and a hook  106 . The bracket  102  includes a backplate  116  for securing the bracket to the towing vehicle and a base  120 . The loop  104  includes opposite first  110  and second  112  ends. These opposite first and second ends  110 ,  112  include openings for receiving the pin  108 , about which the loop  104  can pivot. The hook  106  is welded or otherwise fixed to the loop  104 . This allows the hook  106  and loop  104  to be moved between a flush position and a normal position where the tether may be secured to the loop  104  and hook  106 . The bracket  102  further includes stops  114  for limiting the travel of the hook  106  and loop  104 . 
     In a second step of the method, the bracket  102  of the tow adapter  100  is attached to the towing vehicle. The bracket  102  may be attached using fasteners, such as screws or bolts, or the bracket  102  may be welded or otherwise removably or permanently secured to the towing vehicle. According to the preferred embodiment, the bracket is attached by fasteners, such as bolts. The tow adapter  100  is secured to the towing vehicle so that in the flush position the loop  104  points downward towards the tires of the towing vehicle and in the normal position the loop  104  extends away from the vehicle. 
     In the next step of the method, a tether is attached to the device to be towed. The device to be towed may be a trailer, another vehicle, or other type of commonly towed object. The tether may be a strap, rope, chain, or other commonly used tether for securing towing vehicles to devices to be towed. The tether is secured to the device to be towed by tying, hooking, looping or otherwise attaching the tether to the device to be towed according to means well known in the art. 
     Finally, the tether is attached to the tow adapter. When the hook and loop are in a normal position, the tether is secured to the loop by threading the tether over and through the loop and attaching the tether to the hook. The slack in the tether may then be drawn up, causing the tether to securely wrap about the hook and lock onto the hook, preventing the tether from accidentally becoming unhitched during towing. When the hook and loop are in a flush position the assembly is in a stored position and the tether may not be attached to the hook and loop. 
     Also disclosed in this application is a kit for a tow adapter  100 . The tow adapter  100  is suitable for coupling a device to be towed to a towing vehicle. The kit includes a bracket  102  securable to a towing vehicle, the bracket including a U-shaped loop  104  having opposite first  110  and second  112  ends for receiving a tether for towing the device to be towed and a hook  106  central of the opposite first  110  and second  112  ends, the hook  106  and loop  104  pivotable relative to the bracket  102 . Fasteners are also provided suitable for fastening the bracket  102  to the vehicle. In one embodiment, the kit may also include a pin  108  for securing the loop  104  to the bracket  102  and allowing the loop to pivot about the pin relative to the bracket. The kit may also include a tether, such as a strap, chain, or rope, for connecting the towing vehicle to the device to be towed. The strap is adapted to connect the towing vehicle to the device to be towed by passing the tether over and through the loop and attaching the tether to the hook. 
     The bracket  102  of the above described kit may include stops for limiting travel of the loop  104  about the pin  108 , a backplate  116  for connecting the bracket  102  to the towing vehicle, mounting holes  118  for receiving fasteners used to attach the bracket  102  to the towing vehicle, and a base  120  for supporting the hook  106 . The hook  106  may be welded to the loop  104 , so that the loop  104  and hook  106  may pivot together. 
     According to the above described kit, the loop  104  and hook  106  of the tow adapter  100  are movable between a flush position and a normal position. The flush position may be useful for storing the tow hook in an unused position. When the loop  104  and hook  106  are in the normal position, the tether may be secured to both the loop  104  and the hook  106  to enable towing of a device to be towed. The tether is secured to the loop  104  and hook  106  by passing the tether over and through the loop  104 , forming at least one winding about the loop  104 , and securing the tether to the hook  106 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to certain embodiments it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.