Patent ID: 8141760

Claim:
A hitch-mounted carrier, comprising: a height member having opposed first and second ends; a rectangular insert arm rotatably coupled to the height member first end for movement between storage and use configurations, the insert arm and height member being generally parallel when the insert aim is at the storage configuration and generally perpendicular when the insert arm is at the use configuration, the insert aim, being configured for insertion in a rectangular tow hitch and having a wedge aperture formed at a corner; a first bracket having at least two pin holes and a moveable pin for temporarily locking the insert arm at the storage and use configurations; at least one support arm rotatably coupled to the height member second end for movement between storage and use configurations, the support arm and height member being generally parallel when the support arm is at the storage configuration and generally perpendicular when the support arm is at the use configuration; a second bracket connecting the support arm to the height member, the bracket having at least two holes and a moveable pin for temporarily locking the support arm at the storage and use configurations; at least one attaching element coupled to the at least one support arm for removably attaching a device to the at least one support arm; a wedge adjacent the insert arm wedge aperture; wherein the wedge is moveable between a first position generally flush with or inside the insert arm and a second position extending outside the insert arm and frictionally engaging an inner corner of the tow hitch to dampen wobble between the insert arm and the tow hitch; a rotatable knob at an end of the insert arm; a rod coupled to the knob and extending inside the insert arm, at least a portion of the rod being threaded; threads coupled to the wedge that are complementary to the rod threads wherein rotation of the knob causes rotation of the rod and rotation of the rod causes movement of the wedge through interaction between the rod threads and the wedge threads; and wherein at least one end of a brace coupled to the wedge or interaction between the wedge and a barrier element causes the wedge to move to the second position when the wedge threads are drawn toward the knob.