Patent ID: 8840354

Claim:
A retractable tow hook assembly for use in transporting a storage container, comprising: (a) a rectangular storage container ( 102 ; 202 ), including: (1) a container body having a horizontal bottom wall, a pair of vertical parallel spaced side walls, and a vertical first end wall at one end of the container, said bottom, side and first end walls cooperating to define an open-ended chamber; (2) a normally vertical generally rectangular ramp wall ( 120 ; 220 ) arranged at the other end of the container to close the other end of said chamber, said ramp wall having a horizontal lower first edge portion and a horizontal upper second edge portion; and (3) hinge means ( 118 ; 218 ) connecting said ramp wall lower first edge portion with said container, thereby to permit hinged displacement of said ramp wall about a horizontal hinge axis from an initial vertical closed position toward a downwardly inclined loading position in which said upper second edge portion is in engagement with the ground; (b) a pivotal tow hook assembly, comprising: (1) a horizontal generally-rectangular rigid metal support plate ( 274 ; 302 ) having upper and lower surfaces, a pair of parallel spaced side edges, and a pair of parallel spaced end edges, said support plate containing a slot ( 276 ; 306 ) that extends from one of said end edges in parallel spaced relation between said side edges; (2) a planar vertical tow hook member ( 272 ) having a central body portion ( 272 c ), and first ( 272 a ) and second ( 272 b ) end portions; and (3) pivot means ( 278 ) connecting said tow hook member first end portion with said support plate lower surface adjacent said slot, thereby to provide pivotal movement of said hook member about a horizontal pivot axis; (4) said hook member being pivotally displaceable between a retracted position extending downwardly from said support plate, and an extended towing position in which said body portion extends upwardly through said slot with said hook member second end portion extending upwardly above said support plate upper surface; (5) said hook member second end portion, when said hook member is in said extended towing position, having a generally vertical edge portion that is directed away from said slot, said vertical edge portion containing a towing recess ( 284 ); (c) said support plate being connected with said storage container adjacent said hinge means on the side thereof remote from said container body such that said hook member is operable between said extended towing and said retracted positions when said ramp wall is hingedly displaced between said vertical and said loading positions, respectively.