Trailer hitch

Claim 2

A trailer hitch in combination with a load lifting device adapted to be pivotally mounted on the rear end of a truck for movement between raised and grounded positions, comprising: elongated mounting means adapted to be secured to the rear end of said truck, said lifting device being pivotally connected to said mounting means; a pair of hitch arm means supported near one end of each upon said mounting means for pivotal movement about spaced upright axes, one of said arm means being channel-shaped and the other arm means being adapted to nest within said channel-shaped arm means when said arm means are in a storage position wherein they are substantially parallel with the pivot axis of said lifting device on said mounting means; connector means on said arm means engageable by a trailer; and lock means for releasably connecting said arm means to each other near the other ends thereof when said arm means are in a use position wherein they are disposed at substantial angles to said pivot axis.

Claim 3

A trailer hitch according to claim 1, wherein said lock means includes a removable locking pin coacting between said pair of arm means for fixedly interconnecting said arm means in either said storage position or said use position, said locking pin in a first position fixedly connecting said pair of arm means in said storage position for preventing movement of said arm means away from said storage position, said locking pin in a second position fixedly connecting said pair of arm means in said use position.

Claim 4

A trailer hitch according to claim 2, wherein said pair of arm means includes first coacting recess means disposed in aligned relationship and adapted to receive therein said locking pin when said pair of arm means are in said use position, said pair of arm means also including second coacting recess means disposed in aligned relationship and adapted to receive said locking pin therein when said pair of arm means is in said storage position.

Claim 5

A trailer hitch according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means is an elongated tubular member; wherein said load lifting device includes spaced, parallel linkage means pivotally mounted at one end of each upon said tubular member at positions on opposite sides of said hitch arm means; and wherein both of said hitch arm means are channel-shaped, said connector means being a ball supported upon said other end of the first mentioned, channel-shaped arm means.

Claim 6

A trailer hitch according to claim 4, wherein each of said channel-shaped arm means, when in the storage position, open in a direction toward said elongated tubular member for permitting said arm means to be stored directly adjacent and extending longitudinally of said tubular member.

Claim 7

A trailer hitch according to claim 1, wherein each of said arm means is mounted solely for pivotal movement within a single plane which is substantially horizontal, said pair of arm means when in said use position coacting with said elongated mounting means for defining a substantially triangular configuration, the apex of said triangular configuration being defined by the interconnection of the free ends of said pair of arm means by said locking means, and said connecting means being mounted adjacent the apex of said triangular configuration.

Claim 8

In combination with a load lifting device adapted to be mounted upon the rear end of a truck benEath the deck thereof for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis between a grounded position and a position adjacent said deck, said lifting device having a mounting means adapted to be secured to said truck and spaced lift members connected to said mounting means for movement around said horizontal axis, a trailer hitch comprising: a pair of elongated hitch arms, one of said arms being channel-shaped and the other arm being adapted for nesting within said one arm when said hitch arms are disposed in a storage position wherein they are substantially parallel with and near to said horizontal axis; hinge means disposed between said lift members and coacting between one end of each hitch arm and said mounting means for permitting said arms to be solely swingably moved within a single plane which is substantially horizontal, said hinge means mounting said one ends of said arms for pivotal movement about spaced, parallel and vertical axes positioned adjacent said horizontal axis, said arms being swingable in opposite rotational directions about said axes as they are being moved from said storage position into a use position; connector means on one of said hitch arms; and lock means adapted to secure the other ends of said hitch arms together when said arms are in said use position wherein they are at substantial angles to said horizontal axis.

Claim 9

In combination with a load lifting device adapted to be mounted upon the rear end of a truck benEath the deck thereof for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis between a grounded position and a position adjacent said deck, said lifting device having a mounting means adapted to be secured to said truck and spaced lift members connected to said mounting means for movement around said horizontal axis, a trailer hitch comprising: a pair of elongated hitch arms, one of said arms being channel-shaped and the other arm being adapted for nesting within said one arm when said hitch arms are disposed in a storage position wherein they are substantially parallel with and near to said horizontal axis; hinge means disposed between said lift members and coacting between one end of each hitch arm and said mounting means for permitting said arms to be solely swingably moved within a single plane which is substantially horizontal, said hinge means mounting said one ends of said arms for pivotal movement about spaced, parallel and vertical axes positioned adjacent said horizontal axis, said arms being swingable in opposite rotational directions about said axes as they are being moved from said storage position into a use position; connector means on one of said hitch arms; and lock means adapted to secure the other ends of said hitch arms together when said arms are in said use position wherein they are at substantial angles to said horizontal axis.

Claim 10

In combination with a load lifting device adapted to be mounted upon the rear end of a truck beneath the deck thereof for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis between a grounded position and a position adjacent said deck, said lifting device having mounting means adapted to be secured to said truck and spaced lift members connected to said mounting means for movement around said horizontal axis, a trailer hitch comprising: a pair of elongated hitch arms adapted to be disposed directly adjacent one another in side-by-side relationship when said hitch arms are disposed in a storage position wherein they are substantially parallel with and positioned closely adjacent to said horizontal axis; hinge means disposed between said lift members and coacting between one end of each hitch arm and said mounting means for permitting said arms to be solely swingably moved within a single plane which is substantially horizontal, said hinge means mounting said one ends of said arms for pivotal movement about spaced, parallel and vertical axes positioned adjacent said horizontal axis, said arms being swingable in opposite rotational directions about said axes as they are being moved from said storage position into a use position wherein the arms extend at substantial angles to said horizontal axis; connector means for a trailer on one of said hitch arms; lock means coacting directly between said pair of hitch arms for permitting said hitch arms to be selectively fixedly interconnected in either said use position or said storage position, said lock means including a single lock pin disposed for coaction with said pair of arms when in either said storage position or said use position for fixedly interconnecting same; said pair of arms including a first pair of cooperating recess means therein and disposed in substantially aligned relationship when said arms are in said use position, whereby the aligned first pair of recess means receive therein said lock pin for fixedly interconnecting said arms in said use position, said first pair of recess means being disposed adjacent the other ends of said arms; and said pair of arms also including a second pair of cooperating recess means therein and disposed in substantially aligned relationship when said arms are in said storage position for enabling said lock pin to be disposed within said second pair of recess means for fixedly interconnecting said pair of arms in said storage position.

Claim 11

In combination with a load lifting device adapted to be mounted upon the rear end of a truck beneath the deck thereof for pivotal movement around a horizontal axis between a grounded position and a position adjacent said deck, said lifting device having mounting means adapted to be secured to said truck and spaced lift members connected to said mounting means for movement around said horizontal axis, a trailer hitch comprising: a pair of elongated hitch arms adapted to be disposed directly adjacent one another in side-by-side relationship when said hitch arms are disposed in a storage position wherein they are substantially parallel with and positioned closely adjacent to said horizontal axis; hinge means disposed between said lift members and coacting between one end of each hitch arm and said mounting means for permitting said arms to be solely swingably moved within a single plane which is substantially horizontal, said hinge means mounting said one ends of said arms for pivotal movement about spaced, parallel and vertical axes positioned adjacent said horizontal axis, said arms being swingable in opposite rotational directions about said axes as they are being moved from said storage position into a use position wherein the arms extend at substantial angles to said horizontal axis; connector means for a trailer on one of said hitch arms; lock means coacting directly between said pair of hitch arms for permitting said hitch arms to be selectively fixedly interconnected in either said use position or said storage position, said lock means including a single lock pin disposed for coaction with said pair of arms when in either said storage position or said use position for fixedly interconnecting same; said pair of arms including a first pair of cooperating recess means therein and disposed in substantially aligned relationship when said arms are in said use position, whereby the aligned first pair of recess means receive therein said lock pin for fixedly interconnecting said arms in said use position, said first pair of recess means being disposed adjacent the other ends of said arms; and said pair of arms also including a second pair of cooperating recess means therein and disposed in substantially aligned relationship when said arms are in said storage position for enabling said lock pin to be disposed within said second pair of recess means for fixedly interconnecting said pair of arms in said storage position.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 8, wherein said pair of arms each has a projecting flange containing a recess therein, said pair of flanges being substantially aligned and parallEl with one another when said arms are in said storage position to permit said locking pin to be inserted through and supported on said flanges.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 9, wherein one of the arms has an opening therein through which extends the flange of said other arm, whereby positioning of said locking pin within the recesses defined by said flanges positively prevents relative pivotal movement of said arms.