Extendible towing tongue

Claim 2

A draft tongue comprising first and second members supported from each other for guided lengthwise extension and retraction relative to each other, first and second means carried by said members, limiting relative extension and retraction, respectively, thereof, and third means carried by said members releasably retaining said members in relative retracted positions, said first member including a laterally projecting abutment and said second member including a lengthwise extending U-shaped member including a pair of longitudinally extending legs interconnected at one pair of ends by means of an integral bight portion, said first means comprising said bight portion and said laterally projecting abutment, the latter being engageable with the former upon relative movement of said members to their extended positions.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second members comprise tubular members, said second member being telescoped within said first member, said U-shaped member being secured within said first member and having its closed end telescoped into said second member, said laterally projecting abutment comprising an elongated abutment member secured diametrically through said second member and disposed between the legs of said U-shaped member.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein said first and second members are rectangular in cross-sectional shape and said second member is snugly telescoped within said first member, whereby relative rotation of said first and second members about their longitudinal axes is prevented.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein said second member is telescoped into a first end of said first member, the second end of said first member having a pair of opposite side reinforcing plates secured therein, the free ends of said U-shaped member being secured to said reinforcing plates.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said first and second members comprise tubular members, said second member being telescoped within said first member, said U-shaped member being secured within said first member and having its closed end telescoped into said second member, said laterally projecting abutment comprising an elongated abutment member secured diametrically through said second member and disposed between the legs of said U-shaped member, said elongated abutment member comprising a tubular member secUred diametrically through said first member, said second member having a pair of diametrically opposite apertures formed therethrough with which said tubular abutment member is registered when said sections are in their full retracted positions, and an elongated locking member removably secured through said apertures and tubular abutment member.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 wherein said tubular abutment member is vertically disposed, an upstanding sleeve secured to the upper side of said second member about a corresponding aperture, said elongated locking member being upwardly removable through said tubular abutment member, and elongated flexible tension means limiting upward movement of said elongated locking member to a position with the lower end thereof disposed below the upper end of said sleeve.

Claim 8

A towing tongue including inner and outer partially relatively telescoped and longitudinally shiftable tubular members including remote ends for securement to a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle, said first and second members including first coacting means operative to limit movement of said members toward fully telescoped positions and second coacting means limiting relative extension of said members, said second means including a U-shaped member secured within the non-telescoped end of said outer member with the free ends of the legs of said U-shaped member anchored to said outer member and the closed end of said U-shaped member projecting into the corresponding end of said inner member, and a transverse abutment member secured within said inner member between the legs of said U-shaped member and with which the closed end of said U-shaped member is engageable to limit relative extension of said inner and outer members.

Claim 9

A towing tongue including inner and outer partially relatively telescoped and longitudinally shiftable tubular members including remote ends for securement to a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle, said first and second members including first coacting means operative to limit movement of said members toward fully telescoped positions and second coacting means limiting relative extension of said members, said second means including a U-shaped member secured within the non-telescoped end of said outer member with the free ends of the legs of said U-shaped member anchored to said outer member and the closed end of said U-shaped member projecting into the corresponding end of said inner member, and a transverse abutment member secured within said inner member between the legs of said U-shaped member and with which the closed end of said U-shaped member is engageable to limit relative extension of said inner and outer members.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 wherein said abutment member comprises a transverse tube extending and secured to opposite wall portions of said inner member, said inner member including transversely registered openings formed in said opposite wall portions with which the opposite ends of said tube are registered, said outer member including opposite side transversely registered openings with which the ends of said tube are registered when said inner and outer tubular members are in their maximum relatively telescoped positions, and a lock pin removably receiveable through said openings in said outer tubular member and said tube in order to lock said tubular members in their maximum telescoped positions.