Patent US3843160A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3843160A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Clevis hitch assembly
Assignee: Allied Products Corp
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Filing: 1973-02-12
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Granted: 1974-10-22
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Expires: 1993-02-12
Abstract
Abstract A hitch adaptor is connected to a drawbar and displaces the pivotal connection between the drawbar and the tongue of a towed vehicle rearwardly with respect to the drawbar. The adaptor is pin-connected to the drawbar and includes a bumper bar arrangement which bears at widely spaced points against the rear surface of the drawbar to prevent pivotal motion between the adaptor and the drawbar. A clevis pin joins the tongue to the rearward extremity of the adaptor and a latch pin selectively connects the tongue to the adaptor to prevent pivotal motion therebetween. The bumper assembly includes a removable shim plate to adapt the device to a smaller drawbar.
Inventors
- 👤 G Frushour
- 👤 M Nafziger
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:13
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60D; B60D1/00; B60D1/01; B60D1/07; B60D1/075; B60D1/02; B60D1/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
A hitch adaptor for displacing the pivotal connection between a drawbar of a towing vehicle and the tongue of a towed vehicle rearwardly of such drawbar, comprising in combination: upper and lower horizontal hitch plates disposed in vertically spaced relation to accept a drawbar between forward ends thereof, said hitch plates having vertically registered openings at said forward ends thereof to align with a drawbar opening and accept a vertical pin connecting the adaptor to a drawbar, said hitch plates also having vertically aligned openings at their rearward ends to align with openings in a tongue of a trailing vehicle and accept a vertical clevis assembly establishing pivotal connection between the hitch adaptor and a tongue of a trailing vehicle, said clevis assembly including a bearing sleeve received in said openings at the rearward ends of the hitch plates and a retainer plate fixed to the upper end of said bearing sleeve, said bearing sleeve being of a length greater than the spacing between the upper surface of said upper hitch plate and the lower surface of said lower hitch plate and said retainer plate having a depending flange for cooperation with a draft tongue to prevent rotation of the bearing sleeve relative to such draft tongue; an elongate transverse bumper bar between said hitch plates and projecting transversely on opposite sides thereof, said bumper bar being rigidly connected to said hitch plates between the forward and rearward ends thereof and presenting forward bumper faces beyond the opposite sides of said hitch plate which are located a distance behind the openings in the forward ends of said hitch plates which is selected to eNgage a rear surface of a certain size drawbar and prevent any appreciable pivoting of the adaptor about the vertical pin connecting the adaptor to such drawbar.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
A hitch adaptor for displacing the pivotal connection between a drawbar of a towing vehicle and the tongue of a towed vehicle rearwardly of such drawbar, comprising in combination: upper and lower horizontal hitch plates disposed in vertically spaced relation to accept a drawbar between forward ends thereof, said hitch plates having vertically registered openings at said forward ends thereof to align with a drawbar opening and accept a vertical pin connecting the adaptor to a drawbar, said hitch plates also having vertically aligned openings at their rearward ends to align with openings in a tongue of a trailing vehicle and accept a vertical clevis assembly establishing pivotal connection between the hitch adaptor and a tongue of a trailing vehicle, said clevis assembly including a bearing sleeve received in said openings at the rearward ends of the hitch plates and a retainer plate fixed to the upper end of said bearing sleeve, said bearing sleeve being of a length greater than the spacing between the upper surface of said upper hitch plate and the lower surface of said lower hitch plate and said retainer plate having a depending flange for cooperation with a draft tongue to prevent rotation of the bearing sleeve relative to such draft tongue; an elongate transverse bumper bar between said hitch plates and projecting transversely on opposite sides thereof, said bumper bar being rigidly connected to said hitch plates between the forward and rearward ends thereof and presenting forward bumper faces beyond the opposite sides of said hitch plate which are located a distance behind the openings in the forward ends of said hitch plates which is selected to eNgage a rear surface of a certain size drawbar and prevent any appreciable pivoting of the adaptor about the vertical pin connecting the adaptor to such drawbar.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A hitch adaptor as defined in claim 1 including spacer means for disposition in face-to-face contact with said bumper faces to engage a rear surface of another size drawbar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A hitch adaptor as defined in claim 2 wherein said bumper bar is provided with horizontal fore-and-aft openings at its opposite ends, said spacer means being in the form of a plate having pins projecting through the openings in said bumper bar.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A hitch adaptor as defined in claim 1 including a connector plate of generally U-shaped form disposed between said hitch plates rearwardly of said bumper bar, the bight of said connector plate being disposed rearwardly of the openings in the rearward end of said hitch plate and rigidly joining such rearwards ends thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A hitch adaptor as defined in claim 4 wherein the free ends of said connector plate extend to and are rigidly secured to the rear side of said bumper bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
259 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptor, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said opening in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between and rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin: a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and underlie respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, said clevis pin means including a bearing sleeve of a length to pass completely through said tongue plates and having a retainer plate fixed to the upper end thereof, said retainer plate having a depending flange extending alongside said upper tongue plate to prevent rotation of the bearing sleeve relative to said tongue member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
259 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptor, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said opening in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between and rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin: a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and underlie respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, said clevis pin means including a bearing sleeve of a length to pass completely through said tongue plates and having a retainer plate fixed to the upper end thereof, said retainer plate having a depending flange extending alongside said upper tongue plate to prevent rotation of the bearing sleeve relative to said tongue member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said bumper bar means includes a removable shim plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 7 including a connector plate of generally U-shaped form disposed between said hitch plates rearwardly of said bumper bar means, the bight of said connector plate being disposed rearwardly of the openings in the rearward end of said hitch plate and rigidly joining such rearward ends thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the free ends of said connector plate extend to and are rigidly secured to the rear side of said bumper bar.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
76 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein the forward end of said upper tongue plate overlies said bumper bar means, the forward end of said upper tongue plate having an opening therein aligned with a latch opening through said adaptor, and a latch pin received in said opening in the forward end of said upper tongue plate and said latch opening whereby to prevent pivotal motion between said tongue member and said adaptor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
271 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptOr, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said openings in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between said rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin; a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and underlie respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, the forward end of said upper tongue plate overlying said bumper bar means, the forward end of said upper tongue plate having an opening therein aligned with a latch opening through said adaptor, and a latch pin received in said opening in the forward end of said upper tongue plate and said latch opening whereby to prevent pivotal motion between said tongue member and said adaptor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
271 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptOr, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said openings in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between said rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin; a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and underlie respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, the forward end of said upper tongue plate overlying said bumper bar means, the forward end of said upper tongue plate having an opening therein aligned with a latch opening through said adaptor, and a latch pin received in said opening in the forward end of said upper tongue plate and said latch opening whereby to prevent pivotal motion between said tongue member and said adaptor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein said clevis pin means includes a bearing sleeve and a securing bolt passing therethrough.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
219 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptor, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said opening in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between and rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin; a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and under respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, said clevis pin means including a bearing sleeve and a securing bolt passing therethrough.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
219 words
A clevis hitch assembly comprising, in combination: a drawbar having a rear face and an opening extending vertically therethrough at a selected spacing forwardly of said rear face; a hitch adaptor, said hitch adaptor including upper and lower hitch plates disposed respectively above and below said drawbar and having vertically registered openings aligned with said opening in the drawbar, a connector pin received in all said openings, said hitch plates extending rearwardly of said drawbar and being provided with vertically registered openings remote from said rear face of the drawbar, bumper bar means interposed between and rigidly joining said hitch plates for engaging said rear face of the drawbar to prevent any substantial pivotal motion between said adaptor and said drawbar about said connector pin; a tongue member having a terminal nose portion, upper and lower tongue plates fixed to said nose portion to overlie and under respectively said upper and lower hitch plates, said tongue plates being provided with vertically registered openings aligned with the openings in the rearward ends of said hitch plates, and clevis pin means received in said openings in the tongue plates and the openings in said hitch plates aligned therewith for pivotally joining said tongue member to said adaptor, said clevis pin means including a bearing sleeve and a securing bolt passing therethrough.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said bumper bar means includes a removable shim plate.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 13 including a connector plate of generally U-shaped form disposed between said hitch plates rearwardly of said bumper bar means, the bight of said connector plate being disposed rearwardly of the openings in the rearward end of said hitch plate and rigidly joining such rearward ends thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
31 words
A clevis hitch assembly as defined in claim 15 wherein the free ends of said connector plate extend to and are rigidly secured to the rear side of said bumper bar.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-21 | 1978-04-22 | 1978-10-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-21 | 1982-04-22 | 1982-10-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-21 | 1986-04-22 | 1986-10-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |