Automobile cargo carrying rack

Claim 1

An all purpose cargo carrying rack for connecting to the tongue of a standard trailer hitch, said carrying rack comprising: a platform forming a horizontal supporting surface for cargo to be carried, said platform including a rectangular frame surrounding said supporting surface; securing means for connecting said platform to the trailer hitch tongue, said securing means including: (1) a vertical member having a first horizontal plate member at one end having means for aligning and releasably securing to one of the sides of said frame, the other end of said vertical member having a threaded extension for passing through an aperture in the trailer hitch tongue to releasably secure said vertical member by means of a threaded nut, a second horizontal plate member adjacent to said threaded extension and offset therefrom; (2) a pair of spaced struts having means for releasably securing one end of each strut to a side of the frame opposite said one of the sides, said struts constructed to extend from the side of the frame opposite said one of the sides downwardly toward and below said second horizontal plate member; (3) a third horizontal plate member; said second horizontal plate member, said third horizontal plate member, and the ends of said spaced struts opposite said one end of each strut having means to substantially vertically align the second and third horizontal plate members and to releasably secure them and said ends of said spaced struts together while a portion of the trailer hitch extends between said second and third horizontal plate member.