Mounting assembly for a carrier accessory for vans and automobiles

Claim 1

A mounting assembly for a carrier accessory for vans or automobiles adapted to be removable secured to a standard tow hitch, said tow hitch having a horizontal member mounted beneath said vehicle, said horizontal member running parallel to the rear bumper of said vehicle, said horizontal member being opened at each end, defining an inner cross sectional area, said mounting assembly comprising: a pair of mounting brackets each having first and second cross members, the cross sectional area of said first cross member being substantially identical to the cross sectional area of said inner cross sectional area of said tow hitch cross member, said first cross member slidably insertable into each end of said tow hitch cross member and having an aperture therethrough for alignment with an aperture through said tow hitch cross member for receipt of a securing means to secure said mounting bracket to said ends of said tow hitch cross member; said second cross member, substantially perpendicular to said first cross member and extending horizontally rearwardly toward said rear bumper of said vehicle, said second cross member defines a channel having an aperture therethrough perpendicular to said channel; a carrier assembly comprising a support frame and container secured to said support frame, said support frame having Z-shaped outer legs, said Z-shaped outer legs having a first horizontal member having an aperture therethrough, said first horizontal member having a cross sectional area substantially identical to the inner cross sectional area of said channel of said second cross member of said mounting bracket, said first horizontal member of said Z-shaped legs of said frame slidably insertable to said second cross member of said mounting bracket, said aperture on said mounting bracket and said aperture on said first horizontal member of said Z-shaped leg alignable for receipt of a securing means; said first horizontal member of said Z-shaped leg of said frame having secured thereto an aligning stopper, said aligning stopper contacting said second cross member of said mounting bracket to limit the slidable insertion of said horizontal member of said Z-shaped leg, prealigning the apertures in said second cross member of said mounting bracket with said apertures in said first horizontal member of said Z-shaped leg for receipt of said securing means.