Abstract: Hitches are disclosed relating to towing that include a sleeve, a receiver stem, a post and a coupler. The post may slide within the channel allowing the hitch to be adjustable. The coupler may be a socket configured to receive a ball. The post and the coupler may be in alignment. The described hitches may be useful for the towing of vehicles having a receiver tube.

Abstract: A clearance-measuring break-away pintle hitch includes a mount having a first end for coupling to a vehicle. A pintle body has a portion thereof aligned with and coupled to a second end of the mount by a shear pin. Gauge members are pivotally coupled along a common axis of rotation to the pintle body. Each gauge member is rigid and has a unique length measured from the common axis of rotation. Each gauge member is independently rotatable about the common axis of rotation.

Abstract: A platform assembly for a ground engaging tool contains a platform that establishes a single substantially planar support surface, at least one pivot joint that is coupled to the platform to facilitate its rotation between a lowered and raised position and that is coupled to the ground engaging tool. The platform supports an object above the ground engaging components of the ground engaging tool while the platform is in the lowered position, and the platform facilitates access to the ground engagement components of the ground engaging tool while the platform is in the raised position.

Abstract: An integral fifth wheel cross member assembly for a pick-up truck bed. The fifth wheel cross member assembly is secured to the left and right frame rails between two intermediate cross members. The box is attached to the frame with the fifth wheel cross member already in place.

Abstract: A mounting system for securing a winch to a hauling platform has a mounting base with a mounting base table. The mounting base has an anchoring attachment, a leg, and a mounting attachment. Upon installation, a bottom member bottom surface rests against a hauling platform vertically projecting component expanded top lip top surface. A rear member front surface rests against a hauling platform vertically projecting component outside surface. A vertical clamp component front surface rests against a hauling platform vertically projecting component inside surface. An “L”-shaped screw clamping fastener clamps against a bottom surface of the hauling platform vertically projecting component expanded top lip. A screw clamping fastener is tightened to affix the mounting attachment into position. A leg second end rests against and is located on the hauling platform vertically projecting component inside surface. The system has a winch attached to the anchoring attachment.

Abstract: A fifth wheel trailer hitch with locking mechanism that includes a pin that extends axially from a pivotal mounting of a platform of a trailer tow bar. The pin is preferably cylindrical and is grooved circumferentially adjacent to its bottom end for fitting into an a key way forward end lip formed in a mounting plate that is attached to a truck bed for prohibiting the pin from lifting from the key way. The pin includes a plug that, by turning a cam rod journaled through the pin, will extend or retract axially from a pin center opening to fit into a plug hole formed in the mounting plate in the center of the key way forward end, preventing, when extended, the pin from sliding therefrom.

Abstract: An integrated support structure apparatus is provided for attaching either a fifth wheel trailer hitch or a gooseneck trailer hitch to a truck bed. The integrated support structure comprises an H-shaped body that is attached to at least one truck frame rail below the truck bed. A gooseneck ball receiver is attached to a central portion of the body and aligned with a gooseneck opening in the truck bed. A plurality of receptacles are attached to the body in an array and are aligned with a corresponding plurality of pedestal access openings in the truck bed.

Abstract: An integrated support structure apparatus is provided for attaching either a fifth wheel trailer hitch or a gooseneck trailer hitch to a truck bed. The integrated support structure comprises an H-shaped body that is attached to at least one truck frame rail below the truck bed. A gooseneck ball receiver is attached to a central portion of the body and aligned with a gooseneck opening in the truck bed. A plurality of mounting pads are formed integrally as part of a plurality of end inserts that are assembled to the body.

Abstract: A pin box for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle includes a hollow receiver tube attached to a pair of support beams positioned on opposite sides of the receiver tube. A forward mounting bracket for attaching the pin box to a frame of the trailer is disposed between the two support beams. The mounting bracket is fixedly attached to both support beams. A second mounting bracket is attached to the ends of the support beams opposite the receiver tube. The pin box also includes a hitch connector that is slideably engageable with the receiver tube. The hitch connector may be positioned within the receiver tube at a plurality of discrete predetermined locations. An attaching means is provided for securing the hitch connector to the receiver tube at each of the predetermined locations. The hitch connector may be configured to include a king pin connector or a gooseneck connector. Differently configured hitch connectors may be interchangeably connected to the receiver tube.

Abstract: A kingpin assembly includes an aluminum frame member (16) formed of two identical extrusions. Each extrusion includes a box beam (18, 20) having a top (40) three vertical walls (42, 44, 46) and a bottom (47) including forward and rearward flanges. The forward extrusion includes a box beam (18), a rearward bottom flange (28) and a forward bottom flange (30). The rearward extrusion includes a box beam (20) a rearward bottom flange (24) and a forward bottom flange (26). Each box beam extrusion is positioned end-for-end from the other box beam extrusion. A steel kingpin (KP) is connected to an aluminum kingpin mounting block (36) which is positioned at the center of the frame member (16) between the box beams (18, 20). The box beam extrusions are welded together by a single transverse weld (W). The forward bottom flange (30) on the forward extrusion is connected to a forward panel (60) by a single longitudinal weld (W).

Abstract: An underbed gooseneck hitch assembly includes a channel housing that is secured to a pair of angle brackets. The angle brackets are secured to a pair of frame mounting brackets, which are in turn mounted to the frame rails of the vehicle. The hitch assembly also includes a ball socket for receiving a ball hitch. A pull cable handle assembly includes a spring biased retaining pin that can be retracted from and inserted into the ball hitch to secure the ball hitch for use. The ball hitch protrudes above the cargo bed and is attachable to a gooseneck trailer. Insertion of the ball hitch is accomplished by turning the handle of the pull cable handle assembly to an unlocked position, rotating the handle to a locked position, and inserting the ball hitch into the ball socket. The ball hitch is properly aligned with the retaining pin by inserting the ball hitch completely into the ball socket and aligning indicia on the ball hitch with a notch on the ball socket.

Abstract: A front spotting trailer hitch assembly for use with vehicles having front tow hooks. This front hitch assembly works well for easily back trailers into positions, such as for storage. This front spotting trailer hitch assembly attaches to the front tow hooks and allows a user to attach a hitch ball to the hitch assembly for towing. This front spotting trailer hitch assembly is able to be quickly attached and detached from the vehicle having front tow hooks.

Abstract: A device and method for coupling a trailer which has a trailer tongue mount attached to the trailer and a coupler attached to the trailer tongue mount. The coupler has an outer tube assembly, an inner tube assembly slidably received by the outer tube assembly, and a return spring having a first end attached to the outer tube assembly, and a second end attached to the inner tube assembly for drawing the inner tube assembly upwardly toward the first end of the return spring. The inner tube assembly may include an inner tubular member which has a plurality of height adjusting holes, a top end and a bottom end. The inner tube assembly may also include a female coupling member attached to the bottom end of the tubular member. A locking handle assembly may be attached to the inner tube assembly to prevent the coupler from disengaging from the towing vehicle.

Abstract: An extension coupling releasably interconnects a trailer to a tow hitch on a tractor vehicle. The apparatus includes a trailer mounting assembly adapted to releasably interconnect to the trailer. The trailer mounting assembly includes a hitch box mount adapted to be secured to a hitch box of the trailer. The trailer mounting assembly also includes an extension coupling which has a proximal end portion secured pivotally to the hitch box mount about a pivot axis. The extension coupling terminates in a distal end portion, and the distal end portion is provided with a pair of oppositely projecting trunnions that extend along a load axis that is perpendicular to the pivot axis. The apparatus also includes a tow hitch assembly adapted to be secured to the bed of a tractor vehicle. The tow hitch assembly includes a pair of spaced apart receivers sized and oriented to engage the trunnions of the extension coupling to define an engaged state.

Abstract: A light weight aerodynamically efficient cycling trailer having a single wheel is provided for towing behind a bicycle or motor cycle. The disclosed cycling trailer includes a body enclosure, an overlying lid, a light weight frame, the first end of the frame bending upwardly along the forward surface of the body enclosure to engage with a removable goose-neck tongue, the goose-neck tongue extending upwards along and attaching to the forward surface of the body enclosure, the forward end of the goose-neck tongue extending over the rear wheel of the bicycle and being coupled to a latching universal joint which couples the cycling trailer to the bicycle. The latching universal joint facilitates the easy connecting and disconnecting of the cycling trailer to a bicycle without the need of additional attachments. The cycling trailer is also provided with a removable child carrier, a hanging bar and a cargo shelf.

Abstract: The trailer including a main towing device movable by articulation and sliding, from top to bottom, from front to rear and from right to left to facilitate hitching the trailer to the back of a motor vehicle using a conventional ball-type trailer hitch in conformity with international road regulations. The towing device includes a flexible fixing device to fasten the front part of the trailer to the roof of the motor vehicle through a transverse and vertical centering device which slides from front to rear through sliding rails mounted on a roof-rack, or, as an alternative, through sliding rails mounted underneath the front part of the trailer. The combination of the devices enables rapid coupling and uncoupling of the trailer and the motor vehicle, the locking of the sliding motion of the main towing device in road-ready position being automatically performed by means of locks.

Abstract: A fifth-wheel extension adapter is provided for coupling a fifth-wheel trailer to a ball hitch assembly which is mounted in the bed of a truck. The fifth-wheel extension adapter comprises generally an extension frame, a ball coupler assembly for releasably and rotatably connecting the extension frame to the ball hitch assembly through a horizontal insertion, the ball coupler assembly being integrally attached to the bottom end of the extension frame, and a fifth-wheel trailer attachment assembly for connecting the extension frame to the fifth-wheel trailer, the fifth-wheel trailer attachment assembly being integrally attached to the top end of the extension frame.

Abstract: A novel trailer towing apparatus for an AGV whereby downwardly applied, vertically oriented towing loads are substantially, directly imposed upon the drive wheels of the AGV, thereby increasing wheel to ground frictional forces and resulting towed load capacity. The towing apparatus is attached to the top of the AGV thereby allowing the AGV to turn through a 360.degree. radius without moving the trailer.

Abstract: A novel trailer towing apparatus for an AGV whereby downwardly applied, vertically oriented towing loads are substantially, directly imposed upon the drive wheels of the AGV, thereby increasing wheel to ground frictional forces and resulting towed load capacity. The towing apparatus is attached to the top of the AGV thereby allowing the AGV to turn through a 360.degree. radius without moving the trailer.

Abstract: An urban delivery motor vehicle, provided with a front towing unit having a vertical front-rear symmetry tiable to a towed unit, and comprising a central part forming a driver-passenger cockpit substantially symmetrical about a substantially vertical axis and having a rear part provided with a space located below the cockpit and opened on its sides and on its rear part; two front wheels and at least one rear wheel located within the space and coplanar with the vertical front-rear symmetry of the towing unit, and an attachment located close to the vertical axis for receiving a complementary attachment of the towed unit to link it thereto.

Abstract: Implements designed for attachment to a lawn and garden tractor include elongate attaching frames having the implement tool connected to first ends of the frames and transport wheels located so that the weight of the implement is distributed approximately half on opposite sides of the wheel axes so that the implement may be easily pushed about on the wheels during mounting and dismounting the implement to and from the tractor frame. Attachment brackets and lift links of the implements are engageable with attachment pins and lift crank arms of the tractor without necessitating any lifting of the implement. Also with driven implements, the drive belts are arranged on or stored with the implements so that the tractor drive may be easily and correctly connected.

Abstract: A self-storing hitch for a single rear wheeled vehicle including a generally C-shaped support having opposite ends pivotally attached to the vehicle frame on opposite sides of the single rear wheel. The support carries a hitch plate and is movable between a lowered towing position and a raised stored position. Spring pins lock the hitch in the selected position. In the towing position, the hitch plate extends horizontally rearward of the rear wheel. In the stored position, the rear section of the C-shaped support conforms generally to the contour of an upper rear section of the vehicle body.

Abstract: A pick-up hitch arrangement for a vehicle comprises a rigid support frame which is secured to a driven axle of the vehicle and has a pick-up hitch pivotally mounted thereon. The support frame is pivotally attached to the body part or chassis of the vehicle by means of pairs of upper and lower links. Each respective upper and lower link extend in directions which converge in vertical alignment with or forwardly of the center of gravity of the vehicle to reduce the tendency of a load applied to hook causing stretching of the vehicle rear springs and inclination of the chassis. The upper links converge above or rearwardly of the axle to give lateral stability to the hitch arrangement.

Abstract: An oscillating rear axle assembly (30) and associated drawbar (40) which oscillates therewith. The rear axle (24) protrudes from an axle housing (32) which is joined to a support structure (34) extending forwardly therefrom. The support structure (34) is oscillatably joined to a rear frame (14) by two axially separated bearings (36,38) disposed therebetween. The drawbar (40) is laterally guided by the rear axle assembly (30) and a pivot support structure (84) and is axially fixed as well as oscillatably joined to the rear frame (14) by a spherical bearing (52) to permit drawbar oscillation with the rear axle assembly (30).

Abstract: A weight transfer mechanism for a machine to be towed by a towing vehicle, said mechanism having a lifting device and a member in use, coupled to the lifting device and mounted for vertical pivotal movement with respect to the vehicle. Means are included to provide an abutment between the member and a relatively fixed location associated with the vehicle so that when the machine is lifted, such abutment prevents relative lifting between the machine and the vehicle.

Abstract: A four-wheel drive tractor with front-wheel steering on the front axle and rear-wheel articulated steering to provide maximum traction, stability, and maneuverability. The front axle pivots on a pivot longitudinal with the vehicle body and the front wheels pivot relative to the axle to steer the front end of the vehicle. The articulated vehicle bearings are positioned near the rear axle to provide a long front frame supporting portion for the operator station of the vehicle and to improve stability of the vehicle when the vehicle is articulated.