Curt Manufacturing, LLC

Curtis M Bowe

Benjamin D Fisher

Joel D Diller

Wolfe C Parzyck

Graham A Motzing

Brandon A Knuth

A quick mount hitch connection for supports a towing accessory from a towing vehicle. An accessory shank is received within a sloped channel structure rising upwardly and rearwardly from horizontal. One of the faces defining the channel is open. A pivot bearing is provided along a bottom of the channel, such as by a pivot bar supported by the side walls of the channel structure and extending into the channel. A securing connector is provided at a location spaced from the pivot bearing, which can be removably fastened to simultaneously hold the accessory shank against the pivot bearing and to prevent the accessory shank from pivoting in the channel. The connection allows quick attachment, quick lowering, and changing the accessory from a usage position to a stowage position all by hand and without any tools.

Quick mount hitch connection

A tow bar assembly has a shank portion for attachment to the towing vehicle hitch, a pivot joint on a trailing end of the shank, and two arms extending from the pivot joint for attachment to the towed load. A stowage block on the shank includes two transversely oriented slots, for receiving a tab on the arms and thereby hold the arms in a transverse, horizontal stowage position. The arms each telescope between extended and retracted positions. A latch, having a retention shaft with a handle, automatically engages to lock the arm in the extended position when the trailing end of the arm is pulled to the extended position. The retention shaft has a shape which, depending on its rotational position as controlled by the handle, either allows the telescoping or interferes with the telescoping, locking the arm in the extended position.

Tow bar assembly

A vibration minimization towing hitch includes a shank attachable into the receiver tube the towing vehicle, and a separately formed head, such as for supporting a tow ball. The head is pivotable through a partial range of motion relative to the head, such as allowing the tow ball to pivot up to 7° downward or up to 3° upward. One or more compressible inserts are disposed in a pocket between the shank and the head, for resisting the limited pivotal motion of the head relative to the shank. A user performs a part of the assembly using two insertable pins or bolts, with insertion of the second pin compressing a compressible bumper which is separate from the insert(s).

Vibration minimization towing hitch

A tri-ball trailer hitch coupler lock has three differently sized ball substitute members. A lanyard extends in two directions off a portion which adjoins the ball substitute members, with mating portions of a lock permanently attached to each free end of the lanyard. One portion of the lock terminates in a pin sized to fit in the latch pin opening of the coupler, and the other portion of the lock is matably lockable onto the pin after the pin has been extended through the coupler pin opening. The lanyard preferably passes through an opening in the adjoinment portion offset from the center.

Tri-ball trailer coupler lock

A vibration minimization towing hitch includes a shank attachable into the receiver tube the towing vehicle, and a separately formed head, such as for supporting a tow ball. The head is pivotable through a partial range of motion relative to the head, such as allowing the tow ball to pivot up to 7&#xb0; downward or up to 3&#xb0; upward. One or more compressible inserts are disposed in a pocket between the shank and the head, for resisting the limited pivotal motion of the head relative to the shank. A user performs a part of the assembly using two insertable pins or bolts, with insertion of the second pin compressing a compressible bumper which is separate from the insert(s).

A chain attachment insert has a body with a flat underside, and provides an open loop chain attachment for receiving a chain or hook in a socket in the bed of a truck. A T-bolt portion of the chain attachment insert is received in the socket. A hole through the body extends parallel to the axis of rotation defined by the T-bolt portion, and an interference peg is vertically slidable into the hole after rotation of the chain attachment insert relative to the socket. The interference peg then rests with a portion of the interference peg in the socket to interfere with and prevent the chain attachment insert from rotating relative to the socket. A lock secures the interference peg within the hole in the body.

Removable chain attachment insert

A mounting bracket cantilevers a support arm off the side of a receiver tube of a hitch, using flats on the receiver tube or receiver tube lip to support the cantilevered weight. The support arm is configured to receive and support one or more mating electrical connection structures, with a plug/unplug direction matching the fore/aft direction of the towing vehicle. Flanges of the mounting bracket are pulled toward each other around the receiving tube using mounting bolts which extend on right and left sides of the receiving tube. The mounting bracket is preferably formed from stamped and bent sheet metal.

Electrical mounting bracket for hitch

A ball hitch has an actuator substantially disposed in a towing ball member. The actuator includes a pivotable handle, which in the stowed position forms part of the outer profile of the ball, but which can be pivoted upward to be used to rotate a shaft portion of the actuator. As the shaft rotates, it rotates a paddle with a cam surface housed in a support base for the ball hitch, which pushes on two interference balls. In the stowed position, the cam surface maintains the interference balls projecting outward from openings in the support base to secure the ball hitch into the towing vehicle. When the actuator turns the shaft, the cam surface allows the balls to retract into the support base without changing elevation of the shaft and cam surface.

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Chippewa Falls, WI, United States of America

Curtis M Bowe