Hitch attachment for mounting of an accessory on an ATV
First Claim
1. A hitch attachment for connecting an implement to an ATV wherein the ATV comprises a frame mounted on ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame and a rear rack attached to the frame, the hitch attachment comprising:
- an attachment frame;
a hitch coupling mounted on the attachment frame and arranged to be rigidly connected to the rear hitch such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch;
two brace arms each connected to the attachment frame on a respective side thereof and each arranged to extend upwardly from the attachment frame to a respective connection location on the rear rack and each including a coupling member for connection at the connection location;
a rigid connecting member having couplings thereon for rigid connection to a forward end of an implement such that the rigid connecting member remains at a fixed orientation to the implement;
a pivot mounting for mounting the rigid connection member on the attachment frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch;
and an actuator for effecting pivotal movement of the rigid connecting member about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the rigid connecting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a transport position in which the rigid connecting member is rotated around the pivot axis to rotate the implement around the pivot axis to a raised transport position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ATV hitch attachment includes a first mounting point defined by a hitch coupling and two further mounting points defined by two brace arms inclined upwardly and outwardly to a respective connection location on the rear rack. A rigid connecting member has a pair of arms extending rearwardly for rigid connection by a sliding fit to a forward end of a pair of parallel frame members of an implement such that the rigid connection holds the implement in the operating position in a common horizontal plane with the arms. The implement can be lifted to a raised transport position by an electric actuator causing pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch. Ground wheels which are spaced from the ground in operating position which can contact the ground when the implement is raised to limit squatting movement of the ATV.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A hitch attachment for connecting an implement to an ATV wherein the ATV comprises a frame mounted on ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame and a rear rack attached to the frame, the hitch attachment comprising:
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an attachment frame; a hitch coupling mounted on the attachment frame and arranged to be rigidly connected to the rear hitch such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch; two brace arms each connected to the attachment frame on a respective side thereof and each arranged to extend upwardly from the attachment frame to a respective connection location on the rear rack and each including a coupling member for connection at the connection location; a rigid connecting member having couplings thereon for rigid connection to a forward end of an implement such that the rigid connecting member remains at a fixed orientation to the implement; a pivot mounting for mounting the rigid connection member on the attachment frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch; and an actuator for effecting pivotal movement of the rigid connecting member about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the rigid connecting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a transport position in which the rigid connecting member is rotated around the pivot axis to rotate the implement around the pivot axis to a raised transport position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18)
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11. A hitch attachment for connecting an implement to an ATV wherein the ATV comprises a frame mounted on ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame and a rear rack attached to the frame, the hitch attachment comprising:
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an attachment frame; a hitch coupling mounted on the attachment frame and arranged to be rigidly connected to the rear hitch such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch; bracing elements connected to the attachment frame arranged to extend from the attachment frame to the rear rack to provide coupling forces to the rear rack; a connecting member having couplings thereon for rigid connection to a forward end of an implement; a pivot mounting for mounting the connecting member on the attachment frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch; and an actuator for effecting pivotal movement of the connecting member about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the connecting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a raised transport position; wherein the connecting member includes a pair of horizontally spaced, rearwardly extending connecting arms, each arranged for rigid connection to a forward end of a frame member of an implement so as to hold the frame members of the implement in a common plane with the arms. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 19)
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15. A hitch attachment for connecting an implement to an ATV wherein the ATV comprises a frame mounted on ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame and a rear rack attached to the frame, the hitch attachment comprising:
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an attachment frame; a hitch coupling mounted on the attachment frame and arranged to be rigidly connected to the rear hitch such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch; bracing elements connected to the attachment frame arranged to extend from the attachment frame to the rear rack to provide coupling forces to the rear rack; a connecting member having couplings thereon for rigid connection to a forward end of an implement; a pivot mounting for mounting the connecting member on the attachment frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch; and an actuator for effecting pivotal movement of the connecting member about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the connecting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a transport position in which the connecting member is rotated around the pivot axis to rotate the implement around the pivot axis to a raised transport position; wherein the attachment frame includes first adjustment mountings for mounting the pivot mounting of the connecting member by which the height of the pivot axis on the attachment frame can be adjusted and second adjustment mountings for mounting the actuator by which the height of the actuator and the height of the pivot axis on the attachment frame can be commonly adjusted such that at each position of adjustment the angle of the connecting member about the pivot axis in the operating position remains the same. - View Dependent Claims (16, 20)
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17. A hitch attachment for connecting an implement to an ATV wherein the ATV comprises a frame mounted on ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame and a rear rack attached to the frame, the hitch attachment comprising:
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an attachment frame; a hitch coupling mounted on the attachment frame and arranged to be rigidly connected to the rear hitch such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch; bracing elements connected to the attachment frame arranged to extend from the attachment frame to the rear rack to provide coupling forces to the rear rack; a connecting member having couplings thereon for rigid connection to a forward end of an implement; a pivot mounting for mounting the connecting member on the attachment frame for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch; and an actuator for effecting pivotal movement of the connecting member about the pivot axis between an operating position in which the connecting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a raised transport position; wherein there is no connection of the attachment frame to the ATV suspension and wherein there is provided at least one ground wheel carried on the attachment frame which is arranged to be spaced from the ground in the operating position and arranged such that it can engage the ground to limit squatting of the rear hitch of the ATV when the implement is moved to transport position. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification