Trailer hitch-mounted utility carrier for vehicles
First Claim
1. A utility carrier for attachment to a trailer hitch of a vehicle in which the hitch includes a hitch ball and an underlying support for the carrier, said carrier comprising:
- a carrier member including an upper wall for attaching and supporting a load, and a slotted lower wall for receiving a neck portion of the hitch ball; and
force-applying means cooperable with said carrier member for selectively applying a clamping force to clamp a portion of said carrier member between said ball and said underlying support to secure said carrier member to the vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A trailer hitch-mounted utility carrier for vehicles includes a carrier member having an upper wall to which vehicle accessories can be attached and a lower wall which is slotted to receive a "ball" type trailer hitch. In one embodiment, a clamping member pivotally connected to the carrier member is pivotable from a nonclamping position in which the carrier can be removed from the hitch to a clamping position in which the clamping member engages the ball to force a lower portion of the carrier into a clamped position between the ball and an underlying carrier support surface. In a second embodiment, turnbuckles exert a force between rear portions of the carrier member and underlying support to clamp a forward portion of the carrier into a clamped position between the ball and another portion of the support.
46 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A utility carrier for attachment to a trailer hitch of a vehicle in which the hitch includes a hitch ball and an underlying support for the carrier, said carrier comprising:
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a carrier member including an upper wall for attaching and supporting a load, and a slotted lower wall for receiving a neck portion of the hitch ball; and force-applying means cooperable with said carrier member for selectively applying a clamping force to clamp a portion of said carrier member between said ball and said underlying support to secure said carrier member to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification