Trailer hitch step

• US 6,145,861 A
• Filed: 12/21/1998
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Willis, Timothy G.
• Original Assignee: Willis, Timothy G.
• Inventors: Willis, Timothy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/217,397
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 280/163, 280/164.1, 280/164.2, 280/165, 280/166, 280/169, 280/511, 4/507
• US Class Current: 280/163
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/06 Ball-and-socket hitches , e.g. constructional details, auxiliary devices, their arrangement on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/58 Auxiliary devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 3/00 Arrangements of steps or ladders facilitating access to or on the vehicle, e.g. running-boards construction of steps for railway vehicles B61D23/00 ; ladders E06C

Abstract

A step assembly (10) including a top step plate (12) for mounting to a ball mount tongue (32), and clamped thereto by means of a pair of adjustable clamp plates (14) releasably secured to top plate (12) by four carriage bolt assemblies (20). Top plate (12) includes a central channel (29) that allows top plate (12) to straddle tongue (32) and clamp plates (14) include step-downs (46, 48, 50), which engage the side edges of tongue (32) and thereby securely clamp top plate (12) to the tongue.

Claims

1. A step assembly for a trailer hitch assembly having an outwardly projecting tongue having side edges, comprising:

an elongated, laterally extending step plate having sufficient length to provide a step surface on both sides of the tongue when secured thereto,

a pair of movable clamp plates for securing to the underside of the step plate, one on each side of the tongue, and adapted to clamp to side edges of the tongue, and

means for securing the clamp plates to the step plate in a manner engaging the clamp plates with the side edges of the tongue and thereby firmly securing the step plate to the tongue in a manner capable of supporting the weight of a person stepping on the step surface of the step plate without support from the trailer hitch assembly remote from the tongue.

2. The step assembly of claim 1 wherein,

the clamp plates are laterally movable in a sliding manner.

3. The step assembly of claim 1 wherein,

the clamp plate include side edge notches having contours matching the side edge contours of the tongue.

4. The step assembly of claim 2 wherein,

each clamp plate includes more than one side edge notch.

5. The step assembly of claim 4 wherein,

each end of the clamp plates includes side edge notches.

6. The step assembly claim 4 wherein,

the side edge notches at each end of the clamp plates are of different size so that the clamp plates can accommodate different size trailer hitch tongues.

7. The step assembly of claim 1 wherein,

the top plate includes an upper surface having raised ridges to improve traction.

8. A step assembly for attachment to a trailer hitch having an outwardly projecting tongue having side edges, comprising:

an elongated, laterally extending step plate having sufficient length to provide a step surface on both sides of the tongue when secured thereto,

a bottom plate adapted to secure to the step plate in a tight fitting manner, and

means for securing the bottom plate to the step plate in a manner engaging the bottom plate with the side edges of the tongue and thereby firmly securing the step plate to the tongue in a manner capable of supporting the weight of a person stepping on the step plate.

9. The step assembly of claim 8 wherein,

the step plate includes an opening through which a ball of the trailer hitch can protrude to position the ball for receiving the hitch of a trailer.

10. The step assembly of claim 9 wherein,

the step plate includes a downward extension for engaging the bottom plate and stabilizing the step plate.