Hitch attachment for mounting of an accessory of 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;
the hitch coupling being arranged such that when connected to the rear hitch the hitch coupling is rigid relative to the rear hitch;
the attachment frame being mounted rigid relative to the hitch coupling such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch at a position which is held rigid relative to 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, when the implement is connected to the rigid connecting member, the rigid connecting member remains at a fixed orientation to the implement;
a pivot mounting for mounting the rigid 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 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;
wherein the attachment frame includes first adjustment mountings for mounting the pivot mounting of the rigid implement mounting frame 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 adjusted, with the first and second mountings arranged for common height adjustment of the pivot axis and actuator such that, at each position of adjustment, the angle of the rigid implement mounting frame about the pivot axis in the operating position remains the same.
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.
15 Citations
9 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; the hitch coupling being arranged such that when connected to the rear hitch the hitch coupling is rigid relative to the rear hitch; the attachment frame being mounted rigid relative to the hitch coupling such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch at a position which is held rigid relative to 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, when the implement is connected to the rigid connecting member, the rigid connecting member remains at a fixed orientation to the implement; a pivot mounting for mounting the rigid 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 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; wherein the attachment frame includes first adjustment mountings for mounting the pivot mounting of the rigid implement mounting frame 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 adjusted, with the first and second mountings arranged for common height adjustment of the pivot axis and actuator such that, at each position of adjustment, the angle of the rigid implement mounting frame about the pivot axis in the operating position remains the same.
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2. A combination comprising:
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an ATV comprising; ground wheels including two rear ground wheels a frame mounted on the ground wheels, a drive system for driving the ATV, a rear hitch attached to the frame; a rear rack attached to the frame; and a suspension system allowing up and down movement of at least the rear wheels relative to the frame and therefore relative to the rear hitch and the rack attached to the frame; and a hitch attachment for connecting an implement to the ATV comprising; an attachment frame; a hitch bar mounted on the attachment frame for engaging the rear hitch of the ATV; the hitch bar being arranged such that when connected to the rear hitch of the ATV the hitch bar is rigid relative to the rear hitch; two brace arms each connected to the attachment frame and each arranged to extend upwardly from the attachment frame to a respective connection location on the rear rack on a respective side thereof and each including a coupling member for connection at the connection location; the attachment frame being connected to the hitch bar and to the brace arms such that the attachment frame is carried rearwardly of the rear hitch at a height which is held fixed relative to the frame of the ATV by the hitch bar and the brace arms so as to transfer weight between the frame of the ATV and the attachment frame; a rigid implement mounting frame for connection to a forward end of an implement; the rigid implement mounting member defining a pair of arms extending rearwardly and including couplings at a rear end thereof which are arranged to connect rigidly to the implement such that, when the implement is connected to the arms of the rigid implement mounting member, the implement remains at a fixed orientation to the rigid implement mounting member; the rigid implement mounting member having a forward end thereof rigidly attached to the attachment frame at a position thereon by an attachment coupling; the attachment coupling being arranged to so as to transfer weight between the frame of the ATV and the implement mounting member through the attachment frame; the attachment coupling being arranged such that the height of the implement mounting member is maintained fixed relative to the frame of the ATV by the position of the implement mounting member on the attachment frame independently of the up and down movement of the rear wheels on the suspension relative to the frame; the attachment coupling including a pivot mounting for pivotal movement of the implement mounting member relative to the attachment frame about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the rear hitch between an operating position in which the implement mounting member holds the implement in fixed operating position extending rearwardly from the rear hitch and a transport position in which the implement mounting 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 rigid implement mounting frame 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 adjusted, with the first and second mountings arranged for common height adjustment of the pivot axis and actuator such that, at each position of adjustment, the angle of the rigid implement mounting frame about the pivot axis in the operating position remains the same. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification