Nov. 14, 1950
2,529,686
H. C. GREEN
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INVENTOR.
Haz‘aid 6f Green.
Patented Nov. 14, 1950
2,529,686
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
2,529,686
BUMPER HITCH
Harold C. Green, Hastings, Nehru, assignor to
Dutton-Lainson Company, Hastings, Nebr., a
corporation of Nebraska
Application July 12, 1948, Serial No. 38,322
9 Claims. (01. 280-3344)
1
The present invention relates to a hitch of the~
type adapted to be attached to the rear end of
an automobile for use in connection with a trailer
vehicle.
More particularly, the present inven
tion is directed to a hitch of the type adapted
for attachment to and mounting directly upon
a bumper of an automobile.
One of the main objects of this invention is
to provide an improved hitch of the character
2
leg. The rear face of said upright leg, for ap
proximately the full length of said slot I6 is pro
vided at opposite sides of the slot, with a mul
tiplicity 0f transversely extending serrations or
teeth IT.
The clamp head is telescopically associated
with the upright leg 14, and includes a main
body member 20 provided with a vertically ex
tending slot or opening 2| of arcuate contour
indicated which is constructed and arranged for 10 in vertical direction for accommodating there
use with automobile bumpers of various widths
in the upright leg of the clamp member ID. Said
and cross sectional con?gurations.
body member includes a forwardly extending leg
Another object is to provide an improved hitch
22, and is formed at its opposite end with av lug
having a pair of cooperating clamp elements
23, provided with an aperture 24, the latter serv
which may be quickly and easily adjusted to 15 ing to receive a king pin, or coupling pin for con
ward or away from each other for accommodat
nection of said lug 23 to a suitable ?tting on the
ing various ‘widths of automobile bumpers.
terminalrend of a draw bar of a trailer vehicle.
A further object is to provide a novel and im
The underface 0f the forwardly extending leg
proved hitch of the character indicated which is
l5 of the clamp member is provided with a pair
constructed and arranged so as to embrace and 20 of transversely spaced apart, downwardly open
.contact only the upper and lower marginal edge
ing hook features I50. and IE1), and the upwardly
.portions of an automobile bumper.
facing surface of the forwardly projecting leg
Still another object is to provide an improved
22 of the clamp head is formed with a pair of
' hitch of the character indicated comprising two
similar upwardly open hook features 22a and
‘main cooperating elements provided with inter 25 22b. The respective hook features I 5a and i5?)
engaging features for assisting in retaining the
aredisposed in approximate, vertical alignment
elements in a desired position of adjustment.
with the hook features 22a and 22b, and are em
A still further object is to provide an improved
ployed in cooperating relation. Either set of
hitch of the character indicated which is of
hook features are adapted to engage the upper
‘simple construction, durable in use, and capable 30 and lower marginal edge portions of an auto
of being economically manufactured.
mobile bumper, as indicated in dot and dash out
Other objects and advantages of this inven
line at A, without contacting the exposed, ?n
tion will be apparent in the following descrip
ished, rear surface of the bumper, so that when
tion, taken in connection with the accompany
the clamp member ID and the clamp head H are
ing drawing, in which:
Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of the hitch
embodying the present invention;
Figure 2 is a central vertical section through
the hitch assembly, taken substantially as indi
cated at line 2—2 on Figure 1;
,
~
35 ?rmly secured together, the hitch becomes rigidly
attached to the bumper. The other set of coop
erating hook features I5band 22b are adapted
to be employed in connection with a bumper of
lesser width and/or of different cross sectional
40 con?guration.
Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through
The clamp head also includes an L-s-haped lug
the hitch, taken substantially as indicated at line
25, the upright leg of which is adapted to be
3-3 on Figure 2; and
positioned against the rear face of the upright leg
Figure 4 is a fragmentary, exploded view of
M of the clamp member ID, and its adjacent face
certain cooperating elements of the hitch.
45 is provided with a multiplicity of transversely
The trailer hitch embodying the present in
extending serrations or teeth 26 for cooperating
vention includes a clamp member indicated gen
with the transverse serrations I ‘l on the rear face
erally at- l0, and a cooperating clamp head indi
of said upright leg for assisting in maintaining the
cated generally at H. The clamp member ill in
clamp head in a pre-determined relationship to
.cludes an upright leg [4, the upper end of which 50 the clamp member.
terminates in a forwardly extending leg l5. The
The L-shaped lug 25 is connected to the main
upright leg, as may be seen in Figure 2, is of
body member 20 by a bolt 30 extending through
slightly arcuate contour in vertical direction, and
said body member in an upwardly direction, and
is provided with a vertically extending, elongated
threaded into the horizontally extending leg of
slot l6 extending substantially the length of said 55 the L-shaped lug. as clearly seen in the drawing.
2,529,686
3
Thus, by virtue of this connection, the 'main body
member is supported by the L-shaped lug.
The L-shaped lug supporting the main body
member is adapted to be ?rmly secured in a de
sired position of adjustment on the upright leg
of the clamp member If) by means of a bolt 32
extending through the upright leg of the L
shaped lug, and through the slot I6 of the upright
leg of the clamp member, as seen in Figure 2 of
the drawing.
As shown in the drawing, the clamp member
to, the body member 2i) and the L-shaped lug 25,
are formed as castings, and the only machining
operations necessary are in the threading 0f the
opening of the horizontally extending leg of the
L-shaped lug 25. If desired, however, the open
ings for receiving the bolts 30 and 32 in the main
body member 25, and in the upright leg of the
lug 25, may be drilled or reamed.
It will now be apparent that by virtue of the -
two sets of book features provided in the clamp
member if: and body member 20, a plurality of
sizes of bumpers of various widths and con?gura
tions can be readily accommodated. Adjustment
of the clamp member relatively to the clamp head i
may be quickly and easily made by merely loosen
ing the nut of the bolt 32, so as to permit the
head to be moved vertically on the upright leg
of said clamp member l0. If desired, suitable
adjustment for certain purposes may be obtained .
by loosening of the bolt 33 which connects the
main body member 20 to the lug '25. Irrespec
tive of the position of adjustment of the clamp
head on the upright leg of the clamp member, the
serrations or toothed portions of said upright leg :
member, when engaged by the serrations or
toothed portions on the adjacent face of the lug
25, serve to assist in securing the clamp head in
a desired position of adjustment with respect to
the clamp member, and thus insure obtaining a
?rm clamping connection of the cooperating parts
of the hitch.
Although I have herein shown and described a
preferred embodiment of my invention, mani
festly it is capable of modi?cation and rearrange- ‘
ment of parts without departing from the spirit
and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to
be understood as limiting this invention to the
precise form herein disclosed, except as I may
be so limited by the appended claims.
I claim as my invention:
1. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
mounted for vertical adjustment on said upright
leg, said head having a forwardly extending leg,
a portion of the cooperating surfaces of said
upright leg and said clamp head being formed
with a series of cooperating, transversely extend
ing serrations for assisting in maintaining said
parts in a predetermined position of adjustment,
said forwardly extending legs of said clamp mem
ber and head being formed with oppositely facing,
cooperating hook features, disposed in approxi
mate vertical alignment, and means for ?rmly se
curing said head on said upright leg of the clamp
member, with said hook features disposed in a
4
wardly extending legs of said clamp member and
head being formed with oppositely facing, coop
erating hook features, disposed in approximate
vertical alignment, said upright leg being formed
with a vertically extending slot, and means at
tached to said clamp head, including a bolt and
extending through said slot, for ?rmly securing
‘said head on said upright leg of the clamp mem
ber, with said hook features disposed in a desired,
spaced apart cooperating relation, for engage
ment with the upper and lower edges of an
automobile bumper.
3. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
mounted for vertical adjustment on said upright
leg, said head having a forwardly extending leg,
said forwardly extending legs being formed with
oppositely facing, cooperating hook features dis
posed in approximate vertical alignment, said
upright leg being formed with a vertically ex
tending slot, a clamp lug cooperating with said
upright leg, a bolt carried by said lug and extend
ing through said slot for ?rmly securing said
lug to said upright leg at a desired position of
vertical adjustment thereon, and a bolt for con
necting said lug and head for supporting the
latter on the upright leg.
4. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
mounted for vertical adjustment on said upright
leg, said head having a forwardly extending leg,
said forwardly extending legs being formed with
oppositely facing, cooperating hook features dis
posed in approximate vertical alignment, said
upright leg being formed with a vertically extend
ing slot, a clamp lug cooperating with said up
right leg, a bolt carried by said lug and extending
through said slot for ?rmly securing said lug
to said upright leg at a desired position of ver
tical adjustment thereon, and a bolt for connect
ing said lug and head for supporting the latter
on the upright leg, said last mentioned bolt being '
screw threaded into said lug for securing said
head thereto at a desired position of vertical
adjustment.
5. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head formed
for telescopic vertical adjustment on said up
right leg, said head having a forwardly extending
leg, said forwardly extending legs being formed
with oppositely facing, cooperating hook features
disposed in approximate vertical alignment, said
upright leg being formed with a vertically ex
tending slot, a clamp lug cooperating with said
upright leg, a bolt carried by said lug and ex
tending through said slot for ?rmly securing said
lug to said upright leg at a desired position of
vertical adjustment thereon, and a bolt for con
necting said lug and head for supporting the
latter on the upright leg.
6. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
mounted for vertical adjustment on said upright
leg, said head having a forwardly extending leg,
said forwardly extending legs formed with op
70 positely facing, cooperating hook features dis
automobile bumper.
posed in approximate vertical alignment, said
2. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
upright leg being formed with a vertically extend
having an upright leg, terminating at one end in
ing slot, a clamp lug cooperating with said up
a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head mounted
right leg, a bolt carried by said lug and extending
for vertical adjustment on said upright leg, said
through said slot for ?rmly securing said lug to
headhaving a forwardly extending leg, said for
desired, spaced apart cooperating relation, for
engagement with the upper and lower edges of an
5
2,529,686
6
said upright leg at a desired position of vertical
a clamp lug cooperating with said upright leg,
adjustment thereon, and a bolt for connecting
a bolt carried by said lug and extending through
said lug and head for supporting the latter on
said slot for ?rmly securing said lug to said up
the upright leg, the cooperating faces of said lug
right leg at a desired position of vertical adjust
and upright leg being formed with a multiplicity
ment thereon, and a bolt for connecting said
of transverse serrations for assisting in main
lug and head for supporting the latter on the
taining said lug in a desired position of adjust
upright leg.
ment on said upright leg.
9. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
'7. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end
having an upright leg, terminating at one end 10 in a forwardly extending leg, the underside of
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
said forwardly extending leg being formed with
mounted for vertical adjustment on said up
a downwardly facing open hook feature, a clamp
right leg, said head having a forwardly extending
head mounted for vertical adjustment on said
leg, said forwardly extending legs of said clamp
upright leg, said head having a forwardly extend
member and head each being formed with a 15 ing leg the upper side of which is formed with
plurality of oppositely facing, cooperating hook
an upwardly facing open hook feature, said for
features disposed in approximate vertical align
ment, said upright leg being formed with a ver
wardly extending legs being formed with op
positely facing, cooperating book features dis- .
tically extending slot, a clamp lug cooperating
posed in approximate vertical alignment, said
with said upright leg, a bolt carried by said lug 20 upright leg being formed with a vertically extend
and extending through said slot for ?rmly secur
ing slot, a clamp lug cooperating with said up
ing said lug to said upright leg at a desired posi
right leg, a bolt carried by said lug and extend
tion of vertical adjustment thereon whereby an
ing through said slot for ?rmly securing said lug
aligned set of said hook features are adapted for
to said upright leg at a desired position of vertical
engagement with the upper and lower edges of an 25 adjustment thereon, and a bolt for connecting
automobile bumper, and a bolt for connecting said
said lug and head for supporting the latter on
lug and head for supporting the latter on the
the upright leg.
upright leg.
HAROLD C. GREEN.
8. A trailer hitch comprising a clamp member
having an upright leg, terminating at one end 30
REFERENCES CITED
in a forwardly extending leg, a clamp head
The following references are of record in the
mounted for vertical adjustment on said upright
file of this patent:
leg, said head having a forwardly extending leg,
UNITED STATES PATENTS
said forwardly extending legs being formed with
oppositely facing, cooperating hook features dis 35 Number
posed in approximate vertical alignment, said
2,092,593
clamp head being formed with a rearwardly
extending apertured lug for connection to the
terminal end of a trailer draw-bar, said upright
leg being formed with a vertically extending slot, 40
Name
Date
Seys ____________ __ Sept. 7,, 1937
2,250,661
Thorp et al. ____ __ July 29, 1941
2,306,007
2,338,934
Thorp __________ __ Dec. 22, 1942
Gross __________ __ Jan. 11, 1944