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A ball mount storage device for attachment to a vehicle supporting member. The ball mount storage device for storing a ball mount that engages a vehicle hitch. The ball mount includes a metallic tubular stem connected to a ball retaining portion that carries a ball for towing a trailer. The ball mou

A ball mount storage device for attachment to a vehicle supporting member. The ball mount storage device for storing a ball mount that engages a vehicle hitch. The ball mount includes a metallic tubular stem connected to a ball retaining portion that carries a ball for towing a trailer. The ball mount storage device includes a mounting bracket for attachment to a vehicle. A ball mount stem receiving pin extends from the bracket and is engageable with apertures carried in the stem of the ball mount. The stem is also provided with an aperture for receiving a ball mount lock. A stem stop wall is attached to the mounting bracket in predetermined position to prevent rotation of the ball mount about the ball mount stem receiving pin. A magnetic means is carried on the stem stop wall to magnetically maintain the ball mount in firm engagement with the stem stop wall until the ball mount is manually removed. A configuration of the ball mount storage device with two mounting brackets is also provided.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A ball mount storage device mountable on a vehicle for storing a ball mount of a receiver type hitch, said ball mount including a metallic tubular stem having a rectangular cross section and a ball retaining portion affixed to or integral with the tubular stem and extending from one end of the tu

1. A ball mount storage device mountable on a vehicle for storing a ball mount of a receiver type hitch, said ball mount including a metallic tubular stem having a rectangular cross section and a ball retaining portion affixed to or integral with the tubular stem and extending from one end of the tubular stem, said rectangular tubular stem having a first pair of oppositely disposed side walls, said stem side walls each having a hitch pin receiving aperture passing therethrough proximate the other end of the tubular stem, each of the hitch pin receiving apertures in operative alignment with one another and adapted to receive a hitch pin, a ball affixed to said ball retaining portion, said ball mount storage device comprising: an elongated mounting bracket having mounting bracket apertures passing therethrough proximate opposite ends thereof,a first ball mount stem receiving pin affixed at a proximal end thereof to said mounting bracket proximate one of said mounting bracket apertures proximate an end of said mounting bracket and extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said mounting bracket, said first ball mount stem receiving pin having a ball mount locking aperture passing therethrough proximate a distal end thereof,a stem stop wall affixed to said elongated mounting bracket proximate an edge thereof at a position offset from said first ball mount stem receiving pin and proximate the one end of said tubular stem in the operative position, said stem stop wall extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said elongated mounting bracket, said stem stop wall adapted to operatively contact said tubular stem of the ball mount proximate said one end of said tubular stem,a ball mount lock member sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture and adapted to fixedly engage said first stem receiving pin,magnetic field means affixed to or embedded on a first surface of said stem stop wall in restraining magnetic arrangement with said rectangular tubular stem in the operative position, ora first U-shaped retainer affixed to an edge of said mounting bracket opposite said stem stop wall, a second U-shaped retainer affixed to a distal edge of said stem stop wall, a first helical spring member attached at one end thereof to said first U-shaped retainer, a first hook member affixed to said helical spring member at the other end thereof, said first hook member adapted to engage said second U-shaped retainer in the operative position. 2. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, wherein said magnetic field means comprises a magnetic cushioned tape or tapes adhered to the first surface of the stem stop wall, whereby the cushioning of the magnetic cushioned tape or tapes inhibits rattling or marring of the rectangular tubular stem while maintaining magnetic contact with said metallic rectangular tubular stem in the operative position. 3. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, wherein said ball mount lock member comprises a hitch pin clip sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture of said first stem receiving pin. 4. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, wherein said ball mount lock member comprises a padlock having a shackle sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture of said first stem receiving pin. 5. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, further comprising a second elongated mounting bracket having mounting bracket apertures passing therethrough proximate opposite ends thereof, said second elongated mounting bracket including a second stem receiving pin affixed at a proximal end thereof to the second mounting bracket proximate one of said mounting bracket apertures and extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said second mounting bracket, said second stem receiving pin having a second ball mount locking aperture therethrough proximate a distal end thereof, said stem stop wall affixed to said second mounting bracket proximate an edge thereof at a position offset from said second stem receiving pin and proximate the other of said mounting bracket apertures, said stem stop wall extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said second elongated mounting bracket, said stem stop wall adapted to operatively contact said tubular stem of a second ball mount proximate the other end thereof, a second ball mount lock sized to pass through said second ball mount locking aperture of said second ball mount and adapted to fixedly engage said second stem receiving pin of said second ball mount, whereby the ball mount storage device is adapted to hold two ball mounts. 6. The ball mount storage device of claim 5, wherein said magnetic field means affixed to or embedded on a second surface of said stem stop wall opposite said first surface of said stem stop wall, said magnetic field means in restraining magnetic arrangement with said metallic rectangular tubular stem of said second ball mount in the operative position, whereby said metallic rectangular tubular stem of said second ball mount is prevented by the magnetic field of the magnetic field means from rotating about said second stem receiving pin until the second ball mount is manually removed from the second stem receiving pin. 7. The ball mount storage device of claim 6, wherein said magnetic field means comprises the magnetic cushioned tape or tapes adhered to the second surface of the stem stop wall, whereby the cushioning of the magnetic cushioned tape or tapes inhibits rattling or marring of the rectangular tubular stem while maintaining magnetic contact with said metallic rectangular tubular stem in the operative position. 8. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, further comprising a second elongated mounting bracket having mounting bracket apertures passing therethrough proximate opposite ends thereof, said second elongated mounting bracket including a second stem receiving pin affixed at a proximal end thereof to the mounting bracket proximate one of said bracket mounting apertures and extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said second mounting bracket, said second stem receiving pin having a ball mount locking aperture passing therethrough proximate the distal end thereof, said stem stop wall affixed to said second mounting bracket proximate an edge thereof at a position offset from said second stem receiving pin and proximate the other of said mounting bracket apertures, said stem stop wall extending perpendicularly from the top surface of said second elongated mounting bracket, said stem stop wall adapted to operatively contact said tubular stem of a second ball mount proximate the other end thereof, a second ball mount lock member sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture of said second stem receiving pin and adapted to fixedly engage said second stem receiving pin of said second ball mount, whereby the ball mount storage device is adapted to hold two ball mounts. 9. The ball mount storage device of claim 8, further comprising a third U-shaped retainer affixed to an edge of said mounting bracket of said second ball mount opposite said stem stop wall, a second helical spring member attached at one end thereof to said third U-shaped retainer, a second hook member affixed to said second helical spring member at the other end thereof, said second hook member adapted to engage said second U-shaped retainer in the operative position. 10. The ball mount storage device of claim 5, wherein said second ball mount lock member comprises a hitch pin clip sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture of said second stem receiving pin. 11. The ball mount storage device of claim 5, wherein said second ball lock member of said second ball mount comprises a padlock having a shackle sized to pass through said ball mount locking aperture of said second stem receiving pin. 12. The ball mount storage device of claim 1, wherein said elongated mounting bracket has a hump portion, said hump portion has a stem receiving pin aperture passing therethrough, the proximal end of the stem receiving pin passing through said stem receiving pin aperture, an attachment means operatively attaching said stem receiving pin proximate the proximal end thereof to said hump portion of said elongated mounting bracket. 13. The ball mount storage device of claim 12, wherein said attachment means is a weld. 14. The ball mount storage device of claim 12, wherein said attachment means comprises said stem receiving pin including first threading at the proximal end, said proximal end of said stem receiving pin passing through said pin receiving aperture, a threaded nut in operative engagement with the first threading of the stem receiving pin. 15. The ball mount storage device of claim 12, wherein said attachment means comprises said stem receiving pin including first threading at the proximal end thereof, said hump portion carrying second threading proximate the pin receiving aperture in operative engagement with said first threading of said stem receiving pin.