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An after-market hitch assembly is provided for securing to a cross member of a truck which is specifically adapted for securing a hitch assembly thereto prior to installation of the truck bed. The after-market hitch assembly adapted for securing to the hitch frame after installation of the truck bed

An after-market hitch assembly is provided for securing to a cross member of a truck which is specifically adapted for securing a hitch assembly thereto prior to installation of the truck bed. The after-market hitch assembly adapted for securing to the hitch frame after installation of the truck bed without having to remove the truck bed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A trailer hitch assembly for use in a vehicle having a bed floor and a frame having a cross member closely spaced below the bed floor, the cross member including a pair of spaced apart and downwardly extending sidewalls and an interconnecting web, the interconnecting web including a central suppo

1. A trailer hitch assembly for use in a vehicle having a bed floor and a frame having a cross member closely spaced below the bed floor, the cross member including a pair of spaced apart and downwardly extending sidewalls and an interconnecting web, the interconnecting web including a central support panel and first and second downwardly recessed outer support panels formed on opposite sides of the central support panel, the central support panel having a hitch ball opening extending therethrough and the outer support panels each having a plurality of first mounting holes formed therethrough, the trailer hitch assembly comprising: a hitch body positionable below the interconnecting web of the cross member and between the pair of sidewalls, said hitch body including a socket for receiving a hitch ball, said socket aligned with the hitch ball opening through the central support panel when said hitch body is secured to the cross member, said hitch body having a plurality of second mounting holes formed therethrough, each of said second mounting holes positioned to be aligned with a respective one of said first mounting holes in said cross member;first and second nut plates, each sized to be inserted between the bed floor and a respective one of the first and second downwardly recessed outer support panels of the cross member and including a plurality of threaded bolt receivers, each of said threaded bolt receivers spaced and aligned on the respective nut plate to be aligned with a respective one of said first mounting holes in said cross member, wherein each of said first and second nut plates includes a locating feature positioned to engage a preselected feature of the respective first or second downwardly recessed outer support panels of the cross-member in order to position said threaded bolt receivers in alignment with the respective first mounting holes; anda plurality of threaded fasteners, each of said threaded fasteners receivable through a respective one of said second mounting holes and the respective one of said first mounting holes and threadably engagable with the respective threaded bolt receiver,wherein said preselected feature of each of said first and second downwardly recessed support panels comprises a locator hole formed therethrough and each of said first and second nut plates includes an arm extending outwardly therefrom and said locating feature is positioned on said arm and projects downward therefrom for reception within said locator hole in said respective first and second downwardly recessed support panels. 2. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 1 wherein engagement of said locating feature on said arm of said first or second nut plate with the preselected feature of the respective first or second downwardly recessed support panel of the cross member further acts to resist a torque applied to tighten one of said threaded fasteners in order to inhibit said nut plate from rotating along with said one threaded fastener. 3. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 1 and further including a hitch ball selectively received in said socket, said hitch ball including a base having a latch pin receiver formed therethrough, said latch pin receiver positioned for alignment with a passageway in said socket, said latch pin receiver and said passageway slidably receiving a latch pin moveable between an engaged position wherein said hitch ball is retained in said socket and a disengaged position where said hitch ball is freely removable from said socket. 4. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 1 wherein an upper portion of said socket extends above an upper surface of said central web and said assembly further includes a support pad having an opening formed therein sized to receive the upper portion of said socket such that the support pad is positionable around the upper portion of said socket and said support pad is sized to extend vertically between the central web of the cross member and the bed floor. 5. A trailer hitch assembly for use in a vehicle having a bed floor and a frame having a cross member closely spaced below the bed floor, the cross member including a pair of spaced apart and downwardly extending sidewalls and an interconnecting web, the interconnecting web including a central support panel and first and second downwardly recessed outer support panels formed on opposite sides of the central support panel, the central support panel having a hitch ball opening extending therethrough and the outer support panels each having a plurality of first mounting holes formed therethrough, the trailer hitch assembly comprising: a hitch body positionable below the interconnecting web of the cross member and between the pair of sidewalls, said hitch body including a socket for receiving a hitch ball, said socket aligned with the hitch ball opening through the central support panel when said hitch body is secured to the cross member, said hitch body having a plurality of second mounting holes formed therethrough, each of said second mounting holes positioned to be aligned with a respective one of said first mounting holes in said cross member;first and second nut plates, each sized to be inserted between the bed floor and a respective one of the first and second downwardly recessed outer support panels of the cross member and including a plurality of threaded bolt receivers, each of said threaded bolt receivers spaced and aligned on the respective nut plate to be aligned with a respective one of said first mounting holes in said cross member, wherein each of said first and second nut plates includes a locating feature positioned to engage a preselected feature of the respective first or second downwardly recessed outer support panels of the cross-member in order to position said threaded bolt receivers in alignment with the respective first mounting holes;a plurality of threaded fasteners, each of said threaded fasteners receivable through a respective one of said second mounting holes and the respective one of said first mounting holes and threadably engagable with the respective threaded bolt receiver; anda hitch ball selectively received in said socket, said hitch ball including a base having a latch pin receiver formed therethrough, said latch pin receiver positioned for alignment with a passageway in said socket, said latch pin receiver and said passageway slidably receiving a latch pin moveable between an engaged position wherein said hitch ball is retained in said socket and a disengaged position where said hitch ball is freely removable from said socket,wherein said latch pin is connected to a latch pin linkage including an actuator arm positioned parallel to and spaced apart from said latch pin and a spring connected to said actuator arm, said spring urging said latch pin toward said engaged position. 6. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 5 wherein said spring is a compression spring surrounding said actuator arm and captured between a stop fixed to said hitch body and a retainer secured to said actuator arm. 7. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 5 and further including a lever arm connecting said actuator arm to said latch pin. 8. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 7 wherein said latch pin linkage further includes a handle mount in alignment with said latch pin and a handle connected to said handle mount for drawing said latch pin toward said disengaged position against the urging of said spring. 9. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 8 wherein said latch pin linkage includes a catch for retaining said latch pin in said disengaged position. 10. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 9 wherein said catch includes a notch formed in said handle mount and a stop fixed to said hitch body, said stop including a flange receivable within said notch when said latch pin is advanced to said disengaged position. 11. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 10 wherein said notch has an open side oriented in a direction facing toward said actuator arm such that a force created by said spring acts through said lever arm to create a moment urging said notch laterally toward said flange. 12. The trailer hitch assembly as in claim 5 wherein an upper portion of said socket extends above an upper surface of said central web and said assembly further includes a support pad having an opening formed therein sized to receive the upper portion of said socket such that the support pad is positionable around the upper portion of said socket and said support pad is sized to extend vertically between the central web of the cross member and the bed floor.