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A hitch-type equipment carrier for mounting to a vehicle includes a coupling member, a brace member fixed to the coupling member, and a wedge member that is movable relative to the coupling member. A manually operable actuator is positioned between the brace member and the wedge member. When the cou

A hitch-type equipment carrier for mounting to a vehicle includes a coupling member, a brace member fixed to the coupling member, and a wedge member that is movable relative to the coupling member. A manually operable actuator is positioned between the brace member and the wedge member. When the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage, operation of the actuator moves the wedge member in a first direction toward the open end of the hitch receiver passage. The wedge member moves outwardly upon advancement through the open end of the hitch receiver passage. Such transverse movement of the wedge member brings the wedge member into contact with one or more walls of the hitch receiver, which forces the coupling member against one or more of almost walls of the hitch receiver for preventing rattle of the coupling member within the passage of the hitch receiver.

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1. An equipment carrier arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: a hitch receiver carried by the vehicle, wherein the hitch receiver has a series of walls that define a hitch receiver passage having an open end, wherein the hitch receiver passage extends along a longitudinal axis; andan equipment carr

1. An equipment carrier arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: a hitch receiver carried by the vehicle, wherein the hitch receiver has a series of walls that define a hitch receiver passage having an open end, wherein the hitch receiver passage extends along a longitudinal axis; andan equipment carrier, comprising: a coupling member carried by the equipment carrier and configured to be inserted through the open end of the hitch receiver passage and into the hitch receiver passage, wherein the coupling member extends along a longitudinal axis;a brace member fixed relative to the coupling member, wherein the brace member is located exteriorly of the coupling member and the hitch receiver when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage and is spaced from the open end of the hitch receiver passage and offset from the longitudinal axis of the coupling member;a wedge member that is movable along an exterior defined by the coupling member; anda manually operable actuator positioned exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member and connected to the brace member and the wedge member exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member, wherein, when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage, operation of the actuator moves the wedge member in a first direction along the exterior of the coupling member toward and into the open end of the hitch receiver passage and in a second direction along the exterior of the coupling member away from the open end of the hitch receiver passage, wherein the wedge member is configured so as to move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal advancement of the wedge member upon advancement in the first direction through the open end of the hitch receiver passage and into engagement with one or more of the hitch receiver walls. 2. The equipment carrier of claim 1, further comprising a positioning arrangement for fixing the axial position of the coupling member relative to the hitch receiver passage. 3. The equipment carrier of claim 2, wherein the positioning arrangement comprises a cross pin that extends through aligned openings in a pair of walls of the hitch receiver and through a transverse passage of the coupling member that is positioned between and aligned with the aligned openings of the pair of hitch receiver walls. 4. The equipment carrier of claim 1, wherein the brace member comprises a mounting bracket secured to the coupling member and wherein a lower end of a frame of the equipment carrier is secured to the mounting bracket. 5. The equipment carrier of claim 1, wherein the coupling member includes a guide recess that defines the path of movement of the wedge member relative to the coupling member. 6. The equipment carrier of claim 5, wherein the guide recess is located at a corner defined by the coupling member, and wherein the guide recess and wedge member are configured such that advancement of the wedge member in the first direction through the open end of the hitch receiver passage causes outward movement of the wedge member at the corner defined by the coupling member and into engagement with a corner defined by the hitch receiver and is operable to force one or more surfaces of the coupling member opposite the corner of the coupling member against one or more surfaces of the hitch receiver opposite the corner of the hitch receiver. 7. The equipment carrier of claim 1, wherein the manually operable actuator comprises a selectively extendible and retractable actuator assembly connected between the wedge member and the brace member. 8. The equipment carrier of claim 7, wherein the selectively extendible and retractable actuator assembly includes a first end secured to the brace member, a second end secured to the wedge member, and a variable length actuator member between the first and second ends. 9. The equipment carrier of claim 8, wherein the variable length actuator member comprises a threaded rod and a manually operable rotatable threaded actuator engaged with the threaded rod, wherein rotation of the threaded actuator causes axial movement of the threaded rod relative to the threaded actuator for selectively varying the length of the actuator member between the first and second ends. 10. An equipment carrier arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: a hitch receiver carried by the vehicle, wherein the hitch receiver has a series of walls that define a hitch receiver passage having an open end and that extends along a longitudinal axis; andan equipment carrier, comprising: a coupling member carried by the equipment carrier and extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the coupling member is configured to be inserted through the open end of the hitch receiver passage and into the hitch receiver passage, and wherein the coupling member has an exterior that includes a guide recess extending along the longitudinal axis;a brace member fixed relative to the coupling member, wherein the brace member is located exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage and is spaced from the open end of the hitch receiver passage and offset from the longitudinal axis of the coupling member;a wedge member movably mounted within the guide recess of the coupling member; anda variable length manually operable actuator assembly positioned exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member and connected to the brace member and the wedge member exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member, wherein the actuator assembly defines a first end pivotably secured to the brace member and a second end pivotably secured to the wedge member, and wherein the manually operable actuator assembly includes a threaded rod and a manually operable rotatable threaded actuator engaged with the threaded rod, wherein rotation of the threaded actuator causes axial movement of the threaded rod relative to the threaded actuator for selectively varying the length of the actuator member between the first and second ends, wherein, when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage, rotation of the threaded actuator causes movement of the wedge member in a first direction within the guide recess along the exterior of the coupling member and into the hitch receiver passage and in a second direction along the exterior of the coupling member away from the hitch receiver passage, wherein the wedge member and the guide recess are configured so as to move the wedge member in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coupling member into engagement with one or more walls of the hitch receiver when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage and the threaded actuator is rotated to move the wedge member in the first direction. 11. The equipment carrier of claim 10, wherein the guide recess is located at a corner defined by the coupling member, and wherein the guide recess and wedge member are configured such that advancement of the wedge member in the first direction through the open end of the hitch receiver passage causes outward movement of the wedge member at the corner defined by the coupling member and into engagement with a corner defined by the walls of the hitch receiver and is operable to force one or more surfaces of the coupling member opposite the corner of the coupling member against one or more surfaces of the hitch receiver opposite the corner of the hitch receiver. 12. The equipment carrier of claim 10, further comprising a cross pin that extends through aligned openings in a pair of walls of the hitch receiver and through a transverse passage of the coupling member that is positioned between and aligned with the aligned openings of the pair of hitch receiver walls for fixing the axial position of the coupling member within the hitch receiver passage. 13. A method of securing an equipment carrier to a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a hitch receiver having a series of walls that define a hitch receiver passage having an open end, comprising the acts of: inserting a coupling member of the equipment carrier through the open end and into the hitch receiver passage, wherein the coupling member extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a brace member located exteriorly of the hitch receiver passage and spaced from the open end of the hitch receiver passage when the coupling member is inserted into the hitch receiver passage, wherein the brace member is offset from the longitudinal axis of the coupling member, and wherein the coupling member further includes a wedge member that is movable along an exterior defined by the coupling member; andmanually operating an actuator positioned exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member and connected to the brace member and the wedge member exteriorly of the hitch receiver and the coupling member, wherein when the coupling member is positioned within the hitch receiver passage, operation of the actuator moves the wedge member in a first direction along the exterior of the coupling member toward and into the open end of the hitch receiver passage and in a second direction along the exterior of the coupling member away from the open end of the hitch receiver passage, wherein the wedge member is configured so as to move in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis upon advancement of the wedge member in the first direction through the open end of the hitch receiver passage and into engagement with one or more of the hitch receiver walls. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of fixing the axial position of the coupling member relative to the hitch receiver passage. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the act of fixing the axial position of the coupling member relative to the hitch receiver passage is carried out by inserting a cross pin through aligned openings in a pair of walls of the hitch receiver and through a transverse passage of the coupling member that is positioned between and aligned with the aligned openings of the pair of hitch receiver walls. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the wedge member moves along the coupling member by moving the wedge member within a guide recess in the coupling member that defines a path of movement of the wedge member relative to the coupling member. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the guide recess is located at a corner defined by the coupling member, and wherein the guide recess and wedge member are configured such that advancement of the wedge member in the first direction through the open end of the hitch receiver passage causes outward movement of the wedge member at the corner defined by the coupling member and into engagement with a corner defined by the hitch receiver walls and is operable to force one or more surfaces of the coupling member opposite the corner of the coupling member against one or more surfaces of the hitch receiver walls opposite the corner of the hitch receiver. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of manually operating the actuator comprises selectively extending and retracting an actuator assembly connected between the wedge member and the brace member. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the act of selectively extending and retracting the actuator assembly is carried out via a variable length actuator member. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the act of manually operating the actuator is carried out using a threaded rod and a manually operable rotatable threaded actuator engaged with the threaded rod, wherein rotation of the threaded actuator causes axial movement of the threaded rod relative to the threaded actuator for selectively varying the length of the actuator member between the first and second ends.