Claims
- 1. A hitch assembly for securing an animal harness to a vehicle, comprising:
a first frame member adapted to be secured to the animal harness; and a second frame member releasably secured to the first frame member, the second frame member being adapted to be secured to the vehicle.
- 2. The hitch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a release assembly, wherein:
the release assembly being positionable between a secured position and a released position, the first frame member is secured to the second frame member when the release assembly is positioned in the secured position, and the first frame member is separable from the second frame member when the release assembly is positioned in the released position.
- 3. The hitch assembly of claim 2, wherein:
the release assembly comprises a pin positionable between a pin-engaged position and a pin-disengaged position, the first frame member is secured to the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the pin-engaged position, and the first frame member is separable from the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the pin-disengaged position.
- 4. The hitch assembly of claim 3, wherein:
the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto, the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and the pin is positioned in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube when the pin is positioned in the pin-engaged positioned.
- 5. The hitch assembly of claim 3, further comprising a strap securing the pin to one of the first and second frame members.
- 6. The hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the first frame member has a number of harness-receiving openings defined therein, the second frame member has a locking assembly secured thereto, and the locking assembly is operable to secure the second frame member to the vehicle.
- 7. The hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein:
the vehicle comprises a sulky having a shaft extending therefrom, the second frame member has a locking assembly secured thereto, and the locking assembly is operable to secure the second frame member to the shaft of the sulky.
- 8. A method of operating a hitch assembly to release an animal harness from a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
decoupling a first frame member of the hitch assembly from a second frame member of the hitch assembly; and moving the first frame member relative to the second frame member such that the first frame member is spaced apart from the second frame member.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein during both the decoupling step and the moving step:
the first frame member is secured to the animal harness, and the second frame member is secured to the vehicle.
- 10. The method of claim 8, wherein:
the hitch assembly comprises a release assembly, and the decoupling step comprises moving the release assembly from a secured position in which the first frame member is secured to the second frame member to a released position in which the first frame member is separable from the second frame member.
- 11. The method of claim 8, wherein:
the release assembly comprises a pin, and the decoupling step comprises moving the pin from a pin-engaged position in which the first frame member is secured to the second frame member to a pin-disengaged position in which the first frame member is separable from the second frame member.
- 12. The method of claim 8, wherein:
the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto, the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and the decoupling step comprises removing a pin from the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
- 13. The method of claim 8, wherein:
the vehicle comprises a sulky having a shaft extending therefrom, the second frame member has a locking assembly secured thereto, the locking assembly is operable to secure the second frame member to the shaft of the sulky, the first frame member is secured to the animal harness during both the decoupling step and the moving step, and the second frame member is secured to the shaft of the sulky during both the decoupling step and the moving step.
- 14. A hitch assembly for coupling a horse harness to a shaft of a sulky, comprising:
a first frame member having a number of harness-receiving openings defined therein; and a second frame member releasably secured to the first frame member, the second frame member having a locking assembly secured thereto which is operable to secure the second frame member to the shaft of the sulky.
- 15. The hitch assembly of claim 14, further comprising a pin, wherein:
the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto, the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and the first frame member is secured to the second frame member when the pin is positioned in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube, and the first frame member and the second frame member are movable relative to one another when the pin is removed from the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
- 16. The hitch assembly of claim 14, wherein the number of harness-receiving openings are configured to receive the horse harness so as to secure the first frame member to the horse harness.
- 17. A method of operating a hitch assembly to selectively secure and release a horse harness from a shaft of a sulky, comprising the steps of:
securing the hitch assembly to the horse harness and the shaft of the sulky such that (i) a first frame member of the hitch assembly is coupled to the horse harness, and (ii) a second frame member of the hitch assembly is coupled to the shaft of the sulky; decoupling the first frame member from the second frame member; and moving the first frame member relative to the second frame member such that the first frame member is spaced apart from the second frame member.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the horse harness is freely movable relative to the shaft of the sulky during the moving step.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein during both the decoupling step and the moving step:
the first frame member is coupled to the horse harness, and the second frame member is coupled to the shaft of the sulky.
- 20. The method of claim 18, wherein:
the first frame member has a first hollow tube secured thereto, the second frame member has a second hollow tube secured thereto, and the securing step comprises positioning a pin in the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the decoupling step comprises removing the pin from the first hollow tube and the second hollow tube.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/305,829 filed Jul. 16, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60305829 |
Jul 2001 |
US |