Traction weights for light trucks and utility vehicles

[0002] This application claims benefit of Provisional No. 60/081,104 filed Apr. 8, 1998.

[0003] This invention relates to traction weights and more particularly to traction weights that can be added to the rear of light trucks and utility vehicles or any other vehicle to improve vehicle weight distribution when they are not transporting cargo or pulling trailers. The disclosure incorporates the traction weights for light trucks and utility vehicles and methods disclosed in provisional patent application 60/081,104, filed Apr. 8, 1998, whose priority is claimed for this application.

[0004] Light trucks and other utility vehicles are designed to haul cargo and to pull trailers. When these vehicles are empty they have a substantial portion of their total weight on their front wheels. The relatively small portion of their total weight that is carried on their rear wheels results in reduced rear wheel traction and a relatively rough ride. The reduced traction leads to increased tire wear and reduced fuel mileage. It may also lead to these vehicles having reduced stability or even becoming stalled in snow and ice conditions.

[0005] The operators of light trucks and utility vehicles have frequently added weight to cargo areas of these vehicles when operating such vehicles without cargo or a trailer. The addition of weight has been particularly common during the winter months in areas that have snowfall and ice conditions.

[0006] The addition of weight to the rear wheels of light trucks and utility vehicles helps keep them from becoming stuck in snow and ice, improves their ride characteristics, reduces tire wear, reduces stopping distance and increases fuel mileage. The addition of weights is not without problems however. The weights that are added may interfere with the transportation of other cargo. It has also been difficult to prevent added weights from moving around in the cargo area. Removal of traction weights, when they are not needed, has generally been somewhat difficult.

[0007] An object of the invention is to provide traction weights that are rigidly secured to the vehicle outside the cargo compartment. Another object of the invention is to provide traction weights that are easy to attach to and remove from a vehicle. A further object of the invention is to provide traction weights that lower the center of gravity of the vehicle. A still further object of the invention is to provide traction weights that can be easily adjusted to increase or decrease the weight to accommodate changing weather conditions. A yet still further object of the invention is to provide traction weights that are fully adjustable and adaptable to numerous vehicle makes and models. Another yet still further object of the invention is to provide traction weights that can be used in conjunction with traditional hitching systems while trailering.

[0008] The traction weight assembly is attached to a hitch commonly found on the rear of a vehicle. These hitches are attached to the rear frame of a vehicle and include a square tubular receptacle that is just below a standard rear bumper. The square tubular receptacle receives a square bar. The square bar is retained in the tubular receptacle by a retainer pin. A hitch ball of the desired size or a portion of a pintle hook hitch is mounted on the rear portion of the square bar.

[0009] The hitch receptacle receives a square weight bar, when employed to mount traction weights. This weight bar can be a solid member or a tubular member. The weight bar has a plurality of bores for a locking or retainer pin to adjust the length of the portion of the square weight bar that projects to the rear of the tubular receptacle. A spacer or plurality of spacers slide over the square weight bar and contact the rear surface of the square tubular receptacle. The spacer is optional, used primarily for adjustment and can be a rigid or resilient member. A plurality of cast iron weights with square apertures are slid onto the weight bar. A retainer plate may have a square boss that is inserted into the square aperture in the rearmost weight. A pair of bolts pass through bores through the retainer plate and screws into the rear of the weight bar or into a bar that passes through a passage through the weight bar. The bolts which can be of a locking variety, or may be used in combination with a locking washer, clamp the weights and spacers together between the retainer plate and the square tubular receptacle while loading the retainer pin. The spacer, which can be a hard rubber, a compression spring, Belleville washers or a rigid member that keeps the weights tight and thereby eliminates rattling and wear. The bolts that retain the weights can have a flat head that is recessed into the retainer plate if desired so the retainer plate provides a flat rear facing surface.

[0010] A molded plastic cover may be provided that slides over the weights and covers or encases the weights. This cover can be clamped to the weights by mechanical fasteners or it can be provided with a lid member that snaps into place.

[0011] The upper surface of the cover may be a non-skid surface that can serve as a step for climbing into a vehicle cargo compartment or for placing cargo on a rooftop cargo rack. A name or trademark may be applied to the rearward facing surface on the cover or to the retaining plate or weights if the cover is not used. The license plate can also be attached to the rear facing surface of the cover or to the weights if desired.

[0012] The number of traction weights can be changed by removing the plastic cover, removing the retainer plate, and removing the locking pin from the tubular receptacle and the square weight bar. The square weight bar is then moved rearwardly to a position in which it can receive and support additional traction weights or it is moved forward to a position in which the number of weights that can be received and supported is decreased. After the length of the weight bar portion extending to the rear of the tubular receptacle is adjusted, the locking pin is reinserted to secure the weight bar in place. The desired number of weights are then mounted on the weight bar, and the retainer plate is secured to the weight bar and tightened. The plastic cover is then put back in place and secured.

[0013] A longer square bar may be provided that extends from the square tubular receptacle on the vehicle through the spacers and weights and continues a selected distance rearward of the vehicle. A square tubular retainer slides over the longer square bar in a telescoping manner, compressing the weights and spacers between the square tubular receptacle and the square tubular retainer. A retaining pin passes through holes in both the longer square bar and the square tubular retainer, locking the weights in place. The resilient spacer becomes compressed keeping the weights tight and thereby eliminating rattle and wear. A hitch ball of the desired size or a portion of a pintle hook hitch is mounted on the rear portion of the square tubular retainer. Thus, allowing traction weight use in conjunction with traditional hitching systems while trailering.

[0014] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in light of the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a vehicle with a traction weight attached;

[0016] FIG. 2 is an expanded perspective view of the traction weight assembly;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the traction weight assembly taken along line 3—3 in FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 3 with a hitch ball added.

[0019] The utility vehicle 10, as shown in FIG. 1 has a cargo compartment 12, a rear bumper 14, a rear axle 16 and driven rear wheels 18. A hitch square tubular receptacle 20 is secured to the frame 21 of the vehicle 10, in a well known manner, and is positioned just below the bumper 14 and in the center of the vehicle.

[0020] A square weight bar 22 is telescopically received in the tubular receptacle 20 and is held in place by a locking or retainer pin 24 that passes through a retainer pin passage 25. A plurality of bores 26 through the weight bar 22 can receive the retainer pin 24 and vary the length of the weight bar extending to the rear of the rear surface 28 of the tubular receptacle 20. The weight bar with a square cross section can be a tubular member as shown in FIG. 3 or it can be a solid member as shown in FIG. 4.

[0021] A spacer 30 slides over the weight bar 22 and contacts the rear surface 28 of the tubular receptacle 20. The spacer 30 can be a rigid member or it can be a resilient member of hard rubber, a compression spring, Belleville washers or some similar device. The spacer 30 is made with an axial length that holds the forward weight 32 out of contact with the bumper 14. If a spacer 30 is not required to provide clearance between the forward weight 32 and the bumper 14, the spacer can be eliminated.

[0022] Traction weights 32 are provided with square apertures 34 that telescopically receive the weight bar 22 and slide forward into contact with the spacer 30 or the surface 28 of the receptacle 20. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the traction weights 32 have a length that is about one-fourth the width of the vehicle. The weights 32 can extend from one side of the vehicle to the other or they can be shorter than shown. The bottom surface 36 of each traction weight is at about the same vertical height as the bottom of the axle housings and above the bottom of the differential housing of the rear axle 16. The top surface 42 of each traction weight 32 is above the bottom 44 of the rear bumper 14. Each of the traction weights 32 weighs between 35 and 65 pounds. Cast iron is a suitable material for the weights 32 but they can also be steel or other suitable material. Each of the weights can also be made from two or more materials.

[0023] There are four traction weights 32 on the square weight bar 22 as shown in the drawing. The number of traction weights 32 that are actually used can vary to meet the requirements for improved traction. The rearmost traction weight 32 extends up to about one-half the thickness of each weight to the rear of the weight bar 22 as shown in FIG. 3. This provides space 45 for the weight retainer bolts 50 to compress the traction weights 32 and the spacer 30. The square apertures 34 cooperate with the square weight bar 22 to keep the traction weights 32 from moving about the axis of the receptacle 20. Tightening the weight retainer bolts 50 to clamp the traction weights 32 between the retainer plate 48 and the rear surface 28 on the tubular receptacle 20 keeps the traction weights 32 from rattling and moving around.

[0024] The heads of the bolts 50 can be recessed into the retainer plate 48 so that they do not protrude to the rear of the retainer plate if desired. The bolts 50 screw into threaded bores 51 in a pin 53 as shown in the drawing. The pin 53 is inserted into a passage 55 through the tubular weight bar 22 and is welded in place. If the bar 22 is a solid member, the threaded bores 51 would be in the bar.

[0025] The traction weights 32 and the retainer plate 48 can be coated with a material that resists oxidation or they could be chrome plated. The traction weight 32 can also be covered by a molded plastic cover. The plastic cover 52 can be a plurality of covers that encase each traction weight 32 and the retainer plate 48. The plastic cover may also cover only a portion of the traction weights 32. The plastic cover could also be two pieces including a front half with a front wall and a skirt and a rear half with a rear wall and a skirt that is telescopically received within the skirt of the front half. The upper surfaces 42 of the weights 32 or the molded plastic cover are preferably non-skid surfaces. Non-skid surfaces will allow the traction weights 32 to also serve as a step for entering the cargo compartment 12 or for placing cargo on a rooftop carrier.

[0026] The use of a resilient spacer 30, as described above, will provide some cushioning and reduce or eliminate damage that could result from the weights 32 being struck. The tension exerted on the weight bar 22 by the bolts 50 will tend to lock the retainer pin 24 in place. However, a cotter key or other securing device is also used to secure the retainer pin 24.

[0027] The longer square bar 22, shown in FIG. 4, extends from inside the square tubular receptacle 20 on the vehicle 10 through the spacer 30 and the weights 32 and continues a selected distance rearward of the weights. A square tubular retainer 60 is telescopically received on the rear portion of the weight bar 22. A bolt 62 passes through a plate 64 welded to the retainer 60 and screws into a threaded bore in the bar 22. The bolt 62 is tightened to compress the weights 32 and the spacer 30 until a retaining pin 66 can be inserted through aligned holes 68 and 70 through the tubular retainer 60 and the square bar 22. After the retaining pin 66 is inserted, the bolt 62 can be removed if desired. The resilient spacer 30 keeps the weights 32 tight thereby eliminating wear. A ball 72 for a ball hitch is secured to the plate 64. The ball 72 is used in combination with the weights 32 when pulling a lightweight trailer.

[0028] Preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail but are examples only and the invention is not restricted thereto. It will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can easily be made within the scope of this invention.