CA2441358C - Vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A crossbar is affixed to an anchor member having a draw bar pointing forward for engagement into a hitch socket of a pickup truck. The crossbar has a pivot bracket affixed to the mid-point thereof, and a pair of hinge pins affixed to both ends thereof. A pair of spaced-apart ramp members are affixed to the hinge pins for angular movement thereof perpendicular to the crossbar. A mast is also movably affixed to the pivot bracket for angular movement thereof perpendicular to the crossbar between the ramp members, between a vertical position and a position below the ramp members in the deployed mode. A hitch arm extends from the mast and has a hitch clamp thereon for engagement with a hitch ball on a transportable vehicle, for retaining the transportable vehicle to the mast, to the draw bar and to the hitch socket of a pickup truck.

Description

TITLE: VEHICLE RAMP AND HITCH TIE-DOWN STRUCTURE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains to vehicle ramps for pickup trucks, and more particularly it pertains to a combination of a vehicle ramp and a hitch tie-down structure to load and to retain a transportable vehicle into the box of a pickup truck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
All-terrain-vehicles (ATVs) are often transported in the box of a pickup truck. Certain types of ATVs are longer than the truck box, and therefore the tailgate of the pickup truck is left open during the transport thereof thereby creating a hazardous condition. The prudent drivers use makeshift straps, ropes or chains to tie down the ATV to the truck box. The movements of the pickup truck, however, from the road conditions, from braking, accelerating and turning, cause the straps and ropes to loosen up.
Therefore the truck driver must stop periodically to check on the bindings.
These and other difficulties associated with the transport of all-terrain-vehicles in the box of a pickup truck have created a market demand for better equipment to facilitate the loading, unloading of such off road vehicles, and to easily tie these vehicles into the box of the pickup truck.
Most modern pickup trucks have a hitch socket with a square cross-section in which a draw bar is telescopically inserted and retained by a hitch pin.
This hitch socket is affixed to the frame of the pickup truck and constitutes a strong and convenient attachment point to retain a pair of ramp members behind a truck box. This hitch socket also constitutes a strong attachment point that can be used to tie down the hitch ball of an ATV to retain the ATV inside the truck box.
The prior art contains at least tu~o examples of portable ramps for loading an off road vehicle into the box of a pickup truck, wherein the upper ends of the ramp members are supported to the hitch socket of the pickup truck.
The prior art also contains at least one hitch tie-down structure joining the hitch ball of an off road vehicle to the hitch socket of the pickup truck.
This hitch tie-down structure, however, is used independently of the ramp members, and cannot be mounted in combination with the ramp members.
The ramp system must be removed before the hitch tie-down apparatus can be installed. Similarly, the hitch tie-down structure must be removed before the ramp system can be installed.
Examples of vehicle ramp systems mountable to the hitch socket of a pickup truck are as follows;
US 5,649,732 issued on July 22, 1997 to Jordan et al.;
US 6,250,874 issued on June 26, 2001 to Jeffrey M. Cross.
The hitch tie-down structure mentioned above is described in the US Patent US 6,036,417 issued on Mar. 14, 2000 to Danny C. Weaver.
It is believed that the prior art in general does not describe nor suggest a portable ramp system combined with a hitch tie-down structure having a common draw bar mountable to the hitch socket of a pickup truck. As such, it is believed that there continues to be a need for such a pickup truck loading accessory which can be easily articulated from a vehicle-loading mode to a vehicle-transport mode.

Moreover, it is believed that there continues to be a need for such a pickup truck loading accessory wherein the hitch tie-down structure can be installed prior to stowing the ramp members, or can be left in place until the ramp members are fully deployed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the present invention there is provided a crossbar extending across the width of the pickup truck adjacent the tailgate of the pickup truck. This crossbar is affixed to a draw bar engaged in the hitch socket of the pickup truck. A
pair of ramp members and a hitch tie-down structure are independently hinged to the crossbar and are independently usable for allowing the option of retaining a transported vehicle while the ramp members are being stowed or deployed.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure comprising an anchor member having a draw bar pointing horizontally in a forward direction for engagement into a hitch socket of a pickup truck, and a tubular socket affixed to the draw bar and extending vertically upward from the draw bar.
The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure also has a crossbar having an engagement stem extending vertically downward from a mid-point thereof and into the tubular socket of the anchor member for attachment to the tubular socket. This crossbar also has a pivot bracket affixed to the mid-point thereof, and a pair of hinge pins affixed to both ends thereof.
The pivot bracket and the hinge pins are spaced apart from each other and each has an articulation axis parallel with the crossbar.

A pair of spaced-apart ramp members are respectively affixed to one of the hinge pins for respective movement about the articulation axis ofthat hinge pin between a vehicle-loading mode extending substantially backward and a vehicle-transport mode extending substantially upward.
A mast is movably affixed to the pivot bracket for movement between the ramp members about the articulation axis of the pivot bracket, between a first position above the ramp members in the vehicle-loading mode and a second position below the ramp members in the same vehicle-loading mode.
A hitch arm extends from the mast and has a hitch clamp thereon for engagement with a hitch ball on a transportable vehicle, for retaining the transportable vehicle to the mast and to the draw bar.
In the present invention, the mast and the hitch arm are movable in a space between the ramp members without interfering with the operation of the ramp members. The mast and the hitch arm can be left in place to retain a transportable vehicle in the box of a pickup truck while the ramp members are being deployed, or can be engaged with a hitch ball on a transported vehicle before the ramp members are moved to a vehicle-transport mode.
The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure of the present invention is thereby safer to use than the equipment of the prior art.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the engagement stem and the tubular socket have series of holes there through and are adjustably retained to each other by a pin through some of these holes. This mounting arrangement is advantageous for allowing the positioning of the crossbar slightly above the tailgate of a pickup truck to create a wheel chock adjacent to the rear edge of the tailgate.

It will also be appreciated that such an adjustable mounting of the crossbar is convenience to adjust the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the present invention to various models of pickup trucks.
In another feature of the present invention, the hitch arm comprises a first sleeve enclosing a segment of the mast, and is thereby adjustable along the mast for easy engagement thereof with the hitch ball on a transported vehicle.
In yet another feature of the present invention, there is provided a first ramp-retaining bar affixed to the upper end of the mast and having latch pins thereon for engagement with and for retaining the ramp members in the vehicle-transport mode.
In a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a second ramp-retaining bar affixed to the mast for clamping the ramp members in the vehicle-transport mode against the first ramp-retaining bar. In this particular feature, both ramp-retaining bars are pivotally mounted on a bolt through the mast and are angularly movable about the bolt, for moving the mast between and below the ramp members prior to loading or unloading a vehicle, or for moving the ramp members from a vehicle-loading mode to the vehicle-transport mode when the hitch arm is engaged with the hitch ball of a vehicle in the truck box.
In yet a further feature of the present invention, there is provided a locknut on the bolt holding the ramp-retaining bars to the mast and a handle on that locknut, such that the locknut is workable without wrench for firmly clamping the ramp-retaining bars against the ramp members in the vehicle transport mode.

Still another feature of the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure of the present invention is that it is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labour, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consumer, thereby making such pickup truck accessory economically available to the public.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a pickup truck having the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention mounted thereon in a vehicle-loading mode;
FIG. 2 is another view of the pickup truck with the ramp members and the hitch tie-down structure in a vehicle-transport mode;
FIG. 3 is a perspective side view of the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the ramp members in the vehicle-loading mode and the hitch tie-down structure in the vehicle-transport mode;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the ramp-retaining bars and the mast of the hitch tie-down structure;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section side view of the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as seen substantially along line 5-5 in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 shows a partial side view of the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure shown in FIG. 5, with the hitch tie-down structure in the vehicle-loading mode;
FIG. 7 is a rear view of the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure with the ramp-retaining bars in a tilted position, in preparation for moving the hitch tie-down structure to the vehicle-loading mode.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will be described in details herein one specific embodiment, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated and described.
Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated therein mounted on the rear end of a pickup truck 22. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 is illustrated in a vehicle-loading mode in FIG. 1, and in a vehicle-transport mode in FIG. 2.
The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 is used for loading and unloading a small vehicle, such as an ATV 24 in the box of the pickup truck 22 and to retain the ATV 24 in the box during transport. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 mounts to the square-cross-section hitch socket 26 of the pickup truck 22 and is used with the tailgate 28 of the pickup truck 22 in the open position. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 is adjustable to various types of pickup trucks having a hitch socket 26 thereunder and to various types of small vehicles having a hitch device thereon.
The preferred vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure 20 comprises broadly an anchor member 30 having a portion thereof mountable into the hitch socket 26 of a pickup truck. A crossbar 32 is affixed to the anchor member 30 and extends along the width of the pickup truck. The crossbar 32 extends along the far edge of the tailgate 28 slightly above that edge such as to create a step to prevent an unattended wheeled vehicle from rolling backward off the tailgate 28. This step or wheel chock is better illustrated in FIG. 5.
The vehicle ramp portion of the present invention is made of a pair of upper ramp halves 34 retained to a pair of lower ramp halves 36 by a pair of central hinges 38. The upper ends of the upper ramp halves 34 are hinged to the crossbar 32 on a pair of hinge pins 40 affixed to the crossbar 32. A
pair of support legs 42 are movably affixed to the central hinges 38 such as to remain substantially vertical and to support the ramp halves 34, 36 above the ground in the vehicle-loading mode.
A mast 50 extends upward, in a vehicle-transport mode, from the crossbar 32 and supports on its upper end, a forward and rear ramp-retaining bars 52, 54. These bars 52, 54 are mountable in a forward and rear positions respectively of the ramp halves 34, 36 in the vehicle-transport mode, to retain the ramp halves vertically in this mode as illustrated in FIG. 2.

A hitch arm 60 extends from a first sleeve 62 loosely enclosing a segment of the mast 50. The forward end of the hitch arm 60 has a hitch ball clamp 64 thereon to engage over the hitch ball 66 of an ATV.
Although a hitch ball clamp 64 and a hitch ball 66 of an ATV are mentioned herein, it will be appreciated that only minor modifications to the hitch arm 60 of the preferred embodiment would be required to retain a hitch tongue or other hitch member on an ATV, a garden tractor, a golf cart or other off road vehicle. Therefore all means to engage with a hitch tongue, with a hitch pin, a hitch hook, or other hitch device on a transportable vehicle are also considered to be included in the scope of the present invention.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the articulation of the ramp halves 34, 36 will be explained in greater details. The upper ends of the upper ramp halves 34 are pivoted on a respective hinge pin 40 passing through tabs 68 affixed to the rear side of the crossbar 32.
The support legs 42 are made of telescoping parts and are adjustable in height by means of a pin 70 and a series of holes 72 through the telescoping parts. It will be appreciated that the support legs are adjusted to the height of the ground where the ATV is loaded or unloaded. The upper ends of the legs 42 are affixed to the central hinges 38. In the vehicle-transport mode, the support legs 42 are enclosed within the hollow structures (not shown) of the ramp halves 34, 36.
The forward ramp-retaining bar 52 has a pair of spring-actuated latch pins 74 mounted in tabs 76 on the rear side thereof. These latch pins 74 are positioned to engage in corresponding holes 78 on the side of the upper ramp halves 34, such that the upper ramp halves 34 are retainable in a vertical stowed position to the forward ramp-retaining bar 52.
The forward ramp-retaining bar 52 is threaded to a bolt 80 extending through the mast 50 and is held by that bolt to the forward side of the mast 50. The rear ramp-retaining bar 54 is pivotally mounted to the bolt 80 and is held to the rear side of the mast 50. In use, the rear ramp-retaining bar retains both pairs of ramp halves 34, 36 against the forward ramp-retaining bar 52. The bolt 80 has a handle 82 on its rear end for tightening and clamping both ramp-retaining bars 52, 54 against the ramp halves 34, 36.
A locknut 84 is also provided on the bolt 80 for locking a position of the bolt 80 against the mast 50 and for preventing a loosening of the ramp retaining bars 52, 54 during transport of the ATV. A handle 86 on that locknut 84 facilitates the stowing or the deployment of the ramp members without a wrench.
Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the structure and operation of the anchor member 30, the mast 50 and the hitch arm 60 will be explained in greater details.
Firstly, the anchor member 30 comprises a horizontal square-cross-section draw bar 90 which has dimensions to engage into a common hitch socket 26 of a pickup truck, and to be held therein by a hitch pin (not shown) as is customary with removable hitch bars. At the rear end of the draw bar 90 there is provided an auxiliary hitch socket 92 which has substantially the same dimensions as the truck's hitch socket 26, whereby an additional hitch bar (not shown) can be mounted therein for pulling a trailer behind the truck having the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the preferred embodiment mounted thereto.
The anchor member 30 also has a vertical tubular socket 94 affixed to the horizontal draw bar 90 by a brace 96 and a gusset 98. The vertical tubular socket 94 encloses a vertical engagement stem 100 extending perpendicularly downward from a midpoint on the crossbar 32. The vertical engagement stem 100 is adjustable in height along the vertical tubular socket 94 by means of a series of holes (not shown) therein, a similar series of holes 102 in the socket 94 and a hitch pin 104 inserted through some of these holes, as it is customary with adjustable telescopic members.
It will be appreciated that the crossbar 32 is thereby adjustable in height to adapt to different models of pickup trucks. Preferably, the crossbar 32 is adjusted to a position slightly above the tailgate 28, as shown in FIG. 5 to create a step above the tailgate, such as a wheel chock.
The base of the mast 50 is mounted in a pivot bracket 110 affixed to a mid-point along the rear side of the crossbar 32. This pivot bracket 110 has a pivot pin 112 and a lock pin 114 therein. The lock pin 114 is used to retain the mast SO in the upright position as illustrated in FIG. 5. In use, the lock pin 114 is removed to let the mast 50 pivot downward about the pivot pin 112, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The mast 50 is shown in the vehicle-transport mode in FIG. 5, and in the vehicle-loading mode in FIG. 6, where it is below the ramp members for not interfering with the movement of a transportable vehicle on the ramp members.
The hitch arm 60 is also made of hollow telescoping members and is adjustable in length by series of holes 116 and a hitch pin 118, to accommodate various models of transportable vehicles. For the same purpose, the hitch arm 60 is adjustable in height by means of the first sleeve 62 which has dimensions to allow a free movement thereof along the mast 50. A second sleeve 120 is mounted below the first sleeve 62 and is also freely movable along the mast 50. The second sleeve 120 is used for hammering the first sleeve 62 upward for loosening an engagement of the hitch ball clamp 64 over the ATV's hitch ball 66, if required. The second sleeve 120 is also used for releasing a settling grip between the first sleeve 62 and the mast 50, when needed.
A preferred procedure for lowering the mast 50 from a vehicle-transport mode to a vehicle-loading mode is described below with reference to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.
The forward and rear ramp-retaining bars 52, 54 are firstly tilted about the bolt 80 to a position along the mast 50, substantially as illustrated in FIG.
7. The lock pin 114 is then removed from the pivot bracket 110 and the mast 50 is pivoted downward about the pivot pin 112, between the ramp members 34, until the hitch arm 60 is below the ramp members, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 6. During the lowering of the mast 50, the forward and rear ramp-retaining bars 52, 54 are tilted back toward a horizontal alignment, substantially as illustrated in FIGS.1 and 6, as soon as they pass under the ramp members 34, to allow the mast 50 to pivot downward as far as possible.
It will be appreciated that the vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure according to the preferred embodiment is compact in size in the vehicle-transport mode, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and is then easily mountable to or removable from the hitch socket 26 of a pickup truck.

In order to ensure completeness of the present specification and to enable any person skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, to make and use the invention, the following preferred dimensions are provided. The crossbar 32 has a length of approximately 48 inches. The ramp members 34, 36 have a respective width of approximately 12 inches and are spaced apart a distance of approximately 24 inches. The ramp-retaining bars 52, 54 have a length of about 32 inches.
As to other specification and other manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description 1 Q and accompanying drawings, and accordingly further discussion relative to these aspects of the invention would be considered repetitious and is not provided.
While one embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein above, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications, alternate constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope ofthe invention.
Therefore, the above description and the illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure comprising;
an anchor member having a draw bar pointing horizontally in a first direction, for engagement into a hitch socket of a pickup truck, and a tubular socket affixed to said draw bar and extending vertically upward from said draw bar;
a crossbar having a mid-point and an engagement stem extending vertically downward from said mid-point and into said tubular socket for attachment to said tubular socket; said crossbar also having a pivot bracket affixed to said mid-point and a pair of hinge pins affixed to both ends thereof, said pivot bracket and said hinge pins being spaced apart from each other and each having an articulation axis parallel therewith;
a pair of spaced-apart ramp members respectively affixed to one of said hinge pins for respective movement about said articulation axis of said hinge pin between a vehicle-loading mode extending substantially away from said first direction, and a vehicle-transport mode extending substantially vertically upward;
a mast movably affixed to said pivot bracket for movement between said ramp members about said articulation axis of said pivot bracket, between a first position above said ramp members in said vehicle-loading mode and a second position below said ramp members in said vehicle-loading mode, and a hitch arm extending from said mast and having a hitch clamp means thereon for engagement with a hitch device on a transportable vehicle, for retaining said transportable vehicle to said draw bar.

2. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement stem and said tubular socket have holes there through and said engagement stem is adjustably retained in said tubular socket by means of a pin through some of said holes.

3. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hitch arm comprises a first sleeve enclosing a first segment of said mast.

4. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a second sleeve loosely enclosing a second segment of said mast adjacent said first segment.

5. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hitch arm has means for adjusting a length thereof.

6. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first ramp-retaining bar affixed to said mast and having means for retaining said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode.

7. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a bolt extending through said mast and said first ramp-retaining bar is threaded to said bolt.

8. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a second ramp-retaining bar pivotally mounted to said bolt for clamping said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode against said first ramp-retaining bar.

9. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a handle on said bolt for working said bolt.

10. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a locknut on said bolt for locking a position of said bolt against said mast, and a second handle on said locknut for working said locknut.

11. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein said first and second ramp-retaining bars have a respective length of about 32 inches, said cross-bar has a length of about 48 inches, said ramp members are spaced apart a distance of about 24 inches, and said ramp-retaining bars are angularly movable about said bolt relative to said mast.

12. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pivot bracket comprises a lock pin for selectively locking an angular position of said mast therein about said articulation axis of said pivot bracket.

13. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said ramp members comprises an upper ramp half and a lower ramp half and a central hinge joining said upper and lower ramp halves.

14. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a support leg extending from said central hinge for supporting said upper and lower ramp halves above the ground in said vehicle-loading mode.

15. The vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary hitch socket extending from said draw bar.

16. In combination, a vehicle ramp for attachment to a pickup truck having a horizontal hitch socket thereon for moving a transportable vehicle into the box of said pickup truck, said vehicle ramp having an upper end, a forward direction and a horizontal draw bar on said upper end pointing toward said forward direction for engagement into said horizontal hitch socket, and a hitch tie-down structure having means for tying a hitch device on a transportable vehicle to said horizontal draw bar on said vehicle ramp when said transportable vehicle is loaded in said pickup truck and said horizontal draw bar is engaged in said horizontal hitch socket; said vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure comprising;
a horizontal crossbar affixed to said horizontal draw bar at right angle with said horizontal draw bar and having a pivot bracket affixed to a mid-point thereof and a pair of hinge pins affixed to both ends thereof, said pivot bracket and said hinge pins being spaced apart from each other and each having an articulation axis parallel therewith;
a pair of spaced-apart ramp members respectively affixed to one of said hinge pins for respective movement about said articulation axis of said hinge pin between a vehicle-loading mode extending backward and a vehicle-transport mode

17 extending vertically, and said means for tying a hitch device comprising a mast movably affixed to said pivot bracket for movement about said articulation axis of said pivot bracket between said ramp members, between a first position above said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode and a second position below said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode.
17. The combination as claimed on claim 16, wherein said means for engagement with said hitch device comprises a sleeve loosely enclosing a segment of said mast for movement along said mast, and an arm extending from said sleeve at right angle from said mast.

18. The combination as claimed in claim 16, wherein said pivot bracket comprises a lock pin for selectively retaining said mast in said first position.

19. In combination, a pickup truck having a hitch socket thereon, a transportable vehicle mounted in the box of said pickup truck, a vehicle ramp affixed to said pickup truck for moving said transportable vehicle in and out of said box, said ramp having an upper end and a draw bar on said upper end pointing forward and engaged into said hitch socket, and a hitch tie-down structure tying a hitch device on said transportable vehicle to said draw bar; said vehicle ramp and hitch tie-down structure comprising;
a horizontal crossbar affixed to said draw bar at right angle with said draw bar, a pivot bracket affixed to a mid-point thereof and a pair of hinge pins affixed to both ends thereof, said pivot bracket and said hinge pins being spaced apart from each other and each having an articulation axis parallel therewith;

a pair of spaced-apart ramp members respectively affixed to one of said hinge pins for respective movement about said axis of said hinge pin between a vehicle-loading mode extending backward and a vehicle-transport mode extending upward;
a mast movably affixed to said pivot bracket for movement about said articulation axis of said pivot bracket between said ramp members, between a first position above said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode and a second position below said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode, and a hitch arm extending between said mast and said hitch device on said transportable vehicle for retaining said transportable vehicle in said box of said pickup truck.

20. The combination as claimed in claim 19, further comprising a ramp-retaining bar affixed to said mast and having latch means for retaining said ramp members in said vehicle-transport mode.