| 摘要 |
A compact integral locking means for receiver tube coupled type towing accessories such as fixed drop ball mounts, adjustable height ball mounts, towing bars, bicycle racks, cargo boxes, and many other receiver tube type towing accessories. The current invention provides a integral locking means for lockingly engaging or coupling a towing accessory within a receiver tube that is attached to a tow vehicle. The integral locking means comprises a slide pin, a slide pin actuation means, and a slide pin actuation control means or mechanism. The slide pin actuator control means controls the slide pin actuator means. the slide pin actuator means moves one or more slide pins from a locked or receiver tube coupled position to a unlocked or uncoupled position. When the integral key lock equipped towing accessory is locked or coupled to the receiver it can only be removed with the appropriate key and if equipped with a button or lever verses a keyed lock cylinder then the button or lever is used to engage or disengage the towing accessory from the receiver tube of the tow vehicle. Providing a towing accessory with a compact integral locking mechanism better deters the tampering with and or theft of the towing accessory and or attached trailer. In the preferred key lock embodiment of the invention, the towing accessory can only be inserted into the receiver tube when the key is in the lock cylinder and it is positioned in the unlocked position, the key can only be removed once the accessory has been successively coupled with the receiver tube and the key is in the locked or coupled key position.
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