Backhoe assembly

Abstract

A backhoe assembly for securement to a common road vehicle, such as a pickup truck. The backhoe assembly includes a horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert for insertion and retention into the vehicle trailer hitch receiver and a rigid support column is provided having one end detachably secured to the vehicle rear bumper and the other end secured to the trailer hitch receiver insert. An articulatable backhoe arm is secured at its proximal end to the rigid support column for pivotal movement of the backhoe arm in vertical and horizontal directions. A drive is connected to the backhoe arm for articulating the backhoe arm whereby the work loads applied by the backhoe arm to the vehicle are equally born or supported by the vehicle trailer hitch receiver and the rear bumper.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A backhoe assembly for securement to the rear of a vehicle having a rear bumper and a single rearwardly extending arm providing a trailer hitch receiver located on a longitudinal centerline of said vehicle and fixedly secured in a rigid non-hingable manner to a frame of the vehicle in a horizontal direction of extension under said bumper, said backhoe assembly comprising;
 a horizontally extending rigid trailer hitch receiver insert for insertion and retention in said vehicle trailer hitch receiver;   a rigid support column having one end detachably securable to said vehicle rear bumper and another end thereof securable to said trailer hitch receiver insert;   an articulatable backhoe arm including an excavating bucket at its distal end and secured at its proximal end to said rigid support column for pivotal movement of said backhoe arm in vertical and horizontal directions; and   a drive connected to said backhoe arm for articulating said backhoe arm.   
     
     
         2 . The backhoe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said drive is a hydraulic drive including controls which are mounted on said rigid support column and accessible by an operator from a truck bed located above said rear bumper at the rear of said vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The backhoe assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said one end of said support column is adjustably extendable in a vertical direction for adjustable securement between said bumper and said receiver insert. 
     
     
         4 . The backhoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said receiver insert is adjustably securable in a horizontal direction in said hitch receiver. 
     
     
         5 . The backhoe assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said rigid support column is pivotally secured to said trailer hitch insert for vertical movement from horizontal to vertical, said rigid support column including a horizontal elongated bumper engagement angle iron plate extending across the rear of said vehicle at a right angle from said support column, said plate having pins extending downwardly on a bottom side of said angle iron plate for engaging corresponding pin sockets in an upper surface of said bumper, said angle iron plate adjustably movable along said support column for engagement and disengagement of said angle iron plate with said bumper. 
     
     
         6 . The backhoe assembly of  claim 5 , said plate secured to said support column with a screw drive to provide said adjustable movement.