US Patent 11597330 Support trough

An equipment hauling apparatus for a vehicle comprises a tang assembly with a longitudinal portion having through-apertures for a typical receiver hitch and a vertical portion for holding a strut assembly. The strut attaches to a transverse trough for holding the equipment. The trough has sidewalls and a floor and cutouts which pass through these features. The ends of the trough have tabs with a lead-in angle for centering the equipment as it is loaded into the trough. The tabs have holes for receiving latch pins to lock the equipment within the trough for transport, and the latch pins are loosely attached to the trough by lanyards to prevent their misplacement. The strut and trough elevation is adjustable at its connection to the tang.