Rotary pivot hitch extension system

1. A hitch, comprising:

a) a rotatable member which rotates about an axis of rotation;

b) a pivot element connected to said rotatable member, said pivot element having a pivot axis driven in a circular path about said axis of rotation by rotation of said rotatable member;

c) a retractably extendable member disposed between a first end and a second end, said second end rotatably coupled to said pivot element allowing rotation of said retractably extendable member about said pivot axis, whereby rotation of said rotatable member about said axis of rotation generates reciprocal travel in said retractably extendable member, said first end configured to provide or receive a hitch element which couples to a hitchable object; and

d) a hitch framework configured to mount to the surface of a hitch carrier, said framework further configured to locate said rotatable member, said pivot element and said retractably extendable member in operable relation, whereby rotation of said rotatable member about said axis of rotation generates extension and retraction of said first end of said retractably extendable member.

2. The hitch as described in claim 1 , wherein said rotatable member comprises a circular disk having said axis of rotation located generally on center and said pivot element coupled a distance radially outward of said axis of rotation.

3. The hitch as described in claim 2 , wherein said circular path of said pivot has a radius and wherein said retractably extendable member has a length each of said radius and said length sufficient to extend said first end of said retractably extendable member a distance outward of said framework sufficient to couple said first end to a hitchable object.

4. The hitch as described in claim 1 , wherein said hitch element is selected from the group consisting of: a hitch ball, a tow ball, a tow pin and jaw, and a tow pintle.

5. The hitch as described in claim 1 , wherein said hitch carrier is selected from the group consisting of: a vehicle, a car, a truck, and a tractor.

6. The hitch as described in claim 1 , wherein said hitchable object is selected from the group of: a vehicle, a trailer, a barrow, and a boat.

7. The hitch as described in claim 1 , wherein said framework includes a pair of mounting members coupled at opposed ends of a cross member, said pair of mounting members each configured to couple to a part of said hitch carrier to dispose said cross member in fixed relation to said hitch carrier.

8. The hitch as described in claim 7 , wherein said framework further includes an axle support member coupled to said cross member, an axle fixedly or rotatably journaled in said axle support about which said rotatable member rotates about said axis of rotation.

9. The hitch as described in claim 8 , further comprising a first pair of guide elements coupled to said cross member between which said retractably extendable member reciprocally travels, said first pair of guide elements restricting lateral movement of said retractably extendable member.

10. The hitch as described in claim 9 , further a second pair of guide elements disposed in fixed relation to said cross member between which said retractably extendable member reciprocally travels, said second pair of guide elements restricting vertical movement of said retractably extendable member.

11. The hitch as described in claim 10 , wherein at least one of said first pair of guide elements comprises a roller element.

12. The hitch as described in claim 10 , wherein at least one of said second pair of guide elements comprises a roller element.

13. The hitch as described in claim 2 , further comprising a drive assembly coupled to said rotatable member, said drive assembly comprising a driven element coupled to said rotatable member and a drive element engaged to said driven element which drives said pivot in a first direction in said circular path and in a second direction in said circular path to correspondingly extend and retract said retractably extendable member.

14. The hitch as described in claim 13 , wherein said driven element comprises a toothed sprocket and said drive element comprises a toothed gear.

15. The hitch as described in claim 14 , further comprising a driver which drives said toothed gear.

16. The hitch as described in claim 15 , further comprising a controller coupled to said driver which operates to control said first direction and said second direction in which said pivot element travels in said circular path.

17. A method of operating a hitch, comprising the steps of:

a) generating rotation in a rotatable member in a first direction about an axis of rotation;

b) driving a pivot axis of a pivot element connected to said rotatable member in a circular path about said axis of rotation in said first direction by rotation of said rotatable member; and

c) generating travel in an retractably extendable member having a second end rotatably coupled to said pivot element by driving said pivot axis of said pivot element in said circular path about said axis of rotation in said first direction to extend a first end of said retractably extendable member outwardly a distance toward a hitch position for coupling to a hitchable object.

18. The method of operating a hitch as described in claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:

a) generating rotation in a rotatable member in a second direction about said axis of rotation;

b) driving said pivot element coupled to said rotatable member in a circular path in said second direction by rotation of said rotatable member; and

c) generating travel in said retractably extendable member having said second end coupled to said pivot element by driving said pivot element in said circular path in said second direction to retract said first end of said retractably extendable member inwardly a distance toward a retracted condition.

19. The method of operating a hitch as described in claim 18 , further comprising the step of operating a drive assembly which generates rotation in a rotatable member in a first direction about an axis of rotation.

20. The method of operating a hitch as described in claim 19 , further comprising the step of controlling a drive element engaged with a driven element coupled to said rotatable member to generate rotation in said rotatable member in said first direction or said second direction.

21. The method of operating a hitch as described in claim 20 , wherein said step of controlling a drive element engaged with a driven element coupled to said rotatable member comprises controlling an electric motor having shaft which rotates a toothed gear matable with a toothed sprocket coupled to said rotatable member to generate rotation in said rotatable member in said first direction or said second direction.

22. The method of operating a hitch as described in claim 21 , further comprising the step of operating a lock assembly which fixes position of said rotatable element to maintain said first end of said retractably extendable member in said extended condition or in said retracted condition.