Did You Know...
...that the video game, Pong, was invented by a guy who graduated at the bottom of his engineering class? Nolan Bushnell spent more time running the games at a local amusement park than he did on his studies at the University of Utah. His dreams of working for Disney's amusement empire were dashed when the company wouldn't hire him. Taking a boring job, Nolan daydreamed about electronic versions of popular games. He invented Pong, the first video game, and went on to found Atari Co.
PatentStorm News
Make the Most of Our Site
See this month's Top Inventors and Most Cited Patents.
Stay on top of the latest innovations by subscribing to an RSS feed.
Registered users: Manage your profile.
| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7422226 | Anti-sway trailer hitch An anti-sway trailer hitch connection is provided for use between a towing vehicle and a trailer and includes structure whereby slight left and right lateral movement of the forward end of the towing vehicle will not be translated into right and left lateral movemen... | 09/09/2008 |
| 7367406 | Innovative hitch system with hydraulic pump A hydraulic system for an attachment for a tractor is disclosed. The hitch has a frame having a top member and a bottom member. The top and bottom members are joined together by a pair of side members forming a structure with an orifice. Each of the top and bottom m... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7334606 | Valve tester suspension enhancements A valve tester assembly is disclosed that includes an articulated arm assembly having a first end and a second end, with the second end of the articulated arm assembly being movable away from and toward the first end such that when the first end of the articulated a... | 02/26/2008 |
| 7318698 | Lift/transporter for small vehicle A tow lift apparatus for a towing vehicle includes a pair of vertically aligned and horizontally and fore-to aft oriented receiver hitches fixedly secured to the rear of the towing vehicle; a lift releasably connected to the receiver hitches, the lift connected to a... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7275754 | Support structure for a hitch ball Support structure (1) for a hitch ball (61) and a depressor (62), wherein a fastening mechanism (2) is provided for securement to a carrier (81) by means of quick-action coupling. ... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7274813 | Defect inspection method and apparatus A method of inspecting defects of a plurality of patterns that are formed on a substrate to have naturally the same shape. According to this method, in order to detect very small defects of the patterns with high sensitivity without being affected by irregular brigh... | 09/25/2007 |
| 7264260 | Adjustable hitch A quick attach/detach adjustable hitch which allows the operator of a towing vehicle to connect to a trailer without leaving the driver seat. The preferred embodiment includes a lifting carriage connected within a frame by a hydraulic cylinder. Guiding members are u... | 09/04/2007 |
| 7261313 | Towing mechanism A towing mechanism for a vehicle is disclosed having an axle and wheel assembly, the towing mechanism including at least one of a linkage and a stabilizer to militate against a rocking motion of the towing mechanism and maximize stability. ... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7243966 | Vehicle cargo bed extension device A portable component assembly device for extending the length of the pickup bed for hauling objects longer than the bed of the pickup is adapted to the receiver hitch attached to the rear end of a pickup with a primary support bar inserted within the receiver hitch ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7219915 | Trailer ball raising and lowering apparatus A trailer ball raising and lowering apparatus includes vehicle attachment means, a first hitch-support unit connected to the vehicle attachment means, a raisable and lowerable second hitch-support unit, continuously movable first-to-second connector means connected ... | 05/22/2007 |
| 7152883 | Ballast assembly for vehicles A ballast assembly for vehicles is mounted on one vehicle portion to balance the vehicle and counterbalance the weight of an implement such as a snowplow assembly on another portion of the vehicle. The ballast assembly includes a ballast member having a predetermine... | 12/26/2006 |
| 7137643 | Anti-sway trailer hitch An anti-sway trailer hitch connection is provided for use between a towing vehicle and a trailer and includes structure whereby slight left and right lateral movement of the forward end of the towing vehicle will not be translated into right and left lateral movemen... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7125033 | Towing apparatuses Towing apparatuses suited for use with, for example, three-point hitches or quick hitches. At least some of the present towing apparatuses include a male hitch member that is positioned such that a force acting through the male hitch member (such as a force transmit... | 10/24/2006 |
| 7100704 | Implement mounting trailer An implement support unit for cooperating with an implement-mounting device for an implement for mounting the implement on a trailer unit. Preferably, the support unit is a three point hitch type support unit. ... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7097408 | Personal pontoon watercraft transport rack A rack for transporting personal pontoon watercraft. The rack has an anchor member which inserts in a standard trailer hitch receptacle and a support structure to which the watercraft is attached. Pivoting embodiments also have a pivot hinge which provides for the s... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7040644 | Hydraulic three point hitch A combination of a tractor hydraulic arm assembly and a hitch adapter installed between the two arms of the arm assembly, the hitch adapter consisting of a length of “U” shaped steel channel, having a plurality of holes formed in the top surface, with trailer hi... | 05/09/2006 |
| 7029019 | Attachment for a host vehicle for moving a selected item The present invention is an attacher having a receiver extending rearward and a boom extending upward and rearward from a base. One or more connectors, such as a gooseneck hitch or a hook, can be at the distal end of the boom. The boom is supported by a pair of bent... | 04/18/2006 |
| 7011328 | Transversely extending pivotal hitch mechanism Apparatus and method for applying temporary raised pavement markers (TRPM) to roadway surfaces comprises a conveyor upon a wheeled vehicle wherein an upstream end portion of the conveyor is able to extend, for example, over the rear bed portion of a roadwork vehicle... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6979015 | Trailer hitch assembly and method A trailer hitch or hitch bar adapter that simultaneously holds two balls in an upright, usable position. The hitch or hitch bar adapter holds one ball at a first height and a second ball at a second height different from the first. The two balls can be the same or d... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6837510 | Pinball hitch A hitch couples alternatively through either a ball or an implement pin. The implement pin is provided at a first elevation which is substantially below the ball coupling, which preserves optimum coupling heights for the different nature of towed vehicles. The pin c... | 01/04/2005 |
| 6796384 | Implement mounting fixture The present invention provides an implement mounting fixture for mounting an implement to a work machine. The implement mounting fixture includes a frame having a hitch tube for mounting to a work machine. A pair of upper lift arms extend outwardly from the frame on... | 09/28/2004 |
| 6733028 | Towing mechanism A towing mechanism (10) for a vehicle having an independent axle and wheel assembly and a linkage for adjusting the height of the towing mechanism (10) to accommodate a variety of trailers, whereby the towing mechanism (10) militates against the... | 05/11/2004 |
| 6729636 | Utility vehicle hitch device A utility vehicle hitch device for securing an utility attachment to a utility vehicle. The utility vehicle hitch device includes a mounting portion being designed for being coupled to the utility vehicle. A stanchion portion is coupled to the mounting portion where... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6283489 | Anti-sway control device for trailers An apparatus for reducing the sway of a trailer includes a first portion that is attached to a towing vehicle at any of several locations including an end portion of a receiver hitch, a bumper, a frame or body member, or by the use of a modified type of a... | 09/04/2001 |
| 6227304 | Upper hitch link A work vehicle includes a front, first and second opposite sides extending rearwardly from the front, first and second lower links extending forward the front and an upper link above and between the first and second lower links. The first and second lower... | 05/08/2001 |
| 6155587 | Trailer hitch safety apparatus A trailer hitch safety apparatus which prevents the trailer from becoming disconnected from the towing vehicle when the trailer becomes disconnected from the primary trailer hitch. The apparatus includes a first stud, the first stud being connected to the... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6129371 | Dual level hitch A dual level hitch adapted to be connected to the front or rear of a vehicle. The hitch is provided with an upper and lower receiver adapted to receive either a ball mount or a platform for storing cargo. The upper and lower receivers are connected togeth... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6126189 | Trailer hitch apparatus A new trailer hitch apparatus for hitching a trailer to a vehicle so that the trailer is in a level state when hitched. The inventive device includes a vertical member coupled to a horizontal member. A securing arm member and a hitching cap member are cou... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6119789 | Implement tracking hitch Hitch for interconnecting a tractor to a towed implement such as a sprayer, operated by a power takeoff (PTO) of the tractor. The hitch has a turning axis located close to the front of the implement, and a universal joint in the PTO shall be in vertical a... | 09/19/2000 |
| 5947504 | Trailer hitch safety apparatus A trailer hitch safety apparatus which prevents the trailer from becoming disconnected from the towing vehicle when the trailer becomes disconnected from the primary trailer hitch. The trailer hitch safety apparatus of the invention includes a stud holdin... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5740930 | Connecting mechanism for connecting a mobile unit to a basic unit A connecting mechanism for connecting a functional part of a mobile unit to a basic unit. The mobile unit consists of a mobile bottom part provided with compression springs on which the functional part rests. The functional part is provided with connectin... | 04/21/1998 |
| 5707072 | Receiver hitch system for all-terrain sport vehicles A receiver hitch system for all-terrain sport vehicles includes a rigid mast assembly attaching to a two-point receiver hitch at the rear of the vehicle. A lower receiver hitch is attached to a non-suspended axle of the ATV, and an upper receiver hitch at... | 01/13/1998 |
| 5704432 | Coupling and centering device for attachment to a journal used in connecting the lower steering arm of a three point hitch of a tractor A coupling and centering device is attached to a journal (38) of a carrying frame (37) of an agricultural implement. The coupling and centering device has a catching ball (7) and a catching profile (14). The catching profile (14) has a sleeve (15) and a c... | 01/06/1998 |
| 5595131 | Flexible and resilient supports for a grain box The present invention is directed to a flexible and resilient intermediate support member for supporting the grain box of a grain drill. The intermediate support member comprises a vertical frame member rigidly secured to the grain box and a horizontal fr... | 01/21/1997 |
| 5588232 | Vehicle linkage A linkage for coupling a vehicle to a ground-engaging implement consists of two links, the first link being connected at one end to the vehicle such that it can pivot both around the longitudinal axis of the link and around a line transverse to that axis ... | 12/31/1996 |
| 5441117 | Coupling hook for the lower steering arms of a three-point attaching device of a tractor A coupling hook (5) for the lower steering arms (3) of a three-point attaching device of a tractor has a hook body (6) with a locking pawl (7). The pawl (7) is spring-loaded in the direction of the locking position. The locking pawl (7) is arranged in a r... | 08/15/1995 |
| 5364117 | Method and apparatus for connecting a tow vehicle to a trailer having a front axle assembly which pivots about a verticle axis A method of connecting a tow vehicle to a trailer having a front axle assembly which pivots about a vertical axis. The method includes the following steps which will be hereinafter described. Firstly, position a drawbar assembly between the tow vehicle an... | 11/15/1994 |
| 5348329 | Trailer with combined towing and centering devices The trailer including a main towing device movable by articulation and sliding, from top to bottom, from front to rear and from right to left to facilitate hitching the trailer to the back of a motor vehicle using a conventional ball-type trailer hitch in... | 09/20/1994 |
| 5245771 | Trailable snow plow for off road use The disclosure relates to a road transportable, adjustable or non-adjusta width trailable plow which is adapted to be pulled by a tow vehicle, a four bar linkage interconnects the plow with the tow vehicle allowing the plow to yaw with respect to the veh... | 09/21/1993 |
| 5052707 | Torque linkage bisector centring mechanism A centering mechanism for a tunnel of an articulated vehicle includes a pair of control members connected to opposite ends of a transversely extending arm. The members extend to transverse links that connect spaced portions of the adjacent vehicle bodies ... | 10/01/1991 |
