"That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?"
President Rutherford B. Hayes ; Said in 1876, after Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone to him at the White House
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7971895 | Trailer hitch and rear structure having trailer hitch for vehicle A trailer hitch is disclosed, which is configured to be provided at a rear part of a vehicle. The trailer hitch of the invention includes a pair of hitch side members. Each of the hitch side members including a mounting part and a cross member installation part. The... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7971896 | Towing hitch apparatus and method A towing hitch assembly for use with a vehicle and method is provided and includes a towing hitch frame structure, the towing hitch frame structure having a front surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface. The front surface can be configured to face away from the... | 07/05/2011 |
| 7946607 | System for attaching a tree stand to an ATV A system attaches a hunter's tree stand to an ATV in order to allow the ATV to easily tow the tree stand. A bracket is removably attached to the rear deck of the ATV, the bracket having a receiver/. A coupler is removably attached to the tree stand and is removably ... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7823903 | Portable draft bar assembly A portable draft bar assembly including an end bracket configured to be mounted to a plurality of bucket attachment types of various machinery, and a main bar having a first end configured to be selectively coupled to the end bracket and a second end configured to r... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7758060 | Integrated tow hook and bumper mounting bracket An integrated tow hook and vehicle bumper mounting bracket assembly including a mounting bracket including a frame mounting surface and a bumper mounting surface. A vehicle bumper assembly may be removably securable to the bumper mounting surface of the mounting bra... | 07/20/2010 |
| 7717454 | Adaptable drawbar support assembly The invention relates to a drawbar support assembly. There is a need for a drawbar support assembly which can adapt to different types of drawbars. An adaptable drawbar support assembly includes a generally U-shaped front support member for coupling to and supportin... | 05/18/2010 |
| 7549668 | Integral hitch and beam A unitary or integral hitch and beam, which is a single unit that can be installed on vehicles of varying dimensions. The integral hitch and beam may reduce manufacturing time, weight, and parts, thus reducing cost of vehicles with hitches. The beam is cut to length... | 06/23/2009 |
| 7300080 | Bumper system A bumper system having a bumper running transverse to the longitudinal direction of a vehicle and at least one connecting element mounted thereon for the purpose of attaching the bumper to a vehicle, in particular to a longitudinal beam of a passenger car. The conne... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7290783 | Towing apparatus with energy absorber A towing apparatus mounted to a frame of a vehicle includes a receiver and an energy management device. The receiver is operably connected to the energy management device and the energy management device is operably connected to the vehicle frame. When the receiver ... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7291017 | Power interface device for trailer hitches A power adaptor includes an elongated and portable body having a pair of axially opposed end portions. The body includes a pair of diametrically offset L-shaped arms protruding outwardly therefrom. Another of the body end portions and the L-shaped arms define a plur... | 11/06/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7267354 | Towing device The present invention relates to a towing device which can be attached to a vehicle, in order to tow a heavy equipment vehicle, such as a tractor. The towing device includes a towbar hitch having two ends, a first end which attaches to a towing vehicle and a second ... | 09/11/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7234905 | Apparatus for attaching a hitch to a vehicle An apparatus for attaching a hitch to a vehicle is provided. The apparatus includes a pin rotatably mountable to the hitch and having a handle for rotating the pin. A receptacle formed in the vehicle receives the pin. A locking site defined by a channel is formed in... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7222873 | Tow hook hitch assembly A tow hook hitch assembly attaches to one or both of the front tow hooks provided on a four wheel drive vehicle for mounting a tow ball, winch, or other accessory to the front end of the vehicle. The tow hook hitch includes an upper member extending above the tow ho... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7222510 | Systems and methods for manufacturing a drop bar Systems and methods for using an extrusion, forging, casting and/or machining process to provide an aluminum hitch component with increased strength that eliminates encumbrances, such as rusting and fusing, associated with traditional hitch components. Accordingly, ... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7216410 | Apparatus for installing an optional element to a bicycle An apparatus is disclosed for installing an optional element to a portion of a frame of a bicycle. The apparatus includes an insert formed on the optional element and a socket extending from the portion of the frame of the bicycle in a longitudinal direction of the ... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7216886 | Trailer coupling In order to provide a trailer coupling for motor vehicles comprising a bearing element, a towing element which can be pivoted in relation to the bearing element between an operative position and a rest position and displaced in the direction of the pivot axis betwee... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7207590 | Towing hook mounting structure for vehicle A towing hook mounting structure for a vehicle comprises a bumper reinforcement extending in a width direction of the vehicle and including a front surface, a back surface, a top surface and an under surface, a hook mounting member to which a towing hook is fixed, a... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7195262 | Hitch-mounted step for a vehicle and method therefor A hitch-mounted step for a vehicle that extends beyond a deployed fold-down tailgate of a vehicle and allows people and pets to more easily enter and exit the rear cargo area of a vehicle. The hitch-mounted step is easily stored and deployed without the need to remo... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7188848 | Anti-jack-knife trailer hitch and trailer A hitch assembly for mounting to a trailer to form an interface between the trailer and a towing vehicle, with the trailer having a trailer deck and at least one wheel for ground support, said hitch assembly including a generally horizontally oriented cross member; ... | 03/13/2007 |
| 7168727 | Invertible gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism An invertible gooseneck trailer hitch mechanism is provided. A frame supports a housing having an opening therein for receiving a hitch member in an upright use position or in inverted storage position. A base portion of the hitch member has a circumscribing groove ... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7156411 | Hitch assembly A hitch assembly for mounting to a frame assembly of a vehicle comprises a one-piece hitch mounting structure having a general U-shape with opposing end portions and a centrally disposed intermediate portion between the end portions. A hitch receiver is mounted to t... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156433 | Bumper with energy absorber forming useful features A bumper system for a vehicle comprises a beam having a face and having mounts adapted for mounting to a vehicle frame, and an energy absorber engaging the face and having end sections located outboard of ends of the beam, the energy absorber being made of a structu... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7156412 | Systems and methods for providing an aluminum bar for towing Systems and methods for using an extrusion, forging, casting and/or machining process to provide an aluminum hitch component with increased strength that eliminates encumbrances, such as rusting and fusing, associated with traditional hitch components. Accordingly, ... | 01/02/2007 |
| 7131659 | Hitch The present invention is a hitch for coupling a towing vehicle to a vehicle to be towed. In one embodiment, the hitch comprises a receiver portion having a channel operably configured to receive an insert member and a connection portion disposed adjacent to the rece... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7121574 | Pin box assembly having interchangeable hitch couplers A pin box for connecting a trailer to a tow vehicle includes a hollow receiver tube attached to a pair of support beams positioned on opposite sides of the receiver tube. A forward mounting bracket for attaching the pin box to a frame of the trailer is disposed betw... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7118053 | Mounting assembly for supporting a hopper and a spreading mechanism on a vehicle The subject invention provides a mounting assembly (10) for supporting a hopper (16) and a spreading mechanism (12) on a vehicle (14) for carrying and spreading a material. A spreader frame (18) supports the hopper (16) and ... | 10/10/2006 |
| 7114741 | Multi-fit hitch assembly with selectively positionable mounting flanges The present invention relates to a trailer hitch receiver including a cross member, a first mounting flange carried on the cross member between the midpoint and a first end thereof and a second mounting flange carried on the cross member between the midpoint and a s... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7100936 | Universal motor vehicle trailer hitch A trailer hitch (20) for attachment onto a motor vehicle for pulling a trailer. The hitch (20) consists of a pair of forward and aft mounting brackets (22 and 24) that are connected into existing holes in the vehicle's frame. Each mountin... | 09/05/2006 |
| 7070217 | Collision energy-absorbing device A collision energy-absorbing device includes a body member connected between the frame assembly of a motor vehicle and a bumper beam. The body member collapses as the bumper beam and the frame assembly are moved relatively toward one another during a vehicle collisi... | 07/04/2006 |
| 7065840 | Load binder A load binder for use in connection with a typical tie strap for securing a load for transport is provided. The load binder includes elements that are conformable to the shape of a particular load and which prevent the tie down from twisting upon itself. The load bi... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7066525 | Wishbone shaped vehicle bumper beam A bumper beam and method of manufacture which includes roll-forming the bumper beam with a constant longitudinal cross section, and then reforming the roll-formed beam to form a tubular bumper beam having a constant area. The bumper beam area is designed to incorpor... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7052778 | Method and apparatus for cold forging a trailer hitch receiving housing A cold forging process and apparatus for reinforcing an end of a rectangular tube, including a close fitting, rectangular upper mandrel that inserts into the tubing. The upper mandrel has flared corners at the end attached to the upper die. As the upper die is moved... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7032906 | Towing apparatus for rescue toboggan The invention is directed to an improved towing apparatus for a rescue toboggan of a type which may be used to transport injured or incapacitated persons over snow and ice. ... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7021685 | Automotive bumper construction Extensions extend rearwardly from the frame rails of an automotive vehicle and terminate in securement to a cross member. A rear bumper has a channel portion in which the cross member is received. An end segment of the cross member serves to carry a support for a sp... | 04/04/2006 |
| 7021646 | Adjustable receiver hitch An adjustable receiver hitch (20) for receiving a hitch ball mounted, trailer ball mount that is attached onto the frame of a motor vehicle for pulling a trailer. A pair of frame mounting brackets (22) are configured for attachment onto the frame of th... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6994362 | Attachment means for facilitating user access to vehicle platforms Improved selectively rotatable multipositionable step attachment for a vehicle platform and the like for not only facilitating safe user access to the platform, for loading and unloading same, when the step attachment is in an operative position, but also when it is... | 02/07/2006 |
| 6979016 | Combined front bumper replacement and receiver hitch assembly for a vehicle A combination replacement front bumper assembly and receiver hitch assembly for mounting to the front of a vehicle such as a truck. The receiver hitch assembly includes a hitch receiver tube, the frame, and brackets. The brackets are designed to mount to the replace... | 12/27/2005 |
| 6971662 | Towing device for vehicles A towing device (1) for motor vehicles includes an elongated element (2) having a length, a cross section, a first end portion (13) and a second end portion (5). The cross section of the elongated element (2) at least along a part ... | 12/06/2005 |