Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8128115 | Garbage can cart A garbage can cart having a rectangular platform base and back, front and side walls in which one or more garbage cans may be placed for storage and transport for disposal. The platform base is supported by a pair of wheels at the rear and a U-bar below the front of... | 03/06/2012 |
| 7708301 | Attachment mount for a tow cable on an agricultural tractor A tow cable mounting structure for an agricultural tractor that includes a pin-connection feature for a tow cable so that an easily accessible tow connection anchored to the tractor frame can be provided on the tractor. The mounting structure includes a contoured en... | 05/04/2010 |
| 7637525 | Drawbar hitch accessory In its simplest form the present invention includes a drawbar hitch accessory having a hitch plate having a top surface, a bottom surface, a front edge, a rear edge, a left side edge and a right side edge. The top surface is generally rectangular in shape and is div... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7614637 | Refuse container hitching device A refuse container hitching device including a horizontally extending hitch insert, a vertically extending vertical member of adjustable length, a horizontally extending top member, a refuse container support plate that extending downwardly from the top member, and ... | 11/10/2009 |
| 7306253 | Automotive coupling device An automotive coupling device adapted for use with a towing vehicle having a standard towing connector including a tubular insert with a distal and a proximate end, the distal end adapted for receipt by the towing connector. A locking element for securely locking th... | 12/11/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7073681 | Fuel inlet structure for personal watercraft A fuel inlet apparatus is provided for a personal watercraft of the type having a fuel tank 13 disposed in a craft body 11, and a fuel supply hose 81 extending from the fuel tank 13 with an end thereof connected to a fuel filler member | 07/11/2006 |
| 7059636 | Seat belt positioning device An adjustable seat belt device for positioning a shoulder belt relative to a lap belt of a passenger restraint system includes an elongated strap. A first fastening element is attached to the first end of the elongated strap where the first fastening element is remo... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7021644 | Towing strap A towing strap has two ends, which may be permanently or releasably attached to an item to be towed. Each strap end which is releasably attached, includes a fastening mechanism, which permits a person to attach towing strap to the item to be towed. The permanent str... | 04/04/2006 |
| 6971661 | Trailer hitch with safety cable cartridge A safety cable cartridge 20 is connected between a towing vehicle 12 having a hitch ball and a trailer 10 including a tubular coupler housing 16 mounted to a trailer draw bar. The cartridge is self contained and includes a cartridge housi... | 12/06/2005 |
| 6752412 | Biased cable mechanism for trailer hitches A biased cable mechanism is provided for enabling a secondary connection between a trailer and a vehicle. The biased cable mechanism includes a housing supporting a cable for resilient extensions from the housing. A first end of the cable is fixedly attached to the ... | 06/22/2004 |
| 6712379 | Lifting and towing device and method of using same A device and method for lifting and towing has at least three prongs, with two prongs curved in an opposite direction from the other prong. A cable, rope or chain is able to be interlaced between the opposed curved prongs, thus retaining the cable, rope or chain in ... | 03/30/2004 |
| 6644679 | Towing attachment and method A trailer hitch stinger assembly for a towing vehicle, wherein the tow vehicle has a frame, a stinger and a trailer hitch, comprising: a trailer hitch stinger having a hitch, and a retainer wherein the retainer is slidably mounted around the trailer hitch... | 11/11/2003 |
| 6572132 | Biased cable mechanism for trailer hitches A biased cable mechanism is provided for enabling a secondary connection between a trailer and a vehicle. The biased cable mechanism includes a housing supporting a cable for resilient extensions from the housing. A first end of the cable is fixedly attac... | 06/03/2003 |
| 6474676 | Universal tow bar An apparatus for towing a vehicle having a bumper and a frame where the frame of the vehicle includes first and second towing features. The apparatus includes a frame having spaced apart first and second side members, and first and second securing members... | 11/05/2002 |
| 6467790 | Restraint harness A restraint harness. The restraint harness may include a longitudinal load strap. The longitudinal load strap may include a primary anchor, primary lateral restraint, and secondary lateral restraint affixed thereto. The primary anchor may be provided with... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6349960 | Tow line connector A tow line connector including a base attached to a towable vehicle, a free end extending out from the base, an opening disposed between the base and the free end, and a pair of notches formed between the opening and the free end. A loop formed in a tow l... | 02/26/2002 |
| 6270100 | Device for coupling bicycles in tandem A tow bar for attaching two bicycles in tandem arrangement consisting of a hollow rod, tube, or pipe having an attaching strap traversing the length of the interior of the rod or pipe, with the strap being secured to frame members of each bicycle via a fr... | 08/07/2001 |
| 6241296 | Snowmobile extricating apparatus and method Extricating apparatus and methods are disclosed for aiding movement of a snowmobile after becoming bogged in deep and/or soft snow. The apparatus includes at least a first unit having a stretchable cord with first and second implements joined thereto at o... | 06/05/2001 |
| 6092826 | Tow strap apparatus A safe tow strap apparatus is provided in which a tow strap is attached to the towing vehicle and a hook/loop fastener device is used to secure the tow strap to the towed vehicle.... | 07/25/2000 |
| 6050587 | Pulling arrangement having a guide element A pulling arrangement to be disposed between a traction device and an object to be pulled includes a pulling device and a guide element operatively coupled to the pulling device for guiding fragments thereof when the pulling device fails. Fastening device... | 04/18/2000 |
| 6024373 | Means for attaching a safety chain A means for attaching a safety chain to a retractable ball or kingpin hitch is described. The means includes a metal face plate with an aperture therein. A first and second ring are coupled together while one or both is within the aperture such that both ... | 02/15/2000 |
| 5967539 | Trail safe system A trail safe system (14) extending between a tow truck (16) and a disabled motor vehicle (18) comprising a pair of safety spool assemblies (20). Each safety spool assembly (20) is spaced apart and mounted behind a tail board (22) of the tow truck (16). A ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5938227 | Winch driven ball joint hitch guidance system A winch driven cable guidance system for coupling trailers to tow vehicles. The system comprises of trailer having a trailer hitch coupler, a tow vehicle having a coupling ball joint, and a cable whereby one end of the cable is connected by means of a cab... | 08/17/1999 |
| 5918896 | Self locking chain device A self locking chain device for locking a chain to a vehicle comprises an elongated cross bar having an upwardly extending arm attached to each end thereof. Each arm comprises first and second arbors which define a receiving slot for receiving a first int... | 07/06/1999 |
| 5846047 | Motorcycle loading apparatus An apparatus for loading a motorcycle onto another vehicle. The motorcycle loader comprises a wheel saddle positionable on a bed of the vehicle, a yoke assembly connectable to front forks of the motorcycle, an auxiliary winch mounted on the wheel saddle a... | 12/08/1998 |
| 5732967 | Safety chain for towed vehicles A safety chain for securing a towed vehicle to a towing vehicle and which has a safety basket for limiting downward movement of a tongue of the towed vehicle relative to a hitch of the towing vehicle to prevent the tongue from contacting the roadway. The ... | 03/31/1998 |
| 5597198 | Front body structure for motor vehicle An extension member 12 is subassembled to a fender apron 3a, 3b by welding the rear end portion 26 of the extension member 12 to the front end portion 27 of the fender apron 3a, 3b, and the fender apron 3a, 3b is welded to a lamp support panel 2a, 2b in t... | 01/28/1997 |
| 5564766 | J-hook for towing vehicles A J-hook designed for use in towing vehicles is forged of micro-alloy steel and has a T-shaped cross-section throughout a load bearing portion thereof and an enlarged tip. The disclosed J-hook is much stronger than prior art towing J-hooks without signifi... | 10/15/1996 |
| 5476280 | Retractable towing system A retractable towing system which is mounted on the undercarriage of a vehicle, with the towline extending beneath the vehicle, secured at a secondary stress-bearing point near the rear of the towing vehicle, and attached to the object or vehicle to be pu... | 12/19/1995 |
| 5405160 | Trailer hitch attachment apparatus An apparatus and method for attaching a trailer to a vehicle. An apparatus is provided having a winch attached to the trailer for pulling the trailer to the vehicle, a substantially flat strap connected to the winch at one end and having a flat attachment... | 04/11/1995 |
| 5401070 | Article for pulling a child's toy A strap for pulling a child's wheeled toy has a handle for enabling a user to better grip a first end of the strap and a slotted ring attached to a second end of the strap. Middle portions of the strap can be fitted through the ring and placed around a yo... | 03/28/1995 |
| 5362084 | Cable carrier for vehicle hitch A carrier for supporting flexible couplings interconnected between a towing vehicle and a towed vehicle such as safety cables, safety chains and electrical cable. The carrier is mounted on the hitch of the towing vehicle with configured formations extendi... | 11/08/1994 |
| 5350186 | Towline reel attachable to a trailer hitch receptacle A towline apparatus adapted to be used with a square tubular receiver mounted to a frame of a towing vehicle consisting of a housing which contains a flat coiled spring surrounding a rotatable shaft with the shaft also supporting a flexible, extendable st... | 09/27/1994 |
| 5350184 | Bicycle tow-bar for wheelchairs Disclosed is a bicycle tow-bar which is adapted to be attached between a bicycle and a wheelchair with the attachment to the wheelchair being versatile enough to capture the front swivel wheels of most wheelchairs and easily attached and un-attached to a ... | 09/27/1994 |
| 5308101 | Elastically retractable automobile towing strap An elastically retractable towing strap used for towing one vehicle with another vehicle is disclosed. A first strap of elastic material, encased in a sleeve of woven fabric material, is connected to a second strap of a woven fabric towing line. The ends ... | 05/03/1994 |
| 5279432 | Temporary drawbar replacement strap and method A draw bar replacement strap and method for temporarily coupling and moving a disabled railroad car without actuating the drawbar. The strap comprises an elongated, multi-section, multi-ply body extending between a terminal two ply eye through which the s... | 01/18/1994 |
| 5272986 | Towing swivel for pipe inspection or other vehicle A vehicle 10 which inspects pipes 12 using flux-leakage has a flux generating electromagnet 14 and foils 18, 20 to transfer the flux to the pipewall 12. Sensors 22 detect flux forced to leak from the pipe by defects. The vehicle is required to pass 1-D be... | 12/28/1993 |
| 5118127 | Hitch device for interconnecting mobile apparatus in tandem The invention is a hitch device for interconnecting two mobile apparatus, such as a hospital gurney and an IV stand. The hitch device comprises a body having first and second ends, each end having a coupling for attachment to a mobile apparatus, and a mon... | 06/02/1992 |
| 5009445 | Trailer hitch cable puller The invention apparatus provides a winching mechanism which is detachably secured to the forward end of the tongue of a trailer. In a first embodiment, a slip nut on a crank operated vertical threaded drive shaft is attached to one end of a cable the oppo... | 04/23/1991 |
