Did You Know...
...that in the early 1940s GE engineer James Wright was charged with a task of utmost importance to the war effort: develop a cheap substitute for rubber that could be used to produce tires, gas masks and a whole host of military gear. Wright tackled the task diligently -- and wound up inventing Silly Putty.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7722073 | Trailer coupler A new and improved trailer coupler which is spring loaded, and connected to the hitch ball of a towing vehicle is provided. Moreover, the new and improved trailer coupler has a latch activated from the top of the trailer coupler that is connected to a means for gras... | 05/25/2010 |
| 7618052 | High-load drawbar eye A high-load drawbar eye (1) with a hitch socket (2) which is open about the rim for receiving a matching hitch ball (7), a hitch arm (3) and a hitch flange (4), includes a hold-down device (5) which cooperates with the hitch... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7461856 | Trailer coupler A new and improved trailer coupler which is spring loaded, and connected to the hitch ball of a towing vehicle is provided. Moreover, the new and improved trailer coupler has a latch activated from the top of the trailer coupler that is connected to a means for gras... | 12/09/2008 |
| 7390008 | Trailer coupler A new and improved trailer coupler for connecting a trailer to a ball hitch mounted on a towing vehicle comprising a housing having a recessed socket, a retractable latching plate, a locking mechanism, an access port, a visual indicator, and an alarm system for indi... | 06/24/2008 |
| 7364181 | Self locking coupling device A coupling device that requires no manual actuation to achieve coupling features a locking bolt movable along a hole extending into a mouth of a hook body to secure a coupling pin therein. A control lever pivotally connected to the locking bolt opposite the mouth en... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7300068 | Trailer coupler integral keyed lock An integral keyed lock (10) for a trailer trigger-lock coupler for use as an aftermarket kit or to be incorporated by an original equipment manufacturer. The coupler integral keyed lock (10) utilizes an actuating lever (20) that is configured to... | 11/27/2007 |
| 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 |
| 7182362 | Remote locking fifth wheel A remote controlled locking system for locking a trailer to a truck by locking a mechanism that secures the truck to the trailer. The system may include a remotely located transmitter adapted to transmit a control signal. A receiving unit on the truck is adapted to ... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7017935 | Trailer coupler A ball hitch coupler for use with a towing vehicle having a ball hitch. The ball hitch coupler provides an improved and simplified structure designed to make assembly and coupling to the ball hitch easy, while not compromising coupler strength or security. The ball ... | 03/28/2006 |
| 6956468 | Sensing mechanism for hitch articulation angle The invention describes a sensor mechanism for measuring hitch articulation angle. A configuration of the contact face between hitch ball and receiver eliminates the effect of the unwanted trailer motions, such as roll and pitch while accurately registering trailer ... | 10/18/2005 |
| 6860670 | End connector assembly The end connector assembly (12) for a gas spring (44) enables the connector body to be connected with and disconnected from a ball (14) on the end of a ball stud (16) by relatively moving the connector body (26) and ball along a pa... | 03/01/2005 |
| 6588790 | Trailer coupler A selectively remotely actuated coupler which comprises a coupler for trailers, automatic locking mechanism to secure said trailer to a towing vehicle ball, a remotely actuated release assembly for unlocking said automatic locking mechanism attached to sa... | 07/08/2003 |
| 6505849 | Ball clamp trailer coupler The ball clamp coupler includes a coupler housing wherein a coupler socket is defined, with the coupler socket having a bottom socket opening to allow insertion of a hitch ball. A rear wall is also defined within the coupler housing interior adjacent the ... | 01/14/2003 |
| 6352279 | Ball clamp trailer coupler A ball clamp trailer coupler for engaging a standard vehicle hitch ball includes a coupler housing wherein a forward coupler socket is defined, and a ball clamp which is movably situated within the coupler housing rearwardly of the coupler socket. The cla... | 03/05/2002 |
| 6286853 | Vehicle hitch A vehicle hitch for interconnecting a pair of all terrain vehicles includes a pair of bars with socket couplers at one end of each bar for connecting the bars to the balls of conventional trailer hitches; and a damping mechanism releasably interconnecting... | 09/11/2001 |
| 6234509 | Spring return coupler A device and method for coupling a trailer which has a trailer tongue mount attached to the trailer and a coupler attached to the trailer tongue mount. The coupler has an outer tube assembly, an inner tube assembly slidably received by the outer tube asse... | 05/22/2001 |
| 5927918 | Trailer ball fastening assembly A method and apparatus for mounting a trailer ball to a mounting platform. The apparatus includes a trailer ball having a threaded stem, a flat washer, and a nut having a plastic collar. The plastic collar includes a ring which is disposed between the nut... | 07/27/1999 |
| 5683094 | Universal, energy-absorbent trailer hitch The present invention features an energy-absorbent, hitching mechanism for towing trailers and other vehicles by pickup trucks or other tow vehicles. This is a mechanism of the universal type, in which energy absorption is achieved for all transverse and ... | 11/04/1997 |
| 5181822 | Articulated support rack for vehicles An articulated support rack (10) for a vehicle (12) having a trailer hitch sleeve (20). The support rack (10) includes a base member (28) having a tongue portion (41) slidably engaged with the trailer hitch sleeve (20). First and second frame members (30,... | 01/26/1993 |
| 5147096 | Easy latch and unlatch cam action trailer hitch A trailer hitch is provided where a longitudinally moveable rectangular cap is slidably mounted on a rectangular (square in some instances) pipe used as a trailer hitch tongue mounting within its lead end a trailer hitch ball socket member welded in place... | 09/15/1992 |
| 5133572 | Trailer hitch A ball joint type trailer hitch which comprises a ball assembly and a ball receiving assembly comprising a body forming a ball receiving end having formed therein a generally spherical cavity truncated at the bottom thereby forming a passage for the shaft... | 07/28/1992 |
| 4776607 | Trailer coupler with tamper resistant lock mechanism A coupler for a ball type hitch has a body member that includes a socket portion and a closure mechanism that is slidably mounted on the body member for movement between the open position, a closed position, and a third overshoot position. The closure mec... | 10/11/1988 |
| 4763917 | Trailer coupler with improved ball clamp holding means and improved yoke The ball clamp of a trailer coupler is supported by the coupler body to move back and forth between a clamped position holding a ballhead in the socket of the coupler and a released position permitting the socket to be pulled upwardly off of the ballhead.... | 08/16/1988 |
| 4556233 | Trailer coupler A coupler for a ball type hitch has a body member that includes a socket portion and a closure mechanism that is slidably mounted on the body member for movement between the open position, a closed position, and a third overshoot position. The closure mec... | 12/03/1985 |
| 4527925 | Angle joint An angle joint, consisting of a ball socket and a ball pivot, is pivotally mounted, by means of the ball, in a ball socket recess which is shaped like a spherical cap and acts as a ball seat. On one side of the ball socket is a rigid locating or contact s... | 07/09/1985 |
| 4381117 | Bicycle tote cart A connector device for connecting and towing a wheeled cart to and by a bicycle, having an elongated shaft including an aligned bolt with a head and having a front longitudinally aligned socket. A pivot ball, secured to the towing bicycle, and adapted to ... | 04/26/1983 |
| 4360217 | Vehicle coupling device A coupling device for use on a towed vehicle, comprises: a body for receiving a ball of a ball-type hitch and a latch assembly for locking the ball in the front position of the body. The latch assembly may include a bracket connected to side portions of t... | 11/23/1982 |
| 4283073 | Ball type gooseneck hitch A ball coupler assembly for a gooseneck hitch is described for attachment to a truck having an upstanding coupler ball mounted thereon which extends upwardly from the bed of the truck. The hitch assembly of this invention is secured to the lower end of an... | 08/11/1981 |
| 4225261 | Ball socket assembly with resilient locking key A ball socket assembly having a ball received in a socket member to swivel relative to the latter with the ball initially inserted into a first end portion of an elongated slot in the socket member and then shifted to the second end portion of the slot. A... | 09/30/1980 |
| 4121893 | Ball and socket coupling A ball and socket coupling in which the ball is positively retained within the socket by means of a cap, removably secured to the socket for closing the open end of the latter and having a hole through which the ball stem extends. The cap hole allows pivo... | 10/24/1978 |
