The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 28, 1980
Filed:
Jan. 31, 1979
Patricia S Stoller, Plymouth, MI (US);
James C Hammonds, St. Charles, MO (US);
Ronald D Van Dyke, Florissant, MO (US);
Other;
Abstract
In the piggyback trailer hitch of the present invention, the hitch is held in upright position by a pair of hook-shaped movable locking lugs which engage a pair of fixed locking lugs on opposite sides of the hitch. Links extending from the nose of the movable locking lugs are attached to a shaft extending transversely of the hitch. On at least one side of the hitch an indicating arm is pivotably mounted upon an upper diagonal strut cover plate. The indicating arm includes a lower surface which engages the shaft. The lower surface includes a slot which the shaft engages when the movable locking lug is locked in the upright position. When the shaft engages this slot, the distal end of the indicating arm extends through a slot in a lower diagonal strut cover plate to indicate to the operator that the hitch is fully locked in the upright position. The lower surface of the indicating arm includes a surface portion laterally spaced from the slot which the shaft engages when the movable locking lug is not in the fully engaged position with the fixed locking lug. When the shaft engages this camming surface, the indicating arm is pivoted to a position located within the diagonal strut, above the lower cover plate. This indicates to the operator that the hitch is not in the fully locked, upright position.