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:
Jun. 20, 1989
Filed:
May. 05, 1988
James E Webb, Houston, TX (US);
Other;
Abstract
A trailer hitch for actuating the hydraulic brakes of a wheeled trailer responsive to the relative movement between a tow vehicle and the trailer being towed comprises a base plate adapted to be affixed to the tow vehicle and has a sliding plate which moves relative to the tow vehicle and carries a trailer hitch ball to receive the tongue portion of the wheeled trailer. A hydraulic master cylinder is removably mounted on the base plate stationary relative to the sliding plate and connected by conduit to the hydraulic brakes of the towed trailer. An actuating rod on the sliding plate is operatively connected to the master cylinder piston whereby forward movement of the sliding plate will pressurize the fluid therein to activate the wheel brakes of the trailer as the tow vehicle is slowed down. An electric solenoid is removably mounted on the base plate and operated from the two vehicle to selectively move a latch between locked and unlocked positions to prevent relative movement between the sliding plate and the master cylinder whereby the trailer may be backed up by the tow vehicle without actuation of the trailer brakes. The master cylinder may be removed from the tow vehicle and stored on the trailer without disconnecting the hydraulic line, and the solenoid may be removed from the base plate and stored on the tow vehicle without disconnecting the electrical conduit when the trailer is not being towed.