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:
Feb. 09, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1996
Richard McCoy, Granger, IN (US);
Chad A McCoige, Mishawaka, IN (US);
Reese Products, Inc., Elkhart, IN (US);
Abstract
A weight distributing and sway controlling hitch assembly for towing a trailer behind a vehicle includes a hitch bar for mounting to a vehicle. The hitch assembly also includes a ball mount head carried on the hitch bar and a hitch connector carried on the ball mount head. A pair of spring bar retaining brackets are mounted to and project outwardly from the trailer. A pair of friction pads are also provided. One friction pad is mounted to each spring bar retaining bracket. Additionally, the hitch assembly includes a pair of shoes, each of the shoes being received on one of the pair of friction pads while allowing relative sliding movement thereto. Still further, the hitch assembly includes a pair of spring bars for distributing trailer weight relative to the vehicle. Each of the spring bars includes a proximal end mounted to the ball mount head and a distal end for engaging one of the shoes. Preferably, each spring bar retaining bracket is substantially L-shaped and carries one of these friction pads on a first leg and a trailer fastener on a second leg.