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:
Dec. 14, 1999
Filed:
Jul. 14, 1997
Richard L Schocker, Jefferson, WI (US);
Edward W Ebey, Wausau, WI (US);
Fulton Performance Products, Inc., Mosinee, WI (US);
Abstract
A spring-biased mechanism for a trailer coupler to positively connect a trailer to a towing vehicle. The coupler is attached to a tongue of a trailer and adapted to receive a hitch ball of a towing vehicle. A locking assembly mounted within the coupler prevents withdrawal of the hitch ball from the coupler housing to prevent inadvertent separation of the trailer from the towing vehicle. The lock includes a rotatable pin extending transversely through the coupler housing to selectively prevent withdrawal of the hitch ball. The rotatable pin is connected to a spring-biased lever positioned externally of the coupler housing. In addition to pivoting between a locked and an open position to rotate the pin, the lever can be laterally shifted to be held open against the biasing of the spring allowing insertion of the ball. To lock onto the hitch ball, the lever can be pulled outwardly causing the spring to bias the lever to the locked position.