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:
Mar. 05, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1998
Edward Wayne Ebey, Wausau, WI (US);
Fulton Performance Products, Inc., Mosinee, WI (US);
Abstract
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 clamp has a clamping face which faces the coupler socket, and the clamping face slopes downwardly as it extends forwardly to conclude at a frontwardly-protruding lower clamping face edge. The clamp also includes a ramp face which slopes downwardly and rearwardly from the lower clamping face edge. When the coupler is lowered onto a hitch ball with the coupler located too far forwardly, i.e., so that the hitch ball is situated beneath the clamp, the hitch ball will contact the ramp face to push the clamp rearwardly out of the coupler socket rather than into the coupler socket (as will occur where the ramp face is not present). The coupler socket is thereby left unobstructed by the clamp, allowing easier insertion of the hitch ball prior to tightening the clamp to engage the hitch ball within the coupler socket.