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US 8,833,789 B2Granted
Sway control hitch
AssigneeProgress Mfg. Inc.
InventorJed K. Anderson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trailer hitch system for equalizing trailer loads and reducing trailer sway. The trailer hitch system may include spring bars that may be attached to a hitch head using a trunnion style connection. The spring bars may be attached to the trailer using rigid brackets that reduce swinging of the spring bars. The rigid brackets may include an upward extending portion for attaching to the trailer tongue, and a lateral extending portion for receiving the spring bars thereupon. The brackets may have a contact surface on the lateral extending portion that may be free from a coating such that a metal on metal contact is made between the spring bars and the brackets. Portions of the brackets beyond the contact surface may be covered with a protective coating.
Claims80
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer;
- wherein said bracket comprises a contact surface integral with said bracket, said contact surface forming part of a means for providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said means for providing a differential coefficient of friction further comprises a coating on said bracket,
- wherein said bracket comprises a support having an upward extending portion being adjustably attachable to said trailer, a lateral extending portion for receiving said spring bar thereupon, and a curved transition portion interposed between the upward extending portion and the lateral extending portion;
- wherein said upward extending portion, said lateral extending portion and said curved transition portion are integrally interconnected;
- wherein said contact surface is integrally part of said lateral extending portion of said support, said contact surface having an inner boundary and a outer boundary, wherein the inner boundary is spaced apart from said outer boundary;
- wherein said coating extends along the upward extending portion and through the curved transition portion and along the lateral extending portion;
- and
- wherein said coating terminates at the inner boundary of the contact surface and resumes at the outer boundary of the contact surface such that said contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating.
8 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer, said bracket comprising a support;
- wherein said support comprises a coating and a contact surface for contacting said spring bar providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket, wherein said contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating;
- wherein said support comprises an upward extending portion that is adjustably attachable to said trailer, and a lateral extending portion for receiving said spring bar thereupon;
- wherein said contact surface is integrally formed on said lateral extending portion of said support;
- wherein said upward extending portion, the lateral extending portion and the contact surface are of unitary construction.
4 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer, said bracket comprising a support having an upward extending portion being adjustably attachable to said trailer, and a lateral extending portion for receiving said spring bar thereupon, wherein said upward extending portion and said lateral extending portion are integrally constructed, wherein a first portion of said lateral extending portion has a first surface friction coefficient, and a second portion of said lateral extending portion has a second, different surface friction coefficient, wherein said second portion of said lateral extending portion is characterized by a coating, and wherein said first portion of said lateral extending portion is characterized by an absence of said coating, and wherein said first portion of said lateral extending portion is configured to contact said spring bar.
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer;
- wherein said bracket comprises a means for coating said bracket;
- and
- wherein said bracket further comprises a means for allowing a metal to metal contact between said spring bar and said bracket, said means for allowing metal to metal contact comprising a contact surface on said bracket that is characterized by an absence of said means for coating providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said means for coating comprises one of paint, enamel, and powder.
3 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- a first projection on a first side of said spring bar, and a second projection on a second side of said spring bar, said first projection and said second projection being non-rotatably joined to said spring bar and configured for attaching said spring bar to said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer, said bracket comprising an attachment portion for attaching the bracket to a trailer, and a support adjustably attachable to said attachment portion, said support comprising an upward extending portion for attachment to said attachment portion and for being adjusted in an upward and downward direction with respect to said attachment portion, and a lateral extending portion joined to said upward extending portion for receiving said spring bar thereupon;
- wherein said support comprises a coating and a contact surface for contacting said spring bar providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket, wherein said contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating;
- wherein said support and contact surface are of unitary construction.
3 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- a first projection on a first side of said spring bar, and a second projection on a second side of said spring bar, said first projection and said second projection being non-rotatably joined to said spring bar and configured for attaching said spring bar to said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer, said bracket comprising a rigid support having an upward extending portion slidably adjustable in a receiver and a lateral extending portion for supporting said spring bar thereupon;
- wherein said upward extending portion comprises a plurality of openings for receiving a fastening member for adjustably attaching said support to said receiver;
- wherein said bracket comprises a coating on said bracket;
- wherein said bracket comprises a contact surface for contacting said spring bar providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- and
- wherein contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating;
- wherein said upward extending portion, said lateral extending portion and said contact surface are unitary.
7 more elements
A method of preparing a trailer for towing, said method comprising:
- attaching said trailer to a tow vehicle with a trailer hitch system, said trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar;
- a bracket;
- a protective coating on said bracket;
- and
- a contact surface on said bracket such that said contact surface allows metal to metal contact between said spring bar and said bracket said contact surface providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said bracket and contact surface are of unitary construction.
4 more elements
A method of preparing a trailer for towing, said method comprising:
- attaching said trailer to a tow vehicle with a trailer hitch system, said trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar;
- a bracket;
- a contact surface on said bracket;
- a coating on said bracket;
- and
- an opening in said coating over said bracket at said contact surface such that said contact surface is free from said coating providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said bracket and contact surface are of unitary construction.
5 more elements
A method of towing a trailer, said method comprising:
- attaching said trailer to a tow vehicle with a trailer hitch system, said trailer hitch system comprising a hitch head and a spring bar having a pair of projections that are non-rotatable with respect to the spring bar;
- rotatably joining said spring bar to said hitch head through said projections;
- joining said spring bar to said trailer with a rigid bracket;
- adjusting a height of said bracket with respect to said trailer;
- defining a contact surface on said bracket;
- forming said contact surface by placing a covering over said bracket at said contact surface;
- applying a coating on said bracket, and removing said covering such that said contact surface is free from said coating providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- and
- providing a metal to metal contact between said spring bar and said bracket;
- wherein said bracket and contact surface are integrally connected.
7 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer;
- wherein said bracket comprises an attachment portion having a tab for attaching the bracket to the trailer, and a support adjustably attachable to said attachment portion;
- wherein said bracket comprises a contact surface for contacting said spring bar, said bracket is characterized by a coating on said bracket, and wherein said contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said support and said contact surface are of unitary construction.
3 more elements
A method of making a trailer hitch, said method comprising:
- providing spring bar;
- joining said spring bar to a trailer with a bracket;
- providing a protective coating on said bracket;
- and
- providing a contact surface on said bracket such that said contact surface allows metal to metal contact between said spring bar and said bracket said contact surface providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said contact surface and said bracket are of unitary construction.
3 more elements
A method of making a trailer hitch, said method comprising:
- providing a spring bar;
- providing a bracket;
- providing a contact surface on said bracket;
- providing coating on said bracket;
- and
- forming an opening in said coating over said bracket at said contact surface such that said contact surface is free from said coating providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said bracket and said contact surface are of unitary construction.
4 more elements
A trailer hitch system comprising:
- a spring bar for joining with a hitch head and exerting a force on said hitch head;
- and
- a bracket for joining said spring bar to a trailer;
- wherein said bracket comprises a contact surface integral with said bracket, said contact surface forming part of a means for providing a differential coefficient of friction on said bracket;
- wherein said means for providing a differential coefficient of friction further comprises a coating on said bracket, wherein said coating does not constitute a pad or other non-coating structural projection;
- and
- wherein said contact surface is characterized by an absence of said coating.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.