Patents Assigned to Progress Mfg. Inc.
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Patent number: 10960719Abstract: A trailer force measurement system includes a tow hitch, a hitch mount connected to the tow hitch and a spring bar connected to the hitch mount. The trailer force measurement system also includes a trailer having a frame, where the spring bar is connected to the trailer frame via a bracket. A hitch coupler is then connected to the trailer frame and configured to releasably couple the trailer frame to the hitch mount. A force measurement device is then disposed on the bracket and configured to measure force exerted on the bracket by the spring bar.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2018Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: PROGRESS MFG. INC.Inventors: Jed K. Anderson, Jason R. Harper, Matthew D. Barnes, David F. Lundgreen
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Patent number: 10800219Abstract: A trailer hitch ball mount with an integral lock mechanism is disclosed, which may include a shank having a longitudinal bore and a transverse bore. A lock shaft may be disposed in the longitudinal bore and a first and second slide pin may be disposed in the transverse bore. The first slide pin include a contact portion facing toward the lock shaft. The contact portion of the first slide pin may include a flat surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: PROGRESS MFG. INC.Inventor: Jason Robert Harper
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Patent number: 10675931Abstract: An apparatus for reducing sway between a towing vehicle and a trailer is disclosed. The apparatus may comprise a bracket assembly that attaches to a tongue of a trailer. The bracket assembly may include a surface for supporting a spring arm extending from a weight distribution hitch installed on a tow vehicle. The bracket assembly may include a clamp that is able to apply a frictional force to thereby oppose movement of the spring arm. The clamping force applied by the clamp may be variable to ensure proper operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2017Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: PROGRESS MFG. INC.Inventor: Jed Anderson
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Patent number: 10252588Abstract: A trailer hitch system for improving the speed and safety of attaching the trailer to a tow vehicle. The hitch may include a shank that may be attached to the trailer through a ball hitch. A receiver may be provided on the tow vehicle such that attachment of the trailer to the tow vehicle may be accomplished by introducing the shank into the receiver when the tow vehicle is backed to the trailer. A funnel shaped guide member may be provided to facilitate aligning the shank with the receiver. Also, friction reducing rollers may be used with the shank or the receiver. Moreover, a height adjustment and visual guidance system may be included to facilitate connecting the trailer to the tow vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2013Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Gary M. Scott
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Patent number: 10252381Abstract: A system for supporting a vehicle. The system may include a vehicle jack in mechanical communication with a jack foot and a striker plate. The jack foot is rotatable relative to the vehicle jack on a rotation axis disposed on the vehicle jack and perpendicular to a long axis of the vehicle jack. The jack foot includes a base at a distal end of the jack foot. The jack foot also includes a cam surface at least in part at a proximal end of the jack foot. The cam surface is aligned with the striker plate and interacts with the striker plate to rotate the jack foot in response to movement of the vehicle jack from a lowered position to a raised position.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jason Harper
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Apparatus and method of installing an internal locking ring to reinforce an adjustable trailer hitch
Patent number: 9844986Abstract: An adjustable height trailer hitch may include a shank portion configured and adapted to be installed into a hitch receiver. The hitch may further include a drop bar extending downwardly from the shank portion. The drop bar may further include a plurality of pin receiving holes formed in the drop bar. The hitch may further include a ball support member having a locking pin disposed in a locking-pin bore and an actuator pin disposed in an actuator bore. The hitch may further include a locking ring disposed in an annular groove of a cylindrical sidewall of the actuator bore. The locking ring may prevent backout of the actuator pin.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2016Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jason Robert Harper -
Patent number: 9579940Abstract: A trailer hitch system for equalizing trailer loads and reducing trailer sway. The trailer hitch system may include spring bars that may extend from a hitch head. 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. Pins may be utilized to secure the spring bars on the lateral extending portion of the brackets. The pins may each include a spring loaded clip that is rotatably between an unlocked position and a locked position.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2014Date of Patent: February 28, 2017Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Kenneth D. Mauerman, Jed K. Anderson
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Patent number: 9352624Abstract: An adjustable height trailer hitch may include a shank portion configured and adapted to be installed into a hitch receiver. The hitch may further include a drop bar extending downwardly from the shank portion. The drop bar may further include a plurality of pin receiving holes formed in the drop bar. The hitch may further include a ball support member having a locking pin disposed in a locking-pin bore and an actuator pin disposed in an actuator bore. The hitch may further include a locking ring disposed in an annular groove of a cylindrical sidewall of the actuator bore. The locking ring may prevent backout of the actuator pin.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jason Robert Harper
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Patent number: 9321434Abstract: A trailer hitch jack for rapidly raising and lowering the tongue of a trailer.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2013Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Gary M. Scott, Joshua A. Jones, Jed Anderson
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Patent number: 8876085Abstract: A system for supporting a vehicle. The system may include a vehicle jack in mechanical communication with a jack foot and a striker plate. The jack foot is rotatable relative to the vehicle jack on a rotation axis disposed on the vehicle jack and perpendicular to a long axis of the vehicle jack. The jack foot includes a base at a distal end of the jack foot. The jack foot also includes a cam surface at least in part at a proximal end of the jack foot. The cam surface is aligned with the striker plate and interacts with the striker plate to rotate the jack foot in response to movement of the vehicle jack from a lowered position to a raised position.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2010Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jason Harper
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Patent number: 8833789Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2007Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jed K. Anderson
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Publication number: 20140158960Abstract: A trailer hitch jack for rapidly raising and lowering the tongue of a trailer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Gary M. Scott, Joshua A. Jones, Jed Anderson
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Patent number: 8701842Abstract: The present invention relates generally to trailer and towing safety devices, and more particularly, but not necessarily entirely, to trailer automatic braking devices that initiate braking when a trailer becomes separated from its tow vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2010Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Jed Anderson
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Patent number: 8628107Abstract: 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 having a plurality of contact points may include an upward extending portion for attaching to the trailer tongue, and a lateral extending portion for receiving the spring bars thereupon. The rigid brackets may include a spacing member and an attachment member.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2010Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Jason Robert Harper, Raymond L. Conger, Joshua A. Jones, Jed Anderson
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Publication number: 20130307250Abstract: A trailer hitch system for improving the speed and safety of attaching the trailer to a tow vehicle. The hitch may include a shank that may be attached to the trailer through a ball hitch. A receiver may be provided on the tow vehicle such that attachment of the trailer to the tow vehicle may be accomplished by introducing the shank into the receiver when the tow vehicle is backed to the trailer. A funnel shaped guide member may be provided to facilitate aligning the shank with the receiver. Also, friction reducing rollers may be used with the shank or the receiver. Moreover, a height adjustment and visual guidance system may be included to facilitate connecting the trailer to the tow vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2013Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicant: PROGRESS MFG. INC.Inventor: GARY M. SCOTT
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Patent number: 8550486Abstract: An apparatus for tensioning spring arms used in conjunction with a weight distribution hitch. The apparatus may comprise a mechanical linkage that may be operable to multiply an input force provided by a jack to an output force of sufficient magnitude to tension the spring arms. The mechanical linkage may comprise a pair of rigid arms that are linked to a support post of a trailer jack. The pair of rigid arms may automatically be raised in conjunction with the support post being operated from a lowered position to a raised position. The rigid arms may exert a force on a cross-piece member extending between the spring arms. Alternatively, the mechanical linkage may comprise a flexible member for placing the spring arms under tension.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2008Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Gary Scott
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Patent number: 8500102Abstract: A retractable jack foot for a trailer hitch jack is disclosed, for rapidly raising and lowering the tongue of a trailer. The retractable jack foot solves multiple prior art problems discussed above in the “Description of Related Art,” such as: trailer hitch jacks not being long enough to reach the ground and still lift the trailer to a sufficient height (small distance travel); the laborious, time-consuming practice of cranking a trailer hitch jack all the way to the ground before finally causing lift in the trailer. In both cases, blocks of wood or other spacers are sometimes used to reduce the travel of the jack. The retractable jack foot of the present disclosure, solves those problems, by providing a “built in” block, or foot, pivotally attached to the bottom of the trailer hitch jack. The jack foot can be rotated into and out of position as desired, to quickly lengthen or shorten the jack.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventors: Gary M. Scott, Joshua A. Jones, Jed Anderson
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Patent number: 8499899Abstract: A wheel chock system for preventing movement of one or more wheels. The system may include a pair of chocks for clamping onto one or more wheels. The chocks may be connected through a linkage mechanism that can be rotated to draw the chocks together or move the chocks further apart. A handle may be attached to the linkage mechanism for moving the chock system from a blocking position to a released position. The handle may be configured to stand upright such that the chock system can be installed and removed by a user in a standing position without the need to bend or crouch. One embodiment of the chock system may be attachable to two different wheels in a tandem wheel arrangement, whereas another embodiment of the chock system may be configured to clamp onto a single wheel.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2007Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Gary M. Scott
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Patent number: 8490999Abstract: A trailer hitch system for improving the speed and safety of attaching the trailer to a tow vehicle. The hitch may include a shank that may be attached to the trailer through a ball hitch. A receiver may be provided on the tow vehicle such that attachment of the trailer to the tow vehicle may be accomplished by introducing the shank into the receiver when the tow vehicle is backed to the trailer. A funnel shaped guide member may be provided to facilitate aligning the shank with the receiver. Also, friction reducing rollers may be used with the shank or the receiver. Moreover, a height adjustment and visual guidance system may be included to facilitate connecting the trailer to the tow vehicle. The shank includes a stop in a fixed position for limiting the depth the shank extends within the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2007Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Progress Mfg. IncInventor: Gary M. Scott
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Patent number: 8454047Abstract: An improved hitch pin system for improving the speed and safety of attaching a receiver insert into a receiver on a tow vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2008Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Progress Mfg. Inc.Inventor: Gary M. Scott