Patents Assigned to Valley Industries LLC
  • Patent number: 6520528
    Abstract: An underbed gooseneck hitch assembly includes a channel housing that is secured to a pair of angle brackets. The angle brackets are secured to a pair of frame mounting brackets, which are in turn mounted to the frame rails of the vehicle. The hitch assembly also includes a ball socket for receiving a ball hitch. A pull cable handle assembly includes a spring biased retaining pin that can be retracted from and inserted into the ball hitch to secure the ball hitch for use. The ball hitch protrudes above the cargo bed and is attachable to a gooseneck trailer. Insertion of the ball hitch is accomplished by turning the handle of the pull cable handle assembly to an unlocked position, rotating the handle to a locked position, and inserting the ball hitch into the ball socket. The ball hitch is properly aligned with the retaining pin by inserting the ball hitch completely into the ball socket and aligning indicia on the ball hitch with a notch on the ball socket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Bernard G. Fandrich, Don F. Linger
  • Patent number: 6502846
    Abstract: An under-bed mounting system installed beneath a cargo bed floor of a vehicle includes both a male pin and a female receptacle. A releasable locking mechanism is defined between the pin and the receptacle to permit installation and removal of desired components such as a fifth wheel hitch. The pin including opposing first and second ends and an intermediate portion, a groove being disposed within said intermediate portion and including a stem and a base portion. A portion of the receptacle is received within said groove, selectively contacting said stem during installation and contacting at least the base portion after said installation. In one embodiment, the groove of the pin is generally L-shaped, the receptacle including a rod that is selectively received in the groove. In a second embodiment the pin is a scissor clamp with opposing jaws pivotable about a common hinge. The jaws engage the inner periphery of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Bernard Gust Fandrich, Don Frederick Linger
  • Patent number: 6467791
    Abstract: An under-bed mounting system installed beneath a cargo bed floor of a vehicle includes both a male pin and a female receptacle. A releasable locking mechanism is defined between the pin and the receptacle to permit installation and removal of desired components such as a fifth wheel hitch. The pin including opposing first and second ends and an intermediate portion, a groove being disposed within said intermediate portion and including a stem and a base portion. A portion of the receptacle is received within said groove, selectively contacting said stem during installation and contacting at least the base portion after said installation. In one embodiment, the groove of the pin is generally L-shaped, the receptacle including a rod that is selectively received in the groove. In a second embodiment the pin is a scissor clamp with opposing jaws pivotable about a common hinge. The jaws engage the inner periphery of the receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Bernard Gust Fandrich, Don Frederick Linger
  • Publication number: 20020060443
    Abstract: An underbed gooseneck hitch assembly includes a channel housing that is secured to a pair of angle brackets. The angle brackets are secured to a pair of frame mounting brackets, which are in turn mounted to the frame rails of the vehicle. The hitch assembly also includes a ball socket for receiving a ball hitch. A pull cable handle assembly includes a spring biased retaining pin that can be retracted from and inserted into the ball hitch to secure the ball hitch for use. The ball hitch protrudes above the cargo bed and is attachable to a gooseneck trailer. Insertion of the ball hitch is accomplished by turning the handle of the pull cable handle assembly to an unlocked position, rotating the handle to a locked position, and inserting the ball hitch into the ball socket. The ball hitch is properly aligned with the retaining pin by inserting the ball hitch completely into the ball socket and aligning indicia on the ball hitch with a notch on the ball socket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Applicant: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Bernard G. Fandrich, Don F. Linger
  • Patent number: 6386570
    Abstract: A glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a support frame including a pair of spaced guide rails and a pair of upright assemblies attached to the guide rails. Each upright assembly includes a lower sleeve portion for receiving a respective guide rail, an intermediate housing portion vertically above the sleeve portion, and an upper mounting portion vertically above the housing portion. A head assembly may be adjustably mounted between respective housing portions of the upright assemblies. At least one roller is positioned within each housing portion of the upright assemblies such that the at least one roller contacts an upper surface of an upper guide rail. In addition, the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a latching assembly for releasably locking the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly between a first and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Don F. Linger, Jeffrey V. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 6247720
    Abstract: A glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a support frame including a pair of spaced guide rails and a pair of upright assemblies attached to the guide rails. Each upright assembly includes a lower sleeve portion for receiving a respective guide rail, an intermediate housing portion vertically above the sleeve portion, and an upper mounting portion vertically above the housing portion. A head assembly may be adjustably mounted between respective housing portions of the upright assemblies. At least one roller is positioned within each housing portion of the upright assemblies such that the at least one roller contacts an upper surface of an upper guide rail. In addition, the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly includes a latching assembly for releasably locking the glider fifth wheel attachment assembly between a first and a second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2001
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventors: Don F. Linger, Jeffrey V. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 6173985
    Abstract: A trailer hitch assembly includes an interchangeable ball having a first bore for removably receiving a stub shaft attached to the towing vehicle. Both the ball and stub shaft have transverse bores that can be aligned with one another to receive a removable pin for securing the ball to the stub shaft during normal use. When the ball is not on the stub shaft, a clip can be inserted into the first bore of the ball to removably engage the pin and prevent the pin from being withdrawn from the ball. This feature helps to prevent the pin from becoming lost or misplaced while the ball is in storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventor: William J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6105989
    Abstract: A device for eliminating rattle in a receiver-type hitch due to movement between hitch components includes a collar, an adjustment bolt, a lock nut and a second nut. The collar has a center wall and two side walls forming a U-shaped bracket that can fit over a reinforcing lip of the hitch receiver tube. A front wall on the collar has an opening for receiving a mount shank as it enters the receiver tube. An adjustment bolt extends through the center wall to tighten the collar onto the hitch receiver tube. When the adjustment bolt is tightened, the center wall of the collar moves away upward away from the receiver tube, causing the opening in the front wall to lift the shank against the inner wall of the tube and prevent it from moving within the tube. The lock nut then holds the entire anti-rattle assembly into position. Thus, the anti-rattle device prevents hitch rattling with a minimum of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Valley Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Don F. Linger
  • Patent number: D438828
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventor: William J. Thomas
  • Patent number: D483704
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Valley Industries LLC
    Inventor: Bernard G. Fandrich