Patents by Inventor Barry G. Austin

Barry G. Austin has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6095546
    Abstract: A trailer hitch cover system for use with vehicle-mounted trailer towing hitches having a crossbar includes at least one cover segment adapted to at least partially cover the trailer hitch crossbar and includes an accessory mount. The system further includes means for securing the cover segment to the trailer hitch crossbar, and at least one accessory mountable on the accessory mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: 6027234
    Abstract: A light fixture with an actuator retained switch particularly adapted for surface mounting to a variety of supporting surfaces, e.g., the interior of a recreational vehicle, includes a housing, lens and mounting structure for suspending the switch within the housing. The mounting structure consists of a pair of mutually spaced internal walls which contain slots adapted to receive the edges of the switch. The switch is positioned between the two internal walls such that the operating member of the switch is in position to readily engage the switch actuator. Engagement of the switch operator and actuator serves to lock them together and retain both upon the housing. To operate the switch, the user manipulates the actuator, which is locked to the operating member of the switch, by sliding the actuator from side-to-side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: 5700068
    Abstract: An inertial sensor of the type having an inertially responsive pendulum and a rigid support structure for operatively supporting the pendulum, includes an improved pendulum attitude adjustment assembly which allows precise adjustment of the verticality of the pendulum. The rigid support structure includes a base portion and a pendulum mount portion which is pivotally attached to the base portion. The base is secured at a fixed location and at a fixed attitude relative to the housing. The pendulum is attached at one end to the pendulum mount portion and another end of the pendulum is free to move in response to inertial forces. The attitude adjustment assembly includes an adjustment shaft which is operably coupled to the pendulum mount portion to achieve rotation of the pendulum mount portion with respect to the base portion through a first angle when the adjustment shaft is rotated through an angle greater than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: 5333948
    Abstract: An electronic controller for outputting pulses of current to actuate towed vehicle brakes includes a trigger point inertial sensor for varying the gain thereof. The trigger point inertial sensor includes a switch connected to the controller for switching the gain between two levels. In the preferred embodiment, the inertial sensor and switch comprise a mercury switch supported on a platform which is rotatable to adjust the switching threshold of the inertial sensor, and to adjust for the mounting position of the brake control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 2, 1994
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventors: Barry G. Austin, Marcia S. Albright, Larry Eccleston
  • Patent number: 5058960
    Abstract: A freely-flexing cantilever-type inertial sensor is suspended from one end so that its other end may move in response to inertial forces, for example, as a result of braking in a towing vehicle. The pendulum blade is secured to a rigid support structure in a manner whereby the opposite sides of the pendulum, which is preferably of multiple-layer construction and is elastically-deformable, may freely shift longitudinally with respect to one another upon lateral flexure of the pendulum in response to inertial forces. Preferably, this is accomplished by utilizing an adhesive connection directly between the rigid support and the adjacent side of the pendulum, whereby only that layer closest to the support is directly secured to it. The support for the pendulum preferably includes a self-hinge by which the position of the pendulum-supporting portion may be changed with respect to that of a base portion, in order to current for non-verticality in the actual operating environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventors: Larry Eccleston, Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: 4588227
    Abstract: A seating unit that includes two side support assemblies and a plurality of lateral connecting rods which are received in mounting apertures through the side assemblies. A securing clip is received inside the hollow ends of each lateral connecting rod to prevent the side assemblies from separating. Each clip has a pair of extending legs with a locking tab that seats in a recess within the lateral rod. The lateral rods flex under the weight of a person seated on the seating unit in order to create a frictional locking force between the lateral rods and side assemblies to prevent the side assemblies from sliding toward each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1986
    Assignee: General Aluminum Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: 4561227
    Abstract: A patio enclosure adapted for affixation to the exterior wall of an existing structure consisting of a plurality of side and front panels, a roof support structure and an overlying fabric roof. The roof support structure includes a series of rafters having centrally depending therefrom a cable receiving slotted finger. A cable extends between the rafter assembly from its point of affixation to the existing structure to its point of affixation to the front panels of the enclosure. The cable passes through the slot in the depending finger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 31, 1985
    Assignee: General Aluminum Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: D322426
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1991
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: D331226
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: D356298
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 14, 1995
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: D378511
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin
  • Patent number: D388523
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: Tekonsha Engineering Company
    Inventor: Barry G. Austin