Patents by Inventor Paul Choquette
Paul Choquette 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).
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Patent number: 11602960Abstract: The present invention relates in general to a fifth wheel hitch and method of using a fifth wheel hitch that is mounted to a bed of a towing vehicle, and more specifically, to a fifth wheel hitch that is vertically secured to a kingpin of a fifth wheel trailer without requiring the use of adapters or extensions. One aspect of the fifth wheel hitch and method of use includes a hitch head assembly that is adjustable in height such that the fifth wheel hitch is compatible with different sizes of towing vehicles and fifth wheel trailers. The hitch head assembly also incorporates a funnel shaped design for receiving the kingpin of the fifth wheel trailer in a vertical fashion to prevent the kingpin from sliding horizontally out of the hitch head after being pulled forward by the towing vehicle. A four-way pivot joint accommodates instantaneous variations in pitch and/or roll attitudes between the towing vehicle and the fifth wheel trailer connected by the fifth wheel hitch.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2021Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO.Inventor: Paul Choquette
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Publication number: 20220305854Abstract: The present invention relates in general to a fifth wheel hitch and method of using a fifth wheel hitch that is mounted to a bed of a towing vehicle, and more specifically, to a fifth wheel hitch that is vertically secured to a kingpin of a fifth wheel trailer without requiring the use of adapters or extensions. One aspect of the fifth wheel hitch and method of use includes a hitch head assembly that is adjustable in height such that the fifth wheel hitch is compatible with different sizes of towing vehicles and fifth wheel trailers. The hitch head assembly also incorporates a funnel shaped design for receiving the kingpin of the fifth wheel trailer in a vertical fashion to prevent the kingpin from sliding horizontally out of the hitch head after being pulled forward by the towing vehicle. A four-way pivot joint accommodates instantaneous variations in pitch and/or roll attitudes between the towing vehicle and the fifth wheel trailer connected by the fifth wheel hitch.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2021Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: AUTOMATIC EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING CO.Inventor: PAUL CHOQUETTE
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Patent number: 10246146Abstract: A fifth wheel hitch having a base assembly mounted to a bed of a towing vehicle, an intermediate assembly mounted to the base assembly, and a hitch head assembly which reduces or entirely eliminates the need for a lubricant, has jaws with mated, intermeshing teeth, and a locking mechanism which clearly indicates whether or not a kingpin of a fifth wheel trailer is properly connected to the fifth wheel hitch. The fifth wheel hitch is easily uninstalled into separate light-weight modules for re-installation on another towing vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Automatic Equipment Manufacturing CompanyInventor: Paul Choquette
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Patent number: 8505952Abstract: A tow bar including a towing hitch member connected to a towing vehicle; a towed hitch member connected to a vehicle to be towed; a head member having a front connector connected to the towing hitch member, and an articulated portion; leg connectors pivotally connected to the articulated portion; tow bar legs having outer and inner members constructed of composite material; locking members with biased cam elements and stop elements; rear connectors for connecting the tow bar legs to the towed hitch member; storage latches for releasably securing the tow bar legs in a stored configuration; protective boots for exposed portions of the inner members; and epoxy for securing the outer members to the leg connectors and the locking members, and the inner members to the stop elements and the rear connectors.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2011Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Automatic Equipment Mfg. Co.Inventor: Paul Choquette
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Patent number: 8366134Abstract: An apparatus for connecting a kingpin of a gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer to a towing vehicle includes a fifth wheel hitch having a hitch platform with a hitch head slidably mounted on the rails of a base platform; an articulating mechanism to displace the hitch platform to and from a forward towing station and a rearward towing station; and a latch having a latch pin to automatically lock the hitch platform at the forward and rearward towing stations and also having a biased spider device to automatically prevent the latch pin from re-locking the hitch platform when the hitch platform is released from a towing station until after the hitch platform has been displaced away from that towing station.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Automatic Equipment Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Paul Choquette, Leslie Roeber
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Patent number: 8328222Abstract: An anti-sway, tongue-weight equalizing hitch for a trailer having a hitch ball socket; a shank structured for releasably connecting to a towing vehicle; a hitch head secured to the shank and having a longitudinal axis, a hitch ball with a tow axis on the longitudinal axis; an elevating mechanism for adjusting the relative elevations of the hitch head and the trailer tongue; a leveling mechanism for vertically-orienting the tow axis; right and left spring bars mounted to the hitch head to pivot about opposing right and left rearwardly-tilted stabilizing axes disposed in opposing vertically-oriented pivot axis planes spaced laterally and equidistantly outwardly from the longitudinal axis; and right and left suspension mechanisms tensionally suspending distal ends of the spring bars wherein distal ends thereof are normally spaced laterally and equidistantly outwardly from the respective vertical-oriented pivot axis planes in an equilibrium configuration.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2010Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Automatic Equipment Manufacting CompanyInventors: Leslie Roeber, Paul Choquette
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Patent number: 8132825Abstract: A fifth wheel hitch apparatus for connecting a kingpin to a towing vehicle includes a mounting mechanism having plate and skirt portions with an opening for ingress and egress of the kingpin, and a clamping mechanism having opposing first and second clamp elements. A first resilient device biases first and second lever arms of the respective first and second clamp elements to displace the first and second clamp elements into an opened configuration. Direct contact of the kingpin with the first and second clamp elements pivotally and positively displaces the first and second clamp elements from the opened configuration to a closed configuration to cooperatively capture the kingpin therebetween. A biased locking mechanism is releasably retained in an unlocked configuration and locks the first and second clamp elements in the closed configuration. In a modified embodiment, the first and second clamp elements are connected together to also pivot relative to each other about a common third pivot axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2010Date of Patent: March 13, 2012Assignee: Automatic Equipment Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Paul Choquette, Leslie Roeber
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Patent number: 5004622Abstract: A process and an apparatus for cooking and shaping precut meat pieces such as beef cuts, pork cuts or the like. The process comprises the steps of placing an uncooked meat piece adjacent the opening of a shaping mold, subjecting the meat piece to an air pressure differential to cause the meat piece to enter the mold, and heating the mold to cook the meat piece therein.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1990Date of Patent: April 2, 1991Assignee: Corporation Salaison MelroseInventor: Paul Choquette
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Patent number: 4984513Abstract: A process and an apparatus for cooking and shaping precut meat pieces such as beef cuts, pork cuts or the like. The process comprises the steps of placing an uncooked meat piece adjacent the opening of a shaping mold, subjecting the meat piece to an air pressure differential to cause the meat piece to enter the mold, and heating the mold to cook the meat piece therein.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1988Date of Patent: January 15, 1991Assignee: Corporation Salaison MelroseInventor: Paul Choquette
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Patent number: D658097Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2010Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Inventor: Paul Choquette