Abstract: The present invention features an energy-absorbent, hitching mechanism for towing trailers and other vehicles by pickup trucks or other tow vehicles. This is a mechanism of the universal type, in which energy absorption is achieved for all transverse and orthogonal forces, including force vectors in the vertical, lateral and longitudinal axes, i.e., the X, Y and Z axes of movement. The hitching mechanism has a housing for receiving a hitch ball that is attached to a tow vehicle. The ball is free to move within a chamber of the housing, subject to cushion forces described below, in any orthogonal direction, i.e., along the X, Y and/or Z axes. The housing chamber contains an energy-absorbent, dome-shaped pad that cushions the hitch ball. When the ball presses against the pad from any direction, the energy of any transverse force is absorbed by the pad, which expands into at least part of the housing chamber.

Abstract: An energy dampening drawbar for use with receiver hitches and specialty types of hitches is described as including an elongated hollow shank having slots on opposite sides. A first cushion block is located within the shank and has a portion of the first cushion block adjacent one surface of a pin block. The pin block has a hole that aligns with a portion of the two slots. A second cushion block is located within the shank adjacent another surface of the pin block. A first restraint prevents longitudinal travel within the shank by the first cushion block. A second restraint prevents longitudinal travel within the shank by the second cushion block. A plate is attached to one end of the shank to provide a surface for attaching a trailer coupling.

Abstract: A wide-range hitch assembly which mounts on a towing vehicle is provided wherein a hitch ball can be pivoted in an arc and extended or retracted to simplify mating the hitch ball with a cooperating ball hitch fitted on a towed vehicle. The present invention includes a rectangular housing holding a conventional rectangular receiver tube mounted for pivotal movement within the interior of the housing. The receiver tube has pin receiving bores located in the top and bottom walls which bores may be coaxially aligned with corresponding bores in the top and bottom walls of the housing. A drawbar, slidably positioned within the receiver tube, has a bore therethrough which bore may be positioned in coaxial alignment with the bores through the receiver tube. A pin is used to automatically lock the receiver tube in a central, proper towing position as the receiver tube is centered for towing and then the drawbar retracted.

Abstract: A stove construction including a firebox that defines a combustion chamber. Air is supplied to the upper portion of the combustion chamber through a preheat manifold having outlet apertures spaced along the sides. Air is drawn from the atmosphere into the manifold where it is preheated and discharged in the form of jets toward the sloping side walls of the firebox and into the flow path of the waste gases of combustion. Due to the restriction to flow caused by baffles located in the spaces between the sides of the manifold and the sloping sidewalls, a portion of the mixture of air and waste gases is directed downwardly along the surface of combustion plates, which are spaced from the walls of the firebox, back toward the primary combustion area. The waste gases are further combusted as they pass downwardly along the heated combustion plates. The recirculation achieves complete combustion of the waste gases.