Indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle

• US 4,846,094 A
• Filed: 09/09/1988
• Issued: 07/11/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John H. Woods
• Original Assignee: John H. Woods
• Inventors: Woods, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Worth, W. Morris
• Application Number:
  US07/242,223
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 33/264, 33/DIG. 1, 33/333, 33/335, 33/351, 33/391, 33/399, 116/28 R, 116/31, 116/215, 116/303, 40/593, 40/587, 280/477, 180/313
• US Class Current: 116/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20834 Hand wheels

Abstract

An indicator which is attached to the steering wheel of a vehicle and which has a boat indicia and a front wheel position indicator that rotate with the steering wheel and which has a gravity weighted disk-shape member upon which a towing vehicle is indicated as well as a roadway and which remains in the vertical position as the wheel is rotated so that a position of the vehicle and the trailer can be continuously observed.

Claims

1. An indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle which is attached to a towing vehicle which has a steering wheel comprising, a first planar member non-rotatably attached to the center of said steering wheel, a first indicia means representing the trailer is non-rotatably attached to said first planar member, a second planar member pivotally supported at a pivot point on said first planar member and provided thereon with a second indicia means representing said towing vehicle, the weight distribution of said second planar member is such that its center of gravity is below said pivot point, whereby the orientation of said first indicia means relative to said second indicia means indicates the direction of travel of the towed vehicle during backing.

2. An indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle according to claim 1 including a weight attached to said second planar member below said pivot point.

3. An indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle according to claim 2 wherein said first and second planar members are disk-shaped.

4. An indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle according to claim 3 wherein a shaft axially extends from said first planar member at its center, said first indicia means is non-rotatably affixed to a distal end of said shaft and said second planar member is pivotally supported about said shaft between said first indicia means and said first planar member.

5. An indicator assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle according to claim 3 including a roadway indicia printed on said second planar member.

6. An indicator for assisting backing of a trailer or any type of towed vehicle according to claim 3 including a third transparent planar member which overlies said first and second planar members and is attached to said first planar member, and a third indicia means affixed on said third planar member for indicating the position of the front wheel of the towing vehicle.