US Patent Issued on March 11 for "Retrofit tailgate latching mechanism and method" (Wisconsin Inventor)

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 12 -- United States Patent no. 12,246,778, issued on March 11.

"Retrofit tailgate latching mechanism and method" was invented by Mark C. Blank (Menasha, Wis.).

According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A retrofit tailgate latching mechanism and method for a tailgate. This includes a retrofit housing configured to be connected to the tailgate. Also, there is an actuating handle joined with the retrofit housing. A linkage assembly is joined with the actuating handle at a proximal end of the linkage assembly and extending through and within the tailgate toward the stop catch of the truck bed sidewall. The linkage assembly selectively engages and disengages the stop catch of the truck b...