ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 28 -- United States Patent no. 12,534,941, issued on Jan. 27, was assigned to Austin Hardware & Supply Inc. (Lee's Summit, Mo.).
"Bar lock" was invented by Daye Zhang (Buford, Ga.), Robert Walden (Buford, Ga.) and David Lay (Buford, Ga.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A bar lock includes an upper strap and a lower strap that receives the bar. The upper and lower strap hingedly engage to hinge butts at an opening of a truck. The upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar. The upper cylindrical passage includes an upper opening and a lower opening. An upper weld is between the upper opening of the upper cylindrical passage and the bar. The lower st...