East Texans invited to share invention at AFBF convention

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Necessity is the mother of invention ... John W. "Pete" Gipson of Gilmer wanted an easier method for hitching a trailer to his tractor, so he created one. His idea was first recognized at the Texas Farm Bureau convention in December. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

Jan. 13, 2004 - A Gilmer man is one of 15 individuals across the country invited to share his innovative idea at the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention in Charlotte, N.C.

John W. "Pete" Gipson, an Upshur County Farm Bureau member and current president of the club, will be showing a trailer hitch for the drawbar of a tractor, which, according to Gipson, "only takes a few seconds to adapt my tractor's drawbar to accept a ball hitch."

Gipson's invention was first recognized at the Texas Farm Bureau convention in December.

The idea came to Gipson when he wanted to an easier method of hitching a trailer to his tractor.

"I wanted to pull a bumper-pull trailer with the tractor and wrestled with the ball. I thought there has to be an easier way to hook a trailer," Gipson explained.

He found some scrap metal and began to work. It took some time but the trailer hitch was soon designed and built.

Made with a 9-inch-long piece of box tubing, the hitch has a 2-inch ball welded on one end, and then a hole was cut about three inches from the ball for a pin to be dropped through. Holes were also drilled on each side of the device and two 1/2-inch nuts were welded over the holes. These nuts secure the hitch to the drawbar and stabilize the assembly.

The inventor stated he had been to a patent lawyer about his invention but it would cost over $10,000 to get the patent. Research would also have to be done in order to see if the design was already patented.

Gipson stated he has always been mechanically inclined and especially likes working with metal. He added that some of the things he has learned initially came from taking a ag class.

"I can only say great things about the FFA program," he said. (Gipson taught ag for five years, 1964-1969, at Harmony.)

The inventor has made tables from cast offs of a local funeral home. He also designed a post driver that can be worked by two people - one on a tractor which has a front-end bucket, and the other on the ground. The person on the ground will put the T-post into the driver, which has a round bottom on one end. Once the post, encased in the driver, is placed, the bucket is lowered to push the post into the ground. Once the driver's round bottom is flush with the ground, the post is driven deep enough.

"All my T-post are even," he said about one of the invention's assets.

Gipson, who is now retired after working 34 years with Farm Bureau, stated he has more inventions to come.

"Out here on the farm, every farmer has something in their mind to help them. I've already got it in my mind what to do for next year's (Farm Bureau) competition."

If the invention wins the competition at the national convention, Gipson will have the use of a New Holland Bi-Directional tractor for one year.

This is the 15th year for the Farm Bureau Farmer Idea Exchange. The competition is open to Farm Bureau member families, in participating Farm Bureau member states, and the purpose of the exchange to share innovations and products with a wide variety of farmers.

For more information about Gipson's invention, call 903-762-2189.