Locks – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-26
2001-03-20
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Portable
C070S232000, C070S258000, C280S507000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202453
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to anti-theft and anti-vandalism devices and more particularly to a trailer guard for preventing access to the trailer ball attachment portion of a trailer and thereby preventing damage to the trailer ball attachment portion as well as theft of the entire trailer; the trailer guard including a ball attachment portion shield assembly, a shield assembly locking plate, and a lock assembly; the ball attachment portion shield assembly being constructed from rigid steel and including a cylinder shaped shield with one closed end, one open ball attachment portion insertion end, a cylinder shaped ball attachment portion receiving cavity defined within the cylinder shaped shield between the closed end and the open ball attachment portion insertion end, and two opposed elongated locking plate passage slots formed through the sidewall of the cylinder shaped shield; the shield assembly locking plate including a rectangular locking plate element having a locking bolt passage aperture formed therethrough adjacent to an insertion end thereof and a blocking plate perpendicularly attached to a locking plate element end thereof opposite the insertion end, the bolt passage aperture being spaced sufficiently from the blocking plate such that the bolt passage aperture is positioned exteriorly of the cylinder shaped shield when the insertion end has been positioned through both of the opposed elongated locking plate passage slots; the lock assembly including a locking bolt lockable through the bolt passage aperture.
BACKGROUND ART
Many trailers are stolen each year by a thief who simply hooks the trailer to a vehicle and drives away. It would be a benefit, therefore, to trailer owners to have a trailer guard for covering and preventing access to the trailer ball attachment portion of the trailer to prevent a thief from driving away with the trailer. In addition, it would be a further benefit to have a trailer guard that also provided a shield for shielding the trailer ball attachment portion of the trailer from weather damage, accidental damage and/or just plain vandalism.
GENERAL SUMMARY DISCUSSION OF INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a trailer guard that includes a ball attachment portion shield assembly, a shield assembly locking plate, and a lock assembly; the ball attachment portion shield assembly being constructed from rigid steel and including a cylinder shaped shield with one closed end, one open ball attachment portion insertion end, a cylinder shaped ball attachment portion receiving cavity defined within the cylinder shaped shield between the closed end and the open ball attachment portion insertion end, and two opposed elongated locking plate passage slots formed through the sidewall of the cylinder shaped shield; the shield assembly locking plate including a rectangular locking plate element having a locking bolt passage aperture formed therethrough adjacent to an insertion end thereof and a blocking plate perpendicularly attached to a locking plate element end thereof opposite the insertion end, the bolt passage aperture being spaced sufficiently from the blocking plate such that the bolt passage aperture is positioned exteriorly of the cylinder shaped shield when the insertion end has been positioned through both of the opposed elongated locking plate passage slots; the lock assembly including a locking bolt lockable through the bolt passage aperture.
Accordingly, a trailer guard is provided. The trailer guard includes a ball attachment portion shield assembly, a shield assembly locking plate, and a lock assembly; the ball attachment portion shield assembly being constructed from rigid steel and including a cylinder shaped shield with one closed end, one open ball attachment portion insertion end, a cylinder shaped ball attachment portion receiving cavity defined within the cylinder shaped shield between the closed end and the open ball attachment portion insertion end, and two opposed elongated locking plate passage slots formed through the sidewall of the cylinder shaped shield; the shield assembly locking plate including a rectangular locking plate element having a locking bolt passage aperture formed therethrough adjacent to an insertion end thereof and a blocking plate perpendicularly attached to a locking plate element end thereof opposite the insertion end, the bolt passage aperture being spaced sufficiently from the blocking plate such that the bolt passage aperture is positioned exteriorly of the cylinder shaped shield when the insertion end has been positioned through both of the opposed elongated locking plate passage slots; the lock assembly including a locking bolt lockable through the bolt passage aperture.
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Bechard John E.
Disher Gail M.
Disher William R.
Barrett Suzanne Dino
Breaux Joseph N.
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