Locks – Portable – Padlocks
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-11
2001-04-10
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3627)
Locks
Portable
Padlocks
C070S03800C, C070S026000, C070S211000, C070S057000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212920
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the art of security devices and, more particularly, to an anti-theft device mountable on the elevator and aileron control post in the cockpit of an airplane to preclude unauthorized operation thereof.
Small, propeller driven and jet aircraft are often parked and left unattended outside in a remote area of a large airport, or outside at smaller, local airports, and in both cases there is very little traffic in the way of individuals in the area. Moreover, there generally is little or no provision of security personnel to watch unattended aircraft, and even if an owner normally parks his or her aircraft in a hanger, there are instances where the aircraft is temporarily parked outside and left unattended, or towed or taxied from the hanger to a maintenance area in which the aircraft is left unattended pending the inspection, performance of maintenance or the like. Further, hangers are often left open, and in all of the foregoing situations the aircraft is subject to unauthorized use or operation as well as theft, especially at smaller airports where there is minimal air traffic and security and thus more than ample opportunity to steal or take a joy ride in the aircraft.
Most smaller aircraft have key operated ignition systems in which the wires can be readily crossed if necessary to enable operation of the engine of the aircraft. However, in connection with such small aircraft, owners often leave the key in place, especially when the aircraft has been parked in a maintenance area, whereby the crossing of wires is not necessary to operate the aircraft. Still further, some owners replace the key switch with a toggle switch for convenience, and many aircraft as manufactured do not have a key operated switch and are operable merely by actuating a toggle switch. While small aircraft parked outside are often tethered to the ground, such tethering is primarily for the purpose of maintaining the aircraft in place during high winds and is neither intended to nor capable of deterring theft or unauthorized operation of the aircraft. In this respect, such tethering arrangements generally include rope or other lines which are tied in place or which are provided with mechanical clasps or the like, whereby the lines are readily cut or detached from the aircraft.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Most small aircraft are provided with a control lock arrangement which holds the elevator and aileron control post in a fixed position in which the elevators and ailerons are aligned, respectively, with the stabilizer and wings to provide a streamlined attitude of the parts which minimizes the negative effect of high winds on a parked aircraft. In this respect, the ailerons and elevators are locked in the streamlined orientations against displacement relative to the wings and stabilizer by winds and which displacement back and forth relative to the wings and stabilizer can damage the ailerons and elevators as well as the control lines therefor. Further, such displacement can provide surfaces against which the wind can impose forces on the wings and stabilizer which can potentially damage the latter and/or can cause upending, flipping or other displacement of the aircraft in its entirety relative to the ground. If the aircraft is tethered, any such displacement can impose forces potentially dangerous to the structure of the aircraft. The control lock arrangement includes openings through the elevator and aileron control posts and a sleeve supporting the latter for axial sliding and rotational displacement, and the openings are aligned to provide a passage through the components when the ailerons and elevators are in the streamlined positions thereof. A thin metal rod is inserted through the passage when the aircraft is parked to preclude the axial and rotational displacement of the control post, thus to maintain the ailerons and elevators in the streamlined orientations, and is removed from the passage in connection with pre-flight preparation of the aircraft. The rod is simply slidably received in the passage, is bent to rest on the top of the sleeve and has an end spaced from the sleeve and provided with a flat plate bearing warning indicia to remove the control lock before starting the aircraft engine. Usually, the control lock is removed from outside the cabin during pre-flight preparation of the aircraft by opening the cabin door and lifting the rod from the passage.
In accordance with the present invention, an anti-theft device is provided which is operable in connection with the control lock passage to combine the advantages of locking the elevators and ailerons in the streamlined positions thereof and precluding unauthorized use of the aircraft by locking the anti-theft device to the aileron and elevator control post. Accordingly, an unauthorized person cannot merely open the cabin door and remove the control lock so as to free the ailerons and elevators for operation which would enable flying of the plane and thus theft of the latter. Preferably, the anti-theft device includes an arm extending through the control lock passage and having one end engaging against the fixed sleeve and a second end extending beyond the passage and receiving a leg member which is adapted to be locked on the second end to preclude unauthorized removal of the anti-theft device. The lock can be key operated or a combination-type lock and, preferably, the device is provided with a plate bearing the precautionary indicia to remove the device prior to starting the airplane engine. The arm and leg components of the anti-theft device are constructed of hard steel and this, together with the location of the mounted anti-theft device closely adjacent the instrument panel of the aircraft basically precludes access to and thus cutting of the anti-theft device with a rod cutter or hacksaw. In a preferred embodiment, the anti-theft device comprises a pair of U-shaped members one of which has arms in the form of rods and the other of which has legs in the form of tubes slidably receiving the rods. One of the arms and the corresponding leg interengage to limit displacement therebetween in the direction to separate the arms from the legs, and the other arm and leg are of lengths which provide for separation thereof to provide a space therebetween which enables mounting of the anti-theft device on the aileron and elevator control post components. Interengaging one of the arms and the corresponding leg against separation advantageously precludes total separation of the two U-shaped members and thus the potential for losing or misplacing one of the members thus rendering the device useless for its intended purpose.
It is accordingly an outstanding object of the present invention to provide an improved anti-theft device for preventing the unauthorized use of aircraft.
Another object is the provision of an anti-theft device of the foregoing character which is mountable on the aileron and elevator control post in the cockpit of an aircraft so as to preclude the displacements of the elevators and ailerons necessary for flying the aircraft.
Still another object is the provision of an anti-theft device of the foregoing character which is associated with the aileron and elevator control post of an aircraft to lock the ailerons and elevators in streamlined positions thereof while rendering the ailerons and elevators inoperable for flying the aircraft.
Yet a further object is the provision of an anti-theft device of the foregoing character which is locked in place to preclude displacements of the aileron and elevator components for flying the aircraft and which can be unlocked and removed only by an authorized operator.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 345992 (1994-04-01), Mohsen
patent: D. 391142 (1998-02-01), Winner
patent: 643448 (1900-02-01), Amess
patent: 1020930 (1912-03-01), Seeley
patent: 1464908 (1923-08-01), Kettering
patent: 3898823 (1975-08-01), Ludeman
patent: 4167862 (1979-09-01), Gould
patent: 4208026 (1980-06-01), Reynolds
patent: 4299361 (1981-11-01), Webb
patent: 4475366 (1984-10-01), Marn
Luu Teri Pham
Vickers Daniels & Young
Winner Aviation Corporation
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