Locks – Special application – For control and machine elements
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-28
2003-02-04
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3629)
Locks
Special application
For control and machine elements
C070S226000, C070S237000, C070S238000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06513355
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an automobile steering lock, particularly to one having a handy but sophisticated structure capable to protect the steering wheel of an automobile from being unlocked or sawed off and thus preventing the automobile from being stolen.
A known first conventional automobile steering lock shown in
FIG. 1
includes a lock member A
1
, a tubular member A
2
, and a rod member A
3
. The rod member A
3
extends through a through hole A
11
of the lock member A
1
and in the tubular member A
2
so as to telescope in the tubular member A
2
. The rod member A
3
has a plurality of annular grooves A
31
to engage with a locking means A
12
of the lock member. The rod member A
3
has a hook A
32
formed at one end to hook one side of the steering wheel A
4
. Then the lock member A
1
locks the other side of the steering wheel A
4
, with the tubular member A
2
extending out of the steering wheel A
4
so that the tubular member A
2
may be stopped by the windshield or the body of a driver if the steering wheel should be rotated, preventing the steering wheel from rotated and consequently the automobile from being stolen.
The first known conventional automobile steering lock has the following disadvantages.
1. It is not handy. It functions to lock the steering wheel of an automobile by the rod member A
3
, the lock member A
1
and the tubular member A
2
, and the tubular member A
2
has to have a length enough to be stopped by the windshield, resulting in a heavy weight of the automobile steering lock, not easily handled.
2. It has an inferior anti-theft function. As long as the lock member A
1
is sawed off the steering wheel shown in
FIG. 1
, it is easily taken off the steering wheel. Or the steering wheel together with it is taken off by unscrewing the steering wheel, and then a new steering wheel without an automobile steering lock is newly screwed on to steal the automobile.
3. It cannot protect the steering wheel A
4
of an automobile from being taken off by means of the rod member A
3
so that a safety air sack may be easily stolen to result in a loss to the owner.
A second known conventional automobile steering lock shown in
FIG. 2
includes an engage plate device B
2
consisting of a plate member B
21
, a hook B
22
, an engage member B
23
respectively provided under two opposite sides of the plate member B
21
, a hollow guide member B
24
provided on a front upper side of the plate member A
21
for an actuating rod B
4
to penetrate in, and a block plate pivotally connected with a lengthwise side of the plate member B
21
. Then the engage plate device B
2
is locked (or engaged) on the steering wheel of an automobile with the block plate blocking the steering wheel and with the activating rod B
4
freely extending in the hollow guide member B
24
and with the lock member locking the steering wheel in its place, preventing the steering wheel from being sawed off. But in order to permit the hook B
22
and the engage member B
23
respectively to engage two opposite sides of the steering wheel, the plate member B
21
has to have a length enough to result in a heavy weight of the steering lock. And the activating rod B
4
also has to have a length comparatively long to increase the weight of the steering lock to let the lock not be so easily handled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An automobile steering lock in the present invention has been devised to include a protective plate to be covered on the steering wheel of an automobile, a lock member fixed on a side of the protective plate to be locked and unlocked with a key, a projection provided on a lower portion of the lock member, a block plate pivotally connected with a side of the protective plate to rotate for an angle to block the steering wheel, and an activating rod having a tubular portion to align and fit around the lower portion of the lock member so as to let the projection of the lower portion engage the inner annular groove to lock the lock member.
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Knight Anthony
Troxell Law Office PLLC
Walsh John B.
LandOfFree
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