Land vehicles – Wheeled – Articulated vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-10
2001-11-13
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Articulated vehicle
C070S014000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06315315
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE INDEX
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Gooseneck trailers attached to towing vehicles are commonly used to transport machinery, livestock, and other goods as well as recreational vehicles. When the trailer is separated from the towing vehicle the trailer and its goods are subject to theft by the unauthorized coupling to a towing vehicle. Gooseneck trailer hitches are of a limited variety, frequently being of standard type or shapes. Examples are kingpin hitches which consist of cylindrical posts containing circumferential recesses and fit into matching openings mounted on the towing vehicle; and gooseneck hitches. The typical or standard gooseneck hitch consists of a coupler attached to the lower end of a generally vertical post, the upper end is either attached to the trailer or to a horizontal beam which is attached to the trailer. The trailer hitch coupler at the lower end of the post connects with a protruding device on the towing vehicle. The coupler itself consists of different shapes and configurations but generally has a fixed plate attached to the vertical post and a moveable plate that is offset to reduce the diameter of the opening when closed, to lock around the ball (protruding device) on the towing vehicle. Both the fixed plate and the moveable plate have a 2{fraction (5/16)}″ diameter hole that aligns when the coupler is in the receiving or unlocked position and the ball (protruding device) on the towing vehicle has a maximum 2{fraction (5/16)}″ diameter that fits in the receptacle formed by the coupler. When the coupler is moved to the closed or locked position the diameter of the hole in the coupler is reduced by at least ½″ effectively securing or locking the ball (protruding devise) of the towing vehicle with the coupler.
There is a need for a durable, inexpensive, simply operated, effective hitch lock for trailers with gooseneck hitches. Locking devices for king-pin or ball and socket hitches cannot be used on gooseneck couplers, because such locking devices will not fit around or be attachable to the coupler of a gooseneck hitch. The gooseneck trailer hitch lock should completely fill the coupler cavity to obstruct the coupler and prevent the undesired coupling with a towing vehicle. Such locking device should further contain a secure internal means to prevent its undesired removal from the coupler.
The prior art has been principally directed toward locking devices for gooseneck trailer hitch couplers that surround the coupler, obstruct the insertion of the towing ball, and utilize either a built-in lock or an external padlock; a devise that is inserted into the coupler opening but is secured by an external device that fits over the coupler locking arm and utilizes a padlock; and devices that fill the coupler with a ball that is attached to a telescoping pole that is attached to the forward end of the trailer with a padlock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,545 issued Oct.26, 1993 to Wheeler for Gooseneck trailer hitch locking device, U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,316 issued Jun. 21, 1994 to Wheeler for Anti-theft coupler device, and U.S. Pat. No. D402,602 issued Dec. 15, 1998 to Niswanger for Universal Gooseneck Trailer Lock are of the type that surround the coupler.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,871 issued May 7, 1996 to Johnson for Gooseneck Trailer Hitch Locking Device is of the type that is inserted into the coupler but locks externally to the coupler locking arm and is secured with a padlock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,030 issued May 28, 1996 to Muldoon is the telescoping pole type.
All of the above inventions and patents show a vulnerability either with multiple parts that are easily misplaced and difficult to assemble, padlocks and chains which are easily cut with bolt cutters, massive devices that are hard to store when not in use, or failure to obstruct the coupler opening and the coupler movement itself.
Therefore, it is apparent that a need still exists for a simple, easy to use unitary device that obstructs the gooseneck coupler opening while preventing the movement of the coupler mechanism utilizing a secure internal locking device that prevents the gooseneck trailer from being attached to a towing vehicle and unauthorized use.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The locking device disclosed and claimed is for use with a trailer gooseneck, the trailer gooseneck having a post with a upper and lower ends, the upper end being attached to a trailer and the lower end being attached to a coupler, the coupler having a 2{fraction (5/16)}″ receptacle and being adapted for releasable attachment to a towing vehicle, said locking device comprising obstruction means for cooperation with the coupler to prevent undesired coupling of the coupler to the towing vehicle and securing means cooperating with said obstruction means to prevent undesired removal of said obstruction means from the coupler.
The anti-theft coupler device disclosed and claimed in one preferred form involves a single unit that is inserted into the coupler, just as the ball is inserted into the coupler, the coupler closing mechanism is activated to the closed position which causes the top portion of the lock to remain in place and the bottom portion of the lock travels with the slide mechanism. The barrel lock is locked and the invention is secured in the coupler. The lip of the coupler closing mechanism prevents the removal of the lock until unlocked.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3226133 (1965-12-01), Geresy
patent: 3492023 (1970-01-01), Thompson
patent: 3977221 (1976-08-01), Foote
patent: 4291557 (1981-09-01), Bulle et al.
patent: 4325237 (1982-04-01), Menzie
patent: 5322316 (1994-06-01), Wheeler
patent: 5410893 (1995-05-01), Easterwood
patent: 282688 (1989-06-01), None
patent: 318653 (1989-06-01), None
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