Locks – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
2002-12-20
2004-09-07
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3676)
Locks
Portable
C070S034000, C280S507000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06786068
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
This disclosure relates to locking devices and, more particularly, to locking devices for trailer hitches of the pintle ring type to be engaged by pintle hooks.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
Many publicly and/or privately owned items, such as construction tool boxes, traffic signal and warning lights, information displays, etc., are maintained on trailers for ease of towing to the desired location. Often times the item must remain at the desired site for several days or months. Accordingly, the towing vehicle is often disengaged from the trailer hitch for use in other areas, thus leaving the trailer on site and unprotected.
Typically, the trailer hitch includes a heavy, round doughnut formed portion known as a “pintle ring” at the end of the trailer for engagement by a hitch coupler known as a “pintle hook” on the towing vehicle. When the pintle hook is disengaged from the pintle ring and the towing vehicle is removed, it becomes possible for someone to steal the trailer and the associated items by attaching a hitch coupler pintle hook of another vehicle to the pintle ring and driving away with the trailer.
In an attempt to prevent such thefts, the trailer can be hoisted in the air or blocked by other vehicles, such as at a construction site, to make the trailer hitch and pintle ring inaccessible to others. Another attempt to prevent theft of the trailer utilizes a block locking device inserted into the eye of the pintle ring and maintained in a blocking position by a padlock to prevent removal of the block from the pintle ring. However, the locking U-shaped bars of the padlock are exposed, so that one can readily hacksaw through the padlock bars or snap the bars with large cutters, and thereby remove the block from the eye of the pintle ring.
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a locking device for pintle ring type trailer hitches which cannot be readily removed. In particular it is desired to provide such a locking device in which the locking mechanism is not externally exposed and is therefore not accessible for cutting by a hacksaw or large cutters.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a pintle ring lock is disclosed which may comprise a base and a locking cap. The base may include a bottom plate from which an appendage extends with an aperture extending through the appendage. The locking cap is adapted to lock onto the base with the locking cap having a top plate with a lock mounted thereto. The top plate includes a slot adapted to receive the appendage, while the lock includes a movable bolt adapted to extend through the appendage aperture.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a pintle ring lock assembly is disclosed which may comprise a pintle ring, a base, and a locking cap. The pintle ring may include an annular frame and central hole, while the base may include a bottom plate from which the appendage extends. The appendage may have an aperture therethrough. The locking cap is mounted to the base and includes a top plate with the lock mounted thereto. The top plate includes a slot with a bolt movable into and out of the slot. The appendage is adapted to extend through the slot with the bolt being movable into and out of the appendage aperture. The bottom plate and top plate sandwich the pintle ring therebetween.
In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the method of securing a pintle ring against theft is disclosed which may comprise the steps of inserting the appendage through the pintle ring, the appendage extending from a bottom plate and including an aperture, mounting a locking cap onto the appendage, the locking cap having a top plate with a slot to receive the appendage, and extending a locking bolt from the locking cap across the top plate and through the appendage aperture.
These and other aspects in features of the disclosure will become more apparent upon reading the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3844143 (1974-10-01), Hudson
patent: 4186575 (1980-02-01), Bulle
patent: 4376544 (1983-03-01), Sette et al.
patent: 4380160 (1983-04-01), Hoffman
patent: 4440005 (1984-04-01), Bulle
patent: 5332251 (1994-07-01), Farquhar
patent: 5343720 (1994-09-01), Slater
patent: D417133 (1999-11-01), Niswanger
patent: 6412313 (2002-07-01), Bernstrom
patent: 6467317 (2002-10-01), Hillabush et al.
patent: 6598432 (2003-07-01), Dwyer
Http://www.ssbtractor.com/pintle_hooks.html; 3 pages.
Barrett Suzanne Dino
Marshall & Gerstein & Borun LLP
LandOfFree
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