Locks – Portable
Reexamination Certificate
2003-05-21
2004-02-24
Gall, Llyod A. (Department: 3676)
Locks
Portable
C070S018000, C070S03800C, C070S039000, C070S258000, C280S507000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06694781
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tow-deterrent lock for camping trailer and particularly to a theft-proof and tow-deterrent lock for camping trailers to prevent the camping trailers from stolen and hauled away in two use conditions before and after being coupled with a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Refer to
FIG. 1
for a conventional tow-deterrent lock
5
. It includes a body
51
which has a sphere
511
located thereon to couple with a U-shaped shackle
52
to achieve lock function. When the camping trailer is not coupled with the vehicle, the sphere
511
may be disposed in a spherical trough
612
of a coupling dock
61
of the camping trailers, then the U-shaped shackle
52
may be inserted into the body
51
from above to form a lock condition (as shown in
FIG. 2
) to prevent the trailer from being stolen and hauled away. However, such a tow-deterrent lock is applicable only to the camping trailers which is not yet being coupled with the vehicle. Once the camping trailer has been coupled with the vehicle, the conventional tow-deterrent lock
5
does not have lock function. The tow-deterrent locks now on the market generally do not provide dual usage theft-proof functions. Hence once a theft unfasten the coupling of the coupling dock
61
and the camping trailers (no lock is applied), the camping trailers may be hauled away easily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide a tow-deterrent lock for camping trailers that can form a locking and retaining condition when the coupling dock extended from the camping trailers is coupled with the towing rod of the vehicle.
Another object of the invention is to provide a tow-deterrent lock for camping trailers that can form a locking condition when the coupling dock of the camping trailers is not coupled with the vehicle so that the coupling dock cannot be coupled with other vehicle to prevent the camping trailers from being hauled away improperly.
In order to achieve the foregoing objects, the invention mainly includes an elongated latch assembly which has two ends forming respectively an insert hub with an insert hole to couple with a corresponding latch bolt dock. The latch bolt dock has a transverse beam with an inner side bonding to a spherical shell which has a housing chamber with an opening. The coupling dock extended from the camping trailers may be coupled with a towing rod of a vehicle with the housing chamber holding a nut fastened to the lower end of a spherical head, then the latch bolt dock and the latch assembly may be used to couple and lock the coupling dock and the lower end of the spherical head. When the camping trailer is not yet coupled with the vehicle, the spherical shell may be embedded into a spherical trough of the coupling dock of the camping trailer to prevent improper locking and towing. Therefore, the invention can provide theft-proof function in both conditions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2700289 (1955-01-01), Morgan
patent: 3924878 (1975-12-01), Utman et al.
patent: 4032171 (1977-06-01), Allen et al.
patent: 4836570 (1989-06-01), Lopez et al.
patent: 5042754 (1991-08-01), Heath
patent: 5087064 (1992-02-01), Guhlin
patent: 5094423 (1992-03-01), Almquist et al.
patent: 5394712 (1995-03-01), Chou
patent: 5417092 (1995-05-01), Iu
patent: 5700024 (1997-12-01), Upchurch
patent: 5873271 (1999-02-01), Smith
patent: 6155589 (2000-12-01), Simpson
patent: 6412313 (2002-07-01), Bernstrom
patent: 1206333 (1970-09-01), None
patent: 1350086 (1974-04-01), None
Gall Llyod A.
Troxell Law Office PLLC
Vulcan Sports Co., Ltd.
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