Locking device for trailer hitches and method therefor
DC CAFC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer, comprising:
- (A) a lock housing including a hitch ball element supported thereby that is sized and adapted to mate with a coupler section of a trailer, said lock housing having a pair of spaced-apart passageways extending therethrough;
(B) a shackle member releasably securable to said lock housing to define a retain state, said shackle member including a pair of spaced-apart leg sections and a bridge section extending therebetween, wherein each of said leg sections has a latch structure thereon and is respectively configured to pass through the pair of passageways when in the retain state whereby said coupler section can be non-removably engaged between said hitch ball element and said bridge section, said shackle member releasable from said lock housing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be engaged by and released from said hitch ball element;
(C) a latch mechanism disposed in said lock housing and operative to move between a latch state wherein said latch structure is engaged thereby retaining said shackle member in the retain state and an unlatch state wherein said latch structure is disengaged such that said shackle member may be moved to the release state; and
(D) a lock mechanism that is integral with the lock housing and that is movable between a lock state to lock said latch mechanism in the latch state such that said shackle member is in the retain state and an unlock state to unlock said latch mechanism so that it may move to the unlatch state thereby allowing said shackle member to move to the release state.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus to secure the coupler section of a trailer provides a locking device that includes a lock housing having a hitch ball element to engage the recess in the coupler, a shackle member lockable to the housing and having a bridge section that spans the hitch ball element, and a latch assembly to latch and unlatch the shackle member. The shackle member is shown to be U-shaped with legs that extend through and secure to the lock housing. The latch assembly provides a ratchet-type engagement to allow adjustable locking. A rotatable lock mechanism drives a cam based latch mechanism between a latch state and an unlatch state.
56 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer, comprising:
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(A) a lock housing including a hitch ball element supported thereby that is sized and adapted to mate with a coupler section of a trailer, said lock housing having a pair of spaced-apart passageways extending therethrough; (B) a shackle member releasably securable to said lock housing to define a retain state, said shackle member including a pair of spaced-apart leg sections and a bridge section extending therebetween, wherein each of said leg sections has a latch structure thereon and is respectively configured to pass through the pair of passageways when in the retain state whereby said coupler section can be non-removably engaged between said hitch ball element and said bridge section, said shackle member releasable from said lock housing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be engaged by and released from said hitch ball element; (C) a latch mechanism disposed in said lock housing and operative to move between a latch state wherein said latch structure is engaged thereby retaining said shackle member in the retain state and an unlatch state wherein said latch structure is disengaged such that said shackle member may be moved to the release state; and (D) a lock mechanism that is integral with the lock housing and that is movable between a lock state to lock said latch mechanism in the latch state such that said shackle member is in the retain state and an unlock state to unlock said latch mechanism so that it may move to the unlatch state thereby allowing said shackle member to move to the release state. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer, comprising:
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(A) a lock housing including a hitch ball element supported thereby that is sized and adapted to mate with a coupler section of a trailer, said lock housing having a pair of spaced-apart passageways extending therethrough; (B) a shackle member releasably securable to said lock housing to define a retain state, said shackle member including a pair of spaced-apart leg sections and a bridge section extending therebetween, said leg sections respectively configured to pass through the pair of passageways when in the retain state whereby said coupler section can be non-removably engaged between said hitch ball element and said bridge section, said shackle member releasable from said lock housing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be engaged by and released from said hitch ball element; (C) a latch mechanism disposed in said lock housing including a pair of latch rods each having a cam surface associated therewith and operative to move between a first rod position corresponding to a latch state wherein said shackle member is latched in the retain state and a second rod position corresponding to an unlatch state wherein said shackle member may be moved to the release state; and (D) a lock mechanism that is integral with the lock housing, rotatable between first and second rotational positions that respectively correspond to a lock and an unlock state, and that includes a cam element that interacts with the cam surfaces such that rotation of said lock mechanism between the first and second rotational positions acts to cause movement of said latch rods between the first and second rod positions. - View Dependent Claims (4)
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5. A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer that has a hitch ball recess, comprising:
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(A) a lock housing including a hitch ball element supported thereby that is sized and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the hitch ball recess of a coupler section of a trailer, wherein said lock housing includes a body portion having a longitudinal throughway extending therethrough and a transverse bore intersecting the throughway with said hitch ball oriented generally orthogonally to the throughway and to the bore, and including an elongated tubular casing disposed in the throughway; (B) a shackle member releasably securable to said lock housing to define a retain state, said shackle member including a bridge section that extends across said hitch ball element when in the retain state whereby said coupler section becomes non-removably trapped between said hitch ball element and said bridge section when in the retain state, said shackle member releasable from said lock housing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be released from said hitch ball element; and (C) a selectively lockable latch assembly disposed in and integral with said lock housing and operative to move between a latch state wherein said shackle member is latched in the retain state and an unlatch state wherein said shackle member may be moved to the release state. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer, comprising:
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(A) a lock housing including (1) a body portion having a longitudinal throughway extending therethrough and a bore intersecting the throughway, (2) an elongated tubular casing disposed in the throughway and including oppositely projecting casing sections located exteriorly of said body portion, each of said casing sections having a spaced-apart passageway extending therethrough, and (3) a hitch ball element supported by said body portion and sized and adapted to mate with a coupler section of a trailer, said hitch ball element ball oriented generally orthogonally to the throughway; (B) a shackle member releasably securable in said casing to define a retain state, said shackle member including (1) a pair of spaced-apart leg sections each having a first latch structure thereon and (2) a bridge section extending between said leg sections, (3) said leg sections respectively configured such that a respective leg section will pass through a respective passageway when in the retain state whereby said coupler section can be non-removably engaged between said hitch ball element and said bridge section, said shackle member releasable from said casing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be engaged by and released from said hitch ball element; (C) a latch mechanism disposed in said casing and operative to move between a latch state wherein said shackle member is latched in the retain state and an unlatch state wherein said shackle member may be moved to the release state; and (D) a lock mechanism disposed in the bore and mechanically linked to said latch mechanism, said lock mechanism movable between a lock state to lock said latch mechanism in the latch state such that said shackle member is in the retain state and an unlock state to unlock said latch mechanism so that it may move to the unlatch state thereby allowing said shackle member to move to the release state. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneePhilip W. Wyers
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Original AssigneePhilip W. Wyers
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InventorsWyers, Philip W.
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Primary Examiner(s)Gall, Lloyd A.
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Application NumberUS10/451,928Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,328 DaysField of Search70/14, 70/18, 70/19, 70/38.A, 70/39, 70/58, 702/58, 702/32, 702/37, 702/34, 702/35, 280/507, 280/511, 280/513, 248551-553US Class Current70/14CPC Class CodesB60D 1/065 characterised by the hitch ...B60D 1/60 Covers, caps or guards , e....Y10T 70/40 PortableY10T 70/409 ShacklesY10T 70/454 RemovableY10T 70/459 Both legs engagedY10T 70/5876 AnchorsY10T 70/5982 Accessories
