Detachable trailer jack locking assembly

A locking assembly for use in combination with a trailer jack, the trailer jack having a base, a body including an outer tube in a telescoping relationship with an inner tube, and a lifting mechanism operated via a handle for raising and lowering the outer tube with respect to the base, the locking assembly comprising:

• an attachment member affixed to the outer tube of the trailer jack body and extending away therefrom, the attachment member selected from the group consisting of a pin and a staple;
• a retention shell having a continuous lateral wall orthogonally connected to an upper wall, the retention shell partially enclosing a central cavity, the retention shell configured to surmount an upper end of the outer tube of the trailer jack, whereby the central cavity accepts the upper end of the outer tube;
• a slot disposed within the lateral wall of the retention shell, the slot configured to accept the handle via which the lifting mechanism of the trailer jack is operated;
• a bracket disposed on the retention shell and extending in a direction away from the central cavity, the bracket having a channel disposed thereon, the channel being open to the central cavity, the bracket configured to accept the attachment member via the channel when the retention shell is being deployed over the outer tube;
• and
• a lock configured to reside within the bracket of the retention shell, the lock configured to engage the attachment member, the locking having a locked configuration in which the lock secures against the attachment member and an unlocked configuration in which the lock releases the attachment member, whereby when the lock is in the locked configuration, the lock is secured against removal from the bracket;
• whereby when the retention shell is deployed over the outer tube of the trailer jack, the slot within the lateral wall of the retention shell immobilizes the handle of the lifting mechanism, thereby rendering the lifting mechanism of the trailer jack inoperable.

A method of locking a trailer jack comprising:

• providing a trailer jack coupled to a trailer, the trailer jack having a base, a body including an outer tube in a telescoping relationship with an inner tube, and a lifting mechanism operated via a handle for raising and lowering the outer tube with respect to the base, the handle coupled to the outer tube of the body;
• surmounting an upper end of the outer tube of the trailer jack with a retention shell, the retention shell having a continuous lateral wall orthogonally connected to an upper wall, the retention shell partially enclosing a central cavity, a slot disposed within the lateral wall, and a bracket coupled to the lateral wall and axially extending away from the slot, the bracket having a channel being open to the central cavity, whereby the central cavity accepts the upper end of the outer tube;
• receiving the handle of the lifting mechanism within the slot disposed within the lateral wall of the retention shell;
• locking the retention shell to the outer tube of the trailer jack via a lock engaging the bracket, the lock having a locked configuration in which the lock retains the retention shell against removal from the outer tube of the trailer jack.