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US 12,070,977 B2Granted
Trailer hitch lock
AssigneeSum Designs LLC
InventorAbram Summerfield
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security device for preventing unwanted attachment to a trailer coupler. The trailer hitch lock is formed by a lock body with notched arms and a lock bar that engages the notched arms of the lock body. The lock body engages the coupler mechanism of a trailer hitch and the lock bar secures the trailer hitch with a pad lock.
Claims6
A trailer hitch lock, comprising:
- a lock body formed in a planar E-shape having a base with first and second ends and a middle portion, wherein a first arm projects up from the first end of the base, a second arm projects up from the second end of the base, and a center post projects up from the middle portion of the base, wherein the center post has a profile configured to occupy a cross-section of a trailer hitch ball socket, wherein the first and second arms further comprise inward edges facing each other and outward facing edges facing away from each other, and wherein a plurality of notches are formed in the inward facing edge of the first arm and complimentary notches are formed in the outward facing edge of the second arm;
- a lock bar having a first bar end and a second bar end opposite the first end and cutouts through the lock bar at the first and second bar ends, wherein the cutouts are spaced on the lock bar and sized to align with and fit around the arms of the lock body and engage one of the plurality of notches in the arms when the lock bar is moved in a first direction toward the inward facing edge of the first arm and disengage the notches when the lock bar is moved in a second direction toward the inward facing edge of the second arm;
- and
- a lock having a shackle sized to fit between the outward facing edge of the first arm and the cutout in the lock bar when the cutouts of the lock bar engage one of the plurality of the notches in the arms of the lock body, and wherein the shackle prevents the cutouts of the lock bar from being disengaged from the one of the plurality of notches in the arms of the lock body.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.