Anti-theft trailer having a removable tongue
AssigneeAndrew and Michele Mikesell
InventorsAndrew J. Mikesell, Michele E. Mikesell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a removable trailer coupler that may be used to prevent trailer theft. One end of the coupler includes a connector with a unique pattern of indentations and/or protrusions. The unique pattern corresponds to a pattern of protrusions and/or indentations located on a connector on the end of the tongue of a trailer. If the pattern of protrusions and indentations match, the coupler may be slid onto and connected to the trailer tongue. If an attempt is made to use a different coupler, the unique pattern of the indentations will not match, and the coupler will not be able to attach to the tongue. Without a coupler the trailer cannot connect to a tow hitch and the trailer cannot be towed.
Claims20
A trailer attachment device including a tongue corresponding to a matching coupler comprising:
- a tongue for connection to a trailer, said tongue including a tongue connection surface for selectively connecting to a coupler, wherein a first set of protrusions and/or indentations is present on said tongue connection surface;
- a coupler for selective connection to a vehicle, said coupler including a coupler connection surface for selectively connecting to said tongue connection surface, wherein a second set of protrusions and/or indentations is present on said coupler connection surface;
- and,
- wherein said first set of protrusions and/or indentations inversely correspond with said second set of protrusions and/or indentations to allow said coupler connection to be secured to said tongue connection when said tongue connection surface and coupler connection surface are aligned.
A trailer attachment device comprising:
- a tongue including a tongue connection, wherein said tongue connection includes a base plate and flanges, and wherein said flanges extend from said base plate to define a recess including a depth, and wherein protrusions and/or indentations are present on said tongue connection;
- a coupler including a coupler connection including a thickness, wherein protrusions and/or indentations are present on said coupler connection, and wherein the thickness of said coupler connection is substantially similar to the depth of said recess;
- wherein the protrusions and/or indentations on the tongue connection extend the entire length of said tongue connection and the protrusions and/or indentations on the coupler connection extend the entire length of said coupler connection
- wherein said protrusions and/or indentations on said coupler connection inversely correspond with said protrusions and/or indentations on said tongue connection to allow said coupler connection to attach to said tongue connection when said protrusions and/or indentations are aligned;
A method of attaching a trailer coupler to a trailer tongue comprising:
- providing a coupler including a coupler connection wherein a pattern of protrusions and/or indentations are present on a surface of said coupler connection;
- providing a tongue including a tongue connection wherein a pattern of protrusions and/or indentations are present on a surface of said tongue connection and wherein said pattern of protrusions and/or indentations inversely correspond with said pattern of protrusions and/or indentations on said coupler connection;
- aligning said protrusions and/or indentations on said coupler connection with said protrusions and/or indentations on said tongue connection;
- and,
- coupling said coupler connection with said tongue connection by mating said protrusions with corresponding indentations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.