Automobile steering lock

An antitheft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automotive vehicle comprising:

• an elongated tubular member having an inner end, an outer end and an elongated passageway extending along its axis therethrough, said tubular member having a generally U-shaped hook portion extending therefrom with the closed end of the U-shaped portion generally adjacent to but slightly spaced from the inner end of said tubular member and the open end of said U-shaped portion facing said outer end of said tubular member but substantially removed therefrom, said U-shaped hook portion of said tubular member further defined by a bottom leg portion generally extending in the direction of said tubular member's axis and terminating at a distance substantially removed from said outer end of said tubular member, said U-shaped hook portion of said tubular member adapted to engage said wheel from the inside thereof with said outer end of said tubular member extending a substantial distance beyond the periphery of said wheel;
• an elongated rod member having an inner and an outer end, said inner end adapted to extend in a telescopic manner within said passageway of said tubular member, said outer end of said member being formed into a generally U-shaped portion with the opening of said U-shaped portion at said outer end of said rod member, said U-shaped portion of said rod member adapted to engage said wheel from the inside thereof, said rod member further including a plurality of spaced annular grooves disposed about a portion thereof;
• a lock, and
• means for securing said lock to said inner end of said tubular member including (i) locating means permitting telescopic movement of said rod member in a yieldably resisting manner and (ii) locking means rotatable from an unlocking position permitting telescopic movement of said rod member within said tubular member to a locking position preventing relative movement between said rod member and said tubular member,
• said locking means including said tubular member having a circular opening formed in said inner end thereof, said lock having a blind passageway aligned with and opening to said circular opening when said lock is assembled to said tubular member, a spherical bearing contained within said passageway, said bearing having a diameter slightly greater than said circular opening and biased into said circular opening to partially intersect said passageway and said annular grooves in said rod member to connect said lock to said tubular member and said locking means further including said tubular member having a slot formed therein diametrically opposite said circular opening, a generally cylindrical locking member rotatably mounted within said lock and aligned with said slot in said tubular member, said locking member having a flat portion on one side thereof and an accurate portion opposite thereto and rotatable from said unlocking position whereat said flat portion is approximately flush with said slot to a locking position whereat said accurate portion extends through said slot to contact one of said annular grooves of said rod member to connect said lock to said tubular member in both said locking and unlocking positions.