Anti-theft device for the steering column of a motor vehicle

Anti-theft device for a steering column of a vehicle, said device comprising a steering wheel shaft, a sleeve coaxially surrounding said shaft and defining first slot means for receiving a steering shaft-locking bolt of a lock mechanism, and second slot means, means defining projections which are connected to rotate with said shaft, said projections being circumferentially spaced apart on said shaft and extending axially of said shaft, said second slot means comprising slots in said sleeve adjacent an end of said sleeve, at least some of which slots are throughway slots in said sleeve and are longer than said projections, said projections having a cross-sectional shape which tapers radially outwardly of said shaft and extending into said slots for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve up to a predetermined given torque, said sleeve having such strength that beyond said given torque said projections deform said sleeve and become circumferentially disengaged from said slots and allow relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve, said projections comprising ribs engaged in respective slots of said slots.

Anti-theft device for a steering column of a vehicle, said device comprising steering wheel shaft, a sleeve coaxially surrounding said shaft and defining first slot means for receiving a steering shaft-locking bolt of a lock mechanism, and second slot means, means defining projections which are connected to rotate with said shaft, said projections being circumferentially spaced apart on said shaft and extending axially of said shaft, said second slot means comprising slots in said sleeve adjacent an end of said sleeve, at least some of which slots are throughway slots in said sleeve and are longer than said projections, said projections having a cross-sectional shape which tapers radially outwardly of said shaft and extending into said slots for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve up to a predetermined given torque,

• sleeve having such strength that beyond said given torque said projections deform said sleeve and become circumferentially disengaged from said slots and allow relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve, said device further comprising at least one inner boss on said sleeve and an aperture defined by said shaft, into which aperture said boss radially extends for preventing relative rotation between said shaft and said sleeve up to said predetermined torque.