Wheel lug nut cover
AssigneeMaron Products, Inc.
InventorDonald J. Wharton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lug nut cover is provided having a breakage shroud for restricting access to the lug nut and a retaining cap for securing the shroud to the lug. The shroud includes an internal ledge having ratchet teeth thereon. The cap includes an exterior flange having pawls thereon. When the cap is threaded onto the lug, the ledge engages the flange at a predetermined position to stop forward threading. From this predetermined position, the pawl/ratchet arrangement prevents reverse threading.
Claims14
A lug nut cover, for use with a wheel lug having external threads and a lug nut threaded thereon with a portion of said external threads extending above said lug nut, to detect removal of said lug nut from said wheel lug and detect tampering with said cover, comprising:
- a breakable shroud dimensioned to have a width and a length sufficiently larger than said lug nut so as to enable said shroud to surround said lug nut and said wheel lug to prevent access to said lug nut for removal of said lug nut from said wheel lug;
- an inner ledge projecting from said shroud;
- a cap member having an internally threaded portion over a length thereof for securing said cap to said external threads of said wheel lug above said lug nut, said length being dimensioned so as to enable said cap to be fully threaded onto said portion of said external threads extending above said lug nut;
- a flange projected from said cap which is engagable with said inner ledge when said cap is fully threaded to said wheel lug, the engagement of said flange and said ledge serving to retain said shroud about said lug nut and said wheel lug;
- and
- a non-reversible pawl/ratchet arrangement on the engaging portions of said ledge and said flange for preventing relative rotation between said cap and said shroud as a result of reverse threading of said cap once said cap is fully threaded onto said wheel lug.
A cover for a nut and bolt arrangement wherein an exposed portion of said bolt projects from said nut, including means for detecting cover removal and tampering therewith, comprising:
- a shroud, formed from breakable materials, having a generally cylindrical configuration with first and second end openings and extending longitudinally a greater length than the exposed longitudinal length of said nut and bolt arrangement such that said shroud is dimensioned to receive said nut and bolt arrangement therein through said first end opening and prevent access to said nut for removal of said nut from said bolt;
- a ledge projecting from an interior surface of said shroud and recessed from both said first end opening and said second end opening;
- a cap means, for retaining said shroud about said nut and bolt arrangement once said nut and bolt arrangement is inserted within said shroud, including a threaded portion for engagement with said exposed portion of said bolt, said cap being adapted for insertion within said shroud through said second end opening;
- a flange projecting from said cap which is dimensioned for engagement with said ledge to restrain further insertion of said cap into said shroud beyond a predetermined threaded portion of said cap with respect to said exposed portion of said bolt;
- and
- a non-reversible pawl/ratchet arrangement formed on said ledge and said flange which restricts relative rotation between said cap and said shroud as a result of attempted reverse threading of said cap to withdraw said cap from said predetermined threaded position.
A lug nut cover for use with a wheel lug having a lug nut threaded thereon wherein an exposed portion of said wheel lug extends from said lug nut, said cover providing means for detecting removal of said lug nut and tampering with said cover to attempt removal of said lug nut, comprising:
- a longitudinally extending shroud formed from breakable materials, having first and second openings at opposing longitudinal ends, said shroud being dimensioned to receive therein said lug nut and said exposed portion of said wheel lug through said first opening, and the longitudinal length of said shroud with respect to said nut and bolt arrangement being sufficient to restrict access of tools to engage and rotate said lug nut when said lug nut is received within said shroud;
- said shroud further including an interior surface having an inwardly projecting shoulder thereon, said shoulder being longitudinally recessed from said first opening and said second opening;
- a cap means for retaining said shroud about said wheel lug and restricting access to said lug nut through said second opening, said cap means including a threaded portion for engagement with said exposed portion of said wheel lug, said cap further being dimensioned for insertion within said shroud through said second opening;
- said cap means including a projection dimensioned for engagement with said shoulder to restrain further threaded engagement of said cap means onto said wheel lug beyond a predetermined position;
- and
- a non-reversible pawl/ratchet arrangement formed on said shoulder and on said projection which restricts relative motion between said shroud and said cap means as a result of attempted reverse threading of said cap means to withdraw said cap means from said predetermined position.
A cover for a nut and bolt arrangement wherein said nut is threaded onto said bolt and an exposed portion of said bolt is provided over which said nut has been threaded, comprising:
- a shroud means for restricting access to said nut, said shroud means having a width larger than the width of said nut and a length at least as large as the length of said nut;
- said shroud means having a first opening for receiving said nut and bolt arrangement therein and a second opening for providing access to said exposed portion of said bolt when said nut and bolt arrangement is received in said first opening;
- said shroud means having an inwardly projecting ledge;
- a cap means for retaining said shroud means about said nut and bolt arrangement, said cap means being dimensioned so as to be rotatably received within said second opening;
- said cap means including a threaded portion for securing said cap to said exposed portion of said bolt;
- said cap means including a flange projecting therefrom to engage said ledge when said cap means is fully threaded onto said exposed portion of said bolt;
- a non-reversible pawl/ratchet arrangement on said cap means and said shroud means for preventing relative rotation between said cap means and said shroud means as a result of attempted reverse threading of said cap means once said cap means is fully threaded onto said exposed portion of said bolt;
- said shroud means including interior portions for preventing relative rotation between said nut and said shroud means when said nut and bolt arrangement is received within said first opening;
- and
- said shroud means being formed and dimensioned from materials that are broken if sufficient force is applied to said shroud means to unthread said nut over said exposed portion of said bolt.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.