US 4,818,032 A · Anti-theft locking device

Abstract

Anti-theft locking device for securing a wheel medallion to the wheel of a vehicle. The device is utilized with a conventional wheel medallion of the type having spring retainers that protrude from the body of the medallion and extend through an opening at the hub of the wheel. Further, the spring retainers have clips that are configured to pass through the opening and abut the surface of the wheel that is opposite to the body of the medallion. A medallion locking disk is provided that is larger than the opening and which will not pass through the opening. The disk has blades which, in the unlocked condition, fit within the confines of the spring retainers and extend between adjacent clips. In the locked condition, the blades are positioned within the clips to hold the clips in an outward position abutting the surface of the wheel. Thus, the clips are prevented from passing through the opening and the medallion is locked to the wheel.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A met hod of locking a wheel medallion to the wheel of a vehicle wherein the medallion is of the type having a plurality of protruding spring retainers supplied with clips that are configured to pass through an opening in the hub of the wheel and abut a surface of the wheel opposite to the medallion body such that the madallion is held in place on the wheel, said method comprising:

providing a medallion locking disk having a dimension larger than the opening in the hub of the wheel;
providing inner and outer engagement portions on said clips, said outer engagement portions abutting the surface of the wheel opposite to the medallion body;
locating said locking disk on the surface of the wheel opposite to the medallion and within the confines of the clips;
and
positioning said locking disk within said inner engagement portion of said clips to hold the clips in an outward position abutting the surface of the wheel and to prevent the clips from passing through the opening so that the medallion is locked to the wheel.

2 more elements

An anti-theft locking device for securing a medallion to the wheel of a vehicle wherein the medallion is of the type having a plurality of protruding spring retainers supplied with clips that are configured to pass through an opening at the hub of the wheel and abut a surface of the wheel opposite to the medallion body such that the medallion is held in place on the wheel, said device comprising:

first and second engagement portions formed with said clips, said first engagement portion being outwardly bent with respect to said central axis of said hub opening and forming an outer engagement surface and said second engagement portion being inwardly bent with respect to said central axis of said hub opening and forming an inner engagement portion;
a medallion locking disk dimensioned larger than the opening and having a plurality of blades, each of said blades having a rim, said disk configured to fit on the surface of the wheel opposite to the medallion and within the confines of the protruding spring retainers such that in the unlocked condition each of said blades extends between adjacent clips to allow said disk to be inserted into or removed from the retainers and when said disk is in the locked condition said blades are positioned with a rim of said blades located within the inner engagement portion of said second engagement portion of said clips to hold the outer engagement surface of said first engagement portion of said clips in an outward position abutting the surface of the wheel and to prevent the clips from passing through the opening so that the medallion is locked to the wheel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Anti-theft locking device

Life of this patent

Anti-theft locking device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16