Shell door locking device
OwnerSteven Grodyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and devices for locking the door or flap of a typical pick-up truck shell closed from the interior of the shell employ a substantially rigid member which is selectively secured to moving parts of the existing latch mechanism to prohibit such moving parts from moving and, to, thereby, selectively prohibit the latch mechanism from unlatching or unlocking the door or flap of the shell. In order to lock the shell door or flap, the substantially rigid member is abutted against and secured to moving parts of the latch mechanism from the interior of the shell. In this manner, a person inside of the shell and pick-up bed may secure the flap or door in a closed position and prohibit the flap or door from being opened by prohibiting movement of the moving parts of the latch mechanism.
Claims7
A device for locking the door of a pick-up truck shell of the type having a pneumatic strut mounted to the shell door by strut mounting structure and a door latching mechanism provided with a pivotable plate pivotably movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the device comprising:
- a substantially rigid member;
- means for connecting the substantially rigid member to the pivotable plate upon the pivotable plate being in the latched position;
- and
- means for connecting the substantially rigid member to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure simultaneously with the connection of the substantially rigid member to the pivotable plate;
- wherein, upon connecting to the pivotable plate and to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure, the substantially rigid member prohibits movement of the pivotable plate from the latched position to the unlatched position.
A device for locking the door of a pick-up truck shell of the type having a pneumatic strut mounted to the shell door by strut mounting structure and a door latching mechanism provided with a pivotable plate pivotably movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the device comprising a substantially rigid member having:
- a first connector for connecting to the pivotable plate upon the pivotable plate being in the latched position;
- a second connector for connecting to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure;
- and
- a substantially rigid portion extending from the first connector to the second connector;
- wherein upon connecting the first connector to the pivotable plate and the second connector to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure, the substantially rigid portion prohibits movement of the pivotable plate from the latched position to the unlatched position.
A method for locking the door of a pick-up truck shell of the type having a pneumatic strut mounted to the shell door by strut mounting structure and a door latching mechanism provided with a pivotable plate pivotably movable between a latched position and an unlatched position, the method comprising the steps of:
- connecting a substantially rigid member to the pivotable plate upon the pivotable plate being in the latched position;
- and
- connecting the substantially rigid member to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure simultaneously with the connection of the substantially rigid member to the pivotable plate;
- wherein, upon connecting to the pivotable plate and to at least one of the pneumatic strut and the strut mounting structure, the substantially rigid member prohibits movement of the pivotable plate from the latched position to the unlatched position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.