Antitheft locking device for a vehicle

An antitheft locking device for a vehicle having an interior comprising a fixed part of said interior and a steering wheel having an axis of rotation, a rim having a periphery and defining a diametrical plane and a plurality of rims connected to said rim, said antitheft locking device comprising:

• a steering wheel engaging member comprising an end wall extending substantially in parallel with said diametrical plane, said end wall adopted to be configured and dimensioned to cover said steering wheel over a part thereof that includes at least two of said ribs, a peripheral wall adopted to be configured and dimensioned to extend over at least a part of the outer periphery of said rim to which said at least two ribs are connected, and at least two spaced stops engageable with said ribs, said stops protruding from said end wall;
• an L-shaped stop member extending at an angle with respect to said diametrical plane in a plane drawn substantially at right angle with respect to said diametrical plane and engageable with said fixed part of said interior, said stop member having a proximal arm connected To said steering wheel engaging member for rotation therewith about said axis of rotation of said steering wheel;
• an adjusting means between said proximal arm of said L-shaped stop member and said steering wheel engaging member for changing the position of said L-shaped stop member with respect to said fixed part of said interior;
• a locking means for locking said steering wheel engaging member in a position in which it cannot be removed from said steering wheel, said locking means comprising:
• a locking member attached to said steering wheel engaging means;
• a casing having an exposed opening;
• a rotatable member mounted for a limited rotation in said casing and having an end facing toward said exposed end of said casing and an axis of rotation;
• a latch member operatively connected to said rotatable member for reciprocation in said casing between the locked and unlocked positions when said rotatable member is turned, said latch member being engageable with said locking member of said steering wheel engaging means;
• a key stop having an end facing toward said exposed opening, that defines, together with said end of said rotatable member facing toward said exposed end of said casing, a dead-end wall of said casing, said key stop being mounted for axial reciprocation in, and for combined rotation with, said rotatable member and having in said end facing toward said exposed opening at least one code socket offset with respect to said axis of rotation;
• a rotatable spring-loaded block mounted between said exposed opening of said casing and said end of said key stop, said block being held in said casing against axial movement and having a substantially diametrical key slot angularly offset with respect to said at least one code socket;
• and
• a spring between said key stop and said rotatable member, said spring axially pressing said key stop against said rotatable spring-loaded block.