Anti-theft device for motor vehicles

An anti-theft device for a vehicle comprising:

• a steering column of a vehicle;
• an ignition lock being selectively actuated by a key placed into said ignition lock, said ignition lock being mechanically coupled to said steering column;
• a steering wheel being mounted on said steering column of said vehicle;
• a shaft having a first end and a second end, said first end being adapted for attaching to the steering wheel;
• a boss being coupled to said second end of said shaft, said boss having a perimeter wall with a well extending therein;
• a rod being mounted in said well, said rod having a top end and a bottom end;
• a biasing means for biasing said top end of said rod out of said well;
• a saddle member adapted for receiving said boss, said saddle member being coupled to a free end of the steering column and positioned such that said boss is positioned in a bore in said saddle member, said saddle member having a hole extending therethrough and into said bore, said hole being positioned such that said top end of said rod is extendable through said hole;
• a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and peripheral wall extending therebetween, said distal and proximal ends having openings therein, said saddle member and said boss being positioned in said housing, a protruding member being coupled to and extending away from said peripheral wall, said protruding member having a lumen therein, said peripheral wall having a hole therein extending into said lumen, said hole in said peripheral wall of said housing being opposed to said hole in said saddle member;
• a pin being positioned in said lumen, said pin having a first end and a second end, said first end being positioned in said hole in said peripheral wall of said housing;
• an ignition lock engaging member being coupled to said second end of said pin;
• an urging means for urging said first end of said pin into said hole in said saddle member;
• and
• wherein said ignition lock is mounted to said protruding member and coupled to said ignition lock engaging member, wherein placing said key in said device and unlocking said ignition lock pulls said second end of said pin away from said saddle member such that said rod may enter said hole in said saddle member and enable a connection between said shaft and said steering column.

An anti-theft device for a vehicle, said device being mechanically coupled to an ignition lock, wherein a key placed into the ignition lock actuates said device, said device selectively disabling the mechanical connection between a steering wheel and the steering column of the vehicle, said device comprising:

• a shaft having a first end and a second end, said first end being adapted for attaching to the steering wheel;
• a boss being integrally coupled to said second end of said shaft, said boss having a perimeter wall having a well extending therein, said well being orientated generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said shaft, said well having a bottom wall and a top edge having a flange integrally coupled thereto and extending toward an axis of said well;
• a rod being mounted in said well, said rod having a top end and a bottom end, said rod having a shoulder, said shoulder being generally positioned between said top and bottom ends, said shoulder being abuttable against said flange, wherein said top end of said rod may extend outwardly beyond said peripheral wall of said boss;
• a biasing means for biasing said shoulder toward said flange;
• a saddle member adapted for receiving said boss, said saddle member being coupled to a free end of the steering column and positioned such that said boss is positioned in a bore in said saddle member, wherein said boss may rotate with respect to said saddle member, said saddle member having a hole extending therethrough and into said bore, said hole being positioned such that said top end of said rod may extend through said hole, said saddle member having a free edge extending beyond said second end of said shaft such that said boss is located within said saddle member;
• a housing having a proximal end, a distal end and peripheral wall extending therebetween, said distal and proximal ends having openings therein, said shaft extending through said opening in said peripheral end, said steering column extending through said opening in said proximal end, a protruding member being coupled to and extending away from said peripheral wall, said protruding member having a lumen therein, said peripheral wall having a hole therein extending into said lumen, said hole in said peripheral wall of said housing being opposed to said hole in said saddle member;
• a pin being positioned in said lumen, said pin having a first end and a second end, said first end being positioned in said hole in said peripheral wall of said housing;
• an ignition lock engaging member being coupled to said second end of said pin;
• an urging means for urging said first end of said pin into said hole in said saddle member;
• and
• wherein said ignition lock is mounted to said protruding member and coupled to said ignition lock engaging member, wherein placing said key in said device and unlocking said ignition lock pulls said second end of said pin away from said saddle member such that said rod may enter said hole in said saddle member and enable a connection between said shaft and said steering column.