Anti-theft device for use with a trailer hitch
AssigneeCojega Inc.
InventorEphrem Lachance
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The anti-theft device is for use with a trailer hitch regardless of whether the trailer hitch is attached or unattached to a towing vehicle ball. The device is selectively movable between an open position and a closed position. It includes two complementary and substantially coplanar base plates, two mutually-facing rim members defining an inner slotted space receiving the lateral flanged edge of the trailer hitch when the device is in the closed position on the trailer hitch, and two anchoring members. Each anchoring member is rigidly connected to and downwardly projecting from the corresponding plate. The device is very compact, effective, easy to use, and can be installed or removed in a few seconds. It provides a very convenient way of preventing the theft of a trailer.
Claims20
An anti-theft device for use with a trailer hitch regardless of whether the trailer hitch is attached or unattached to a towing vehicle ball, the ball having a shank portion connected to a towing vehicle and a spherical upper portion located over the shank portion, the spherical upper portion being larger in width than the shank portion, the trailer hitch having a bottom lateral flanged edge, a bottom-opened ball socket and a ball locking mechanism, the device being selectively movable between an open position and a closed position, the device including:
- two complementary and substantially coplanar base plates, each base plate including:
- a front inner edge, the front inner edges of the two base plates being in engagement with one another when the device is in the closed position and being out of engagement with one another when the device is in the open position;
- a rear inner edge, the rear inner edges of the two base plates being in engagement with one another when the device is in the closed position and being out of engagement with one another when the device is in the open position;
- and
- an intermediate inner edge located between the corresponding front and rear inner edges, the intermediate inner edges of the two base plates being spaced apart from one another and forming an intervening opening when the device is in the closed position, the opening being smaller in width than the spherical upper portion of the ball and larger in width than the shank portion of the ball;
- two mutually-facing rim members, one for each base plate, each rim member being rigidly connected to and projecting above an outer side edge of the corresponding base plate, the rim members defining an inner slotted space receiving corresponding right and left portions of the lateral flanged edge when the device is in the closed position on the trailer hitch, the rim members having mating front ends that are pivotally connected together by a front hinge;
- and
- two anchoring members, one for each base plate, each anchoring member being rigidly connected to and downwardly projecting at a rear end of the corresponding base plate.
An anti-theft method for a trailer having a trailer hitch, the method including:
- (A) moving a two-sided anti-theft device from an open position to a closed position on the trailer hitch, the device including two mutually-facing rim members defining an inner slotted space receiving corresponding portions of a lateral flanged edge of the trailer hitch, the rim members having mating front ends that are pivotally connected together at a front hinge;
- (B) locking the two sides of the device together in the closed position on the trailer hitch using a locking device to prevent the device from being removed from the trailer hitch;
- (C) simultaneously blocking an unauthorized insertion of a ball into an empty bottom-opened ball socket of the trailer hitch and blocking an unauthorized removal of the ball out of the socket, if the ball was already present in the socket before step (A), using a pair of juxtaposed plates provided on the device and located under the trailer hitch when the device is in the closed position, the plates defining an opening and each of the rim members being rigidly connected to a corresponding one of the plates;
- and
- (D) if the ball was already present in the socket before step (A), towing the trailer using a vehicle to which the ball is connected, the trailer being towed with the device still being in the closed position and locked on the trailer hitch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.