Patent ID: 6519981
Filing Date: 2003-02-18
Classification: B63J,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
An anti-theft device for a lower unit of an outboard engine, wherein the outboard engine has a cavitation plate and an out drive to which the lower unit is attached by a plurality of bolts that extend through the cavitation plate, said device comprising:a) a collar; b) pivoting apparatus; and c) locking apparatus; wherein said collar is for extending around the outboard engine; wherein said pivoting apparatus is operatively connected to said collar; wherein said locking apparatus is operatively connected to said collar; wherein said locking apparatus is for selectively maintaining said collar around the outboard engine; wherein said collar comprises a pair of legs; wherein said pair of legs of said collar are pivotally attached to each other by said pivoting apparatus; wherein said pair of legs of said collar have proximal ends; wherein said proximal ends of said pair of legs are pivotally attached to each other by said pivoting apparatus; wherein said pair of legs of said collar have distal ends; wherein said distal ends of said pair of legs are free; wherein said distal ends of said pair of legs are selectively abutted against each other; wherein said distal ends of said pair of legs are maintained abutted against each other by said locking apparatus; wherein said pair of legs of said collar have lowermost surfaces; wherein said pair of legs of said collar have innermost surfaces; wherein said collar comprises a pair of plates; wherein said pair of plates of said collar extend inwardly from said pair of legs thereof, towards each other; wherein said pair of plates of said collar are flat; wherein said pair of plates of said collar extend inwardly from said lowermost surfaces of said pair of legs of said collar to a pair of facing terminal edges; wherein said terminal edge of one plate is tongued and said terminal edge of the other plate is grooved so as to from a tongue and groove joint when said anti-theft device is in place; wherein said pair of legs of said collar have grooves; wherein said grooves extend across said pair of legs of said collar; wherein said grooves in said pair of legs are disposed just above said pair of plates; wherein said grooves in said pair of legs are for capturing the cavitation plate of the outboard engine when said anti-theft device is in place; wherein said pivoting apparatus comprises a pair of first tabs; wherein said pair of first tabs of said pivoting apparatus; are vertically spaced-apart; wherein said pair of first tabs of said pivoting apparatus extend inwardly from said proximal end of one leg, toward said proximal end of the other leg; wherein an uppermost first tab has a throughbore that extends axially therethrough; wherein a lowermost first tab has a blindbore; wherein said blindbore in said lowermost first tab is in vertical alignment with said throughbore in said uppermost first tab; wherein said pivoting apparatus comprises a second tab; wherein said second tab of said pivoting apparatus extends inwardly from said proximal end of said other leg, toward said proximal end of said one leg; wherein said second tab of said pivoting apparatus is positioned between said pair of first tabs; wherein said second tab has a throughbore; wherein said throughbore extends axially through said second tab; wherein said throughbore in said second tab in vertical alignment with said throughbore in said uppermost first tab and said blindbore in said lowermost first tab; wherein said pivoting apparatus comprises a pivot pin; wherein said pivot pin of said pivoting apparatus extends into said throughbore in said uppermost first tab, through said throughbore in said second tab, and into said blindbore in said lowermost first tab; wherein said blindbore in said lowermost first tab prevents said pivot pin from being banged out; wherein said locking apparatus comprises said distal end of one leg having a first throughbore; wherein said locking apparatus comprises said distal end of the other leg having a bore; wherein said locking apparatus comprises a key-operated cylinder lock; wherein said key-operated cylinder lock of said locking apparatus is disposed in said first throughbore in said distal end of said one leg; and wherein said key-operated cylinder lock of said locking apparatus operatively extends into said bore in said distal end of said other leg.