Anti-theft protective cover

An anti-theft device prevents tampering with a diesel fuel dispenser. The device bars access to a pulser even if a cover of the dispenser is pried back or removed. A housing formed of plate steel substantially surrounds the pulser and is secured to the frame of the dispenser in three places so that about one-half hour is required to remove the device, even after a cover has been fully removed from the dispenser. This allows ample time for a station operator to observe that a theft is in progress. Three bolts are used to secure the device to the frame of the dispenser. Advantageously, all three of the bolts are placed into pre-existing openings so that no new openings need to be drilled as a part of the installation process. Only one pre-existing bolt of the frame is removed and reinstalled during the installation procedure.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates, generally, to anti-theft devices. More particularly, it relates to a device that prevents theft of diesel fuel from diesel fuel dispensers.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A thief can steal diesel fuel from a diesel fuel dispenser by using a crowbar or other suitable implement to pry back a cover of the dispenser a short distance and to insert the same implement, or another implement, into the hollow interior of the dispenser to disable a pulser. The function of the pulser is to generate electrical signals that report the amount of fuel consumed to the electronics of the dispenser so that the quantity and price of dispensed fuel may be displayed to the consumer.

The liquid control meter of the dispenser continues to operate when the pulser is disabled and diesel fuel is delivered to the consumer. However, the fluid flow is not detected by the disabled pulser. An attendant monitoring a computer screen that receives information from the pulser will be unaware that fuel is being dispensed.

Since theft is so easy when a pulser is unprotected, the station attendant is unaware that a theft has occurred until an honest trucker reports that a dispenser is dispensing free fuel. By then, several of the initial thief's friends and others willing to take advantage of the broken dispenser may have filled their respective saddle tanks.

Most gasoline theft is committed by people who fill their car's tank and drive off without paying, secure in the knowledge that law enforcement authorities have little time available to search for and apprehend such thieves. Since such theft is relatively uncommon, and since the amount of fuel stolen per incident is considered to be a nominal amount by the industry, not much attention has been paid to ways to stop such theft.

However, large trucks are equipped with gas tanks known as saddle tanks that can hold two to three hundred gallons of diesel fuel. Drive off theft of diesel fuel is rare because trucks accelerate slowly and a station owner has plenty of time to write down a license plate number. Due to the large scale of such a theft, law enforcement authorities will search for and apprehend such thieves.

Thieves have therefore designed new ways to get free diesel fuel. The most widely spread technique is to pry back a cover of the diesel fuel dispenser, commonly known as a fuel pump, and disable the pulser. A pulser counts the revolutions of a liquid control meter and includes a coupler that interconnects the dispenser's liquid control meter and the pulser. When the liquid control meter and the pulser are decoupled from one another, fuel continues to flow but no electrical signal indicating such flow is generated, and a thief may drive off without attracting attention because no sale will have registered on the dispenser or on the remote monitor that is watched by an attendant. Accordingly, after prying back the cover of a diesel fuel dispenser, the thief uses a suitable tool to poke the coupler. The coupler is not designed to withstand such an attack and it is relatively easy to knock out of its functional position. With the coupler knocked out of place, the liquid control meter is no longer coupled to the pulser and fuel is dispensed without detection.

Several attempts have been made in an effort to stop this type of theft. A large metal band is sometimes wrapped around the dispenser in an effort to prevent prying away of the cover. The bands quickly stretch and loosen, however, enabling thieves to pry back the cover without any problem. Some thieves simply cut off such bands if they are encountered.

Another attempt includes the impaling of the dispenser with a large bolt that extends from the front cover to the rear cover. Although this makes complete removal of the covers difficult, it does little to prevent a thief from prying back a corner of the cover to expose the internal workings of the dispenser. The amount of prying required is nominal a pencil width crack is all that is needed to expose the pulser and its vulnerable coupler.

The manufacturers of dispensers could solve the problem by re-designing the dispensers, but such re-designing would require a huge investment. Nor is it obvious as to what form such re-designing would take, i.e., inventive effort would be required in such re-designing. Redesigning and replacing the thousands of diesel fuel pumps in use throughout the world is simply not a cost-effective option.

A more suitable solution would be a low cost device that could be retrofit onto existing dispensers.

However, in view of the prior art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how such a device could be provided.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The long-standing but heretofore unfulfilled need for a device that prevents theft of diesel fuel from diesel fuel dispensers is now met by a new, useful, and nonobvious invention.

An important object of this invention is to provide an anti-theft device that prevents thieves from stealing diesel fuel from diesel fuel dispensers.

A more specific object is to provide an anti-theft device that may be retrofit onto existing diesel fuel dispensers.

An even more specific object it to provide an anti-theft device made of inexpensive materials, which is easy to install but difficult to remove.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, it will there be seen that the reference numeral10denotes an illustrative embodiment of the present invention as a whole.

Anti-theft device10includes first side wall12, angled wall14, front wall16, second side wall18, end wall20, and tab22. Rectangular opening19ais in open communication with rear edge19of first side wall12, substantially centrally thereof.

The extent of first side wall12is about twice the extent of second side wall18and the extent of end wall20is substantially equal to the extent of second side wall18. First side wall12is substantially parallel to second side wall18. Angled wall14is positioned at a substantially forty five degree (45°) angle relative to first side wall12and front wall16.

Tab22is fixedly secured to or formed integrally with second side wall12at an end thereof opposite from end wall20and is centrally apertured as at24. Tab22is positioned in perpendicular relation to second side wall18at the rearward end of the lower edge18aof said second side wall18.

Anti-theft device10is preferably formed of plate steel but other suitable materials are within the scope of this invention. The materials should be at least twelve (12) gauge.

Having disclosed the structure of the novel anti-theft device, its installation to a diesel dispenser may now be described with reference toFIGS. 3–9.

Diesel dispenser60includes a front cover60aand a back cover, not depicted, of the same construction. Neither of these covers is particularly strong and a crowbar or other suitable instrument may be employed to pry either cover away from the frame of dispenser60. In other words, covers60aand60bare primarily provided for aesthetic reasons and are not built to deter thieves from breaking into the essentially hollow interior of the fuel dispenser.

FIG. 3depicts how a single implement61may be used to pry open cover60aand to disable the part of dispenser60that measures and reports the amount of fuel being dispensed. Two separate implements may also be used, one to pry open cover60aand another to disable said part.

More particularly,FIG. 3depicts, in phantom lines, liquid control meter62and pulser64that are mounted within the hollow interior of dispenser60. When fuel is being dispensed, said fuel flows through liquid control meter62and causes rotor blades that form a part of the liquid control meter to rotate about an axis of rotation. Pulser64includes a suitable means for counting the blades of the liquid control meter as they rotate. For example, if the liquid control meter contains six rotor blades, the pulser counts one revolution of the liquid control meter for each sixth blade that rotates past it. The volume of diesel fuel that must flow through the liquid control meter to cause one revolution thereof is known so in this way the amount of diesel fuel dispensed can be computed.

Rectangular slot19a(FIG. 2) accommodates a protrusion of the type commonly formed in a typical liquid control meter62.

As depicted inFIG. 4, pulser shaft66forms a part of pulser64and liquid control meter shaft68forms a part of liquid control meter62. Coupler70joins together pulser shaft66and liquid control meter shaft68so that said shafts rotate conjointly with one another.

A knowledgeable thief can steal diesel fuel by prying cover60aslightly away from its frame with a suitable implement61, followed by using the same implement or another tool to push coupler70out of its position so that pulser shaft66and liquid control meter shaft68are no longer coupled to one another.FIG. 5depicts pulser shaft66and liquid control meter shaft68when coupler70has been removed.

When coupler70is no longer performing its shaft-coupling function, fuel is dispensed the normal way and flows through liquid control meter62in the normal way, but pulser shaft66does not rotate and pulser64therefore sends no signals to the electronics of the dispenser. Thus, no price of fuel is generated and displayed to the consumer or to a station attendant by the dispenser electronics because said electronics receives no signals indicating that fuel is being dispensed.

Anti-theft device10is formed of plate steel that shields pulser64and hence coupler70so that said coupler cannot be knocked out of position by a tool, even if cover60ais completely removed from dispenser60. The cut-away view ofFIG. 6depicts an unprotected pulser and the cutaway view ofFIG. 7depicts a protected or shielded pulser.

Anti-theft device10is specifically constructed so that it takes advantage of the pre-existing structural features of dispenser60.

Specifically, as perhaps best understood in connection withFIGS. 8 and 9, liquid control meter62is supported by flat support plate80that is supported by a pair of parallel frame members, not depicted, that form a part of the dispenser frame.

As depicted inFIG. 7, screw84secures support plate80to a first frame member of the two unillustrated frame members and another screw secures said support plate80to a second frame member of said two unillustrated frame members.

To install anti-theft device10, screw84is removed and any electrical wiring and small piping extending from liquid control meter62to the dispenser electronics, not shown, is moved out of the way as needed so that opening24formed in tab22(FIG. 2) may be placed into alignment with the opening in support plate80made available by the removal of screw84. Tab22is placed into overlying relation to support plate80with opening24formed in tab22in alignment with said available opening screw84is reinstalled. Suitable washers, a lock washer and a nut are used to secure said screw in a well-known way.

As depicted inFIG. 8, opposing open-ended slots62a,62bare formed in liquid control meter62by its manufacturer. Openings36and38(FIGS. 1 and 2) are formed in first side wall12in laterally spaced relation to one another. Opening36is adapted to receive bolt36aand opening38is adapted to receive bolt38a. When tab22is installed in the manner described above, openings36and38are in alignment with slots62a,62b, respectively. Bolts36a,38aextend through slots62a,62band through openings36,38to secure device10to liquid control meter62. Suitable washers, lock washers, and nuts are used to complete the engagement in a well-known way.

Thus, anti-theft device10is secured to liquid control meter62in two locations and to support plate80as well. All three of these locations are hard to reach and it takes about half an hour to remove cover60acompletely from dispenser60to provide access to the three screws and to remove all three of them. None of the three screws can be removed if the thief merely pries cover60aback with respect to its frame.

This thirty minute interval compares advantageously with the fifteen seconds or so that it takes to pry back cover60aa short distance and to poke out coupler70. Thus, a station attendant has almost no opportunity to discover a thief in action when a dispenser60is not equipped with anti-theft device10but said station attendant has ample opportunity to notice anyone who removes cover60acompletely and works on dispenser60for half an hour or so.

Now that the invention has been described,