Abstract:
A universal locking device for securing flat or corrugated hurricane storm panels in place to avoid unauthorized removal and entry into a building. The locking device includes a combination of brackets removably secured between the building and the storm panels, and an adjustable locking bar locking these elements securely together.

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to Provisional application No. 61/848,215, filed Dec. 27, 2012. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to hurricane protective coverings commonly known as hurricane shutters and storm panels that are used in hurricane high wind conditions to protect windows and doors openings in houses and other structures from damage caused by flying debris, and more particularly to a universal locking device which secures such hurricane shutters and storm panels in place from unauthorized removal and entry into a building. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a universal locking device for flat or corrugated hurricane shutters or storm panels made of steel, aluminum, polycarbonate, plywood, plastics or composites installations, including a single storm panel or multiple storm panels that have an overlapping engagement at their adjoining edges to form a single panel in a vertical or horizontal configurations of various lengths or widths including types of mounting systems attached directly to a building securing the sides, top, or bottom of the hurricane shutter or storm panels. The universal locking device deploys in horizontal, vertical or diagonal positions across the outer portion of the hurricane shutters and storm panels with the direct mount systems including panel mount anchors or end brackets secured directly to a building wall securing the hurricane shutters and storm panels securely thereto. 
     Related prior art includes U.S. Patent Application US2005/0193651, which teaches a shutter assembly for storm and security protection, wherein one embodiment of the assembly consists of translucent panels enclosed within the upper and lower track of housing and comprisies a locking device. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,205713 to Thompson, et al. teaches hurricane protection for windows and doors comprising a shutter with hardware and a locking rod device with padlock. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,532,702 to Scribner teaches safeguarding a building from vandals or storms comprising panel members and spring loaded locking inserts. 
     Storm resistant fixed shutter assemblies are taught by Carey U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,294 and Whitworth, which disclose a storm brace assembly in U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,312. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 7,634,878 of Motosko teaches a shutter assembly for storm and security protection, two embodiments of the assembly consistis of a header upper track mount and a lower F-track mount and positional hasp and padlock. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to a universal locking device for hurricane shutters or storm panels. Before, during and after a storm, many homes and buildings are left unoccupied by mandatory or voluntary evacuations, leaving buildings noticeably vulnerable to vandals and burglars, and by the simple removal of a conventional storm panels or plywood, easy access into the unoccupied building. 
     One embodiment of the universal locking device is for flat or corrugated hurricane shutters or storm panels made of steel, aluminum, polycarbonate, plywood, plastics or composite installations including a single storm panel sized to cover and protect windows and glass doors of a building, and multiple flat or corrugated panels made of any of the aforementioned materials that overlapping engagement at their adjoining edges to form a single panel in a vertical or horizontal configurations of unlimited lengths or widths including mounting systems attached directly to a building wall securing the sides, top, or bottom of the hurricane shutter or storm panels. 
     The universal locking device deploys in horizontal, vertical, or diagonal positions across the outer portion of the hurricane shutters and storm panels with mounting systems including panel mount anchors or end brackets secured directly into a building securing the shutters and storm panels with washer wing nuts or threaded anchors and sidewalk screws, or in combination with mounts with or without H and U standard header or build-out tracks securing the top, bottom, or sides of hurricane shutters or storm panels with unlimited lengths or widths. 
     Furthermore, the universal locking device deploys vertically or horizontally to secure the side or bottom of a studded angel track, reverse studded angel track, build-out angel track, F-track, reverse F-track, build-out F-track or in combination with direct mounts with or without H or U header tracks with unlimited lengths or widths mounted to a building. 
     The universal locking device locking bar includes a padlock having a hasp at one end, and drilled holes at a bar tong end allowing the locking device to be secured at one of two points or both, which prevents any substantial movement of the top, side, or bottom edge of the aforementioned mounting attachments and combinations of the hurricane shutter or storm panel members. 
     Furthermore the locking bar tong end has a coupling adapted to extend to unlimited lengths or widths. 
     It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a universal locking device that is easy to use for multiple types of hurricane shutters and storm panels and multiple mounting systems which renders them non-removable when locked with a padlock. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide hurricane shutters and storm panels a universal locking device that is easily and quickly removed by unlocking of the padlock. 
     And another object of this invention is that the universal locking device deploys without any modifications to the hurricane shutters, or storm panels, or attachment mounts, or tracks mounts, or the building structure, or windows, or door frames. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter which contains illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the universal locking device with the locking bar inserted through each component and incorporating a padlock on the tong end. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of universal locking device components and showing the direction as to which the locking bar is inserted therethrough. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the universal locking device deployed upon a corrugated hurricane shutter panel, and incorporating the central panel locking brace. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the universal locking device deployed upon a corrugated hurricane shutter panel including an upper track member( 30 ). 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the universal locking device deployed upon a corrugated hurricane shutter panel, and incorporating the central brace and center panel lock. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the universal locking device deployed upon a corrugated hurricane shutter panel incorporating keepers between respective end braces and the shutter panel. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the locking bar incorporating an extension bar, an extension brace, holes, and nuts and bolts holding the pieces together. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As per  FIG. 1 , the universal locking device ( 10 ) for hurricane shutters is illustrated and comprises two end brackets ( 1 ) that are adapted to be securely attach to an exterior wall of a building structure ( 31 )on respective opposite adjacent sides of an opening, usually a window or door frame; at least one V-bracket ( 2 ) adapted to snugly fit within and be securely attached to respective corrugations of a corrugated panel of a hurricane shutter panel ( 20 ); and an elongated locking bar ( 3 ) adapted to pass through openings within each component used, and having a distal end and an opposite tong end, wherein said distal end has a stop portion ( 12 ) thereon, and said tong end having a plurality of holes ( 8 ) along an elongated length thereof and adapted to facilitate the use of a padlock ( 9 ) within a chosen hole depending on the width of the shutter panel used, such that said locking bar cannot be removed from said openings of said components and thereby prevents the removal of said locking device from said shutter panel and said shutter panel ( 20 ) from said building structure ( 31 ). 
     One embodiment of said universal locking device includes the use of a center panel locking brace ( 6 ) that fixedly attaches to a center portion of said shutter panel, said center panel locking brace having an opening therein for said locking bar to also pass therethrough, to thereby more securely hold said shutter panel to said locking bar ( 3 ). 
     Another embodiment of said universal locking device includes the use of a center panel lock member ( 4 ) in combination with a center brace member ( 5 ) that are both independently adapted to be fixedly attached to a center portion of said shutter panel, both said center panel lock member ( 4 ) and said center brace member ( 5 ) have an opening therein for said locking bar to also pass therethrough, to thereby more securely hold said shutter panel to said locking bar ( 3 ). 
     An alternate embodiment of the universal locking device incorporates keeper members ( 14 ) attached between respective end braces and the shutter panel. The use of keeper members ( 14 ) increases the strength of the connection between the locking device and the shutter panel. 
     An alternate embodiment of the locking bar ( 3 ) incorporates the use of an extension bar ( 16 ), an extension brace ( 17 ), holes ( 19 ), and nuts and bolts ( 18 ) holding the pieces together. The use of extension bar and extension brace allows the locking device to fit shutter panels of larger dimensions. 
     As to the method of use, said two end brackets are securely attached to opposite adjacent sides of a chosen opening of said building structure ( 31 ) using mechanical fasteners,( 15 ). Then, at least one V-bracket is respectively securely attached within respectively chosen corrugations of said shutter panel using mechanical fasteners. The locking bar may be deployed at this point through the respective openings and until the stop portion hits the respective end bracket and said tong portion extends through and past the second end bracket, such that said padlock can be inserted through a chosen hole therein, thereby securing and locking said shutter panel to said building structure ( 31 ). 
     Within said one embodiment of said universal locking device, the method would further include securely attaching said center panel locking brace ( 6 ) to a center portion of said shutter panel, and wherein said locking bar also extends through said opening therein, to thereby more securely hold said shutter panel to said locking bar. 
     Within said another embodiment of said universal locking device, the method would further include securely attaching said center panel lock member ( 4 ) and said center brace member ( 5 ) to a center portion of said shutter panel, and wherein said locking bar also extends through said openings therein, to thereby more securely hold said shutter panel to said locking bar. 
     Within said alternate embodiment of the universal locking device incorporating keeper members ( 14 ) attached between respective end braces and the shutter panel, the user attaches the keeper members ( 14 ) to the end brackets ( 1 ), then the shutter panel to the keeper members before attaching the V-brackets and the center panel locking brace or center brace and center panel lock, to thereby increases the strength of the connection between the locking device and the shutter panel. 
     Within said alternate embodiment of the locking bar ( 3 ) incorporating the use of an extension bar ( 16 ), an extension brace ( 17 ), holes ( 19 ), and nuts and bolts ( 18 ) holding the pieces together, once the user determines that the width of a shutter panel is larger than the length of the locking bar, they can choose to extend the length of the locking bar by incorporating the extension bar and extension brace, to thereby extend the length of the locking device to fit shutter panels of larger dimensions. 
     Approximate dimensions for said end brackets can be 8 to 12 inches long, 2 to 4 inches wide, with a 1 to 2 inch wide and 6 to 8 inch long horizontal slot, with a ⅛ to 3/16 inch thickness, with a 3 to 4 inch 90 degree angle at one end with a perpendicular 2 to 3 inch long by ⅛ to 3/16 width slot therein. 
     Approximate dimensions for the V-brackets can be 2 to 4 inches wide, 4 to 6 inches long, ⅛ to 3/16 inch thickness, with a 2 to 4 inch wide square center base being ⅛ to 3/16 thick, with two opposite 30 to 40 degree angled sides, 2 to 4 inches wide, 3 to 4 inches long, ⅛ to 3/16 thick, and with 2 to 3 inch long by ⅛ to 3/16 inch perpendicular slots at both ends. 
     Approximate dimensions of the locking bar can be between 1 to 2 inches wide, 4 to 8 feet long ⅛, 3/16 inches thick, and with a 1 to 2 inch long by 1 to 2 inch wide 90 degree angel forming said stop portion at said distal end. 
     The universal storm panel locking device may be made of high-strength plastic or of any other sufficiently rigid and strong material such as metal, aluminum and the like. Further, the various components of the universal storm panel locking device can be made of different materials. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.