Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for locking a wheel of a vehicle against rotation for the prevention of vehicle theft. A contacting element has one end releasably connectable to a portion of the vehicle undercarriage. The contacting element extends through an opening in a vehicle wheel. A stabilizing element is positioned immediately adjacent an outside portion of the wheel and a padlock is connected to the connecting element through a hole there through.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ART 
     1. Technical Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to vehicle safety apparatus. The invention further relates to an apparatus for the prevention of vehicle theft. The invention particularly relates to an apparatus for the prevention of theft of a vehicle having a wheel mounted thereon. The invention more particularly relates to a chassis-mounted, wheel-locking device constructed for preventing the theft of the vehicle, such as a trailer, upon which the wheel is mounted. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art and Problems Solved 
     One of the problems with owning a vehicle is that of theft. This is especially true if the vehicle is a trailer. Many states do not have trailer licensing laws. Trailers in those states are particularly vulnerable to theft. 
     Various and diverse methods of protecting a vehicle, such as trailer, against theft have been attempted with various and diverse degrees of success. In this regard, trailer owners have removed the hitch portion of the trailer to deter theft. This method of anti-theft is marginally effective since all a thief has to do is to bring a spare hitch to the scene, bolt it to the trailer, connect the hitch to his (or her) vehicle and drive away. 
     Other owners, to prevent theft, have removed one or more wheels from the trailer. This method is likewise marginal. For the price of a tire and wheel and the time to install the same, a thief can steal a trailer worth sometimes thousands of dollars. 
     A tire boot is often used by police to prevent rotation of a wheel and movement of a vehicle. These apparatus are expensive and complex to construct. Such boot safety features are also easily by-passed by removing and replacing the boot-equipped wheel. 
     The methods employed in the art, as briefly described above, have thus included the removal of towing apparatus, the removal of support and wheel apparatus and the installation of apparatus to prevent wheel rotation. 
     Still other owners have fastened the entire trailer structure to an immovable structure, such as, passing a chain around the trailer structure and securing it to a tree or some other massive item. It requires little challenge or effort for a thief to cut the chain and steal the vehicle. 
     The apparatus of this invention solves one or more of the above mentioned problems. The apparatus finds particularly utility on boat trailers, corn hauling trailers, utility trailers, camping trailers, track type recreational vehicles, and track type work vehicles, which, as is customary, remain unattended for long periods of time at sometimes remote locations. Such vehicles, if not secured in some manner, are particularly susceptible to theft. 
     THE INVENTION 
     Disclosure of the Invention 
     In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus for locking a wheel of a vehicle to the vehicle and for preventing rotation of the wheel which is locked to the vehicle. In another aspect, the invention is a method for locking a wheel of a vehicle to the vehicle and for preventing rotation of the locked wheel to prevent theft of the vehicle. The apparatus functions to prevent theft of the vehicle. 
     The apparatus is an elongated connecting member comprising a first end portion, a second end portion and a stabilizing assembly. The said first end portion is non-linear and has a general “J” configuration. The said second end portion is substantially linear and is equipped with a plurality of holes extending along a portion of its length. The said stabilizing assembly is adapted to slidably move along the length of the said second end portion and is still further adapted to cooperate with at least one of the said holes in said second end portion to lock the connecting member relative to the vehicle wheel and the wheel to the vehicle whereby rotation of the wheel is prevented. 
     The method of the invention is comprised of hooking a first portion of an elongated connecting member to a portion of the undercarriage of a vehicle while passing a second portion of the said connecting member through an opening of a wheel of said vehicle, sliding a stabilizing member onto a portion of the said second end portion of said connecting member, urging the said first end portion of the said connecting member into forcible engagement with the said undercarriage portion of said vehicle and then locking said stabilizing member to said second end portion of said connecting member at a location immediately adjacent the said wheel of said vehicle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a vehicle having the apparatus of this invention attached thereto. 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the elongated connecting member of the apparatus of this invention. 
     FIG. 2 a  is a diagrammatic end view of a portion of the elongated connecting member taken along lines II a —II a  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a vehicle having the apparatus of this invention attache thereto. 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic partial side view of a drive wheel of a track type vehicle having the apparatus of this invention attached thereto. 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic partial side view of a bogie wheel of a track type vehicle having the apparatus of this invention attached thereto. 
     FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic end view of the stabilizing member, connecting member and a partial view of the padlock. 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic top view taken along lines VII—VII of FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic side view of a wheel having a different embodiment of the locking device of this invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a vehicle  2 , for example, a trailer for transporting a boat  4 , is shown having connected thereto the anti-theft apparatus  6  of this invention. Apparatus  6 , as shown, is secured to vehicle  2  such that apparatus  6  prevents rotation of wheel  8  of vehicle  2  and also locks wheel  8  to vehicle  2 , as shall be more fully described below. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, an element of apparatus  6 , specifically elongated connecting member  10  is shown having a first end portion  12  and a second end portion  14 . The first end portion  12  of connecting member  10  is non-linear and has the general shape of the letter “J”. The second end portion  14  of the member  10  is substantially linear and has a plurality of spaced apart holes, such as holes  16 ,  17 , and  18 , which extend along a portion of its length. In a preferred embodiment connecting member  10  is rectangular in cross-section, as is shown in FIG. 2 a . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, it is seen that first end portion  12  of connecting member  10  is releasably attached or hooked to an undercarriage portion  20  of vehicle  2  and that second end portion  14 , not shown, extends through an opening  22  of wheel  8  and outwardly from wheel  8 . Accordingly, connecting member  10  must have a length sufficient to enable first end portion  12  to attach to an undercarriage portion  20  and to enable second end portion  14  to extend outwardly from wheel  8 . 
     As can be best seen in FIG. 2, first end portion  12  of connecting member  10  is defined by first leg  24  which is spaced apart from second leg  26  by middle portion  28 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, middle portion  28  is connected to and extends transversely between first leg  24  and second leg  26 . Middle portion  28  is of a length sufficient to enable said first end portion  12  to be hooked onto undercarriage portion  20  of vehicle  2 . In this regard, it is shown in FIG. 3 that first end portion  12  is hooked to leaf springs  30  of vehicle  2 . However, it should be understood that first end portion  12  can be hooked to other portions of vehicle  2  without departing from the scope of this is invention. 
     It has been found that the linear dimension of middle portion  28  must not be so short or so long to undesirably interfere with hooking first end portion  12  to vehicle  2 . It is believed that such undesirable interference can be avoided if middle portion  28  has a length in the range of from about two to about six inches. It is believed that dimensions outside of this range are undesirable because diminished or excessive distances between legs  24  and  26  can produce the mentioned undesirable interference. Preferably, in particular for use in connecting first end portion  12  to leaf springs  30 , middle portion  28  is constructed to maintain the first and second legs  24  and  26  spaced apart a distance of about three inches. 
     It should be understood that the various enumerated parts of connecting member  10 , that is, first and second legs  24  and  26 , middle portion  28  and first and second end portions  12  and  14 , can be separate pieces welded together or can, more preferably, be of unitary construction. 
     Connecting member  10  is preferably formed of steel. As can be seen in FIG. 2, first end portion  12  can have a greater mass per unit length than the mass per unit length of second end portion  14 . In this regard note FIGS. 2 and 2 a  which show, in FIG. 2 a , an end view of the connecting member  10  and the first leg  24  thereof and, in FIG. 2, that the mass per unit length of first end portion  12  is greater than the mass per unit length of second end portion  14  which is caused by reinforcing member  32 , such as a steel bar, welded to the first and second legs  24  and  26  and the middle portion  28 . 
     It is not a requirement for the operability of this invention that the mass per unit length of end portion  12  be equal to, greater than, or less than the mass per unit length of end portion  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the apparatus  6  of this invention can also be used on track type vehicles  34  in association with and locking the drive wheel  36 , as shown in FIG. 4, and/or by locking the bogie wheel  38  as shown in FIG.  5 . With track type vehicles  34  which are self propelled, the invention would best be used for locking the drive wheel  36 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3,  6  and  7 , a locking device  42  cooperates with one of the spaced apart holes of second end portion  14 , such as hole  17 , for releasably locking connecting member  10  to vehicle  2  and wheel  8  to vehicle  2 . Locking device  42  comprises padlock  44  and stabilizing member  46 . Stabilizing member  46  is preferably of general box configuration having a base  48 , opposed walls  50  and  52 , a chamber  54  having an open end  56 , and an opening  58  through walls  50  and  52 . 
     Opening  58  which extends through walls  50  and  52  is of dimensions sufficient for receiving second end portion  14  of connecting member  10 . Second end portion  14  preferably has a width several times greater than the thickness thereof. Chamber  54  of stabilizing member  46  is of dimensions sufficient for receiving the padlock  44  therein with a portion of the padlock  44  extending through hole  17  of connecting member  10 . 
     Opening  58  through walls  50  and  52  of the stabilizing member  46  can be a slot formed by first and second breakaway plates  60  and  62 . Breakaway plates  60  and  62 , which are not required for operability of apparatus  6 , are positioned on opposed sides of the slot, extend through the chamber  54  and are each connected on opposed ends to a respective wall  50  and  52  at respective wall opening edge. Preferably, this connection is by welding. 
     FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the locking device  42  which has a key bar lock  64  which is extendable through hole  17  of second end portion  14  and has a length sufficient to span an associated wheel opening  22 . This type locking device  42  is operable, but it is believed that it does not provide the protection afforded by the stabilizing member  46  and the padlock  44 . 
     In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, one should appreciate the fact that if the stabilizing member  46  is repeatedly hit with a sledge hammer in order to remove anti-theft apparatus  6 , the welds of the first and second breakaway plates  60  and  62  will shear and further complicate removal by impact. 
     OPERATION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the operation of the anti-theft apparatus  6  of this invention, first end portion  12  of elongated connecting member  10  is hooked about an undercarriage portion  20  of vehicle  2  while passing second end portion  14  of the said connecting member  10  through an opening  22  of a wheel  8  of vehicle  2 . 
     Second end portion  14  is inserted into stabilizing member  46  by way of opening  58  in walls  50  and  52  to enable stabilizing member  46  to slide on second end portion  14 . Stabilizing member  46  is then slid onto connecting member  10  and first end portion  12  is urged into forcible engagement with the said undercarriage portion  20 . Stabilizing member  46  is then urged against wheel  8  and locked to second end portion  14  by padlock  44  in cooperation with a hole  17  in second end portion  14 . 
     Other aspects, objects, and advantages of this invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and appended claims.