Abstract:
An anti-theft device for water craft to secure boats and to secure accessories in three embodiments. The first embodiment discloses a two part locking mechanism comprising a tubular locking bar which reciprocates into locking relationship with a tubular locking cylinder. Both the locking bar and the locking cylinder have projecting and bent locking legs of elongated length configured to enclose the horns of a cleat in secure relationship. The locking bar is capable of being reciprocated into the locking cylinder and locked therein to maintain the locking legs around the horns of the cleat. The second embodiment discloses a locking bar and locking cylinder arrangement wherein the horn engaging locking legs are of relatively thin wall tubular construction and fit around the horns of the cleat. In the third embodiment the horn engaging legs are of circular ring construction and are attached respectively to the locking bar and locking cylinder as described in the other embodiments.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/415,419 filed on Oct. 8, 1999, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of locking and securing devices and more particularly, the invention relates to an adjustable water craft anti-theft device designed to secure boats at a dock and to secure watecraft equipment in either a dock environment or to a water craft. 
     II. Description of the Related Art 
     The securing of water craft and associated equipment at marinas and at dockside poses substantial problems. Even in a relatively secure marina, boats and their equipment are easily stolen by a dedicated thief. Typically, boat thieves operate at night and sometimes they won&#39;t even bother to break into a cabin. Instead they will “hot wire” the ignition if that is accessible. The thief will then motor away to a quiet spot and, by first light, can have changed the boat&#39;s name, registration number and sometimes even the trim colors. While very large boats do not lend themselves particularly to the present invention, certainly equipment aboard large boats can easily be protected by this invention. The present invention relates more nearly to smaller type boats and dinghies and will have applicability to larger boats as appropriate. 
     While no safeguard is entirely fool proof against a professional and dedicated thief, the goal of the boat owner should be to reduce the opportunities for amateur thieves and to make it as hard as possible for the professionals. Dinghies, especially inflatables, are popular items for surreptitious removal from dockside or from tethers at the main boat. Dinghies usually disappear when they are in the water and tied to a parent boat or a pier. Since dinghies and their outboard engines are expensive items, these are typically stolen with great regularity. 
     In the past there have been numerous types of devices utilized to secure outboard engines to dinghies, and dinghies to either the parent boat or to a dock, and typically these devices have been a chain with a padlock or a hardened, braided steel cable and a padlock. However, it is typically difficult to find securing hard spots either on the parent boat or a dock to which one can attach a cable and/or a chain with a padlock. Therefore, the goal of the owner is to slow down the thief and to send the thief off in search of easier prey. Therefore, while police experts advise attaching the boat and/or associated accessory equipment to a dock by a hardened chain or cable with a padlock, and since it is difficult to find places to attach either the chain or cable to the boat or to the dock, the most obvious place to attach such a locking device would be to a bollard or to a boat cleat firmly affixed to the dock. The prior art does not know of devices which will specifically attach to a cleat. 
     For instance, the patent to Jang (No. 5,259,222 ) discloses a stick-shaped car lock device having a sliding lock bar on which circumferential grooves are provided and wherein the lock bar telescopes into a locking cylinder. At the respective ends of the locking device are double U-shaped hooks projecting from the lock bar and the locking cylinder. Each of the U-shaped hooks have all of the elements thereof in a common place. At the midpoint of the locking cylinder, there is a single U-shaped hook having all portions lying in a single plane. The lock device can either lock the steering wheel of a car or lock the combination of the steering wheel and the brake pedal. None of the hooks are in close enough proximity to one another to be able to impinge upon, or interlock with, any of the other hooks to effectively surround an item to be secured thereby to prevent rotation of the locked item within the confines of the lock device. 
     The patents to Putman et al (U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,912,847 and 2,984,096 ) disclose an outboard motor lock which fits around the screw heads of the motor retaining screws to prevent the screws from being unscrewed from the boat transom. The lock comprises nothing more than a pair of telescoping tubes having a slot in each tube cut from one end of each tube a desired distance along the tube wall and designed to encompass the screws to allow the respective tube to enclose the screw heads to prevent the screw heads from being rotated. After the screw heads are encompassed in the telescoping tubes, a lock is placed through the tubes to lock the tubes together. 
     The devices of the prior art, while effective in limited situations, were never sufficient to handle securing boats and equipment situations over a wide variety of situations. For instance, prior devices could not handle with one device, cleat-to-cleat securing, cleat to post securing, large boat securing, small boat and dinghy securing along with the securing of houseboats, cruisers, sailboats and the securing of equipment such as outboard engines. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention and the contemplated problems which have and continue to exist in this field, the objectives of this invention are to provide an adjustable locking and securing anti-theft device for water craft designed to secure boats at a dock, and to secure water craft equipment either to the parent boat or to a dock by utilization of a braided aircraft type steel cable attached to a specialized, adjustable locking fitting which may be utilized in a manner not heretofore known. 
     The present invention is applicable to the following situations, among others: 
     (a) Boat cleat to dock cleat. 
     (b) Boat cleat to dock bollard or post. 
     (c) Boat cleat to mooring ring. 
     (d) Boat cleat to dinghy or tender cleat. 
     (e) Boat cleat to accessories by looping the cable around the accessory. 
     The invention accomplishes the above and other objectives with a specialized adjustable anti-theft water craft locking mechanism having specialized fittings which will fit around and about various size and style of cleats and rings which will be impossible to remove without great effort. The invention described herein accomplishes these objects with three (3) separate embodiments. The first embodiment discloses a locking mechanism having a serrated sliding lock bar capable of sliding into a locking cylinder, and wherein each half of the locking mechanism has attached a locking leg of steel bent to a specific shape to encompass the horns of the base of the cleat and to be slidingly engaged therewith when the sliding lock bar is securely fastened to the locking cylinder. Additionally, the mechanism is so shaped that the locking legs interact with one another so that when completely closed, the interaction of the locking legs will prevent rotation of the two halves of the main body and subsequent opening when the locking legs are enclosing a cable or a mooring ring in a securing situation. 
     Another embodiment discloses a locking system in which the horns of the cleat are totally encompassed by an elongated tubular securing ring on each of the sliding lock bar and the locking cylinder, and wherein the securing ring has a substantial length to encompass the large portion of the cleat horns. In all instances, the sliding lock bar and the locking cylinder, and associated locking mechanisms, are the same. 
     Another embodiment of the invention discloses a similar type of cleat engaging mechanism wherein the locking legs are replaced, for economy sake, with steel rings attached to the sliding lock bar and the locking cylinder so that the horns of the cleat would fit within the circular rings to accomplish the locking action. 
     Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention showing the specialized lock attached to a water craft cleat and secured to a dock post; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 prior to the halves of the invention being slidingly engaged; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 showing the invention fully engaged around a cleat; 
     FIG. 4 is a end elevation view of the locking cylinder half of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of the invention shown placed around a cleat and locking configuration; 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the sliding lock bar section of the embodiment of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevation view of the sliding lock bar of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the sliding lock bar of a third embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is an end elevation view of FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a bottom view of locking legs of the first embodiment in fully closed and interlocking position to show the legs engaging a dock ring or mooring ring; and 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the first embodiment without a secured device to show the relationship of the locking legs when in a fully closed and interlocking position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature and desired objects of this invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, reference is made first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4. The embodiment of FIG. 1 discloses the invention affixed to a dock cleat with a cable attached to the invention and being affixed to a mounting post on the dock. It should be noted that the invention may very well have a pair of cleat locking mechanisms attached to the cable, one at either end, so as to effect a locking system between a cleat on a boat and a cleat on a dock. Generally, the invention comprises an anti-theft boat locking mechanism  11  comprising a sliding lock bar  12  which reciprocates in and out of a locking cylinder  13 . Attached to the mechanism  11  is preferably a braided, aircraft style vinyl coated cable  14  which, as alluded to earlier, may have a mechanism  11  attached at either end. In the case shown in FIG. 1, one end of the cable is shown having a loop  15  which is attached to the heavy gauge metal bolt  16  affixed into a dock post  17  which would represent a dock bollard  18 . In this particular fashion, the mechanism  11  would remain fixed to the dock and be utilized to clamp onto a cleat on a boat. In the alternative, the cable end which is shown on the dock bollard  18  could, in fact, be attached to a second locking mechanism  11  which would then be attached to a dock cleat. 
     The cleat  19  is of standard type construction and generally includes opposing cleat horns  21  attached to one or more cleat legs  22  which interconnect the horns  21  to the cleat base  23 . Typically, cleats come in many sizes and configurations and are screwed to a dock or to a boat and secured by cleat securing screws  24  which, if properly through bolted, will make it difficult to remove the cleat. The present invention, especially with the embodiment of FIG. 1, will make it extremely difficult to remove the cleat as will be later described. 
     The sliding lock bar  12  and the locking cylinder  13  both have mating securing locking legs of hardened steel firmly affixed to the respective halves. With respect to the sliding lock bar  12 , the securing locking leg  25  is firmly attached to the distal end  26   a  of the lock bar  12 . With respect to locking cylinder  13 , the securing locking leg  27  is firmly affixed to the distal end  26   b  of the locking cylinder  13 . As can be seen, the length of the securing locking legs  25  and  27  are not co-planar with the lock bar  12  and the locking cylinder  13 . Each securing locking leg curves around in the manner back on itself in a reentrant manner, and then bends at the distal end thereof to place the terminating end portion of the locking leg in a co-planar relationship with the respective lock bar  12  or locking cylinder  13 . The distal end of each locking leg  25  and  27  then terminates with respective rounded terminating ends  29   a  and  29   b . In this manner, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the securing locking legs  25  and  27 , when placed around cleat legs  22 , will encompass the cleat legs on opposite sides thereof and the reentrant portion of each securing locking leg will also encompass the cleat horns  21 , both underneath the horn and on top of the horn, thereby firmly securing the locking mechanism  11  to the cleat. 
     The locking legs  25  and  27 , as easily seen in FIG. 11, are subdivided into multiple sectors, all of which allow interaction to permit the mechanism to function in its intended mode. Locking leg  25  projects from lock bar  12  radially outward in an initial sector  25   a  and continues in a curvilinear loop sector  25   b  which extends toward the distal end  26   a  of lock bar  12 . Thence, the curvilinear loop sector  25   b  flows into the reentrant loop sector  25   c  which projects generally toward the center line of lock bar  12  and thence bends into the elongated substantially straight sector  25   d , which is substantially parallel to the center line of lock bar  12 . Where the reentrant loop sector  25   c  bends into the elongated sector  25   d , as indicated by numeral  25   e  there is formed an acute rounded interior angle  25   f . 
     Similarly with respect to locking leg  27 , it is seen that leg  27  projects from locking cylinder  13  radially outward in an initial sector  27   a  and continues in a curvilinear loop sector  27   b  which extends toward the distal end  26   b  of locking cylinder  13 . Thence, the curvilinear sector  27   b  flows into the reentrant loop sector  27   c  which projects generally toward the center line of locking cylinder  13  and thence bends into the elongated substantially straight sector  27   d , which is substantially parallel to the center line of locking cylinder  13 . Where the reentrant loop sector  27   c  bends into the elongated sector  27   d  as indicated by numeral  27   c , there is formed an acute rounded interior angle  27   f . 
     In order to maintain the locking mechanism in its operative lock position, the sliding lock bar  12  is reciprocated into the locking cylinder  13  as shown in FIG.  1 . The sliding lock bar  12  has an elongated shaft  31  with a portion of the shaft having adjusting serrations  32  around the shaft. In operation, the shaft  31  is placed into one end of locking cylinder  13  at receiving end  33 . The locking cylinder  13  is hollow to the extent that it will receive the shaft  31 , and as the shaft  31  and the serrations  32  on the shaft are reciprocated into locking cylinder  13 , the serrations interact with a locking lug (not shown) within the lock  34  which is of standard tubular construction utilizing a barrel type key  35  placed into the circular keyhole  36 . The shaft  31  is reciprocated into the locking cylinder  13  until the securing locking legs  25  and  27  are firmly engaged with cleat legs  22 . At that point, the locking lug (not shown) of the lock  34  firmly engages a discrete serration  32  and maintains the shaft  31  in a fixed relation with respect to the locking cylinder  13 , until such time as a user unlocks the device by means of key  35  in the lock  34 . As is easily seen in FIG. 3, once the locking mechanism  11  has been placed around a cleat in the locking configuration, the locking mechanism  11  cannot be rotated off of the cleat because of the opposing terminating ends  29   a  and  29   b  of the securing locking legs  25  and  27 . In addition, the securing locking legs  25  and  27 , when properly closed upon the cleat, will overlie the cleat securing screws  24  thereby making it impossible to remove the screws and the cleat to defeat the locking mechanism. 
     It should be understood that, while the mechanism  11  is applicable to many securing applications, the primary ones involve cleats. When properly positioned, the reentrant portion  25   c  and  27   c  of the respective locking legs  25  and  27  are so formed to bend the respective leg in a direction opposite to the original direction of the leg coming from the lock bar  12  and/or locking cylinder  13 . Such a construction allows the cleat legs  22  to be encircled by the engaging angle portion  25   e  and  27   e  of respective locking legs  25  and  27 , and to place the terminating ends  29   a  and  29   b  on opposite sides of the cleat so as to prevent removal therefrom. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , utilizes the same sliding locking bar  12  which reciprocates into the locking cylinder  13  and is locked by circular key lock  34 . However, instead of a securing locking leg as disclosed in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the invention contemplates having an elongated tubular securing ring  37  attached to sliding lock bar  12  and an elongated tubular securing ring  38  attached to locking cylinder  13  by means of an attachment mount  39 . As is to be noted, the cleat used in this embodiment is essentially the same type of cleat as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 having a rounded type of horn  21 , however, any type of cleat of known configuration will work with either embodiment of the invention. In this particular embodiment, the securing tubes  37  and  38  would be of sufficient diameter to encompass the horns  21  of the cleat. In order for each tubular securing tube  37  and  38  to fully engage the cleat, the underside of the tube will have a suitable cutout  39  which will allow the securing rings to fully engage the cleat legs  22  and to allow the full cooperation of shaft  31  to be reciprocated to a full depth with the locking cylinder  13 . 
     Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8-9, and includes the same essential elements of the invention as previously disclosed which will include the sliding locking bar  12  and the locking cylinder  13  and the associated lock  34 , along with any cable  14  necessary. The cleat securing rings of this embodiment include generally round, tubular solid rings  41  attached to the sliding lock bar  12  and to the locking cylinder  13  in order that each securing ring will be firmly attached thereto and will have sufficient diameter so that the ring  41  will fit around the cleat horns  21 . The embodiment of FIGS. 8-9 will be operatively connected to a cleat  19  in the same manner as described for the other embodiments as described here and above. The only difference being that the cleat horn securing rings are solid and circular in configuration as opposed to being either tubular or bent in a reentrant curve manner. 
     However, in a situation where mechanism  11  is used through a mooring ring  4     2   , as shown in FIG. 10, or will be used around its own cable  14  to form a cable loop, there is a requirement to prevent turning of shaft  31  within locking cylinder  13 , which turning could open up the space between the legs of locking legs  25  and  27  and allow the mooring ring  42   a  or the cable to be released. Therefore, each reentrant curved portion  25   c  and  27   c  project from the respective locking legs  25  and  27  toward the centrally located lock  34  a few degrees so that when the shaft  31  is fully engaged in locking cylinder  13  the respective distal terminating ends  29   a  and  29   b  are juxtaposed to the respective reentrant curved portion  27   c  and  25   c  of locking legs  25  or  27 , as indicated in FIGS. 10 and 11 by numeral  43 , which will prevent a turning movement and subsequent opening. 
     As seen in FIG. 10, distal ends  29   a  and  29   b  of formed rods  25  and  27  are juxtaposed to the interior acute angles  25   c  and  27   c  when the mechanism  11  is fully closed with both formed rods  25  and  27  secured within ring  42   a . In this manner, with the close juxtaposition of the rod ends to the angles  25   c  and  27   c , it can be seen that the two rods  25  and  27  cannot be rotated to any great degree and the rotation is limited to the space defined by the bent rod on either side of the acute angle  25   c  and  27   c  If the rods  25  and  27  were not so positioned when used with the ring  42   a , or if so used if cable  14  was coiled and used as a ring, the lock bar  12  and cylinder  13  could be rotated relative to one another thereby allowing the legs to possibly move apart permitting a ring, such as ring  42   a , to become disengaged, especially if bar  12  and cylinder  13  were not fully closed. The configuration just described provides a fail-proof locking system. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, various modifications may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and which are set forth in the appended claims.