Patent ID: 7165426

Claim:
In a locking device having a locking head movable between a locked and an unlocked state, a shackle member including a linear shank having an outer surrounding surface, first and second end portions and a length and a thickness, said shackle member including a latch portion disposed at the shank first end portion and configured to engage said locking head, and a stop member disposed at the shank second end portion, a method for varying the diameter of the linear shank to adapt the locking device to variable sized apertures in components to be locked with said device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a sleeve with an inner diameter sized to closely fit over said shank in an engaged position with said sleeve having an inner surrounding surface and a sleeve length sufficient to extend over a majority of the length of said shank when in the engaged position with the inner surrounding surface of said sleeve in substantially confronting relation with the outer surrounding surface of said shank over substantially the length of said sleeve thereby to achieve a close-fitted mated engagement with said shank; (b) in the alternative, either (i) telescopingly engaging said sleeve onto said shank and thereafter positioning said shank and sleeve together within one sized aperture or (ii) positioning said shank without said sleeve being engaged thereon within another sized aperture; and (c) thereafter engaging said locking head with said latch portion.