Patent ID: 7121121

Claim:
A locking device adapted to secure to a coupler section of a trailer, comprising: (A) a lock housing including a hitch ball element supported thereby that is sized and adapted to mate with a coupler section of a trailer, said lock housing having a pair of spaced-apart passageways extending therethrough; (B) a shackle member releasably securable to said lock housing to define a retain state, said shackle member including a pair of spaced-apart leg sections and a bridge section extending therebetween, wherein each of said leg sections has a latch structure thereon and is respectively configured to pass through the pair of passageways when in the retain state whereby said coupler section can be non-removably engaged between said hitch ball element and said bridge section, said shackle member releasable from said lock housing to define a release state wherein said coupler section can be engaged by and released from said hitch ball element; (C) a latch mechanism disposed in said lock housing and operative to move between a latch state wherein said latch structure is engaged thereby retaining said shackle member in the retain state and an unlatch state wherein said latch structure is disengaged such that said shackle member may be moved to the release state; and (D) a lock mechanism that is integral with the lock housing and that is movable between a lock state to lock said latch mechanism in the latch state such that said shackle member is in the retain state and an unlock state to unlock said latch mechanism so that it may move to the unlatch state thereby allowing said shackle member to move to the release state.