Patent ID: 7107801

Claim:
Anti-theft locking means for locking the steering column relative to the chassis of an automotive vehicle, said steering column being subjected to a given first rotational torque during normal steering operation of the vehicle, comprising: (a) a steering shaft having a smooth cylindrical circumferential surface; (b) an annular locking sleeve mounted concentrically about said steering shaft circumferential surface, said locking sleeve including: (1) an annular body portion having a serpentine cross-sectional configuration of generally uniform thickness, thereby to define on each of the inner and outer peripheries of said body portion a plurality of alternate smooth convex projections and concave valleys, respectively, the inner convex projections on the inner periphery of said sleeve being in frictional engagement with the circumferential surface of said steering shaft with a predetermined frictional force that is greater than the corresponding force produced by said first rotational steering torque; and (2) a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth extending radially outwardly from the outer periphery of said locking sleeve from alternate ones of the outer convex projections on said outer periphery of said sleeve, said teeth defining therebetween a plurality of radial locking slots; and (c) locking means operable to lock said locking sleeve to the vehicle chassis, said locking means including: (1) a locking body adapted for engagement with the vehicle chassis; and (2) an arm portion extending from said locking body into locking engagement with one of said slots, thereby to lock said sleeve against rotation relative to the vehicle chassis.