Patent Document

PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/531,123, filed Sep. 6, 2011 by Kristopher J. Dowdy who is the inventor of claims 1 through 9 of the &#39;123 provisional application and is the inventor of claims  1  through  9  of the instant, non-provisional application. 
    
    
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     None 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED REWARDS OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None 
     NAME OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     None 
     REFERENCE TO “SEQUENCE LISTING” 
     None 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an anti-theft locking mechanism for all-terrain vehicles. Specifically, the device provides a mechanism for securing a vehicle&#39;s axle to the device and preventing access to the vehicle&#39;s tires. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to an anti-theft device for all-terrain vehicles. Exemplary all-terrain vehicles for use with the present invention include, but are not limited to, four-wheelers, three-wheelers, golf carts, and utility vehicles such as a Kawasaki Mule™ and a John Deere Gator™. The anti-theft device comprises two wheel cradles connected to opposing ends of an adjustable shaft. The adjustable shaft allows a user to set the width of the wheel cradles to the width of the vehicle&#39;s tire base. The device further comprises two locking slides that can move along the adjustable shaft. Each locking slide has a means for securing the vehicle axle to the device. The device further comprises one or more mounting brackets for optionally securing the anti-theft device to a solid surface such as, but not limited to, a concrete surface, trailer bed, or truck bed. The mounting bracket can be secured to the solid surface using any standard mounting bracket means, such as a bolt. The mounting bracket design and means for securing the mounting bracket may be varied based on the type of solid surface to which it is attached. In certain exemplary embodiments, the device is readily removable and transferable between solid surfaces. Use of the device does not depend on mounting the device to a solid surface, and the device may be used unanchored. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary anti-theft device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of an exemplary locking slide of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An exemplary embodiment of the anti-theft device  100  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The anti-theft device comprises a set of wheel cradles  110  attached by a central shaft  120 . A wheel cradle may comprise a support element  111  and a first and second tire bracket  112  extending perpendicular to the support element  111 . The first and second tire bracket are separated by a distance sufficient for a bottom portion of a tire to sit therein. In certain exemplary embodiments the tire brackets  112  are adjustable along the supporting bracket  111  to provide flexibility in accepting different vehicle tire sizes. The wheel cradle may optionally further comprise a mounting bracket  113 . The mounting bracket  113  may be positioned or integrated directly into the supporting bracket  111 . Alternatively, the mounting bracket  113  may be attached at a point along the first and second tire brackets  112  parallel to the supporting element  111 . The mounting bracket is designed to allow the anti-theft device  100  to be securely fastened to a solid surface, such as an asphalt or concrete surface, a truck bed, or a trailer bed. The mounting bracket may be secured to the solid surface using any standard mounting means for attaching fixtures to such surfaces. In one exemplary embodiment, the mounting bracket  113  contains one or more holes for the insertion of bolts for securing the anti-theft device  100  to the solid surface. The wheel cradles  110  may be manufactured from any suitable material with sufficient strength and durability to allow a vehicle to be securely attached thereto. The second supporting bracket  115  may be attached to the opposite end of first and second tire brackets  112  from the first support bracket  112 . In certain exemplary embodiments, a plate  116  may be attached at a bottom end to either to the second support bracket  115  or directly to tire brackets  112 . The top end of the plate extends vertically and is of a sufficient height to block access to a tire&#39;s lug nuts, thereby preventing tire removal. The plate may be a square plate, a rectangular shape, a half-round shape, or any shape sufficient to block access to a tire&#39;s lug nuts or other means for securing the tire to the axle of the vehicle. 
     In certain exemplary embodiments, the central shaft may comprise a fixed component  121  attached to one wheel cradle and an adjustable shaft component  122  attached to the other wheel cradle that inserts into and is movable relative to the fixed shaft component. The adjustable shaft further comprises an adjustable shaft lock  123  to secure the central shaft  120  in a fixed position. An adjustable shaft lock  123  may comprise a bolt insertable into a first hole on the fixed portion of the central shaft  120  and a second hole in the adjustable portion of the central shaft when the fixed portion and adjustable portion of the central shaft are properly aligned. In such an embodiment, the holes in the fixed and adjustable portions of the central shaft may be machined at multiple points to allow for adjustment of the shaft over a range of widths providing flexibility to secure vehicles with varying wheel bases. 
     Continuing in reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the device contains two locking slides  130  around the central shaft  120  wherein the sliding locks are moveable along the central shaft allowing for optimum positioning of the sliding locks relative to a given vehicle&#39;s axle. The sliding locks of the present invention allow the locks to be positioned between any gearbox and transfer case arrangement for a given vehicle, while ensuring the device is secured to the vehicle in-line with the axle and the wheel. Each locking slides comprises an axle attachment mechanism  131  for locking the device  100  to the axle of a vehicle. An exemplary axle attachment mechanism is a chain, however other suitable mechanisms that allow secure attachment of the device to the vehicles axle may be used. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , a more detailed drawing of an exemplary sliding lock is provided. The sliding lock  200  comprises the slide body  210 , a central channel for receiving the device&#39;s central shaft  120 , and a locking mechanism  220 . In the exemplary embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , a chain  240  may be welded to one side of the sliding lock opposite the locking mechanism  220 . The chain is then looped over the vehicle axle and secured to the locking mechanism. An exemplary locking mechanism can comprise one or more chain notches  222  and lock pin  221  for locking the free end of the chain to the locking mechanism. 
     In use, the device  100  is secured to an appropriate surface. The wheel cradles  110  are set to an appropriate width based on the wheel base of the vehicle to be secured. Once the appropriate width is set the central shaft  120  may be locked into position. The vehicle is then driven onto the device so that the front or rear tires rest within the wheel cradle  110 . In those embodiments in which the tire brackets  112  are adjustable, said brackets may be adjusted to more securely engage the tire. The sliding locks  130  are then positioned along the axle. The optimum point along an axle at which the vehicle may be secured will vary by vehicle. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize and be able to position the sliding locks in the appropriate positions. The axle attachment mechanisms  131  are then looped over the vehicle axle and secured to the locking mechanism  221  of the sliding locks  130 , thereby securing the vehicle to the device. 
     Components of the device may be manufactured of a variety of materials from metals to rigid plastic materials. Exemplary materials suitable for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, steel, stainless steel, high carbon steels, aluminum, or combinations thereof. Design considerations to be considered when selecting suitable component materials include strength, durability, weight, and cost of manufacturing. 
     Although specific embodiments of the invention may have been described above in detail, the description is merely for purposes of illustration. Various modifications can be made by those having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the following claims, the scope of which is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass such modifications and equivalent structure.

Technology Category: 4