AU634459B1 - - Google Patents

Description

63 4 5 9 P/00/012 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

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r i"t r ji I I j Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: HSIEN-PAUE CHEN HSIEN-PAUE CHEN WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

239 Adelaide Attorney code: WR Invention Title: "AUTOMOBILE STEERING LOCK" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 TITLE: AUTOMOBILE STEERING LOCK Background of the Invention.

A known form of anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile is shown at Figures 1 and 2. That anti-theft device comprises a body member which has a passageway and accommodates a ball 11, a biassing spring 12 and a locking means 14. A rod member 15 having a plurality of annular grooves 151 is telescopically received in the passageway. Two U-shaped hooks 150 for engaging opposite portions of the steering wheel are supported on the body and rod whereby the spacing between them can be varied on axial displacement of the rod with respect to the body. The rod member 15 can be locked at any one of a plurality of positions by engagement of the ball 11 in one of the grooves 151 and the ball 11 can be disengaged from the grooves by the locking means 14 which is operated by a key. However, the hooks 150 are able to be forcably bent outwardly by means of tools to be disengaged from the steering wheel which enables the vehicle to be stolen.

Summary of the Invention The invention has been devised to offer an anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile having the following advantages; 1 A higher anti-theft effectiveness by more securely engaging the steering wheel of a vehicle; 2. More conveniently collapsible; and 3. Easier to use by ensuring the rod member is not rotatable within the body member.

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CP C 5£ C t C C CI 3 In one form the invention resides in an anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile comprising an elongate tubular body member having a central axial passageway, a pair of first hooks adjacent one end of the body, said first hooks being spaced transversely on the body member and being substantially parallel but being opposed in relation to each other; a rod member with a substantially hexagonal cross-section being telescopically received within the passageway and having a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves along its length, each groove being formed by a perpendicular side wall and an oblique side wall; a housing mounted to the other end of the body member and having an axial hexagonal passage in alignment with the passageway to slidingly receive the rod member, the housing comprising a transverse bore located to one side of the passage adapted to receive a locking means and an actuator, a pawl slidably received in the bore to extend transversely across the bore and the passage, the pawl being biassed into the position at which it extends into the passageway, the pawl being supported from the actuator whereby rotation of the actuator as a result of rotation of the locking S€ means results in movement of the pawl from the passageway, the innermost end of the. pawl being adapted to enable movement of the rod member outwardly in respect of the body member but to prevent inward movement of the rod member with respect to the body member when the pawl is engaged in the annular grooves; a second hook supported from the rod member and being t*directed away from the body member.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment.

Brief Description of Drawings 4- CI I Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the known automobile steering lock; Figure 2 is a part cross-sectional view of the known automobile steering lock referred to at Figure 1; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the automobile steering lock according to the embodiment; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the automobile steering lock according to the embodiment; Figure 5 is a cross--sectional view of the automobile steering lock according to the embodiment; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the lock shown at Figure 4 along J-ine 6-6; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the automobile steering lock according to the embodiment showing it being fixed to a steering wheel; and Figure 8 is a perspective view of the automobile steering lock according to the embodiment in the locked position on a steering wheel.

Detailed Description of the Embodiment Referring to Figures 3 and. 4 the automobile steering lock of the embc'diment comprises an elongate body member 2, a hexagonal rod member 6 which is dimensioned to be slidably received in a telescopic fashion withi.n the body member, a rod member conne'Cting tube 8 adapted to be received on the end of the rod member 6 a pair of first hooks 22 and 23 fixed on the body member 2 a second hook 82 fixed on the rod member connecting tube, a housing 3 and a locking mechanism which comprises locking means 41 and locating means 50 and 51 which are provided within the housing 3.

The body member 2 is substantially tubular and has an axial passageway 20 of substantially circular cross-section. The body member supports the pair of first hooks 22 and 23 which are secured to the body member 22 adjacent one end.

First hooks 22 and 23 are mounted to lie transversely 5 adjacent each other on the body and are substantially parallel to each other but open in opposite directions.

The space between the hooks is sufficient to receive the rim of the steering wheel while the first hooks are configured to be receivable around the steering wheel. The passageway in the body is closed at its one end by a cap 21.

The housing 3 is formed with a tubular socket which is adapted to be received over the other end of the body member 2 to be fixed therealong. The housing also has a hexagonal passage 31 of reduced dimensions compared to the passageway and is in alignment and communicates with the passageway to enable the rod member 6 to extend through both the hexagonal passage 31 and the passageway 20 in the body member. The housing 3 is formed with a transverse bore 32 which is located to one side of the hexagonal passage 31. The bore opens at one end to the side of the housing and is closed at its other end, except for a small hole 320 formed at the other side of the housing. The opening is formed through the wall of the housing to open into the side wall of the transverse bore.

eo 0 9 a e The locking means 41 which incorporates an actuator 40 is received in the bore 32. The locking means 41 is formed with a projection 410 at its inner end which is formed with a diametric slot 411. The actuatou 40 comprises a channel member 400 having an inverted U-shaped cross-sectional o profile where the web at one end is received in the slot 411 in the projection 410 of the locking means 41. A spigot 401 is provided at the other end of the web of the :channel member to be received in the hole 320 formed in the inner end of the bore 32. A notch 402 is formed in the actuator The locating means comprises a pawl member 50 and a biasing spring which are received through the opening 33 in the 6 housing wall where the inner end of the pawl 50 extends into the hexagonal passage 31. The inner end of the pawl is formed with an oblique first surface 500 and an axial planar second surface 501. The outer end of the pawl is formed with a spigot 504 which accommodates one end of the biassing spring 51. The opening 33 is closed by a cover 52 and the biassing spring 51 is received between the pawl member and the cover. The pawl member 50 is further provided with a pair of laterally directed diametrically opposed projections 502 and 503. The pawl member 50 passes through the notch 402 in the channel member 400 and the projections engage the outer surface of the channel member to each side of the notch 402.

The hexagonal rod member 6 extends into the passageway in the body member 2 by passing through the hexagonal bore 31. The one end of the rod member within the body member 2 supports a stop ring 70. The stop ring is formed with a pair of diametrically opposed holes 700 and 701 which when the ring is in position on the rod align with a hole formed at the one end of the rod member. A pin extends through the holes 700 and 701 in the stop ring 70 and 60 in .the rod member to retain the stop ring in position.

A male threaded portion 61 is formed at the other end of the rod member to engage a correspondingly formed female •threaded portion 80 in one end of the rod member connecting tube 8. The rod member connecting tube 8 is adapted to 4 serve as the hand grip of the rod member 6 to enable the 2" rod member to be moved inwardly or outwardly with respect to the body member 2. The other end of the rod member :connecting tube 8 is formed with a male threaded portion which is engagable with a correspondingly formed female threaded portion provided on a head having a compass 21 incorporated at its free end.

7 The rod connecting tube 8 further supports a second hook 82 which is directed towards the other end of the rod connecting tuL 8.

A plurality of annular grooves are formed along the rod member at spaced intervals therealong. Each groove is iformed with an oblique side wall 620 and a perpendicular side wall 621.

In assembling the steering lock according to the embodiment the housing 3 is initially fixed to the other end of the body member 2. The stop ring 70 is fixed to the one end of the rod member 6 by means of the pin being inserted through the holes 700, 701 and 60 in the ring and rod respectively.

The rod member 6 is then passed through the passageway in the body member 2 and the hexagonal passage 31 in the housing and the cap 21 is fixed to the one end thereof the entrap the stop ring 70 within the passageway 20. The actuator 40 and locking means 41 are located in the i transverse bore 32 in the housing 2 with the channel member o: :portion 400 engaged in the slot 411 of the projection 410.

The locating means 50 and the biassing spring 51 are .0o inserted through the opening 33 in the housing to extend transversely across the bore and the cover 52 is fixed over the opening 33. The use of the correct key for the locking enables the actuator 40 to be caused to turn to move the i pawl from the passageway 20 the open the lock. The pawl i .is able to recover its initial position in the passageway as a result of the influence of the biassing spring 51.

Finally the rod member connecting tube 8 is mounted to the rod member 6 and the compass head 9 is screwed to the other o end of the rod member connecting tube 8.

When it becomes necessary to store the steering lock the rod connecting tube can be unthreaded from the rod member 6 to shorten the length of the locking means. On reinstallation of the steering lock the rod connecting tube §1 tcN! Uu c< C C 8 is mounted to the rod member and the lock can then be applied to the steering wheel as required.

In fixing the steering lock on a steering wheel as shown in Figure 1 the steering is lock located substantially tangentially on the steering wheel such that the rim is received between the two first hooks 22 and 23 on the body member. The steering lock is then caused to rotate about its mounting to the steering wheel rim and across the steering wheel such that the first hooks 22 and 23 engage the rim of the steering wheel and until the lock extends substantially diametrically across the steering wheel. The rod member connecting tube 8 is then pulled outwardly causing the rod member 6 to move telescopically outwardly within the passageway until the second hook 82 engages the rim of the steering wheel in a substantially opposed relation to the first hooks. When the rod member 6 is moved outwardly the pawl 50 moves elastically within the housing as the first surface 500 of the pawl slides over the oblique side walls 620 of the annular grooves 62 in the rod member 6. When the rod member 6 is pushed inwardly the perpendicular second surface 501 of the pawl 50 engages the perpendicular side wall 621 of the annular grooves 62 to prevent the inward movement of the rod member. Therefore the rod member connecting tube 8 is pulled outwardly to enable the second hook 82 to engage the steering wheel, the steering lock is locked onto the steering wheel.

To unlock the steering wheel after being located on the steering wheel the correct key has to be used to rotate the locking means 41 which then rotates the actuator 40. This causes the pawl 50 to be raised through the engagement of the projections 502 and 503 on the actuator 400 to compress the biassing spring 51. Therefore the pawl 50 is raised from the annular groove freeing the rod member 6 to enable the rod member to be pushed inwardly so that the hook 82 can be disengaged from the steering wheel and to enable to rr -9the steering lock to be pivoted on the steering wheel to facilitate disengagement of the first hooks from the steering wheel. To store the lock the rod connecting tube can be screwed from the rod member to reduce its length.

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Claims (4)

1. An anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile comprising an elongate tubular body member having a central axial passageway, a pair of first hooks adjacent one end of the body, said first hooks being spaced transversely on the body member and being substantially parallel but being opposed in relation to each other; a rod member with a substantially hexagonal cross-section being telescopically received within the passageway and having a plurality of axially spaced annular grooves along its length, each groove being formed by a perpendicular side wall and an oblique side wall; a housing mounted to the other end of the body member and having an axial hexagonal passage in alignment with the passageway to slidingly receive the rod member, the housing comprising a transverse bore located to one side of the passage adapted to receive a locking means and an actuator, a pawl slidably received in the bore to extend transversely across the bore and the passage, the pawl being biassed into the position at which it extends into the passageway, the pawl being supported from the actuator whereby rotation of the actuator as a result of rotation of the locking Z means results in movement of the pawl from the passageway, the innermost end of the pawl being adapted to enable movement of the rod member outwardly in respect of the body member but to prevent inward movement of the rod member with respect to the body member when the pawl is engaged in annular grooves; a second hook supported from the rod member and being directed away from the body member.

2. An anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outer end of the rod member removably supports a rod member 11 connecting tube which is substantially coaxial therewith, said rod member connecting tube supporting the second hook.

3. An anti-theft device as claimed at claim 2 wherein the rod member connecting tube has a head mounted to its outer end which supports a compass. DATED this TWENTY THIRD day of OCTOBER 1992 HSIEN-PAUE CHEN Applicant. WRAY ASSOCIATES, Perth, Western Australia, Patent Attorneys for the Applicant.

4 S* Art~ «r~ ~lri ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An anti-theft device for attachment to a steering wheel of an automobile comprising a tubular body member having a passageway extending axially therethrough, first hook secured to the body member, a hexagonal rod member adapted to move telescopically in passageway in the body member and collapsibly connected with a connecting tube, second hook secured to the connecting tube to hook an inside portion of a steering wheel diametrically opposed to the first hook,- a nousing fixed with an inner end of the body member, a locking means and a locating means lodged in the housing to lock the rod member with respect to the body S.ri member at any of a plurality of positions. cr i