Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
: BACICGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a truck --
trailer fifth wheel pin lock. More particulariy,
the invention relates to a truck trailer fifth wheel
pin lock for protecting a truck trailer from theft
by obstructing the fifth wheel pin of the trailer
to prevent coupling thereof to a tractor.
Objects of the invention are to provide a
truck trailer fifth wheel pin lock of simple structure,
. - which is inexpensive in manufacture, used with
- facility and convenience, and functions efficiently,
effectively and reliably to protect a truck trailer
~ from theft by obstructing the fifth wheel pin of
the trailer to prevent coupling thereof to a tractor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWI~NGS
In order that the invention may be readily
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carried into effect, it will now be described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a view of a truck trailer having
a fifth wheel pin;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, from the open :~
mouth thereof, of an embodiment of the truck trailer
fifth wheel pin lock of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an axial view of the embodiment
of FIG. 2 from the open mouth thereof, with the
locking members out of locking engagement;
FIG. 4 is an axial view, from the open mouth
thereof, of the embodiment of FIG. 2.,with the
locking members in locking engagement;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view, on an enlarged
scale, of a fastening member of the embodiment of
FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view, on an enlarged
scale, of an embodiment of a locking member of the
embodiment of FIG. 2;
: 20 FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment
of FIG. 2 and a cross-sectional view of part of the
trailer of FIG. 1, illustrating the mounting of the
fifth wheel pin lock of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment of
FIG. 7, out of locking engagement; and
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FIG. 9 is a side view of the embodiment of
FIG. 7, in locking engagement.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The truck trailer fifth wheel pin lock of the
invention protects a truck trailer 1 (FIGS. 1 and 7)
from theft by obstructing the fifth wheel pin 2
(FIG. 1) of the trailer to prevent coupling thereof
to a tractor. The fifth wheel pin 2 has a circum-
ferential circular groove 3 extending therearound,
as shown in FIG. 1.
The truck trailer pin lock of the invention
comprises a bowl-like housing 4 having an open
mouth 5 (FIG. 2) and a closed end 6 (FIGS. 2 and 7
to 9).
In accordance with the invention, a locking
device selectively locks the housing 4 substantially
coaxially around the fifth wheel pin 2~of the truck
trailer 1 thereby obstructing said fifth wheel pin
and preventing coupling thereof to a tractor.
The locking device comprises an annular guide
member 7 (FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7 to 9) coaxially rotatably
mounted on the housing 4 at the open mouth 5 thereof
and having a plurality of slots 8 and 9, 10 and 11,
; and 12 and 13 (FIGS. 2 to 4) formed therethrough.
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Three locking members 14, 15 and 16 (FIGS. 3 to 4)
are provided. As shown in FIG. 6, wherein one of the
locking members 16 is shown on an enlarged scale, each
of the locking members has spaced opposite first and :
second ends 17 and 18.
The locking members 14, 15 and 16 are pivotally ~ `
mounted in the housing 4 at the mouth 5 thereof in
equiangularly spaced relation, as shown in FIGS 2 to ~ -
4, in the area of the first end 17 of each via a pivot
hole 19 formed therethrough, as shown in FIG. 6.
Each of the locking members is of substantially L-shapé
and is pivotally mounted in the housing 4 at the
extreme end of one of the arms thereof, as shown in
FIG. 6. The arm, at which the locking member is
pivotally mounted, is approximately twice the length o~
th~ other arm extending at right angles thereto.
Each of the locking members 14, 15 and 16 has :
a pin 20, 21 and 22, respectively (FIGS. 2 to 4 and 6),
extending therefrom at the juncture of the arms thereof,
as shown in FIG. 6. The pins 20, 21 and 22 extend
:through the slots 9, 11 and 13, respectively, as shown
in FIGS. 2 to 4, for guiding the second end 18 of each
of the locking members 14, 15 and 16 into locking
engagement in the groove 3 of the fifth wheel pin 2
in one position of the guide member 7, shown in FIGS.
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2 and 4. The pins 20, 21 and 22 also guide the second
end 18 of the locking members 14, 15 and 16 out of
locking engagement with the groove 3 of the fifth ~ :
wheel pin 2 and free therefrom in another position
of the guide member 7 (FIG. 3).
A spring device coupled to the housing 4 and
the guide member 7 urges the locking members 14, 15
and 16 into locking engagement when the guide member
is rotated in a predetermined direction about its
axis. This direction is counterclockwise in FIG. 3.
A key-released latch device secures the locking members
14, 15 and 16 in position in locking engagement and
permits the release thereof upon operation of a key 23
(FIG. 7). This may be accomplished by any suitable
device such as, for example, a semi-circular ring which
moves upward by spring action when the locking members
14, 15 and 16 are moved into locking position. When
the key 23 is inserted into a keyhole 24, it contacts
a lever which abuts the semicircular ring and moves
it downward to release the spring-bias and thereby
release the locking members.
The spring device comprises a first plurality
of three spring pins 25, 26 and 27 extending from the
housing in directions substantially parallel to the
axis and equiangularly disposed. The spring pins
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25, 26 and 27 extend through the slots 8, 10 and 12,
respectively, of the guide member 7 (FIGS 2 to 4).
A second plurality of three spring pins 28, 29 and 30
extend from the guide member 7 in spaced relation with -
the slots 8, 10 and 12 in directions substantially -~
parallel to the axis and are equiangularly disposed,
as in FIGS. 3 and 4. A plurality of three springs 31,
32, and 33 has spaced opposite first and second ends.
The spring 31 is affixed at its first end to the spring
pin 25 and is affixed at its second end to the spring
pin 28. The spring 32 is affixed at its first end
to the spring pin 26 and is affixed at its second end
to the spring pin 29. The spring 33 is affixed at
its first end to the spring pin 27 and at its second
end to the spring pin 30.
When the housing 4 is rotated in clockwise
direction, whereby a pair of manual projections 34
and 35 extending from said housing and from the guide
member 7, respectively, are moved apart, as shown in
FIG. 8, the guide member functions to move the locking
members 14, 15 and 16 into their positions in which
they are out of locking engagement. The manual
projections 34 and 35 extend from the outer surfaces
of the housing 4 and the guide member 7, respectively.
When the housing 4 is manually rotated by grasping
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the projections 34 and 35 and rotating said housing
in a counterclockwise direction so that said
projections are aligned, as shown in FIGS. 7 and
9, the guide member moves the locking members 14, 15
and 16 into locking engagement.
While the invention has been described by
means of a specific example and in a specific
embodiment, I do not wish to be limited thereto,
for obvious modifications will occur to those
skilled in the art without departing from the
spirit and scope of the invention.
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