Box hitch receiver lock

• US 6,412,315 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pilot Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calvin S. Wang, John C. Cheng
• Inventors: Wang, Calvin S., Cheng, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gall, Lloyd A.
• Application Number:
  US09/448,460
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 70/14, 70/58, 70/34, 701/61, 702/58, 70/32, 702/29--32, 280/507
• US Class Current: 70/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/52 removably mounted B60D1/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60D 1/60 Covers, caps or guards , e.g. comprising anti-theft devices
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 17/188 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/36 Padlocks with closing means other than shackles ; Removable locks, the lock body itself being the locking element; Padlocks consisting of two separable halves or cooperating with a stud
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/443 Single stem or shank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5982 Accessories

Abstract

A receiver lock for a trailer box hitch designed to secure a ball mount in place and protect it from unauthorized removal. The receiver lock consists of a solid metallic cylindrical pin (20) with a head (28) on one end and round end (40) on the other end. The pin includes a body (22) with a notched recess (32) essentially adjacent to the head with a bore (38) running through the head and body communicating with the recess. A cam lobe (42) is located within the recess and has a shape that conforms to the body when in an unlocked position, and extends above the body when locked. A circular keyway lock (48) is placed in the bore in the head and held captive with a set screw (50). A hexagonal lock connecting rod (56) joins the cam lobe to the lock through the bore. The invention functions by using the principle that when the lock is in the unlocked position the cam lobe is flush with the outside surface of the pin and insertable in the existing holes through both the box hitch and ball mount, and when in a locked position the cam is extended above the pin interfacing with the inside wall of the ball mount, thereby denying removal of the receiver lock and correspondingly the ball mount from the hitch.

Claims

1. A trailer box hitch receiver lock for securing a ball mount in a trailer receiver hitch comprising:

a) a solid pin having a cylindrical body with a first end and a second end with the first end having an integral head, said pin further having a notched recess in the body and a bore through the head and body communicating with the recess, with said bore enlarged through the head,

b) an eccentric cam lobe, disposed within the recess having a shape conforming to the pin cylindrical body in an unlocked position and extending above the pin when rotated into a locked position,

c) a high security circular keyway lock disposed completely within the enlarged portion of the bore in the head of the pin, and

d) a lock connecting rod joining the eccentric cam lobe to the lock through the bore such that when the lock is in the unlocked position the cam lobe is flush with an outside surface of the pin and in a locked position the cam lobe is extended above the pin on an inside wall of the ball mount within the receiver hitch denying removal of the receiver lock and correspondingly the ball mount from the hitch wherein said head of the cylindrical pin is eccentric with the bore that receives the lock and the connecting rod.

2. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said cam lobe is essentially adjacent to the solid pin head for lockably interfacing with an inside surface of the ball mount.

3. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said cam lobe is essentially adjacent to the solid pin second end for lockably interfacing with an outside surface of the trailer box hitch receiver.

4. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said solid cylindrical pin second end is rounded and of a length such that when positioned within a box hitch the head is contiguous with the box hitch, the second end extends beyond the box hitch'"'"'s outside surface.

5. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said eccentric head is knurled on an outside surface for ease of handling.

6. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said solid pin is hardened tool steel.

7. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said cam lobe further comprises said lobe having a hexagonal hole therethrough for receiving the lock connecting rod.

8. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said cam lobe is hardened tool steel.

9. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said lock further having a key that is captive within the lock when in an unlocked position and is removable only when in a locked position, precluding separating and loss of the key when the receiver lock is removed when not in use.

10. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 further comprising means to retain the lock within the head of the pin.

11. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 10 wherein said means to retain the lock within the head of the pin further comprises said head having a threaded hole in alignment with the lock and a set screw threadably disposed within the threaded hole, thereby pressing against the lock to hold the lock securely in place in the bore of the pin.

12. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 wherein said lock connecting rod is in a hexagonal shape for co-operatively interfacing with the cam lobe and lock.

13. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 1 further comprising a resilient protective cap having a tightly fitting cap sheath for covering the head of the pin to exclude any environmental deleterious effects.

14. The box hitch receiver lock as recited in claim 13 wherein said resilient protective cap is formed of a pliable thermoplastic and configured to include an integral keeper ring for positioning over the pin body and a sheath for slipping over the head of the pin further an integral tether connecting the ring to the cap sheath.