Portable anti-theft alarm and locking device for vehicles

Claim 2

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel relative to the internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having first and second opposite ends and a steering wheel rim clamping section located therebetween which has a dimension greater than the diameter of a steering wheel rim, the clamping section including first and second clamping members pivotally interconnected by a hinge having an axis parallel to the bar, the clamping members being pivotal to a closed position in which they surround and clamp to a section of the rim to thereby rigidly support the device on the rim with the bar tangent to, and with at least one of the ends displaced tangentially from, the section of the rim to which the clamping members are clamped, the clamping members being pivotal to an open position in which the device may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means on said bar for locking the clamping members together in the closed position to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 3

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel relative to fixed internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having first and second opposite ends; means for attaching said bar to a section of the rim of a steering wheel of a vehicle so as to rigidly support the device on the rim with the bar tangent to, and with at least one of the ends displaced tangentially from, the section of the rim to which the bar is attached a distance sufficient to contact the fixed internal structures of the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; and means for locking the attaching means to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 4

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel relative to fixed internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having first and second opposite ends; means for attaching said bar to a section of the rim of a steering wheel of a vehicle so as to rigidly support the device on the rim with the bar tangent to, and with at least one of the ends displaced tangentially from, the section of the rim to which the bar is attached a distance sufficient to contact the fixed internal structures of the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; and means for locking the attaching means to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 5

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel relative to the internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having first and second opposite ends and formed at least in part of a wall open along one side of a portion of the bar to define an interior thereof, said portion having an inside dimension greater than the diameter of the steering wheel rim whereby the bar is positionable against the steering wheel rim such that the inside of the wall is against the outside of the rim and the bar is tangent to the rim with at least one end of the bar displaced from the steering wheel a distance sufficient to contact the internal fixed structures of the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; a clamping member movably connected to said portion of the bar, the member being moveable to a closed position in which the member and the wall surround and clamp the bar to the rim of the steering wheel to thereby rigidly support the device thereon and to an open position in which the bar may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means at least in part on said portion of the bar for locking the member in its closed position to lock the device to the steering wheel to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 6

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel relative to the internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having first and second opposite ends and formed at least in part of a wall open along one side of a portion of the bar to define an interior thereof, said portion having an inside dimension greater than the diameter of the steering wheel rim whereby the bar is positionable against the steering wheel rim such that the inside of the wall is against the outside of the rim and the bar is tangent to the rim with at least one end of the bar displaced from the steering wheel a distance sufficient to contact the internal fixed structures of the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; a clamping member movably connected to said portion of the bar, the member being moveable to a closed position in which the member and the wall surround and clamp the bar to the rim of the steering wheel to thereby rigidly support the device thereon and to an open position in which the bar may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means at least in part on said portion of the bar for locking the member in its closed position to lock the device to the steering wheel to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 7

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end and a steering wheel rim clamping section spaced from the end, the clamping section having a dimension greater than the diameter of a steering wheel rim, the clamping section including first and second clamping members pivotally interconnected by a hinge having an axis parallel to the bar, the clamping members being pivotal to a closed position in which they surround and clamp to a section of the rim to thereby rigidly support the device on the rim with the clamping section tangent to, and with the end of the bar displaced from, the section of the rim to which the section of the rim to which the clamping members are clamped, the clamping members being pivotal to an open position in which the device may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means on said bar for locking the clamping members together in the closed position to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 8

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the free angle of rotatability of the steering wheel to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end and a steering wheel rim clamping section spaced from the end, the clamping section having a dimension greater than the diameter of a steering wheel rim, the clamping section including first and second clamping members pivotally interconnected by a hinge having an axis parallel to the bar, the clamping members being pivotal to a closed position in which they surround and clamp to a section of the rim to thereby rigidly support the device on the rim with the clamping section tangent to, and with the end of the bar displaced from, the section of the rim to which the section of the rim to which the clamping members are clamped, the clamping members being pivotal to an open position in which the device may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means on said bar for locking the clamping members together in the closed position to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 9

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the rotatability of the steering wheel to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end; means for attaching said bar to a section of the rim of a steering wheel of a vehicle so as to rigidly support the device on the rim with the attaching means tangent to, and with the end of the bar displaced from, the section of the rim to which the bar is attached a distance sufficient to contact internal objects within the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; and means for locking the attaching means to the rim to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 10

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the rotatability of the steering wheel to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end; means for attaching said bar to a section of the rim of a steering wheel of a vehicle so as to rigidly support the device on the rim with the attaching means tangent to, and with the end of the bar displaced from, the section of the rim to which the bar is attached a distance sufficient to contact internal objects within the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; and means for locking the attaching means to the rim to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 11

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the rotatability of the steering wheel relative to the internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end and formed at least in part of a wall open along one side of a portion of the bar to define an interior thereof, said portion having an inside dimension greater than the diameter of the steering wheel rim whereby the bar is positionable against the steering wheel rim such that the inside of the wall is against the outside of the rim and said portion of the bar is tangent to the rim with the end of the bar displaced from the steering wheel a distance sufficient to contact the surfaces internal to the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; a clamping member movably connected to said portion of the bar, the member being moveable to a closed position in which the member and the wall surround and clamp the bar to the rim of the steering wheel to thereby rigidly support the device thereon and to an open position in which the bar may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means at least in part on said portion of the bar for locking the member in its closed position to lock the device to the steering wheel to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 12

A portable anti-theft device for vehicles having a steering wheel which includes a rim to which the device can be locked with a part thereof projecting therefrom to limit the rotatability of the steering wheel relative to the internal structures of the vehicle to thereby limit the drivability of the vehicle, the device comprising: a bar having an end and formed at least in part of a wall open along one side of a portion of the bar to define an interior thereof, said portion having an inside dimension greater than the diameter of the steering wheel rim whereby the bar is positionable against the steering wheel rim such that the inside of the wall is against the outside of the rim and said portion of the bar is tangent to the rim with the end of the bar displaced from the steering wheel a distance sufficient to contact the surfaces internal to the vehicle when the steering wheel is rotated; a clamping member movably connected to said portion of the bar, the member being moveable to a closed position in which the member and the wall surround and clamp the bar to the rim of the steering wheel to thereby rigidly support the device thereon and to an open position in which the bar may be positioned on and removed from the rim; and means at least in part on said portion of the bar for locking the member in its closed position to lock the device to the steering wheel to thereby limit the rotatability of the steering wheel and the drivability of the vehicle.

Claim 14

The device of claim 7 further comprising: an electrically powered alarm contained within said cavity including means for generating a perceivable alarm signal in response to a detected disturbance; and a self contained source of electrical energy sufficient to power the alarm and fully contained within the cavity.

Claim 15

The device of claim 7 wherein: a source of electrical energy, sufficient to power the detecting means and the alarm, fully carried by the bar.

Claim 16

The device of claim 7 further comprising: a plurality of saw resistent bars rotatably mounted within the bar and generally parallel to the axis of the bar.

Claim 17

The device of claim 7 further comprising: a plurality of saw resistent bars mounted within the bar and generally parallel to the axis of the bar.

Claim 22

The device of claim 9 wherein cavity is sufficient to contain batteries capable of energizing electronics of an alarm circuit for a plurality of days and then energizing, for a plurality of minutes, a light sufficient to brightly illuminate the vehicle and a sound generating element to approximately 110 db.

Claim 23

The device of claim 15 further comprising: a plurality of saw resistent bars rotatably mounted within the bar and generally parallel to the axis of the bar.

Claim 24

The device of claim 15 further comprising: a plurality of saw resistent bars mounted within the bar and generally parallel to the axis of the bar.

Claim 27

The system of claim 26 further comprising: means for arming an alarm in response to the connection of the device to the vehicle.

Claim 28

The system of claim 21 wherein: the arming means is operative to arm an alarm carried by the device.

Claim 29

The system of claim 20 further comprising: means for arming an alarm in response to the connection of the device to the vehicle.

Claim 30

The system of claim 20 further comprising: means installed in the vehicle for receiving a remotely generated signal and for affecting the armed condition of an alarm in response to the remotely generated signal; and a remote portable transmitter for generating the remotely generated signal.

Claim 31

The system of claim 20 wherein: said components include components installed in the vehicle.