GB1591576A

GB1591576A - Locking arrangement for outboard engines

Info

Publication number: GB1591576A
Application number: GB5252077A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-06-24

Description

(54) IMPROVED LOCKING ARRANGEMENT FOR OUTBOARD ENGINES (71) I, ROBERT PLOT, a British subject, of 6 Juniper Close, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 1 PA, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates to an improved locking arrangement for preventing the unauthorised dismounting of an outboard engine gripped by screw clamps to a transom or other structural member of a boat, by preventing access to and manipulation of the handles or like operating means by which the screw clamps are rotated.

It has been proposed to receive aligned screw clamp handles in a tube having a longitudinal slot from which the threaded shanks of the screw clamps will project, the slot being closed at one end and opening at its other end to one end of the tube. A padlock or like locking means is then placed across the end of the tube to which the slot opens to prevent removal of the tube.

Prior art proposals of this kind have had the disadvantage that the locking means is accessible exteriorly of the tube so that it can be attacked fairly easily and rapidly by the potential thief. A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved arrange anent in which, in the locked position, the locking elements are inaccessible from outside the tube so that the unauthorised removal of the lock would be a difficult and time-consuming operation impractical for the ordinary thief to perform.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an outboard engine screw clamp lock comprising a tube having a longitudinal slot closed at one end and open at its other end at one end of the tube, a lock housing having a transverse bore and being locatable within said one end of the tube, a cross pin insertable in opposed apertures in the tube wall near said one end to extend transversely of the tube and which can be passed through the transverse bore of the lock housing, a locking pin which, when the lock housing is inserted in the tube can be inserted in a transverse bore in the cross pin and a lock positionable in the lock housing when the latter is in the tube, the arrangement being such that with the lock in the lock housing the locking pin cannot be withdrawn from the cross pin and by co-operation with the lock housing the locking pin prevents removal of the cross pin from the tube.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation, a plan view and an end view of an outboard engine screw clamp lock in accordance with the invention shown mounted on the two screw clamps 10 and 11 of an outboard engine (not shown).

As is well knownper se an outboard engine mounting comprises two screw clamps 10 and 11 the threaded shanks 12 and 13 of which are rotatable in threaded collars 14 and 15 integral with mounting brackets 16 and 17 to press pads 18 and 19 against a transom or like structural part of the craft which is to be propelled by the engine and thus grip the engine mounting to the transom and prevent its removal. The operating means provided at the free ends of the threaded shanks 12 and 13 in the illustrated embodiment comprises a pair of handles 20 and 21 which can be swivelled about pins 22 and 23 passing through the shanks 12 and 13 and for purposes of mounting the lock of the invention these handles have been swung toward one another and rotated into alignment.

A tube 24 having a longitudinal slot 25 which opens to one end 26 of the tube is slid over the handles 20 and 21 from left to right as viewed in Figures 1 and 2 until both handles are inside the tube and the shanks 12 and 13 project through the slot 25. In this position the tube can only be removed from right to left because of abutment of the shank 12 with the closed end of the slot 25.

To prevent this, and thus lock the tube 24 on the clamps, preventing rotation of the shanks 12 and 13 which would permit dismounting of the engine, a hollow, cylindrical barrel-lock housing 28, which is a sliding fit in the tube 24, is inserted into the end 26 of the latter until a transverse bore 29 in a closed end 30 of the lock housing registers transversely of the tube 24 with diametrically opposite holes 31 and 32 in the tube wall. A cross pin 27 is then inserted through the hole 31, through the bore 29 in the lock housing and into the hole 32. The hole 32, though coaxial with the hole 31, is smaller in diameter than either the hole 3 1 or the bore 29 and the cross pin 27 has a reduced-diameter end portion 33 which fits in the hole 32.This prevents movement of the cross pin 27 right through the tube 24 when it is inserted and means that it can only be removed by pulling it back through the hole 31.

It will be evident that with the cross pin 27 and lock housing 28 in this position the tube 24 cannot be withdrawn from the screw clamp shanks and handles.

To prevent removal of the cross pin 27 a locking pin 34 is now inserted through a coaxial bore 35 in the closed end 30 of the lock housing and into a transverse bore 36 in the cross pin, which is aligned therewith when the end 33 of the cross pin is seated in the hole 32. When now the lock 37 is inserted into the lock housing 28 and locked thereto it prevents removal of the locking pin 34 from the cross pin 27. If desired the bore 36 in the cross pin 27 may be tapped and the locking pin 34 may be screw-threaded, but this is not essential if the arrangement is such that the pin 34 cannot be withdrawn from the bore 36 while the lock 37 is in the lock housing.

The lock 37 may be of any known barrel or cylinder type which, when a key is turned in it, projects a lug or lugs to engage in a recess or recesses (such as 38) in the lock housing 28 to prevent relative axial displacement. In this way the lock 37 and the locking pin 34 are protected by the lock housing 28, which is in turn protected by the tube 24.

Since the only practicable way for a thief to remove the tube 24 would be to cut off one of its ends it may be made of a material resistant to ordinary cutting tools. Cutting of the end 26 occupied by the locking assembly of the invention would be difficult because the tube is filled by the locking assembly. To prevent cutting of the other end of the tube 24, and in particular extension of the slot 25 so that it opens to that end, a reinforcement member 39 is preferably welded onto the tube 24 across the closed end of the slot.

Alternatively a core member (not shown) may be welded into the tube at this end.

If the operating means for the screw clamps is either swivel handles of the kind shown or any other kind or radially projecting, integral handles, the reception of the handles inside the tube 24 will prevent rotation of the shanks 12 and 13 of the screw clamps. In the event that the shanks 12 and 13 do not have handles but merely have flat surfaces at their free ends to be engaged by a spanner they are preferably provided with handle-like radial projections receivable in the tube. Each of these may take the form of two plates fastened together, e.g. by a nut and bolt, one of the plates having a tapped hole whereby it is screwed onto the associated shank and the other plate having a hole shaped to fit over the flat surfaces at the end of the shank like a spanner.In this way each assembly of two plates will project radially from the associated screw clamp shank and will be non-rotatable relative thereto. When now the aligned "handles" are received in the tube 24 it will not be possible to rotate the shanks of the screw clamps, e.g. by gripping them where they project from the slot 25.

In a preferred construction the locking pin 34 is integral with the barrel of the lock 37, so that it is aligned with and enters the bore 36 in the cross pin 27 automatically when the lock 37 is inserted in its housing 28.

The cross pin 27 is preferably attached to the tube 24 by a heavy chain or the like (not shown). This will serve to ensure that it will not be lost when not in use, and the chain may also serve to secure the locking assembly either to the outboard engine or to the boat, or both, and by passing round members both of the engine and boat attach the engine to the boat so that it cannot be removed even if e.g. the shanks 12 and 13 are cut.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An outboard engine screw clamp lock comprising a tube having a longitudinal slot closed at one end and open at its other end at one end of the tube, a lock housing having a transverse bore and being locatable within said one end of the tube, a cross pin insertable in opposed apertures in the tube wall near said one end to extend transversely of the tube and which can be passed through the transverse bore of the lock housing, a locking pin which, when the lock housing is inserted in the tube can be inserted in a transverse bore in the cross pin and a lock positionable in the lock housing when the latter is in the tube, the arrangement being such that with the lock in the lock housing the locking pin cannot be withdrawn from the cross pin and by co-operation with the lock housing the locking pin prevents removal of the cross pin from the tube.

2. An outboard engine screw clamp lock as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking pin is integral with the lock housing.

3. An outboard engine screw clamp lock as claimed in either preceding claim, wherein said opposed apertures in the tube are of different diameters and wherein a leading end portion of the cross pin is of reduced diameter to enter the smaller diameter tube aperture, the length of said reduced diameter end portion being such that when received in

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. end 26 of the latter until a transverse bore 29 in a closed end 30 of the lock housing registers transversely of the tube 24 with diametrically opposite holes 31 and 32 in the tube wall. A cross pin 27 is then inserted through the hole 31, through the bore 29 in the lock housing and into the hole 32. The hole 32, though coaxial with the hole 31, is smaller in diameter than either the hole 3 1 or the bore 29 and the cross pin 27 has a reduced-diameter end portion 33 which fits in the hole 32. This prevents movement of the cross pin 27 right through the tube 24 when it is inserted and means that it can only be removed by pulling it back through the hole 31. It will be evident that with the cross pin 27 and lock housing 28 in this position the tube 24 cannot be withdrawn from the screw clamp shanks and handles. To prevent removal of the cross pin 27 a locking pin 34 is now inserted through a coaxial bore 35 in the closed end 30 of the lock housing and into a transverse bore 36 in the cross pin, which is aligned therewith when the end 33 of the cross pin is seated in the hole 32. When now the lock 37 is inserted into the lock housing 28 and locked thereto it prevents removal of the locking pin 34 from the cross pin 27. If desired the bore 36 in the cross pin 27 may be tapped and the locking pin 34 may be screw-threaded, but this is not essential if the arrangement is such that the pin 34 cannot be withdrawn from the bore 36 while the lock 37 is in the lock housing. The lock 37 may be of any known barrel or cylinder type which, when a key is turned in it, projects a lug or lugs to engage in a recess or recesses (such as 38) in the lock housing 28 to prevent relative axial displacement. In this way the lock 37 and the locking pin 34 are protected by the lock housing 28, which is in turn protected by the tube 24. Since the only practicable way for a thief to remove the tube 24 would be to cut off one of its ends it may be made of a material resistant to ordinary cutting tools. Cutting of the end 26 occupied by the locking assembly of the invention would be difficult because the tube is filled by the locking assembly. To prevent cutting of the other end of the tube 24, and in particular extension of the slot 25 so that it opens to that end, a reinforcement member 39 is preferably welded onto the tube 24 across the closed end of the slot. Alternatively a core member (not shown) may be welded into the tube at this end. If the operating means for the screw clamps is either swivel handles of the kind shown or any other kind or radially projecting, integral handles, the reception of the handles inside the tube 24 will prevent rotation of the shanks 12 and 13 of the screw clamps. In the event that the shanks 12 and 13 do not have handles but merely have flat surfaces at their free ends to be engaged by a spanner they are preferably provided with handle-like radial projections receivable in the tube. Each of these may take the form of two plates fastened together, e.g. by a nut and bolt, one of the plates having a tapped hole whereby it is screwed onto the associated shank and the other plate having a hole shaped to fit over the flat surfaces at the end of the shank like a spanner.In this way each assembly of two plates will project radially from the associated screw clamp shank and will be non-rotatable relative thereto. When now the aligned "handles" are received in the tube 24 it will not be possible to rotate the shanks of the screw clamps, e.g. by gripping them where they project from the slot 25. In a preferred construction the locking pin 34 is integral with the barrel of the lock 37, so that it is aligned with and enters the bore 36 in the cross pin 27 automatically when the lock 37 is inserted in its housing 28. The cross pin 27 is preferably attached to the tube 24 by a heavy chain or the like (not shown). This will serve to ensure that it will not be lost when not in use, and the chain may also serve to secure the locking assembly either to the outboard engine or to the boat, or both, and by passing round members both of the engine and boat attach the engine to the boat so that it cannot be removed even if e.g. the shanks 12 and 13 are cut. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An outboard engine screw clamp lock comprising a tube having a longitudinal slot closed at one end and open at its other end at one end of the tube, a lock housing having a transverse bore and being locatable within said one end of the tube, a cross pin insertable in opposed apertures in the tube wall near said one end to extend transversely of the tube and which can be passed through the transverse bore of the lock housing, a locking pin which, when the lock housing is inserted in the tube can be inserted in a transverse bore in the cross pin and a lock positionable in the lock housing when the latter is in the tube, the arrangement being such that with the lock in the lock housing the locking pin cannot be withdrawn from the cross pin and by co-operation with the lock housing the locking pin prevents removal of the cross pin from the tube.

said smaller diameter tube aperture the transverse bore in the cross pin is positioned to receive the locking pin.

4. An outboard engine screw clamp lock as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the cross pin is connected to the tube by a heavy chain.

5. The combination of an outboard engine screw clamp lock as claimed in any preceding claim and an outboard engine mounting of the kind comprising a pair of threaded shanks having nut formations at their free ends, wherein a pair of elongated, apertured members are mounted on each shank, the aperture of one member of each pair being threaded for threaded engagement with the shank and the aperture of the other member of each pair being shaped to engage the nut formation like a spanner, the two members mounted on each shank being brought into mutual abutment and caused to extend in alignment with the members on the other shank and then received in the slot in the tube.

6. An outboard engine screw clamp lock or combination as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lock is a barrel or cylinder lock.

7. An outboard engine screw clamp lock substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.