Appeal No. 1999-2627
Application 08/516,516
31. Turning the hoist shaft via the crank moves the tire
between an upper storage position and a lower access position.
The security device 11 (see Figure 3) consists of a
cylindrical cup 33 sized to fit over the end of the hoist
shaft, a locking shaft 39 extending rearwardly from the cup
through the opening in the bumper, an aperture 41 in the
distal end portion of the locking shaft and a padlock 45 for
insertion through the aperture. As explained by McClary,
[w]hen the padlock 45 is locked [in aperture 41] on
the locking shaft 39, the security device 11 cannot
be removed from the hoist shaft 21. The open end 35
of the cup 33 abuts the spare tire 13 and prevents
forward movement of the security device 11. The
padlock 45 is located adjacent to the rear bumper 31
and prevents rearward movement of the security
device 11. Since the distance between the open end
35 of the cup 33 and the aperture 41 is greater than
the distance between the end 25 of the hoist shaft
21 and the bumper 31, the security device 11 cannot
be removed without removing the padlock 45. . . .
Not only does the cup 33 prevent engagement of the
end 25 of the hoist shaft 21 with a crank 27, but
the cup 33 also covers the remainder of the hoist
shaft 21 that extends beyond the spare tire 13.
Thus, the cup 33 also prevents engagement of the
hoist shaft 21 with a pair of pliers or other tool
that could be used to rotate the hoist shaft 21.
The security device 11 can rotate independently of
the hoist shaft 21, so rotating the security device
11 does not raise or lower the spare tire 13 [column
4
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