The Miller-Chapman Security Auto-Theft Signal System, Patent 1,343,709

As a few of you know, I am in the process of finishing a book entitled Stealing Cars: Technology and Society form the Model T to Gran Torino. Recently I purchased what is described below on Ebay. The 1920s were one high point in stolen car activity, and there were numerous devices that were sold to deter thieves. The table below lists related patented equipment, and illustrates just how complex any history of technology can be.

The creation of Earle E. Chapman of Los Angeles, the "Vehicle Shackle" was one of numerous types of wheel and tire locks that  were patented during the 1910s and 1920s. Apparently there were 34 different sizes to accommodate a broad range of tire dimensions. The one I have is  marked B1.

Patent #	Issue Date	Title	Inventor Name	Assignee
1108156	1914-08-25	Chock for vehicle wheels	H. D. Ells	Edward E. McKee
1230799	1917-06-19	Automobile lock	F. Scholly
1304785	1919-05-27	Hobble for motor vehicles	J.J. McDade; F.P. Donnelly
1325307	1919-12-16	Lock for automobiles	T.A. Reeder
1326688	1919-12-30	Wheel chock	V.N. Perry
1337568	1920-04-20	Automobile lock and traction device	Shannon S. Q.; Randall, Herman P.	Randall; Shannon
1343709	1920-06-15	Vehicle-shackle	Chapman, Earle E.	Chapman, Earle E.
1347262	1920-07-20	Automobile-lock	Eichorn, Frederick C. H.	James, Burke W.; Albert, Eichorn H.
1348960	1920-08-10	Automobile-lock for disk wheels	Saegesser, Albert W.	LIBERTY AUTO LOCK CO
1351644	1920-08-31	Wheel-lock	Ignaz, Hadinger	Ignaz, Hadinger
1353117	1920-09-14	Wheel-lock	Thompson, Charles E.	Thomas, Hill J.
1353541	1920-09-21	Automobile-chock	Fred, Retterer	Fred, Retterer
1361108	1920-12-07	Automobile-lock	Soleau, Charles J.	Soleau, Charles J.
1362955	1920-12-21	Safety-lock for vehicles	Miller, Arthur E.	Miller, Arthur E.
1367086	1921-02-01	Lock	Paddleford, Oliver M.	Paddleford, Oliver M.
1371691	1921-03-15	Automobile theft-signal	Lawrence, Klinker	Lawrence, Klinker
1385461	1921-07-26	Theft-warning automobile-lock	Mcdonald, John K.	THEFT WARNING AUTO LOCK CORP
1388322	1921-08-23	Wheel-lock	Michael, Branco	Michael, Branco
1394219	1921-10-18	Wheel-lock	Raddick, David J.	Graf, Siegfried
1408133	1922-02-28	Auto theft signal	Ochs, Ralph J.; Hodes, Carl E.	Ochs, Ralph J.; Hodes, Carl E.
1411886	1922-04-04	Automobile wheel attachment	Mackey, Huggins Claude; John, Cline Calvin	Mackey, Huggins Claude; John, Cline Calvin
1415401	1922-05-09	Vehicle lock	Wingate, Rollins; Seymour, Clinton K.; Sargent, John A.	Wingate, Rollins; Seymour, Clinton K.; Sargent, John A.
1418534	1922-06-06	Side chain shackle for automobile wheels	Chapman, Earle E.	MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY
1424106	1922-07-25	Automobile theft signal	H.M. Lake; O.C. Betry
1444161	1923-02-06	Vehicle lock	Arnold, Frederick A.	Arnold, Frederick A.
1445750	1923-02-20	Auto safety device	Carey, George F.	Carey, George F.
1447053	1923-02-27	Automobile wheel lock	Elmer, Trimm Leslie	Elmer, Trimm Leslie
1453882	1923-05-01	Auto lock	Mchugh, James N.	Mchugh, James N.
1463387	1923-07-31	Shackle for automobile wheels and spokes	Chapman, Earle E.	MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY
1469772	1923-10-09	Auto-theft signal	Chapman, Erale E.	MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY
1470662	1923-10-16	Automobile lock	William, Barnett	William, Barnett
1472155	1923-10-30	Wire-rope shackle for automobile wheels	Chapman, Earle E.	MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY
1476467	1923-12-04	Lock for automobile wheels	Saegesser, Albert W.	Saegesser, Albert W.
1481537	1924-01-22	Vehicle lock	Carney, George A.	Carney, George A.
1483687	1924-02-12	Wheel lock	Shepard, John W.	Shepard, John W.
1485595	1924-03-04	Shackle for automobile wheels and spokes	Chapman, Earle E.	MILLER CHAPMAN COMPANY
1500924	1924-07-08	Theft warning signal or wheel lock for vehicles	Chadwick, William E.; Creighton, John A.	Gustavus, Edward Westberg
1503210	05/25/1922	Auto lock and traction device	S.Q. Shannon	Donald R. Morrison
RE14956	1920-10-12	Automobile theft signal	H.D. Ells	H.G. Miller
RE15428	1922-08-08	Locking device for automobile wheels	A.M. Cummings