GB2062086A

GB2062086A - Locked Storage

Info

Publication number: GB2062086A
Application number: GB8013149A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: RANDALLS OF PADDINGTON ENG Ltd
Current assignee: RANDALLS OF PADDINGTON ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1979-09-24
Filing date: 1980-04-22
Publication date: 1981-05-20

Abstract

A locking device 40, particularly for a crash helmet 50, comprises a flanged support 41 and a lockable door 6. A buckle 48 on a strap 51 of the helmet 50 is hooked onto one of two hooks 22, 44, and, after closing and locking the door 6, cannot be removed from outside the device. The strap 51 is almost invariably bonded into the helmet 50 and so cutting the strap would make the helmet 50 much less useful. The hook 44 is particularly suitable for helmets which have a very short buckle-carrying strap. In alternative embodiments, a series of lockable compartments is spaced along a single flanged support and the lock is of a "token-deposit" type. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Locked Storage This invention relates to a locking device for holding a portion, such as a buckle, of a projecting member which is itself securely fastened to an article. The invention is particularly but not exclusively applicable to the storage of safety helmets of the kind worn by motor cyclists and serves for safely securing these helmets for example at sport centres, swimming pools, cinemas and theatres. The chin strap of a typical safety helmet consists of two lengths of webbing each of which is bonded permanently into the structure of the helmet. One of these lengths carries a buckle.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a locking device for securing an article which includes a projecting member, the device comprising a compartment formed by at least two portions which are relatively movable between an open and a closed state, the compartment in its closed state defining a securing station comprising a passage for a portion of the projecting member leading into the compartment in its closed state and means for engaging a further portion of the projecting member to prevent it passing out of the compartment in the closed state and a lock for securing the portions together in their closed state.Where the projecting member comprises a strap carrying a buckle, the engaging means conveniently consist of a hook or the like on one of the compartment portions and a retaining member on another compartment portion which in the closed state prevents the buckle being removed from the hook by manipulation of the strap from outside.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compartment of the locking device is formed by two co-operating flanged plates, hinged together, and has two alternative, securing stations, one of which may accommodate a safety helmet of the type having a very short buckle-carrying strap.

This securing station comprises a hook, formed by a portion of a flange of one plate, directed into the compartment, and a retaining member which is a portion of an adjacent flange of the second plate.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a locking device according to the invention, having its door open, and showing a safety helmet, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the locking device and part of the helmet shown in Fig. 1, the door being closed, and Fig. 3 is a section along the line Ill-Ill of Fig.

2.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, a locking device 40 has a support member 41 in the form of a length of channel-section metal which can be secured to a suitable wall or rack 42 by use of fixing holes 43. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), a series of similar locking devices may be spaced at intervals along a common support member which is a longer piece of channel-section metal.

The locking device 40 is formed partly by the relevant portion of the channel-section support member 41, including its upper and lower flanges 3, 4 and its web 5, the remainder being formed by a door 6. The door 6 has a front face 7, upper and lower flanges 8, 9, positioned to fit snugly between the flanges 3 and 4, and end flanges 10, 11 and is hinged to the channel-section member 41 by means of pop rivets 39 which pass through aligned holes in the flanges 3 and 4 of the member 41 and the flanges 8 and 9 of the door 6, and preferably also through spacing washers.

The door 6 carries a conventional key-operated lock comprising a cylinder 1 7 into which a key (not shown) is inserted to rotate a tongue 38 into a position in which it is behind a keep 20, spotwelded at 21 to the web 5, when the door 6 is closed.

In another alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown) the lock may be of the "coin-deposit" or "token deposit" kind in which a coin or token must be deposited into a suitable aperture before the key will turn in the cylinder 1 7 to rotate the tongue 38.

A first securing station, suitable for safety helmets having relatively long straps, is formed in the locking device as follows. A bracket 22 has a lower portion 23 spot-welded to the web 5 of the channel member 41 and has an upper portion shaped to form a first hook 24 to engage in a buckle 48 of a strap 51 of a safety helmet 50. The lower flange 4 of the channel member 41 has a first notch 25 which forms a passage for the strap 51 when the door 6 is in its locked position. A retaining member 27 has a horizontal flange 28 and a vertical flange 29 which is spot-welded to the back of the front face 7 of the door 6 (Figs. 1 and 3) in a position in which the horizontal flange 28 is spaced a short distance above the hook 24 when the door 6 is closed.

A second securing station, suitable for the type of safety helmet having a very short bucklecarrying strap, is provided as follows. A second notch 45 is formed in the lower flange 4 of the channel 41 by cutting and bending a portion of the flange 4 to form a second hook 44 which has a vertical wall 46 and a horizontal flange 47. The second notch 45 has two cut-outs 49 at its corners to accommodate a buckle 48' of the above-mentioned type of safety helmet. When the door 6 is closed the buckle 48' is trapped by the lower flange 9 of the door which passes below the horizontal flange 47 of the second hook 44.

Fig. 3 shows, in phantom, the straps 51, 51' and buckles 48, 48' of the two types of helmet 50 secured at appropriate stations of the device.

In operation the user opens the door 6 places the buckle 48 or 48' of his helmet 50 on the appropriate hook 24 or 44 according to the length of the buckle-carrying strap 51 or 51', closes the door 6, turns the key in the cylinder 1 7 of the lock (after inserting a coin or token if appropriate) and thus locks his helmet 50 in the device 40.

When the user requires his helmet 50 again, he inserts the key in the cylinder 17, unlocks and opens the door 6, removes the buckle 48 or 48' from the hook 22 or 44 and, if appropriate, retrieves his token.

The locking device arrangement is particularly suitable for changing rooms since it avoids the need for all lockers in the changing room to be large enough to accommodate a helmet, bearing in mind that not all users of the lockers will have such helmets.

It is also worthy of note that, because the straps of safety helmets are usually bonded permanently to the helmet itself, any such helmet removed from a locking device by cutting the strap would be rendered effectively valueless.

Claims

1. A locking device for securing an article which includes a projecting member, the device comprising a compartment formed by at least two portions which are relatively movable between an open and a closed state, the compartment in its closed state defining a securing station comprising a passage for a portion of the projecting member leading into the compartment in its closed state and means for engaging a further portion of the projecting member to prevent it passing out of the compartment in the closed state and a lock for securing the portions together in their closed state.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the compartment portions comprises a channelsection member and a door member hinged together, the door member having flanged edges a pair of which fit snugly in the channel.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the passage is formed by a notch in the flange of one compartment portion.

4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the engaging means comprise a hook for receiving the said further portion attached to one compartment portion and a retaining member attached to the other portion to prevent movement of the said further portion from the hook in the closed position.

5. A device according to claim 2 in which the channel is formed by flanges and the engaging means comprise a hook formed by a portion of a said flange of the channel-section member, directed into the compartment for receiving the further portion, and a portion of an adjacent flange of the door member which retains the further portion on the hook.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the hook portion of the flange extends between first and second passages for portions of the projecting member.

7. A device according to claim 1 or 2 having both a securing station according to claim 3 or claim 4 and a securing station according to claim 5 or claim 6.

8. A locking device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.