GB2122153A

GB2122153A - Anti-theft device for motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: GB2122153A
Application number: GB8217837A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Bailey; John Bailey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-19
Filing date: 1982-06-19
Publication date: 1984-01-11

Abstract

A gear lever (13) of a vehicle is held in a forwardmost position relative to a hand brake lever (10) by a sleeve (14) having a cap (15) from which extends a bar (16) terminating at a clevis (20) which is locked to the gear lever. The bar (16) may be adjustable in length at its free end (16a) by an adjuster (27) which is rendered inaccessible in use of the device. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anti-theft device for motor vehicles This invention relates to anti-theft devices for motor vehicles and it provides a compact device of the kind which immobilises essential manipulative parts of the vehicle. It can be secured with a personal padlock.

The device according to the invention is suitable for motor vehicles having a hand brake lever which "points" towards a gear change lever.

The device comprises a capped sleeve member for fitting over the hand brake lever and a bar member, extending from the cap of the sleeve member, which can engage and be locked on the gear change lever when that lever is in a forwardmost position.

The bar member preferably terminates at a clevis or forked member into the fork of which the gear change lever engages. The clevis or forked member has a shank which is slidable on the bar member and its two arms have inline holes through which a padlock keeper can be inserted or through which a keeper pin can be inserted which is secured by a lock thus trapping the gear lever in a region defined by the free end of the bar member, the arms of the clevis or forked member and the keeper.

The bar member may be of adjustable length so that the firmness of the anti-theft device can be sustained even though the hand brake lever takes up a changing position with brake wear.

One form of anti-theft device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation; and Fig. 2 shows a sectional plan view of a part of Fig. 1 on the line Il-I I.

The motor vehicle is represented by a hand brake lever 10 with an operating trigger 11 and cable 12 and a gear change lever 13. The lever 10 is approximately in the same vertical plane as the lever 13 and points towards the lever 13.

The anti-theft device has a sleeve 14 capped with a disc 1 5 to which is welded a bar member 1 6. The disc is welded at the forward end of the sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 is shown fitted over the lever 10. A rubber ring 1 7 is provided below the disc 1 5 and around the trigger 11.

The bar member 1 6 extends from the capping disc 1 5 towards the gear lever 13 and the free end 1 6a of the member 1 6 can be locked on the lever 13 by means of a clevis 20 slidable on bar 16, having a shank 21, two arms 22, 23, and two inline holes 24 through which a lockable keeper pin 25 can be inserted. The pin 25 has a hole 26 which can accept the keeper of a padlock. The gear lever 13, when in a forwardmost position, is trapped in a region defined by the free end of the bar member 16, the arms 22, 23 of the clevis and the keeper pin 25.

To use the device, the keeper pin 25 is removed from the clevis 20, the hand brake of the vehicle is applied, the gear change lever 13 is placed in its forwardmost position, the sleeve 14 is fitted over the hand brake lever 10, the clevis 20 is slid along -the bar member 1 6 to engage the lever 13, the pin 25 is inserted in the holes 24 and locked with a padlock through the hole 26.

Any effort to move the gear lever 13 3 from its forwardmost position is resisted by the fact that an inflexible connection is made to the brake lever.

The bar member 16 is made of adjustable length by an adjusting screw 27 with a lock nut 28 which are rendered inaccessible in use of the device as they are within the clevis 20.

the device above described can be used with automatic gear shift vehicles by locking the gear lever in the "park" position and with conventional .manual gear shifts by locking the gear lever in 1 st, 3rd or reverse gear.

Whilst a degree of adjustment can be incorporated in the design described above it is probable that various dimensional changes will have to be made for differing vehicles.

The ability of the device to resit theft is governed to a great extent by a choice of materials of manufacture and the quality of the padlock. For an inexpensive device the materials of construction will be mild steel but saw-resisting steels could be used.

Instead of using a keeper pin 25 the keeper of a padlock could be inserted directly through holes 24. A keeper pin incorporating a lock could also be used.

1. Anti-theft device for a motor vehicle which has a hand brake lever which points towards a gear change lever, the device comprising a capped sleeve member (14, 15) for fitting over the hand brake lever (10) and a bar member (16), extending from the cap (1 5) of the sleeve member, which can engage and be locked on the gear change lever (13) when that lever is in the forwardmost position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 2 terminating in a clevis or forked member (20) into the fork of which the gear change lever engages.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the clevis or forked member has a shank (21) which is slidable on the bar member (16) and its two arms (22, 23) have in-line holes (24) through which a padlock keeper can be inserted or through which a keeper pin (25) can be inserted which is secured by a lock thus trapping the gear lever in a region defined by the free end (1 6a) of the bar member, the arms of the clevis or forked member and the keeper.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim in which the bar member (16) is of adjustable length so that the firmness of the device can be sustained even though the hand brake lever takes up a changing position with brake wear; the adjustment being inaccessible -in use of the device such as by virtue of a sleeve (21) extending over the free end (1 6a) of the bar member.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim having a rubber ring (17) below the cap (15) of the sleeve member.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Anti-theft device for motor vehicles This invention relates to anti-theft devices for motor vehicles and it provides a compact device of the kind which immobilises essential manipulative parts of the vehicle. It can be secured with a personal padlock. The device according to the invention is suitable for motor vehicles having a hand brake lever which "points" towards a gear change lever. The device comprises a capped sleeve member for fitting over the hand brake lever and a bar member, extending from the cap of the sleeve member, which can engage and be locked on the gear change lever when that lever is in a forwardmost position. The bar member preferably terminates at a clevis or forked member into the fork of which the gear change lever engages. The clevis or forked member has a shank which is slidable on the bar member and its two arms have inline holes through which a padlock keeper can be inserted or through which a keeper pin can be inserted which is secured by a lock thus trapping the gear lever in a region defined by the free end of the bar member, the arms of the clevis or forked member and the keeper. The bar member may be of adjustable length so that the firmness of the anti-theft device can be sustained even though the hand brake lever takes up a changing position with brake wear. One form of anti-theft device according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Fig. 1 shows a sectional elevation; and Fig. 2 shows a sectional plan view of a part of Fig. 1 on the line Il-I I. The motor vehicle is represented by a hand brake lever 10 with an operating trigger 11 and cable 12 and a gear change lever 13. The lever 10 is approximately in the same vertical plane as the lever 13 and points towards the lever 13. The anti-theft device has a sleeve 14 capped with a disc 1 5 to which is welded a bar member 1 6. The disc is welded at the forward end of the sleeve 14. The sleeve 14 is shown fitted over the lever 10. A rubber ring 1 7 is provided below the disc 1 5 and around the trigger 11. The bar member 1 6 extends from the capping disc 1 5 towards the gear lever 13 and the free end 1 6a of the member 1 6 can be locked on the lever 13 by means of a clevis 20 slidable on bar 16, having a shank 21, two arms 22, 23, and two inline holes 24 through which a lockable keeper pin 25 can be inserted. The pin 25 has a hole 26 which can accept the keeper of a padlock. The gear lever 13, when in a forwardmost position, is trapped in a region defined by the free end of the bar member 16, the arms 22, 23 of the clevis and the keeper pin 25. To use the device, the keeper pin 25 is removed from the clevis 20, the hand brake of the vehicle is applied, the gear change lever 13 is placed in its forwardmost position, the sleeve 14 is fitted over the hand brake lever 10, the clevis 20 is slid along -the bar member 1 6 to engage the lever 13, the pin 25 is inserted in the holes 24 and locked with a padlock through the hole 26. Any effort to move the gear lever 13 3 from its forwardmost position is resisted by the fact that an inflexible connection is made to the brake lever. The bar member 16 is made of adjustable length by an adjusting screw 27 with a lock nut 28 which are rendered inaccessible in use of the device as they are within the clevis 20. the device above described can be used with automatic gear shift vehicles by locking the gear lever in the "park" position and with conventional .manual gear shifts by locking the gear lever in 1 st, 3rd or reverse gear. Whilst a degree of adjustment can be incorporated in the design described above it is probable that various dimensional changes will have to be made for differing vehicles. The ability of the device to resit theft is governed to a great extent by a choice of materials of manufacture and the quality of the padlock. For an inexpensive device the materials of construction will be mild steel but saw-resisting steels could be used. Instead of using a keeper pin 25 the keeper of a padlock could be inserted directly through holes 24. A keeper pin incorporating a lock could also be used. CLAIMS

6. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A vehicle having a hand brake lever (10) which points towards a gear change lever (1 3) in a forwardmost position of the gear change lever and an anti-theft device for the vehicle comprising a capped sleeve member (14, 15) fitted over the hand brake lever and a bar member (16) extending from the cap (1 5) of the sleeve member with a clevis or forked termination (20), which termination is lodked to the gear change lever.