GB2159783A

GB2159783A - Gear change lever lock

Info

Publication number: GB2159783A
Application number: GB08505702A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Norman David Stuart Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-01-11
Filing date: 1985-03-06
Publication date: 1985-12-11
Also published as: GB8500661D0; GB8505702D0

Abstract

A security device for vehicles having a gear change lever comprises a mechanical assembly one end of which is secured to a fixed member of the vehicle and the other end is releasably secured to the gear change lever. In one embodiment a limit unit (1,2) is secured to the floor of a vehicle and a connecting link (3) is pivoted to the unit at one end 9 releasably secured to the vehicle gear lever at the other end by means of an adjustable clasp (4) and padlock. Two other embodiments with different mechanical assemblies are described. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gear change lever lock The invention described is a safety device for vehicles of all types having a gear change lever mechanism that is cars lorries agricultural machinery earth moving equipment and the like. It relates to a means of locking the gear change lever in a predetermined position by a linkage one end being releasably secured to the gear change lever the other to a fixed member of the vehicle such as the floor.

Safety devices to prevent the unauthorised removal of vehicles are known most vehicles being fitted with a steering lock and door locks both of which incorporate a barrel type lock. The current high incidence of vehicle theft claimed by the police would suggest the inadequacy of this type lock. Other devices for ensuring the safety of vehicles are known but do not appear to have found wide acceptance.

They relate in the main to devices for immobilising the operation of the brake clutch or road wheels of the vehicle.

The safety afforded a vehicle by securing the gear change lever in a predetermined position does not appear to have found favour and no such device is known to be marketed although at least one was available in the recent past but was discontinued because of high cost. In spite of its lack of appeal the precise reasons for which are unknown the gear change lever lock is an effective theft deterrant. If locked in reverse the vehicle can only be driven backwards. If locked in neutral the vehicle cannot be driven at all. The contention that in either case the vehicle can be moved by depressing the clutch is hardly viable as the car thief is an opportunist and rather than face complications will move on to a better prospect.

The present invention has taken into consideration likely factors prejudicial to its acceptance in the market and the design is based on overcoming these. The factors are considered to be that the device must in no way directly or indirectly interfere with the gear change operation when driving the vehicle.

The securing and removal of the device must be convenient for the driver. That the manufacturer will require it to be suitable for a wide range of his vehicles or where modification is required either to the vehicle or security device this is minimal. That the cost of manufacture and fitting is competitively low particularly in the aftermarket.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 shows in perspective the general arrangement. Fig. 2 shows details of a principal component. Accordingly there is provided a mechanical linkage constraining the movement of the gear change lever one end of the linkage being releasably secured to the gear change lever by a conventional padlock the other indirectly to the floor of the vehicle.

Referring to Fig. 1 the base component 1 locates the tube 2 on which is mounted an angle bracket 3 to which is secured by bolt and nut the lug 5. The lug is free to rotate by loosening the nut and can be resecured in any desired position by retightening. The four itmes constitute an assembly and are held together and secured to the floor of the vehicle directly or indirectly by bolt and nut 4.

To fit the assembly the tube is placed in the shallow counterbore of the base component shown at Fig. 2 and the bolt 4 Fig. 1 passed through the base component the head locating freely in the counterbore 2 shown on Fig.

2. The angle bracket is placed on top of the tube and the nut tightened. The lug 5 is assembled in the angle bracket and the nut lightly secured. The assembly is offered up to the gear change lever which has been placed in the position in which it is to be secured and the lug rotated until it aligns with the angle of the gear change lever and secured in this position. The assembly is positioned so that it diametrically opposes what would normally be the gear change movement if not constrained and adjusted so that the edge of the lug abuts the gear change lever. The base component held firmly against the floor of the vehicle the remaining parts removed and using the base component as a drilling jig holes are drilled in the floor to take self-tapping screws.For final assembly the same sequence is adopted the base component having been secured to the floor of the vehicle by the self-tapping screws.

To lock the gear change lever in this position the clasp 7 shown in Fig. 1 is placed around the gear change lever the holes in the clasp brought into alignment with the hole in the lug the hasp of a padlock passed through the holes and the lock snapped shut. To prevent removal of nut 4 the bolt and nut are drilled transversally and a pin inserted and the ends riveted over. To prevent removal of nut 6 securing the lug to the angle bracket once the angle of the lug has been fixed the bolt is riveted over.

An alternative to securing the assembly to the floor of the vehicle by self tapping screws is to use a single hole mounting by drilling the floor of the vehicle to take the securing bolt the nut tightened from the underside of the floor. The base component 1 is not essential by this method.

The merit of the design is it is robust and takes up little space. In that it abuts the gear change lever the linkage is kept short and that the angle of the lug can be adjusted to conform with the angle of the gear change lever makes it particularly suitable for a wide range of vehicles for securing the lever in reverse gear. It can be secured and removed with equal facility from the driving position.

The parts are not costly to make and would be common to a wide range of vehicles.

Fitting is simple and within the ability of the DIY enthusiast. The design is theft proof as the self-tapping screws are enclosed within the tube.

A second embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to drawing Fig. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 shows the general arrangement of the assembly linkage. At one end there are two angle brackets 1 riveted to a base plate 2 forming an integral unit. The unit is secured to the floor of the vehicle by through bolts or by self-tapping screws. The connecting link 3 has at one end a tee piece junction the other end being threaded to take clasp 4 the boss of which is tapped the clasp being free to turn on the connecting link.

To fit the assembly the gear change lever is placed in its preselected position and the assembly offered up to the gear change lever until the clasp encloses the lever when the hasp of a padlock is passed through the holes in the clasp. The base unit is moved around until the assembly takes up a position that diametrically opposes the direction the gear change lever would move if not constrained by the hasp of the padlock. The base unit is secured to the floor of the vehicle by selftapping screws or through bolts. To make the device inoperative the padlock is removed and the connecting link and clasp pivoted free of the gear change lever. Where it is not possible to pivot the clasp and connecting rod fully due to an obstruction they may be removed by providing a slot 5 as opposed to a hole in one of the angle brackets.By partially pivoting clasp and connecting link away from the gear change lever and rotating it the connecting link and clasp may be removed for custody elsewhere.

Alternatively the tee junction may be redesigned in the following way. The connecting link without the tee junction is made longer and bent so the extended portion is parallel with the base of the angle brackets and threaded over the extended portion. The threaded portion is passed freely through a pivot the two parts reconstituting the tee joint and a nut provided the dimensions across the flats corresponding to that between the angle brackets. To secure the device the threaded part of the connecting link is passed through the pivot and the nut screwed on the link being moved forward so the nut is between the angle brackets. The clasp is secured to the gear change lever and the padlock locked. To disengage the padlock is removed and the connecting link slid back so the nut disengages from the angle brackets when the nut can be removed.Finally the connecting link and clasp are freed from the pivot and stowed elsewhere.

Fig. 4 shows an alternative method of securing the clasp to the gear change lever the hasp of the padlock passing through the hole at 1.

The merit of the design is its flexibility in application. The base unit requires little space and the length of the link is not mandatory.

The ability of the clasp to turn on the connecting link allows it to automatically adjust to the angle of the gear change lever making it suitable for wide application. Ease of fitting and safety from being interfered with are equally applicable as in the earlier example.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 5. It comprises a tube 1 on which are mounted two heavy circular washers 2 separated by a distance piece 3. The tube and washers are fixed to the floor of the vehicle by through bolt 4. The two plates 5 pivot in a scissors movement about the rivet 6. The combined thickness of the plates is the same as between the circular washers but allowing free movement. The two plates have portions cut away near their ends as shown at 7 and 8. These are dimensioned so that when the plates are closed one end has a diameter corresponding to that of the gear change lever and the other to the diameter of the distance piece 3. When the plates are closed the hole 9 aligns with the hole 10 the purpose of which is to contain the hasp of a padlock.To fit the device to a vehicle the plates are opened up sufficiently to permit them being closed around the gear changes lever and the distance piece. The tube is aligned to the circular washers and the padlock secured.

Holding the plates and tube firmly together they are pivoted about the gear change lever until the assembly takes up a position diametrically opposite to that which the gear change lever would take if not constrained.

The tube held firmly to the floor a line is circumscribed around the tube and the centre determined. A hole is drilled through the centre to secure the tube and circular washers to the floor. To operate the plates are opened up sufficiently to enable them to be closed around the gear change lever and distance piece between the circular washers the hasp holes brought into alignment and the padlock secured. To remove the safety device the sequence is reversed. An alternative method of securing the tube to the floor of the vehicle that can be used is described in the first embodiment.

The merit of this design is its simplicity. It offers good security. It is particularly easy to fit and remove from the driving seat position.

It has good flexibility as the distance between the gear change lever and the tube can be tailored to suit the particular application.

In all three designs described practice would be to case harden all exposed parts or make them of hardenable steel. It should be noted that the degree of security afforded by the security devices described is a function of the quality of lock used.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A security device for all types of vehicle having a gear change lever. The device comprises a mechanical linkage one end releasably securing the gear change lever the other securing the linkage to a fixed member of the vehicle such as the floor. 2. A security device as claimed in Claim 1 whereby the gear change lever is releasably secured by means of a clasp and padlock to the floor of the vehicle through an intermediate assembly comprising a tubular distance piece and an angle bracket with integral extension lug. 3. A security device as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein means are provided for the extension lug of the angle bracket to be adjustable for angle. 4. A security device as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein means are provided for securing the device to the floor of the vehicle by fixings which by virtue of the design are rendered inaccessable. 5. A security device as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 wherein means are provided for securing the device to the floor of the vehicle by fixings secured wholly from within the vehicle. 6. A security device as claimed in Claim 1 whereby the gear change lever is releasably secured by means of a clasp and padlock to the floor of the vehicle through a tee jointed pivoting connecting link operating between two angle brackets the latter secured to the floor of the vehicle. 7. A security device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein is provided means for adjusting the position of the clasp on the connecting link. 8. A security device as claimed in Claim 6 wherein means are provided for removing the connecting link and clasp when the security device is not in use. 9. A security device as claimed in Claim 1 whereby is provided a linkage comprising two identical rectangular plates one laying on top of the other secured together but free to pivot about a central point in a scissors movement each plate having half circles cut away adjacent the ends so that when brought together the cut-aways form circular holes. Means are provided for an anchorage secured conventionally to the floor of the vehicle comprising a tube and two large circular washers held apart by a distance piece. The gear change lever is secured by closing the plates one end around the gear change lever the other around the distance piece and locking the two plates together with a padlock. CLAIMS Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: Claims 1 to 9 above have been deleted. New claims have been filed as follows:

1. A security device for all types of vehicles having as part of the design a gearchange lever. The device comprises a mechanical linkage one end releasably securing the linkage to the gear-change lever the other to a fixed member of the vehicle such as the floor.

2. A security device as in Claim 1 whereby one end of the linkage is releasably secured to the gear-change lever by a clasp and padlock which is removed when the device is not in use.

3. A security device as in Claim 1 and 2 whereby the other end of the linkage comprises an angle bracket with projecting integral angular lug the angle of which conforms to the angle of the particular gear-change lever being used when in its operative position.

4. A security device as in Claim 3 whereby the angle bracket is mounted on a tubular distance piece the other end locating in a shallow recess of a base unit the angle bracket tube and base unit being secured together by bolt and nut.

5. A security device as in Claim 4 whereby the base unit is secured from within the tube by fixings in the form of self-tapping screws which by the design are inaccessable to malicious interference and where the fitting of the base unit is done wholly from within the vehicle.

6. A security device as in Claims 3 4 and 5 whereby the angle bracket and tubular distance piece may alternatively be bolted to the floor of the vehicle by a single hole through bolt and nut in which case the base unit is not necessary.

7. A security device as in Claim 3 whereby the projecting lug is adjustable for angle to suit the particular vehicle to which fitted.

8. A security device as in Claims 2 to 7 whereby lateral stability and rigidity are achieved by the practice of securing the device in the "in gear" position generally reverse gear.

9. A security device as in Claims 2 to 7 wherein the assembly comprising angle bracket tube and or base unit are secured adjacent to the gear-change lever but in no way interfering with the gear change operation and by design giving compactness and robustness and occupying a minimum of floor space.

10. A security device as in Claims 2 to 7 being low in costs comprising in its simplest form an angle bracket with integral lug a tube a bolt and nut a clasp are made from common stock and equally low fitting costs requiring only a hand drill a screwdriver and spanner and a low modicum of skill.

11. A second embodiment is a security device as in Claim 1 wherein is provided a linkage adapted to engage the gear-change lever at one end through a clasp and padlock a connecting link made round bar stock terminating in a junction constrained but pirotable by brackets either side of the tee the brackets being secured to the floor of the vehicle by means described in the previous example.

1 2. A security device in Claim 11 in which the clasp is provided with a threaded boss and the connecting link (having a general configeration as shown in the accompanying drawing 2/3 Fig. 3) is threaded and on which the clasp is fitted but free to turn in order to conform to the angle of the gearchange lever when in its operating position.

1 3. A security device as in Claim 11 in which one of the bracket holes is slotted to permit removal of the connecting link and clasp when the device is not in use.

14. A security device as in Claim 11 in which the connecting link is threaded both ends one end for the clasp as in Claim 1 2 the other end passing freely through a pivot the connecting link and the pivot constituting a tee joint and held between angle brackets to the floor of the vehicle.

1 5. A security device as in Claim 14 whereby the threaded position protruding through the pivot is provided with a nut the dimensions across the flats corresponding to the distance between the brackets.

1 6. A third embodiment being a security device whereby is provided a linkage comprising two identical rectangular plates one laying on top of the other secured together but free to pivot about a central point in a scissors movement each plate having half circles cut away adjacent to the ends as shown in the accompanying drawing 3/3 Fig. 5 so that when brought together they form circular holes. Means are provided for an anchorage secured as in the previous examples to the floor of the vehicle comprising tubular distance piece two large circular washers held apart by a circular distance piece. The gearchange lever is secured by closing the two plates one end around the gear-change lever the other around the distance piece and locking the plates together with a padlock.

1 7. A security device as in Claim 1 6 in which a single anchorage is provided secured to the floor by single hole mounting.

1 8. A security device as in Claim 1 6 in which strength and rigidity are provided by two circular washers enclosing the clamping plates.

19. Security devices as in Claims 1 11 and 1 6 which in no way interfere with the normal operation of the vehicle.

20. Security devices as in Claims 1 11 and 1 6 where in each case the linkage is removed when not in use.

21. Security devices as in Claims 1 11 and 1 6 which can be fitted and removed from the driving seat position of the vehicle.

22. Security devices as in Claims 1 11 and 1 6 a single design having wide application to cars lorries earth moving equipment agricultural machinery and the like having incorporated in their design a gear-change lever and where modification is required these relate to dimensions only.