GB2162481A - Vehicle anti-theft device - Google Patents

Abstract

An anti-theft device is provided for a powered vehicle having a gear-shift lever (7), comprising a strut (1) of which one end is secured to a convenient interior surface (5) of the vehicle and the other end is lockable to the shank of the gear-shift lever (7) to immobilize the same in a preselected position such as neutral or top gear. Preferably the end secured to a vehicle interior surface is pivoted thereto, and the strut when not in use is retained by a spring clip (6) in a resting position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Anti-theft device for a powered vehicle This invention relates to an anti-theft device for a powered vehicle such as a motor car.

The invention seeks to provide a locking facility at a sensitive point in the vehicle, whereby a member which must move if the vehicle is to be driven can be immobilized, thus rendering the vehicle impossible to drive away.

It is known to provide a steering column lock in a motor vehicle. This is usually coupled to the ignition switch so that, when the ignition is activated, the lock is disengaged, and the steering wheel is thus freed for use in driving. A disadvantage of steering column locks is the ease with which they can be forced, since the steering wheel with its large diameter gives a car thief great leverage which can be applied to the rupture of the steering column lock.

Anti-theft devices in the form of lockable couplings between the steering wheel and a pedal are also known. These, however, although effective, are cumbersome in use and awkward to store when not in use. Moreover they are inclined to shoot about violently when the vehicle decelerates, and can cause injury to people. Similar observations apply to known strut devices detachably attachable to the hand-brake lever and engaging the gearshift lever.

The invention seeks to provide an anti-theft device for a powered vehicle which device provides effective immobilizing capacity while avoiding the disadvantages of the prior art devices described above.

The invention therefore provides an antitheft device for a powered vehicle having a gear-shift lever, which device comprises a strut having one end adapted for locking to the gear-shift lever and another end mountable on a rigid interior part of the vehicle. Thus by attachment to one end of the strut the gear lever can be immobilized, for example in the neutral position, because the other end of the strut, in use, is anchored to a non-moving part of the vehicle. The strut accordingly has an anchored end and a locking end.

Preferably the strut is pivotally mounted on the floor of the vehicle or on the transmission tunnel, the pivotal motion being such that the strut when not in use can lie flat between the front seats. A receptor clip may be provided to restrain the strut against random movement when not in use. The pivotal mounting may be welded, bolted, riveted or otherwise secured to the floor or the transmission tunnel.

The locking end of the strut may be adapted in any of several ways for engagement with the gear-shift lever. Thus for example said end may be provided with overlapping or embracing members which can be forced apart by the gear-shift lever and which spring back together after admission of said lever, the members being adapted for locking together by means of a separate padlock.

Alternatively a built-in lock can be provided.

The gear-shift lever and the strut may be mutually adapted for engagement one with the other, by means of cooperating respective formations which are lockable together either by means of a built-in lock or a separate padlock as mentioned above.

The dimensions and location of the strut are preferably chosen so as to ensure that engagement with the gear-shift lever can occur only in a predetermined position of the latter, such as neutral or top gear. Thus a gear-shift to any other position is prevented so long as the strut remains locked to the lever.

Anchorage of the strut to the floor or to the transmission tunnel can be by way of a short length of U-section channel, for example, the floor of the channel being welded, bolted or riveted to the floor or the transmission tunnel, while the upstanding sides of the channel have mounted between them a pivot pin which passes through the strut. Since the most vulnerable part of such an arrangement is the cleft on either side of the strut between the strut and the respective side of the Uchannel, a pair of steel washers may be provided, mounted on the pivot pin one on either side of the strut. These washers will then frustrate any attempt to saw through the pivot pin by means of a hacksaw, since the teeth of the hacksaw blade will come in contact with the edge of the washer and cause the latter merely to rotate without being cut.

The invention will be appreciated in greater detail from the following description of a particular embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a gear-shift immobilizer before installation in a vehicle, Figure 2 shows the immobilizer of Fig. 1 in side elevation, Figure 3 is a side elevation of the immobilizer of Figs. 1 and 2, after installation in a vehicle and in use, Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the pivotal mounting of the strut of the immobilizer, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a padlock and the cooperating parts of the immobilizer which the padlock secures together.

Referring now to the drawings, an antitheft, gear-shift lever immobilizing strut 1 is mounted on a pivot pin 2 between the upstanding walls 3 of a U-section channel 4 which in turn is secured to the upper aspect 5 of the transmission tunnel of a motor car, located between the two front seats.

The ends of the pivot pin 2 are welded to the exterior of the walls 3 and afterwards ground flat. The channel 4 is secured by means of bolts 4a, washers 4b and nuts 4c, locked together by welding. Alternatively the channel 4.may be secured by riveting, or by direct welding to the vehicle floor or transmission tunnel exterior. The pivot pin 2 carries, externally of the strut 1, a respective steel washer 1 5 on either side, free to rotate around the pin 2, and occupying all the otherwise free space in the axial direction of said pin.

The strut 1 can be pivoted back to a resting position parallel to the surface 5 of the transmission tunnel, in which position it is retained by a tunnel-mounted clip 6. This represents an inconspicuous and trouble-free storage position for the strut 1.

As seen in Fig. 3, the strut 1, when required for anti-theft protection purposes, is pivoted upwardly to meet a gear-shift lever 7, previously placed in a seclected position, such as neutral. For engagement purposes, a pair of interengaging formations is provided, namely a perforated disc 8 which is an extension of the strut 1, and a sleeve 9 encircling the gear-shift lever 7 and having a parallel pair of perforated discs 10 which project rearwardly therefrom.

The sleeve 9 is placed on the gear-shift lever 7 by first removing the handle or knob 7a of the latter and fitting the sleeve 9 onto the shaft of said lever, afterwards replacing the knob 7a. The perforation 11 is designed as a close or push fit around the shaft of the lever 7, secured by a lock or grub srew 12, housed in a threaded perforation in the sleeve 9 disposed radially of the perforation 11.

However the plate 8 could be welded to said shaft, or screwed theronto.

As seen in Fig. 3, the perforated discs 8,10 when coincident have their perforations 1 2,1 3 in register, whereupon a padlock 1 4 can be inserted through said perforations to lock the gear-shift lever 7 in the chosen position.

Instead of the perforated discs 8, 1 0, it is a simple matter to design, for example, a hinged clasp at the free extremity of the strut 1, adapted to embrace the shaft of the gearlever 7 and pivot back upon itself into a lockable position. It is also possible to design a pair of spring hooks between which the gear-shift lever 7 can be pressed using some force to separate the hooks. The latter thereupon spring back behind the lever into a position where coinciding perforations or the like enable the assembly to be locked either by means of an integral lock or a padlock as previously described.

In use of the anti-theft device, the disc 8 is engaged between the discs 10, the bolt 1 6 of the padlock 14 is slid home to pass through the perforations 12,13, and the key 1 7 is removed. The washers 1 5 resist any attempt to saw through the pivot pin 2 by reason of their freedom to rotate thereabout. The device is finished in high grade steel.

Claims (7)

1. An anti-theft device for a powered vehicle having a gear-shift lever, which device comprises a strut having one end adapted for locking to the gear-shift lever and another end mountable on a rigid interior part of the vehicle.

2. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said other end of the strut is pivotally mountable on the vehicle.

3. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the strut is pivotally mounted in a channel section between parallel walls thereof, the section having a base which can be secured to a vehicle interior.

4. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the strut mounting includes a pivot pin which carries a respective washer on either side of the strut inside the channel section walls, the washers being free to rotate around the pivot pin.

5. An anti-theft device as claimed in any of claims 1-4 which comprises two interengageable formations, one securable to the gearshift lever and the other being an extension of the strut, said formations when mutually engaged being adapted for securing together by means of a lock.

6. An anti-theft device as claimed in any of claims 2-5, wherein the strut has an outof-use position in which it is securable to the vehicle interior by means of a clip, in addition to the pivotal mounting.

7. An anti-theft device for a powered vehicie, substantially as herein described with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.