GB2197630A

GB2197630A - Vehicle anti-theft detent acting on gear lever

Info

Publication number: GB2197630A
Application number: GB08716953A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shirley Patricia Kay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-11-03
Filing date: 1987-07-17
Publication date: 1988-05-25
Also published as: GB8716953D0

Abstract

The device for restricting movement of a lever includes a first member 10, such as an upstanding plate, for secure location to a suitable structure adjacent the lever, and a second member 20 cooperable with and lockable to the first member. When the members are locked together in use, they form a barrier which restricts the movement of the lever and inhibits access to the lever's root portion. The barrier may result from the cooperation of one of said members with other of said members and/or with a separate structure. The device may include an adaptor member (44, Fig. 4) for positioning the first member adjacent the lever, the adaptor member being shaped to suit the shape of the structure to which it is mounted. Suitably the first member is movable between retracted and extended positions (Figs. 6, 8).

Description

DEVICE FOR RESTRICTING MOVEMENT OF A LEVER This Invention relates to a device for restricting movement of a lever, more particularly a control lever such as a vehicle gearshift lever, in order to inhibit unauthorised operation of the lever.

Levers are commonly used to facilitate an operator's control of a device, the lever being movable between positions which correspond to whatever control Input is desired. Used in this way, levers play some part in the control of many devices, such as vehicles, cranes, electronic equipment, earthworking implements or indeed any device requiring control Input from an operator. For the purpose of this specification, the term "lever" is to be taken to mean any member movable by an operator, such as a switch or a wheel, the movement not necesarily involving pivoting.

The unauthorised operation of any device is generally undesirable as a result of which myriad propcsals of devices to prevent such operation have been made. As it is very common for the control of a device to depend to a significant extent upon a lever, a large number cf these efforts have been directed to means which restrain the lever n a position corresponding to non-operation or some other suitable state. A partIcular example of a lever whIch Is often locked In this way is the gearshift lever of a vehIcle, the various proposed locking devices usually preventing movement out of the neutral post ion so that the vehicle cannot be drive away by unauthorised persons.

ExistIng lever-restraining devices have several problems, one of the most serious being that they can be circumvented by cutting through the lever In such a way as to free it, while still leaving a sufficiently large root portion for the lever to be operable in the normal way. Another problem with existing devices is thelack of adaptability, leading to high tooling costs as a result of having to provide a specific design for each different application. Furthermore, existing devices often require an undesirable amour. of modification to be carried ou to the device being protected.

The object of this invention is to provide an Improved device for restricting movement of a lever, which overcomes or mitigates these and other drawbacks of existing devices.

With this object in view, accordIng to this invention there is provided a device for restricting movement cf a lever comprising a first member for secure location beside the lever and a second member cooper able with and lockable to the first member, whereIn the members, when locked together in use, form a barrier which restricts the movement of the lever and Inhibits access to its root portion.

Preferably the first and second members are locked together by a padlock-type device, which is advantageously protected by a cover to prevent its shackle being severed. Ideally the members, when locked together in use, define an enclosure which encircles the lever. Suitably the first member is a plate adapted to be anchored beside the lever, and the second member Incorporates a slot which receives and restraIns the lever when in use.

Advantageously the first member is secured to a structure adjacent the lever, benefIcIally with an adaptor intermediate the structure and the first member which allows the first member to be correctly located.

The first member may be movable to keep it out of the way when not In use. Preferably the various components are made of high strength steel, but they can be made of any suitably robust material.

Preferably the device 15 designed for fitment as an accessory, but it may be incorporated into the design or manufacture of the device which Incorporates the lever.

This invention also relates to a device, incorporating a lever, having a device for restricting movement of the lever.

This invention will now be descrIbed, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in wh4ch:- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the device of this invention, showing its major component parts; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective vIew of the embodiment shown in Figure 1, showIng the component parts assembled together in situ on a vehicle; FIgure 3 is a parti ally cut away view corresponding to Figure 2 ; Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a detail of a particular aspect of this invention ; Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the aspect shown in Figure 4, In use; Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a further embodiment of this aspect.

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view showing another embodIment cf this invertion in use, which incorporates other aspects of the invention ; Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a detail cf the embodiment shown in Figure 7, showing this e@bodiment in its non-operative position.

Referring to Figure 1, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, intended principally for use in restraining the gearshift lever of a vehicle, a plate 10 Is mounted adjacent a lever 12. SuItably, plate 10 is ed to a side of the "transmission tunnel" 14 as shown, but it may be directly or indirectly mounted to any suitable part of the vehicle's structure so as to lie In the vicinity of the lever 12.Plate 10 may be attached to the vehicle's structure by means such as @elding, screws, bolts, adhesives or rivets or any means wnich allows secure attachment. Preferably plate 10 is substantially planar, rectangular, and upright as shown, although it can have any desired shape to suit aesthetic an practical requirements. Extending along an upper edge of plate 10 is a perpendIcular flange 16 havIng two recesses (not shown) set into its side facing the lever 12, while two parallel slots 18 extend through the upper central portion of plate 10.

Once fitted to a vehicle, plate 10 is designed to be unobtrusive enough to allow It to remain in position at all times. When it is desired to restrain the lever 12 and hence deter theft of the vehicle, it is necessary to add restraint 20 which, when locked to plate 10, cooperates with it to encircle the lever and dIscourage tampering. Therefore plate 10 must be positioned relative to the lever in such a way that when restraInt 20 Is added, the lever's travel is restricted to the desired positions Restraint 20 comprises a planar upper plate 22 having an edge 24 of which a substantial length is arcuate. Extending downwards from edge 24 is a continuous side pIece 26 which encloses all but one side of the box-like restraint 20. Extending from this open side into and through plate 22 is a slot 28 wnich is dImensioned to receIve lever 12 and restraIn It as required when restraint 20 is fixed In position to plate 10. The edge of plate 22 over the open side of restraint 20 is extended into two lugs 30 whIch are adapted to ergage within the recesses provided In flange 16 of plate 10. In similar fashion a pair of lugs 32, parallel to one another and mounted perpendicularly to the underside of plate 22, are arranged to protrude through slots 18 In plate 10, whe plate 10 and restraint 20 are brought together In use.Each lug 32 has a hole extending through its protruding end, the holes being aligned with each other to facilitate the fitment of a padlock for holding plate 10 and restraint 20 together. The various lugs help to protect against attempts to cut or force the components apart.

The assembled device is show In use in Figure 2, with plate 10 ar.d restraint 20 held together by locking means 34 so as to restrain and protect lever 12.

Suitably the device is br~ghtly--clcured so as to act as a deterrent against attempts to tamper with the vehicle or other device to which it is fitted.

Locking means 34, operable wIth key 36 or other suitable devIce, comprises a padlock concealed and protected by a cover 38. As best shown in the cutaway vlew of Figure 3, the padlock 40 has a shackle 2 which passes through the aligned holes in lugs 32 provided in restraint 2Q, wnen those lugs protrude through the slots provided in plate 10. This locks plate 10 and restraint 20 together, thereby preventing unauthorised operation of the lever 12, whIle cover 38 prevents easy access to shackle 42 and thus deters attempts to cut it through.

Figure 3 also shows the way in whIch lugs 30 engage wIth their respective recesses in flange 16 of plate 10.

Suitably all major components of the device , such as plate 10, restraint 20 and cover 38, are made cf highstrength steel cr any other material which resists cutting or forcing.

The arrangement of this invention has the important advantage that it cannot be circumvented simply by cutting through the lever near its root, because the root of the lever is shielded by the plate 10, and the upper plate 22 and side piece 26 of the restraint 20.

SImIlarly the padlock shackle 42 is shielded by cover 38. Another Important advantage cf th4s arrangement is that the device requires minimal modification to be performed to the area adjacent the lever, as the shape and size of plate 10 can be chosen to minimise disruption by, for Instance, keepIng clear of a gearlever console.

The great number of potential applicatIons of this invention would lead to similarly great toolIng costs if a differently-shaped device had to be produced for each IndIvidual application. Figures 4 and 5 show a further aspect of this invention, which is designed to minimise this problem with the provision of an adaptor 44 intermediate plate 10 and the structure to which it is mounted (in this case a curved transmission tunnel 46). ToolIng costs are minimised in this arrangement because oly the adaptor 44 need be changed for the device to suit a wide variety of applications.Adaptor 44 has, in this case, a curved surface 48 to suit the shape of the structure to which it Is mounted, and to suit its posItIon relative to the lever 12. The adaptor's shape is chose to provide a substantially vertical surface 50 to which plate 10 may be mounted, thereby ensuring that the device is correctly positioned relative to the lever so as to prevent access to its root portion; as shown in Figure 5. Adaptor 44 may be made of any suitably robust material, may be hollow or solid, and may have whatever shape is necessary to allow plate 10 to be securely mounted in the correct position. It can be attached to the structure 46 by any suitable means such as welding, bolting or riveting, and it may share the same fixings as plate 10.

Figure 6 shows as adaptor 52 which is itself abaptable to various applications, thereby potentially reducing tooling costs stlll further. Adaptor 52 comprises a backing piece 54 which is shaped to suit the structure to which it is attached (in this case curved to suit tunnel 46, as shown). Backing piece 54 may be attached to its supportIng structure by any suitable means such as welds or bolts as previously described.

Pivoted at both sides, near its lower edge via pivot 56 to backing piece 54 is a plate 58 having a recess 60 in its upper edge, into which the lower portion of plate 10 can tightly fit. Plate 10 can be secured within recess 60 by means such as welding or adhesive, cr by screws, bolts or rivets extending through plates 10 and 58.

The pIvotIng mountIng of plate 58 to backing piece 54 allows plate 10 to assume an appropriate position adjacent lever 12, so that restraint 20 can function as extended. Plate 58 can be locked ite a suitable position by, for instance, inserting a dowel, screw or bolt through one of holes 62 in backing pIece 54.

SuItably th4s can be done using bolts with twist-off heads which, when tightened to hold plate 58 to backing piece 54, break off to foil attempts to undo them.

bolts of this type may be employed for the other attachments involved in this invention, such as plate 10 to plate 58, or plate 10 to its supporting structure.

In a variation of the embodiment shown in Figure 6, the plate 58 is incorporated into and unified with backing piece 54, plate 10 being secured within recess 60 as before.

Referring now to Figure 7, a number of other aspects of this invention are shown incorporated within a further embodiment. In this embodiment, plate 10 hs no flange 16 along its upper edge but is instead formed * with a turned-over lip 64 which faces towards lever 12 and overlles part of restraint 20 as shown In use.

RestraInt 20, whose lugs 30 extend in use into slots provided in plate 10 as shown, In this case comprises two parts 66 and 68 respectively, which are hingably or otherwise connected so as to allow restraint 20 to encircle lever 12 without the need for a slot 28. Parts 66 and 68 may be held together by the engagement of their respective lugs 30 within the slots provided in plate 10, and by making slot 28 redundant the range of movement of lever 12 is considerably restrIcted.

While plate 10 may be designed to be as unobtrusive as possible when not in use locked to restraint 20, it may be desirable for plate 10 to be movable or detachable so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the vehicle, or to preset a safety hazard In the event of an accident. AccordIngly plate 10 could Incorporate a hinge, pivot or the like to allow it to be swung out of the way when desired, or it could be slidably mounted within a housing 70 as shown in Figures 7 and 8 to allow it to be retracted Into the nonoperative position shown in Figure 8. Suitably plate 10 is lockable Into both of its positions so as to ensure that it cannot be mcved except when desired.Naturally It is important that plate 10 cannot be removed entirely from its housing 70 or moved beyond its normal extended position, except by authorised persons, and this may be ensured by lImiting its range of movement by, for Instance, providing a slot within plate 10 In which runs a peg attached to housIng 70.

Further varIations are possible, for instance plate 10 need not be slid able downwards into its retracted position but it may be slidable backwards or fcrwards to allow it to be concealed wichin a suitable structure such as a vehicle armrest. The restraining device as a whole could Incorporate suitable alarm means to war of attempts to tamper With the device to which it is attached. The device, which may include ary combination of features of the embodiments disclosed herein, need not be shaped as descrIbed but can take on any form dictated by aesthetic or practical requirements partIcularly if designed for particular vehicles or other devices.The lock ag means need not be a padlock, but may be of any type such as an integral lock.

In certain vehicles or other devIces incorporating levers, the degree of protection necessary to prevent tampering with the lever may be provided with a restrainIng device which does not In itself fully encircle the lever, but instead cooperates with some other structure, such as a vehicle dashboard or console, to prevent access to the lever.It is therefore envisaged that this InventIon also Includes a restraIning device havIng a restraint which traps a lever, for example a gearshift lever, In such a position that the restraint cooperates ith another structure, such as a vehIcle console, In order to prevent the access of Severing means to the lever's base portion, Such a restraining device is useful in cases where there is limited space for the device to be fitted, as It sometImes the case in cars whose gearshift levers are very close to the dashboard or console.

While the embodiments described above are particularly suitable for fitment as accessories, it fll be clear to those skilled In the art that provision may be made for them In the design or manufacture of the device which incorporates the lever. For instance, in the case of a vehicle, the mounting could be incorporated during manufacture, comprIsIng a reinforced section of the transmission tunnel having pre-drilled mouthing points situated so as to position the lever restraint as required. Alternatively, plate 10 could be incorporated Into the vehicle's structure to provide a mounting poInt for restraint 20.

It will also be clear that, although this invention has been principally described with reference to its application in vehicles, it can be used with equal facility In almost any application where the unauthorised operation of a lever is undesirable.

Claims

1. A device for restricting movement of a lever, comprising a first member for secure location adjacent the lever and a second member cooperable with and lockable to the first member, wherein the members, when locked together in use, form a barrier which restricts the movement of the lever and inhibits access to its root portion.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the first member is a plate adapted for secure attachment to a suitable structure.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first member includes one or more slots for receiving one or more lugs included in the second member, the or each lug being provided with a hole for receiving a locking member, when the first and second members cooperate in use.

4. A device according to Claim 3, wherein the first member further includes one or more grooves for receiving one or more further lugs included in the second member, when the first and second members cooperate in use.

5. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first and second members are lockable together by locking means comprising a padlock-type device and a protective cover.

6. A device according to any preceding Claim, further including an adaptor member for positioning between the first member and the structure to which the first member is to be attached, the adaptor member being shaped to suit the shape of the structure and to position the first member appropriately relative to the lever.

7. A device according to Claim 6, wherein the adaptor member is adjustable.

8. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first member is movable between a retracted rest position and an extended operative position, and may be secured in one or both of these positions.

9. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the first and second members, when locked together in use, define an enclosure which surrounds the root portion of the lever.

10. A device according to Claim 9, wherein the second member incorporates a slot for receiving and retaining the lever in use.

11. A device according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, wherein the second member comprises first and second portions which may be interconnected to surround the lever.

12. A device according to any of Claims 1 to 8, wherein one or both of the members cooperates with a separate structure to inhibit access to the root portion of the gear lever.

13. A device for restricting movement of a lever, comprising a first member for secure location adjacent the lever and a second member cooperable with and lockable to the first member whery the movement of the lever can be restricted, wherein at least a portion of the first member is movable relative to a structure to which the first member is attached.

14. Apparatus incorporating a lever, having a device according to any preceding Claim.

15. A device for restricting movement of a lever substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.