GB2268223A - Security device - Google Patents

Abstract

A security device comprises a housing 1 attachable to a first structure such as a post. The housing is lockable and contains a securing member such as a chain 12. The chain can be releasably attached to the housing by engaging links at the ends thereof in slots 5 and slots 10 of a locking plate 7 which closes the housing, the rest of the chain looping through the item to be secured, eg a caravan draw bar, a trailer or a piece of machinery. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY DEVICE This invention relates to a security device and has particular, but not exclusive, reference to such a device for securing objects which are located in the open.

For example, caravans, trailers, plant and machinery often have to be left on a site, which may be unattended, and are thus prone to theft.

Wheeled vehicles or equipment may be provided with one or more wheel clamps but extra security does not go amiss.

The present invention is based on the concept of having a securing member captured in a housing in an inoperative mode of the security device, and attachable to the housing in the operative mode of the device, and connectable to the item to be secured or to means for securing that item. Thus the housing may be attached to the item to be secured, or to a permanent structure, for example, to which the item to be secured can be attached.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a security device comprising a lockable housing, in use attachable to a first structure, a securing member containable within the housing in an inoperative mode of the device, and releasably attachable to the housing and to a second structure in an operative mode of the device, whereby the first and second structures are secured together by the securing member.

The first structure may be a caravan, trailer, or piece of equipment or machinery, for example, and the second structure may be a permanent structure such as a tree, post, lamppost or fence, or vice versa. A convenient form of securing member is a chain which is readily housed in the housing in the inoperative mode and equally readily attached to the housing in the operative mode of the device.

Attachment of the chain to the housing is conveniently by providing one or more slots in a member forming part of the housing into which slot is slid one link of the chain, the slot being of width only slightly in excess of the width of the chain link, whereby the chain cannot be pulled through the slot by virtue of the links on either side of the retained link being orthogonal to the latter. One or both ends of the chain may be retained in this way, with the or each slot being closed when the housing is locked so as to prevent disengagement of the chain from the housing. The body of the chain can be passed around, or otherwise connected to, a tree, post, lampost or fence or other form of second structure, or passed around, or connected to, to a vehicle or item of equipment forming the first structure, depending on whether the housing is provided on the first or second structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of securing together first and second structures comprising the steps of: 1. attaching a housing to one of the structures, 2. attaching a securing member to the housing and to the other structure, and 3. locking the securing member in position on the housing.

A security device in accordance with the present invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the device, Figure 2 is a side view in cross-section of the device, Figure 3 is a front view of the device in partly assembled operative mode, Figure 4 is a front view of the device in fully assembled operative mode, and Figure 5 illustrates one actual use of the device of Figures 1 to 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, this security device comprises a lockable housing 1 in the form of an open-ended box of sturdy construction, for example welded or otherwise formed steel plate of a suitable gauge. Permanently secured at the front lower portion of the open end 2 of the housing is a first solid plate 3 generally flush with the front edge of the housing but extending only part way up the open end from the bottom of the housing.

Permanently secured behind, and spaced from the first plate 3 is a second plate 4 which has two spaced slots 5 extending from its upper edge and terminating short of its lower edge. Extending between the side walls of the housing 1 is a latch bar 6 for a purpose to be described.

The security device further comprises locking plate 7 which is releasably attachable to the housing 1 so as to complete, in conjunction with the first plate 3, closure of the otherwise open end of the housing 1.

The locking plate is fitted by sliding it, from the top of the housing 1, behind the first plate 3 but in front of the second plate 4, the plates 3 and 4 being spaced apart by a distance appropriate to the thickness of the locking plate 7.

The locking plate 7 is provided with two slots 10 extending from its lower edge and terminating intermediate its upper and lower edges.

The locking plate 7 is also provided with a cam lock 8 the cam 9 of which cooperates with the latch bar 6 when the locking plate 7 is in position between the plates 3 and 4 and the lock is operated (Figure 2). A shroud 11 for the lock 8 is provided, which shroud also acts as a finger plate to assist in holding the locking plate 7 whilst assembling it in the housing 1 or disassembling it.

The security device is completed by a chain 12 of appropriate strength. The chain is containable within the housing 1 when the device is in the inoperative mode, as illustrated in Figure 2, the housing being locked with the locking plate 7 to prevent unauthorised removal of the chain.

In use, the housing 1 is secured to a first structure which, in the illustrated embodiment is a permanent post 13 on a caravan site, the attachment being by way of nuts and bolts 14,15, with the nuts located within the housing 1 so that they cannot be removed when the housing is locked.

To place the security device in the operative mode, the lock 8 is unlocked and the locking plate 7 removed to open the housing 1. The chain 12 is removed from the housing and either threaded through or around a member of a second structure which, in the illustrated embodiment, is a hitch 16 of a caravan, in a manner such that the chain cannot be removed, and the ends of the chain attached to the second plate 4; or one end of the chain is attached to the plate 4, the chain attached to the hitch and the second end then attached to the plate 4.

The chain 12 is attached to the second plate 4 by sliding an appropriate "vertical" link at or towards one end of the chain into one of the slots 5 of the plate 4 and sliding a "vertical" link at or towards the other end of the chain into the other slot 5. With the chain 12 so attached to the plate 3, the locking plate 7 is now slid into position so that the slots 10 thereof slide over the respective vertical chain links retained in the slots 5 of the plate 4, the plate being accommodated, as already described, between the first and second plates 3 and 4. The lock 8 is then operated and the cam 9 thereof engages behind the locking bar 6. Thus the first and second structures and secured one to the other via the chain 12.

The cooperating slots S and 10 of the second plate 4 and the locking plate 7, respectively, capture the vertical chain links located therein. As the chain cannot be disengaged from these slots, and the "horizontal" chain links on each side of the captured vertical links prevent the chain from being pushed or pulled from the slots.

The locking plate 7 is prevented from being pushed or pulled from the housing 1 by the cooperation of the cam lock 8 and latch bar 6, and the retention of the lower end of the plate between the first and second plates 3 and 4.

The length of chain 12 actually required to effect the securing together of the first and second structures can be varied simply by engaging the appropriate vertical links in the slots 5, with any end lengths of chain being accommodated in the body of the housing.

It will be appreciated that the housing 1 could equally be provided on the caravan or other item to be secured, with the chain then being attached to the permanent structure such as the post 13, a tree etc. Also, it will be understood that only one end of the chain need be attached to the housing 1, with the other end attached in an appropriate manner to the other structure.

The securing member may be other than a chain and can be releasably attached to the housing by any suitable means.

The present invention provides a simple but effective security device for equipment, which device can be fitted to actual equipment or installed on permanent structures for use with any equipment which may be in the vicinity thereof.

Claims (10)

1. A security device comprising a lockable housing in use attachable to a first structure, a securing member containable within the housing in an operative mode of the device, and releasably attachable to the housing and to a second structure in an operative mode of the device, whereby the first and second structures are secured together by the securing member.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the securing member is a chain.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the securing member is releasably attachable to the housing by being captured in at least one slot in member forming part of the housing.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the housing is open ended and the slotted member is in the form of a plate attached to the housing and extending part way across the open end of the housing, with the or each slot extending from a free edge of the plate.

5. A device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the device further comprises a locking plate operable to retain the securing member in the or each slot.

6. A device according to claim 5, when appended to claim 4, wherein the locking plate is operable to close the housing and is provided with at least one slot, with the or each slot being alignable with the or each slot in the slotted member, with the cooperating slots serving to capture the securing member therewithin.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the slotted member is inset from the open end of the housing, and the device further comprises a further member disposed in front of, and spaced from, the slotted member to define with the latter a space which receives one end of the locking plate, whereby the latter is retained between the further member and slotted member.

8. A device according to any of claims 5 to 7, wherein the locking plate is fitted with a lock, the latch mechanism of which is cooperable with a latch member mounted within the housing.

9. A method of securing together first and second structures comprising the steps of :

1. attaching a housing to one of the structures,

2. attaching a securing member to the housing and to the other structure, and

3. locking the securing member in position on the housing.

10. A security device substantially as herein particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.