GB2268917A - Vehicle anti-theft device - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle anti-theft device (a steering wheel lock) is disclosed, which includes a metal disc (10) having a rim (18)for fitting over a vehicle steering wheel, and a bar (12) mounted on the disc (10) with a portion thereof projecting from the disc so that rotation of the disc and/or the steering wheel will be impeded by said portion encountering adjacent structure of the vehicle or a person seated in front of the steering wheel. Means (14, 16) are included for securing one or both of the cover member and the bar to the steering wheel. In this way, access to the rim of the steering wheel to allow it to be cut through, which would permit removal of many types of previously known steering wheel locks, is prevented. <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE This invention concerns a vehicle anti-theft device for attachment to a vehicle steering wheel. The device, when attached to the wheel, immobilises the vehicle by inhibiting rotation of the steering wheel.

The device with which the present invention is concerned is of the type which is fitted solely to the steering wheel, i.e.

without being joined to any other part of the vehicle, but which has a portion projecting beyond the wheel so that the wheel cannot be turned sufficiently far for the vehicle to be driven away without that projecting portion coming into contact with the driver or with another part of the vehicle, for example the windscreen, or the dashboard.

Numerous prior devices of this type have been proposed. Prior GB patent specifications 1269813, 1127524 and 2039840 disclose such devices wherein a bar is secured diametrically of the steering wheel and has one end extending for a distance beyond the wheel rim. In each of these prior devices the bar has fixed engagement means at one end providing a notch or channel for fitting onto one section of the wheel rim. The respective bars are then securable to a diametrically opposing section of the rim by means of a padlock in one case, by means of a slidably mounted second channel, also secured by a padlock, in another case, and by means of a spring loaded lockable channel in the third case, with further portions of the bar projecting therebeyond, in each case.

Nowadays, car theft is so rife in some areas of the UK, particularly in some inner city areas, and thieves are so determined and adept, that such devices would not provide much of a deterrent. Thieves could readily saw through the steering wheel, perhaps at two places, so as to remove the bars of any of the abovementioned devices from the steering wheel.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the aforesaid type which may be a greater obstacle and/or deterrent to thieves than previously known devices.

According to the present invention, a vehicle anti-theft device is provided which includes a cover member for fitting on a vehicle steering wheel, a bar mounted on the cover member which when the cover member is fitted on the steering wheel, impedes rotation of the cover member and/or the steering wheel, and means for securing one or both of the cover member and the bar to the steering wheel, wherein the cover member overlies a substantial portion of the steering wheel when fitted in place.

Preferably rotation of the cover member and/or the steering wheel will be impeded by said bar encountering adjacent structure of the vehicle or a person seated in front of the steering wheel.

The cover member, which, in a practical embodiment, may be a metal disc, may be dimensioned to fit over the face of the steering wheel at the opposite side to the steering column. Generally the disc prevents access to the rim of the steering wheel so that said rim cannot be cut through.

The cover member preferably has a rim which is advantageously downturn-ed and is of a sufficient height to overhang the rim of the steering wheel. In this way, access to the rim of the steering wheel, to enable it to be cut through or to allow the wheel to be turned for purposes of steering the vehicle, may be prevented. Thus, even if a thief manages to sever the portion of the bar projecting from the disc it may still prove difficult for him to steer the vehicle because of the presence of the disc.

The cover member overlies a substantial portion of the steering wheel when fitted in place, which preferably includes at least 50% of the rim of the steering wheel, and advantageously at least 90%.

In some embodiments apertures may be provided in the disc or gaps or notches may be provided in the rim of the disc to lighten the weight of the device so long as these are positioned and dimensioned so as not to allow the rim of the steering wheel to be cut at a position which would release the securement means and allow removal of the disc from the steering wheel.

The disc is preferably formed of hardened steel. In preferred embodiments it is completely imperforate, i.e. it is not provided with any apertures nor any peripheral gaps or notches which might weaken its structure, facilitate its severance, or allow access to a steering wheel which it is covering. In this respect, the device may be of robust appearance so that it deters potential thieves, as well as being difficult for a thief to remove from a steering wheel.

The bar is conveniently mounted diametrically of the disc, with a projecting portion thereof which may be an integral end portion which extends beyond the rim of the disc at one side. Thus, the bar is conveniently rectilinear, with the end portion extending in or parallel to the plane of the disc. In certain embodiments, however, the bar, or at least the projecting portion thereof may be bent. The projecting portion may extend at an angle to the plane of the disc. Also, there may be more than one bar or the bar may have projecting portions at each end thereof.

Furthermore, the bar may not be diametrically mounted and may even extend substantially tangential to the disc.

Various possibilities exist for securement of the device of the invention to the vehicle steering wheel. It is desirable to keep the structure as simple as possible both for purposes of manufacture of the device and for ease of use.

Conveniently, the means for securing the disc and the bar to the steering wheel comprise a pair of hook-like engagement components which are positioned to engage opposing sections of the rim of the steering wheel. In certain embodiments these components are disposed so as to be inserted inwardly of the rim of the steering wheel, and project outwardly to engage the rim from below and secure the device thereto. In other embodiments these components are disposed so as to engage the rim of the wheel by projecting below the rim inwardly from the outer periphery thereof.

One or both of the aforesaid hook-like engagement components may be pivotally mounted on the disc and/or the bar.

One or both of the aforesaid hook-like engagement components may be slidably mounted relative to the disc and the bar.

In many embodiments one of the hook-like engagement components may be fixedly mounted onto the disc and/or the bar, with the other of the components mounted so as to be movable, e.g.

pivotable or slidable as aforesaid, from an engagement position to a release position.

The means for securing the disc and the bar to the steering wheel should also include means whereby the or each movable hook-like engagement component may be locked in its engagement position.

In this respect, one or more integral lock units may be provided, e.g. of the type whereby a locking bolt is projected by push-in actuation, and released by key actuation. Additionally or alternatively alignable apertures may be provided on parts connected to the movable engagement components and parts connected to the bar or disc, so that these parts can be locked together by a padlock once the or each movable engagement component is in its engagement position.

For additional security, one or more small apertures may be provided in the metal disc at a short spacing inwardly of its rim so that the disc may additionally be directly locked to the rim of the steering wheel by means of a padlock engaging through said aperture or one of said apertures and around the wheel rim.

The proposed device may be rather large and heavy compared to many previously proposed devices and it may not be envisaged that it will be used by drivers who are leaving their vehicle unattended for only a short period in an area which does not have a high risk of'theft. It is believed, however, that drivers leaving vehicles in high risk areas, and/or overnight and/or for extended periods would find such a device to be an improved deterrent or security against theft of their vehicles.

Reference is now made to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which embodiments of devices in accordance with the invention are illustrated. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same device; Fig. 3 is a cross-section along line A-A of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end view of the same device, in direction B of Fig.

2, with some parts omitted; Figs. 4 to 7 are enlarged fragmentary perspective views illustrating alternative manners of locking the engagement components in their engagement positions in embodiments similar to that of Figs. 1 to 4; Figs. 8a and 8b are fragmentary perspective views, similarly illustrating an alternative manner of locking the engagement components in their engagement position in an embodiment similar to that of Figs. 1 to 4; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a second embodiment; and Fig. 10 is a cross section along line C-C of Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, a first embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention, which may be termed a steering wheel lock, comprises a cover member such as a metal disc 10, a metal bar 12 and securement means in the form of a pair of hooklike components 14, 16 for engaging around the rim of the steering wheel of a vehicle (not shown). The disc 10 is substantially circular and imperforate and has a downturned rim 18 around its periphery. It is dimensioned to fit over the face of the steering wheel, with the rim 18 overhanging the rim of the wheel. The bar 12 is of hollow box section form and is mounted diametrically across the surface of the disc 10 at the side of the disc 10 remote from the downturned rim 18.It may be secured to the disc 10 in any convenient and robust manner, for example by welding, or rivetting, or by bolts, which may be masked within the hollow interior of the bar and on the reverse side of the disc which is not accessible when the device is mounted onto a vehicle steering wheel. One end portion 12a of the bar 12 extends beyond the edge of the disc 10. Both the disc and the bar 12 may suitably be formed of hardened steel several mm thick as such material is strong and not readily bent or cut through.

The hook-like components 14, 16 are pivotally mounted through the disc 10 and the bar 12, having respective pivot axes X, Y substantially perpendicular to the plane of the disc, as indicated in Fig. 3. They are located symmetrically of the disc 10, each at an equal spacing from diametrically opposed places on the edge of the disc. Respective arms 24, 26, in the form of metal strips, are fixed to the ends of the components 14, 16 which protrude through the bar 12 and it is by means of these arms that the components are swivelled about their respective pivot axes X, Y. As shown in Fig. 3, the arms 24, 26 are attached to the ends of the components 14, 16 such that when the arms are brought into alignment with each other overlying the bar 12, the free ends of the components 14, 16 are directed outwardly and in close proximity of the components 14, 16.The arms 24, 26 can, of course, be swung around, thereby pivoting the components 14, 16 so that their free ends swing to non-engagement positions.

The free ends 34, 36 of the arms 24, 26 are upturned and apertured and thereby may be padlocked to each other and to an upstanding lug 22 which is connected to the bar 12 at a position approximately at the centre of the disc 10, The lug 22 is shown in Fig. 4, from which the arms 14, 24 have been omitted.

In use, the hook-like components 14, 16 are swung around to nonengagement positions so that the device can be mounted onto a steering wheel, said components 14, 16 being inserted inwardly of the rim so that the disc 10 can be lowered onto the face of the wheel to snugly overlie same, with the rim 18 of the disc overhanging the rim of the wheel. The arms 24, 26 are then swung into their aligned positions shown in Figs. 1 to 3 so that the hooks 14, 16 engage below the rim of the wheel. The insertion and closure of a padlock through the apertures in the end sections 34, 36 of the arms and the lug 22 locks the hooks 14, 16 in this position. The end portion 12a of the bar 12 projects radially of the steering wheel and will prevent any significant rotational movement of the wheel, thereby preventing steering, by making contact with adjacent fixed structure of the vehicle, e.g.

windscreen, or with the driver.

In Figs. 5 to 8 various alternative arrangements for locking of the hook-like components 14, 16 in their engagement positions are illustrated. The same reference numerals are used for parts which correspond to parts of the embodiment just described.

Fig. 5 shows how each hook, only one (14) of which is shown, may be fixed to a plate 28 carrying a lock housing 30. The plate 28 serves to pivot the hook 14, and overlies the bar 12 when the hook 14 is in its wheel rim engagement position. In this position, the plate 28 can be locked to the bar 12 by a bolt from the lock housing 30 projecting into a hole in the bar 12. The lock 30 may be of the push-in type, with key actuation to release the bolt.

Fig. 6 shows each hook, only one (14) of which is shown, fixed to a respective arm 24, which is used for pivoting the hook and which overlies the bar 12 when the hook is in its wheel rim engagement position. In contrast to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 4, the ends of the arms 24, 26 are not upturned. One arm 24 carries a lock housing 30 at its free end, while the other arm -carries a receiver unit 32, so that the arms 14, 16 can be locked together, when swung to aligned positions as illustrated, by a bolt from the housing 30 projecting into a hole in the receiver, by way of an aperture in the intervening lug 22 which is upstanding from the bar 12.

Fig. 7 shows how an arm 24 fixed to a hook 14 may alternatively be secured to the side of the bar 12 by a padlock 38 engaging through an aperture in a lateral downwardly angled tab 40 formed at the end of the arm 24.

Figs. 8a, 8b show how the arms 24, 26 which are fixed to the respective hook-like components 14, 16 and are used for pivoting of same, may each comprise two parts a, b, connected by a hinge c. The free end parts b are each provided with a slot 42. When the hooks 14, 16 are in their wheel rim engaging positions these free end parts b may be swung down about their hinges c so that the slots 42 engage over an upstanding lug 22 connected to the bar, and may be retained there by a padlock 44 engaged through a hole in that lug 22, as shown in Fig. 8b.

Of course, other possibilities exist for locking the hook-like components 14, 16 in their wheel rim engagement positions, and the invention is not limited to any particular design variants.

Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, a second embodiments of a steering wheel lock in accordance with the invention also comprises a metal disc 110, a metal bar 112 and securement means in the form of a pair of hook-like engagement components 114, 116. The disc and the bar are substantially as described in relation to the first embodiment.

The hook like components 114, 116 in this embodiment engage the rim of the steering wheel (not shown), when the disc 110 is placed thereover, by projecting below and inwardly from the outer periphery thereof. One of the hook components 114 is fixed directly to the underside of the bar 112, as shown in Fig. 10, and may extend inwardly via a notch in the rim of the disc 10.

When the device is fitted to the steering wheel it has to be manoeuvred so that this hook 114 engages below one side of the wheel rim. The other hook component 116 is movable by virtue of being mounted on an elongate element 120 which is slidably received within the hollow interior of the bar 112. The hook 116 and the bar 112 carry respective apertured lugs 122, 124, the apertures of which are in alignment when the element 120 is slid a sufficient distance into the bar 112 that the hook 116 is in position for engagement of a section of the wheel rim opposite to the section engaged by the hook 114. The lugs 122, 124 can then be secured by a padlock (not shown) through their aligned apertures. A secondary lock may also be provided in the form of a lock unit 130, the bolt of which projects into apertures in the bar 112 and the element 120 when the hook 116 is in its engagement position.

The manner of fitting the second embodiment onto a steering wheel will be readily apparent from the foregoing description, the element 120 firstly being released and slid outwardly of the bar 112 so that the disc and the other hook 114 can be fitted over the wheel, and then being slid back into a position where the hook 116 it carries engages the rim at the opposite side to the hook 114.

The hook 116 may also extend through a notch in the rim of the disc 110 in the wheel rim engagement position.

Claims (12)

1 A vehicle anti-theft device including a cover member for fitting on a vehicle steering wheel, a bar mounted on the cover member which, when the cover member is fitted on the steering wheel, impedes rotation of the cover member and/or the steering wheel, and means for securing one or both of the cover member and the bar to the steering wheel, wherein the cover member overlies a substantial portion of the steering wheel when fitted in place.

2 A vehicle anti-theft device according to claim 1 in which the cover member is a metal disc dimensioned to fit over the face of the steering wheel at the opposite side to the steering column.

3 A vehicle anti-theft device according to claim 2 in which the bar is mounted diametrically of the disc, and includes a projecting portion being an end portion of the bar which extends beyond the rim of the disc at one side.

4 A vehicle anti-theft device according to any of the above claims in which the cover member has a rim which is downturned and of a sufficient height to overhang the rim of the steering wheel.

5 A vehicle anti-theft device to any of the above claims in which at least one aperture is provided in the cover member to lighten the weight of the device, the aperture being positioned and dimensioned so as not to allow the rim of the steering wheel to be cut at a position which would release the securement means and allow removal of the device from the steering wheel.

6 A vehicle anti-theft device according to any one of the above claims in which either the bar or the projecting portion thereof is bent so that the projecting portion may extend at an angle to the plane of the cover member.

7 A vehicle anti-theft device according to any of the above claims in which the securing means includes a pair of hook-like engagement components which are positioned to engage opposing sections of the rim-of the steering wheel.

8 A vehicle anti-theft device according to claim 7 in which the hook-like components are disposed so as to be inserted inwardly of the rim of the steering wheel, and project outwardly to engage the rim from below and secure the device thereto.

9 A vehicle anti-theft device according to claim 7 in which the hook-like components are disposed so as to engage the rim of the wheel by projecting below the rim inwardly from the outer periphery thereof.

10 A vehicle anti-theft device according to any one of claims 7 to 9 in which one or both of the hook-like engagement components is pivotally or slidably mounted on the cover member and/or the bar.

11 A vehicle anti-theft according to any of the above claims including locking means for locking the securing means in a wheel engagement position.

12 A vehicle anti-theft device substantially as any embodiment herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.