GB2275494A

GB2275494A - Security device for a door

Info

Publication number: GB2275494A
Application number: GB9303674A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Susan Probyn; Peter John Probyn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-02-24
Filing date: 1993-02-24
Publication date: 1994-08-31
Also published as: GB9303674D0

Abstract

A security device comprises: a rigid elongate element (1) provided at or near one end region (2) with a transverse lug (3) and at another region with holes (5) spaced apart in the direction of the length of the rigid elongate element (1); and a peg (7) capable of being securely lodged in any of the holes (5) so as to extend transversely with respect to the elongate element (1) at least in the direction opposite to that of the lug (3). When the device is filled from inside a room to an inwardly opening door, additional security can be achieved. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY DEVICE This invention relates to a security device.

Guest rooms in some boarding houses do not have a lock on the door with the result that people, in particularly women and young or old persons, in the room do not feel entirely secure as another person could make some unauthorised entry into the room.

Moreover, some rooms in hotels and guest houses merely have a key to operate the lock in the door but there is no additional security device, such as a chain, which can be used to secure the door against entry by a person holding a duplicate key for the lock of that room or a master key.

It is with these considerations in mind that the present invention has been devised.

According to the present invention, there is provided a security device comprising: a rigid elongate element provided at or near one end region with a transverse lug and at another region with holes spaced apart in the direction of the length of the rigid elongate element; and a peg capable of being securely lodged in any of the holes so as to extend transversely with respect to the elongate element at least in the direction opposite to that of the lug.

The security device of the present invention is intended to operate in the following way. Most door locks have the lock mechanism mounted on the door with a protruding spring-loaded nose which is intended to be located in, and secured in, a hole in the frame around the door. With the device according to the present invention, whilst the door is still at least partially open the lug of the security device is inserted into the hole in the frame around the door and then the door is closed, the door in the closed position preventing removal of the lug of the security device from the hole in the frame. The peg is then pushed into that hole in the elongate element which is fully exposed and closest to the door in the closed position, so that it prevents any significant movement of the door.It will be appreciated that the security device of the present invention is only useful with regard to doors which open inward into the room which is to be secured, this being the usual situation with hotel guest rooms and boarding house guest rooms. This also applies to rooms in private houses.

The elongate element can take any form provided it is capable of fitting between the edge of the door and the frame, and for that reason the elongate element is conveniently a strip. Preferably the strip is made of a steel which could for reasons of strength and appearance be a stainless steel.

The lug which is mounted on the elongate element in the form of a strip can be a separate-component which is welded to the strip but, more conveniently, takes the form of a punched-ut part of the strip.

The holes in the elongate element can be of any shape and size but need to be sufficiently large to accommodate a peg which is of sufficient magnitude in terms of its diameter to offer resistance to any unauthorised opening of the door. Conveniently the holes in the elongate element are circular and conveniently the peg is circular in cross section.

Preferably the peg tapers along its length so that, when the peg is securely lodged in any hole, approximately half of the peg extends on each side of the elongate element.

To avoid loss of the peg, which is likely to be a smaller component than the elongate element, the peg is conveniently attached by a flexible element to the rigid elongate element. For the sake of appearance and feel, that end region of the elongate element opposite to that provided with the lug is provided with a handle which could take the form of a plastic sheath applied to the elongate element by dip-moulding.

The security device of the present invention is easy to carry in a pocket, handbag or brief case and is easy to fit as well as to release. The device of the present invention could be accommodated within a small wallet or pouch.

The security device of the present invention may also include a sliding spacing block having a slot in which a portion of the rigid elongate element may be accommodated. When present, a majority of the block preferably extends laterally on that side of the rigid elongate element opposite to the transverse lug. The block can be particularly useful where there is a particularly proud architrave on the door frame, or where the door handle is close to the edge of the door, in either of which cases it might be difficult to insert the peg into the exposed hole nearest to the lug. The block is slid along the rigid element in the direction of the lug until it abuts the door and the peg is then inserted in the exposed hole nearest to the block. When a block is present, a shorter peg can be used than is the case when a block is not employed.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 shows, in the upper part, a perspective view of the elongate element of one embodiment of the device according to the present invention ana, in the lower part, a side view of the peg; and Figure 2 shows views corresponding to those in Figure 1, but of a different embodiment.

The elongate element shown in Figure 1 the drawing takes the form of a strip 1 provided near one end region 2 with a lug 3 which extends perpendicularly with respect to the main body of the strip 1, the lug 3 being formed by being punched out of the main body of the strip so as to leave a rectangular hole 4.

Extending along a central line of the strip 1 is a plurality of holes 5, and at that end of the strip 1 opposite to the first-mentioned end 2 is an eye 6.

In the illustrated embodiment, the'peg of the security device takes the form of a peg 7 of circular cross section which tapers from one end 8 towards the opposite end 9, the peg 7 being provided at the larger end 8 with an eye 10. A flexible element 11, such as a flexible wire or a thin chain is connected at its opposite ends to the eye 6 and the eye 10 so as to reduce the likelihood of one component being misplaced with regard to the other.

In use, with the door of a room being at least partially opened into the room, the lug 3 of the strip 1 is inserted into the hole in the frame of the door and then the door (not shown) is closed, after which the peg 7 is inserted into that hole 5 which is fully exposed and closest to the door. Preferably the taper of the peg 7 and the size of the holes 5 are such that the peg 7 when pushed firmly into one of the holes 5 becomes wedged at about the mid-point of the peg 7.

The security device illustrated in the present invention could also have a plastic handle in that region of the strip 1 not provided with the holes 5 or the lug 3, which could be formed by dip-moulding, but such a handle is not shown.

The device illustrated in the drawings could have any dimensions compatible with conventional doors but, for instance, it is envisaged that the overall length of the strip 1 could be about lOOmm and that the width of the strip 1 could be about 20mm and the thickness of the strip be about 3mm. The lug 3 could extend a distance of 15mm from the main body of the strip 1.

The holes 5 could each have a diameter of Bmm, and there could be a spacing between each hole 5 and an adjacent hole 5 of Strip, as measured between the circumference of one hole and that of the neighbouring hole.

The peg 7 could have a diameter of 6mm at its narrow end 9 and a diameter of lOmm at its broader end 8. With the peg 7 having a uniform taper, it can be appreciated that, as the holes 5 have a diameter of 8mm, when the peg 7 is firmly lodged in a hole 5 approximately half of the peg 7 extends in opposite directions from the strip 1. The dimensions indicated above are given merely by way of illustration and the device of the present invention is in no way limited to these particular dimensions.

Referring now to Figure 2, the components numbered 1A to llA generally correspond to the components numbered 1 to 11, respectively, in Figure 1.

Additionally present in Figure 2A is e sliding spacing block 12A which has a slot 13A which allows the block 12A to slide along the strip 1A. The majority of the block 12A extends on that side of the strip 1A opposite to that on which the lug 3A is mounted. The peg 7A is shorter than the peg 7 shown in Figure 1, and the lug 3A is at that end of the hole 4A remote from the end 2A of the strip 1A.

Claims

1. A security device comprising: a rigid elongate element provided at or near one end region with a transverse lug and at another region with holes spaced apart in the direction of the length of the rigid elongate element; and a peg capable of being securely lodged in any of the holes so as to extend transversely with respect to the elongate element at least in the direction opposite to that of the lug.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the elongate element is a strip.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the strip is made of a steel.

4. A device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lug takes the form of a punched-out part of the strip.

5. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the holes in the elongate element are circular and the peg is circular in cross section.

6. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the peg tapers along its length so that, when the peg is securely lodged in any hole, approximately half of the peg extends on each side of the elongate element.

7. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the peg is attached by a flexible element to the rigid elongate element.

8. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein that end region of the elongate element opposite to that provided with the lug is provided with a handle.

9. A device according to any preceding claim, which also includes a sliding spacing block having a slot in which a portion of the rigid elongate element may be accommodated.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein a majority of the block extends laterally on that side of the rigid elongate element opposite to the transverse lug.

11. A security device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figure 1 or Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.