GB2279859A

GB2279859A - Anti-theft device for saddles

Info

Publication number: GB2279859A
Application number: GB9314587A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sarah Jane Sandford; Daren Lee Blackburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-14
Filing date: 1993-07-14
Publication date: 1995-01-18
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-14
Also published as: GB2279859B; GB9314587D0

Abstract

A wall-mountable anti-theft device for saddles comprises a mounting plate 1 (Fig. 4) having a pair of upstanding lugs 2 supporting a pivot pin (3). A stop plate (6) rests against the mounting plate (1) to hold the bar 4 horizontal, and in this position also protects the heads of the screws or bolts which secure the mounting plate 1 to the wall. A cage 9 comprises a hollow rectangular tube 10 which receives the bar 4 as a sliding fit. Steel rods 11 extend from the tube 10 to form a series of protective frames which surround and confine the saddle on the saddle rack. A push lock (12), having a slidable lock barrel with a pin attached to the end thereof, can be pushed in its cylindrical surround so that the pin engages one of a series of holes 8 drilled through the bar 4. The whole assembly when not in use may be pivoted upwardly into a vertical rest position against the wall, where a slot (5) permits the bar 4, and the cage portion 9 fixed thereto, to drop slightly so that the bar 4 and cage portion 9 are retained safely in the vertical rest position until it is slightly lifted. <IMAGE>

Description

ANTI-THEFT DEVICE FOR SADDLES Field of the Invention The invention relates to an anti-theft device for preventing removal of a saddle from a saddle rack of the type comprising a support member extending from a wall mounting bracket.

Background to the Invention When not in use, saddles are conveniently stored on saddle racks, which typically consist of a shaped framework, for example of thin steel rods, extending from a wall mounting bracket. Since saddles are relatively high value items, there is an increasing problem of their theft from tack rooms and other stores located with stables away from the owner's house. Additionally, thefts can occur from unattended horse boxes, for example at shows and other horse events.

Devices have been proposed to increase the security of storing of saddles. These typically involve hinged frames with securing chains and padlocks. These are not only difficult to use, but are also relatively easily breached to permit theft of the saddle, for example by cutting the chain.

Summary of the Invention The present invention provides an anti-theft device for preventing removal of a saddle from a saddle rack of the type comprising a support member extending from a wall mounting bracket, the device comprising a fixed portion mountable on the wall adjacent to the saddle rack and extendible outwardly from the wall, and a removable cage portion arranged to surround and enclose at least a part of the saddle on the rack, the cage portion being slidably mountable onto the fixed portion, and locking means being provided to secure the fixed portion and the cage portion together.

The fixed portion may be pivotable to a rest position against the wall, when not required, in order not to interfere with placing and removing of the saddle on the saddle rack.

The cage portion is preferably provided with an arm which is a telescopic fit on to the fixed portion. The locking means may then be a push lock in the arm, engaging one of a series of holes in the fixed portion, to permit adjustment to confine the saddle closely.

Parts of the cage portion which come into contact with the saddle, in use, are preferably covered in a protective layer of expanded plastics material or the like in order to prevent the possibility of damaging the saddle when fitting or removing the cage portion.

The anti-theft device of the invention is simple and convenient to install and remove and provides a high degree of security for the saddle on the saddle rack.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation showing in broken lines the telescoping and pivoting actions of the cage portion; Figure 3 is a top plan view; Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the pivot and lock of the device shown in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a side elevation of a saddle on a saddle rack protected by the device of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments The fixed portion comprises a mounting plate 1 for attachment to the wall by screws or bolts and having upstanding therefrom a pair of lugs 2 between which extends a pivot pin 3. A bar 4 is provided with a slot 5 through which the pivot pin 3 passes, the bar also carrying a rectangular stop plate 6 which is connected to the bar by a triangular web 7 and which rests against the mounting plate 1 to hold the bar 4 horizontal. The stop plate 6 in this position also covers the heads of the screws or bolts which secure the mounting plate 1 to the wall, thus preventing them from being removed. The bar 4 has a series of holes 8 drilled therethrough selectively engageable by a locking pin in the cage portion as hereinafter described.

The cage portion 9 comprises a hollow rectangular tube 10 which can receive the bar 4 as a sliding fit therein.

Steel rods 11 extend from the tube 10 downwardly and outwardly so as to form a.series of protective frames which surround the saddle on the saddle rack, in use, as described hereinafter with reference to Figure 5. A push lock 12, for example of the type aving a slidable lock barrel with a pin attached to the end thereof which can be pushed in its cylindrical surround so that the pin engages one of the holes 8 in the bar 4, the barrel becoming locked in its depressed position until released by means of a key.

As may be seen from Figure 2, the whole assembly may be pivoted upwardly into a position against the wall when not in use, for convenience and storage. The use of the slot 5 means that the bar 4, and the cage portion 9 fixed thereto, will drop slightly when in its vertical position so that the pivot pin 3 rests in the opposite end of the slot. This means that the bar 4 and cage portion 9 cannot pivot back to the horizontal position unless it is first lifted slightly, and it is thus normally held in the vertical position safely.

Figure 5 shows the device in use. The steel bars 11 are covered with a protective layer of a foam plastics or rubber material to avoid the risk of damage to the saddle 13 mounted on a conventional saddle rack 14 extending from the wall 15. To secure the saddle in position, the cage portion 9 is first removed from the fixed portion to permit the saddle 13 to be put in place on the saddle rack 14. The cage portion 9 is then telescopically fitted on to the bar 4 and is pushed inwardly towards the wall 15 until the frames formed by the rods 11 closely confine the saddle 13 and make its removal from the saddle rack impossible. The lock 12 is then engaged with the nearest of the holes 8 to lock the cage portion 9 in position. To remove the saddle, the lock is simply released by means of a key and the cage portion pulled clear.

Claims

1. An anti-theft device, for preventing unauthorised removal of a saddle from a saddle rack of the type comprising a saddle-support member extending from a wall-mounting bracket, the device comprising a fixed portion mountable on a wall adjacent to the saddle rack so as to extend outwardly from the wall, and a removable cage portion arranged to surround and confine at least a part of a saddle on the rack, the cage portion being slidably mountable onto the fixed portion, and locking means capable of securing the fixed portion and cage portion together in its saddlesurrounding position.

2. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 1, in which the fixed portion, when not required for preventing removal of the saddle, is pivotable to a rest position against the wall, in order not to interfere with the placing of the saddle on the saddle rack and its removal therefrom.

3. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 2, in which the pivotable fixed jportion includes means for disengagably retaining it in the rest position.

4. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the fixed portion in use is supported in the horizontal position by a stop plate which protects the heads of the screws or bolts that attach the device to the wall, which however are exposed when the fixed portion is in the rest position.

5. An anti-theft device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the cage portion is provided with an arm which is a telescopic fit onto the fixed portion, and the locking means is a push lock in the arm, able to engage any of a series of holes disposed in the fixed portion, to permit telescopic adjustment of the cage portion relative to the fixed portion so as to confine the saddle closely.

6. An anti-theft device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which those parts of the cage portion which when in use come into contact with the saddle are covered in a protective layer such as to prevent the possibility of damaging the saddle when fitting or removing the cage portion.

7. An anti-theft device as claimed in claim 6, in which the protective layer is formed of expanded plastics material.

8. An anti-theft device as claimed in any of the preceding claims and substantially as herein described.

9. An anti-theft device, for preventing unauthorised removal of a saddle from a saddle rack of the type comprising a saddle-support member extending from a wall-mounting bracket, substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.