GB2289452A

GB2289452A - Vehicle clamps

Info

Publication number: GB2289452A
Application number: GB9409838A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Maurice Owen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-05-17
Filing date: 1994-05-17
Publication date: 1995-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2014-05-17
Also published as: GB2289452B; GB9409838D0

Abstract

A vehicle clamp 1, for immovably securing a vehicle to the ground to prevent it being stolen, comprises a base plate having holes for bolts for securing the clamp to the ground, front and rear walls 4 and 5 fixed to the base plate and inner and outer side walls 6 and 7 fixed to the base plate. The front and rear walls 4 and 5 extend to the front and to the rear of one ground-engaging wheel of the vehicle when the wheel is supported on the base plate and are lockable in the upright position to prevent the wheel from being moved forwards or backwards, whilst being pivotable downwardly when unlocked to a position permitting the wheel to be driven onto or off the base plate. The inner side wall 6 is arranged to lie along the inside of the wheel, and the outer side wall 7 is arranged to lie alongside the outside of the wheel to prevent the wheel from being removed from the vehicle. <IMAGE>

Description

vehicle clamps" This invention relates to vehicle clamps, and is concerned more particularly, but not exclusively, with such clamps for immovably securing a vehicle, such as an all terrain vehicle (ATV), to the ground to prevent it being stolen.

ATVs are small four wheel drive vehicles which are intended for off-road use and which have the advantage that they can be used on soft or delicate ground and can be manoeuvred in small spaces. ATVs have high torque engines and are thus capable of pulling heavy loads, and have many agricultural uses as well as being suitable for use in the maintenance of golf courses and other sports grounds.

Such ATVs are at particular risk of being stolen in view of their high value and small size. It is known to clamp such a vehicle to the ground when not in use by securing one wheel of the vehicle to a locking frame which is immovably secured to the ground. However, in a number of instances, vehicles secured in this manner have been stolen after removing the locked wheel from the vehicle so that only the locked wheel is left behind attached to the clamp.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved vehicle clamp which is capable of securing a vehicle in a more reliable manner.

According to the present invention there is provided a vehicle clamp for securing a vehicle in position comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to the ground, front and rear walls fixed to the base plate and arranged to extend to the front and to the rear of one ground-engaging wheel of the vehicle when the wheel is supported on the base plate to prevent the wheel from being moved forwards or backwards, at least one of the front and rear walls being movable to a position permitting the wheel to be driven onto the base plate, and an outer side wall fixed to the base plate and arranged to lie alongside the outside of the wheel to prevent the wheel from being removed from the vehicle.

Such a vehicle clamp is capable of immobilising a vehicle, such as an ATV, by securing one of the wheels of the vehicle relative to the ground such that, once the vehicle wheel is contained within the clamp, forward or backward movement of the vehicle is prevented by the front and rear walls of the clamp, and furthermore removal of the clamped wheel from the vehicle to enable the vehicle to be stolen is prevented by the outer side wall of the clamp.

Preferably the clamp also has an inner side wall fixed to the base plate and arranged to lie alongside the inside of the wheel. The inner side wall may be shaped to guide the wheel as it is driven onto the base plate so that the outside of the wheel lies closely alongside the outer side wall in its final secure position.

Furthermore it is preferred that the outer side wall is movable between an open position allowing access to the outside of the wheel and a closed position in which it lies alongside the outside of the wheel and prevents the wheel from being removed from the vehicle.

Advantageously the outer side wall is provided with guard means, such as a protective collar, on its inside surface which is adapted to shield the hub of the wheel when the outer side wall is in its closed position to prevent access to the outside of the wheel to remove the wheel from the vehicle.

At least one of the front and rear walls is conveniently pivotally connected to the base plate so as to be pivotable between a ground-engaging position in which it permits the wheel to be driven over it onto the base plate and an upright position in which it prevents the wheel from being driven back off the base plate.

KFurthermore the outer side wall is conveniently pivotally connected to the base plate so as to be pivotable between a ground-engaging position and an upright position in which it lies alongside the outside of the wheel.

Locking means, such as at least one key-operated disc lock, is also advantageously provided for locking at least one of the front and rear walls, and preferably also the outer side wall, in an upright position. For example a respective lock may be provided for locking the outer side wall to the front wall and the outer side wall to the rear wall.

It is also advantageous if the base plate is provided with at least one hole permitting the base plate to be secured to the ground by at least one bolt and positioned so that it is covered by the wheel when secured within the clamp.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, a preferred vehicle clamp in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp from one side; Figure 2 is a view of the clamp from above; Figure 3 is a view of the clamp from one side with the outer side wall lowered; and Figures 4 and 5 show a lock for use in the clamp in its open and closed positions.

The illustrated vehicle clamp, which is fabricated from steel plate, is intended for securing an ATV against theft by immobilising one of the wheels of the vehicle, generally one of the front wheels, after the wheel has been driven into the clamp.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the clamp 1 comprises a base plate 2 having four holes 3 for bolts for securing the clamp to the ground, for example by being secured within a concrete base, front and rear walls 4 and 5, an inner side wall 6 and an outer side wall 7. The front wall 4 and the inner side wall 6 are fixedly connected to one another and to the base plate 2 by welding, whereas the rear wall 5 and the outer side wall 7 are connected to the base plate 2 by hinges 8 and 9 so as to be pivotable from the upright positions shown to positions in which they lie substantially flat in engagement with the ground.

A guard in the form of a collar 10 is welded to the inside of the outer side wall 7 for surrounding the hub of the wheel when the outer side wall 7 is in its upright position, and a triangular bracing plate 11 is welded to the base plate 2 and the front wall 4. Furthermore two disc locks 12 and 13 are welded to the inside of the outer side wall 7 for locking engagement with respective apertured securing members 14 and 15 welded to the rear wall 5 and the front wall 4, each of the locks 12 and 13 having a portion extending through the outer side wall 7 so as to be operable by a key inserted into the lock portion from outside the outer side wall 7. Cover plates 16 and 17 are also welded to the front and rear walls 4 and 5 to prevent any tampering with the locking bolts of the locks 12 and 13, and collars 21 and 22 are welded to the outside of the outer side wall 7 to prevent a key received in either of the locks 12 and 13 from being broken off when the outer side wall 7 is layed on the ground.

In order to immobilise a vehicle so that it cannot be stolen, one of the front wheels of the vehicle is driven onto the base plate 2 with both the rear wall 5 and the outer side wall 7 pivoted downwardly so as to lie flat against the ground. As the vehicle wheel is driven over the rear wall 5 and onto the base plate 2, it is guided by the inner side wall 6, which is inclined inwardly relative to the outer side wall 7, so that the wheel will lie in the required position relative to the outer side wall 7 when it engages the front wall 4. When so positioned the wheel overlies the holes 3 in the base plate 2 and thus prevents access to the bolts securing the clamp to the ground.

After the wheel has been moved into the required position, the rear wall 5 is pivoted upwardly into its upright position in which it prevents the wheel from being moved back off the base plate 2, and the outer side wall 7 is similarly pivoted into its upright position in which the collar 10 is moved over the hub of the wheel and prevents the wheel from being removed from the vehicle (even if it were possible to gain access to the wheel nuts in order to unscrew them).

When the rear wall 5 and the outer side wall 7 are in their upright positions, the two locks 12 and 13 are positioned in relation to the securing members 14 and 15 as shown in Figure 4, and each lock may be operated by inserting a key into a keyhole 18 in order to cause the bolt 19 of the lock to pass through the aperture 20 in the securing member 14 or 15, as shown in Figure 5. On removal of the key from each lock 12, 13, it will be appreciated that the rear wall 5 and outer side wall 7 are locked in their upright positions, and the vehicle cannot subsequently be removed from the clamp other than by unlocking of the locks 12 and 13 and downward pivoting of the outer side wall 7 and rear wall 5 prior to reversing of the vehicle so as to move the vehicle wheel back off the base plate 2.

Claims

1. A vehicle clamp for securing a vehicle in position comprising a base plate adapted to be secured to the ground, front and rear walls fixed to the base plate and arranged to extend to the front and to the rear of one ground-engaging wheel of the vehicle when the wheel is supported on the base plate to prevent the wheel from being moved forwards or backwards, at least one of the front and rear walls being movable to a position permitting the wheel to be driven onto the base plate, and an outer side wall fixed to the base plate and arranged to lie alongside the outside of the wheel to prevent the wheel from being removed from the vehicle.

2. A vehicle clamp according to claim 1, having an inner side wall fixed to the base plate and arranged to lie alongside the inside of the wheel.

3. A vehicle clamp according to claim 2, wherein the inner side wall is shaped to guide the wheel as it is driven onto the base plate so that the outside of the wheel lies closely alongside the outer side wall in its final secure position.

4. A vehicle clamp according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the outer side wall is movable between an open position allowing access to the outside of the wheel and a closed position in which it lies alongside the outside of the wheel and prevents the wheel from being removed from the vehicle.

5. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer side wall is provided with guard means on its inside surface which is adapted to shield the hub of the wheel when the outer side wall is in its closed position to prevent access to the outside of the wheel to remove the wheel from the vehicle.

6. A vehicle clamp according to claim 5, wherein the guard means is a protective collar.

7. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the front and rear walls is pivotally connected to the base plate so as to be pivotable between a ground-engaging position in which it permits the wheel to be driven over it onto the base plate and an upright position in which it prevents the wheel from being driven back off the base plate.

8. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer side wall is pivotally connected to the base plate so as to be pivotable between a ground-engaging position and an upright position in which it lies alongside the outside of the wheel.

9. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein locking means is provided for locking at least one of the front and rear walls in an upright position.

10. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein locking means is provided for locking the outer side wall in an upright position.

11. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein a respective lock is provided for locking the outer side wall to the front wall and the outer side wall to the rear wall.

12. A vehicle clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the base plate is provided with at least one hole permitting the base plate to be secured to the ground by at least one bolt and positioned so that it is covered by the wheel when secured within the clamp.

13. A vehicle clamp substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.