GB2292129A - Locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking device (20) for inhibiting relative rotation between a bicycle frame (11) and a steering stem (15) comprises a housing (26) secured to the frame (11) and a collet (22) secured to the steering stem (15). The housing (26) has a lock (28) housed in it. A pin (30) passes through a hole (27) in the housing (26) and engages with a recess (24) in the collet (22). When the lock (28) is engaged, a locking element (29) enters into a groove (31) in the pin (30), thus locking all relatively rotatable members together and stopping the pin (30) from being removed. <IMAGE>

Description

Description of Invention This invention relates to a locking device and more particularly but not exclusively to a locking device to immobilise a pedal cycle and prevent the pedal cycle been ridden away.

Conventionally cycle locks comprise chains with padlocks the chain being passed around a part of the cycle such as a wheel an/or part of the frame, and preferably also around a fixed structure such as a railing or lamppost.

Cycle locks are also known which are mounted on the frame of the cycle and have one or more locking elements which, when the lock is actuated, engage with a wheel to prevent free rotation of the wheel.

According to one aspect of the invention I provide a locking device for inhibiting rotation between inner and outer relatively rotatable members, comprising a first member adapted to be secured for rotation with the inner relatively rotatable member, a housing adapted to be secured for rotation with the outer relatively rotatable member, a locking member engageable in recesses in the first member and the housing to prevent relative rotation between the inner and outer members, and a locking means which when actuated moves a locking element which engages with the locking member to prevent withdrawal of the locking member from the recesses.

According to a second aspect of the invention I provide a cycle having a locking device according to the first aspect of the invention, the first member being secured to or integral with a member which rotates with the front forks of the cycle as the handlebars are turned which comprises the inner relatively rotatable member and the housing being secured to or integral with a tubular frame part which comprises the outer relatively rotatable member.

However, the locking device of the first aspect of the invention is not limited to use with cycles and may be used in other suitable applications as desired.

Preferably the inner and outer relatively rotatable members are generally concentric.

Where the invention is applied to a cycle, the inner relatively rotatable member may comprise a stem to which the handlebars are attached. The outer relatively rotatable member may comprise a steering column.

The first member may be a sleeve and may be secured to the inner relatively rotatable member by fixing means in the form of a collet.

The collet may comprise one or more recesses with which, or with any selected one of which, the locking member is also engageable. This would prevent rotation of the collet and removal of the locking device from its position.

The locking element, when the locking means is actuated, may also engage with the outer relatively rotatable member to ensure that the locking device cannot be removed from the cycle.

Preferably the locking means is a key-operated lock and when unlocked, i.e. when the locking element is not moved into engagement with the formation in the locking pin, the key is entrapped in the lock. However, other forms of locking means such as a combination lock may be provided.

The device may further comprise an elongate flexible member such as a strap, cable, chain or similar connected at or adjacent to one end to the housing or sleeve and at or towards the other end to the locking member. In use the elongate flexible member may be passed through a wheel of the cycle and/or round a fixed item such as a lamppost to improve the security of the cycle.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an illustrative side view of part of a cycle to which a locking device in accordance to the invention is applied; Figure 2 is a front view of the locking device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the locking device of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a cycle 10 comprising a frame 11 including a cross bar 12 and a lower frame part 13 which extends between a steering column 14 and the pedals of the cycle (not shown).

Each frame part 12, 13, 14 comprises a generally tubular member.

The steering column frame part 14 receives therein a hollow spindle (not shown) which is secured to a stem 15 to which handlebars are rigidly connected, and the front fork assembly 16 which supports a front wheel 17 of the cycle. Thus steering of the cycle can be effected by turning the handlebars and hence the stem 15, about an axis A, rotational movement being transmitted via the spindle to the forks 16 and thus to the wheel 17. The stem 15 is attached to the spindle by means of a locking nut arrangement (not shown) located at the lower end of the stem 15, in the usual way.

A locking device 20 comprises a first member in the form of a sleeve 21 which is adapted to be received concentrically around the stem 15 and the upper portion of the steering column 14 thus covering the upper end of the steering column frame part 14. The sleeve 21 is held in place by a fixing means in the form of a collet 22 located in a recess 23 in the sleeve 21. The collet 22 includes around its circumference a number of grooves 24 running substantially parallel to the stem 15. The sleeve 21 further comprises a hole 25 which intersects with the recess 23 and with which, at any one time, one of the grooves 24 may be aligned.

The locking device 20 further comprises a housing 26 which includes a ring formation 26a which passes around the sleeve 21, two flanges 26b which in use are located one either side of the cross bar 12, three holes 27 which may be aligned with the hole 25, and a locking means in the form of a key-operated lock 28.

The locking device 20 further comprises a locking member in the form of a pin 30 which may be engaged with a selected groove 24 and hole 25 and a selected hole 27, thus preventing relative rotation between the sleeve 21 and housing 26. The locking pin 30 incorporates a groove formation 31 towards its lower end.

The lock 28 comprises a locking element 29, which, when the lock 28 is actuated is rotated in an anti-clockwise manner as viewed in Figure 3. When the lock 28 is unlocked, the locking element 29 is rotated in a clockwise manner as viewed in Figure 3. Preferably the lock 28 is of the type which when unlocked, the key is retained within the lock. The lock 28 is accommodated in a position such that when the locking element 29 is rotated anti-clockwise, the locking element 29 is engaged in the formation 31 of the pin 30 and also beneath a bearing ring conventionally provided at the top end of the steering column frame part 14. This prevents removal of the locking pin 30 from the locking device 20.

It also ensures that the locking device 20 cannot be removed from the cycle when the lock 28 is actuated.

The locking device 20 is installed on the cycle 10 as follows. The stem 15 is removed, the sleeve 21 is slid over the stem 15 and the stem 15 is replaced in the steering column 14. The sleeve 21 is then slid down the stem 15 until it is in place over and around the top end of the steering column frame part 14 and the collet 22 is tightened to retain the locking device 20 in place.

As now fitted the sleeve 21 rotates with the handlebars, stem 15, fork assembly 16 and wheel 17 whilst the housing 26 stays fixed with the frame 11.

The flanges 26b engage with the cross bar 12 to prevent the housing 26 rotating with the stem 15.

The locking device 20 is operated as follows. When the cycle 10 is to be locked up, the handlebars are turned such that the hole 25 in the sleeve 21 and hole 27 in the housing 26 are aligned. The collet 22 must be tightened such that one of the grooves 24 is also aligned with the hole 25 in the sleeve 21. The locking pin 30 is then inserted into the hole 25 and a selected hole 27 engaging also in a groove 24. This prevents relative rotation of the sleeve 21 and housing 26 and thus of the stem 15, fork assembly 16 and wheel 17 relative to the frame 11. To prevent removal of the locking pin 31 the lock 28 is actuated such that the locking element 29 is rotated and engages with the groove formation 31 in the pin 30.In this locked position the locking element 29 also extends underneath the bearing ring at the top end of the steering column 14 to ensure that the locking device 20 is retained in its position even if the handlebars are forcibly removed from the cycle.

If desired, to improve the security of the locking device 20 it may be secured to the cross bar 12 by means of a fastener such as a padlock passed through holes in the flanges 26d.

The locking device 20 may further comprise a flexible elongate member such as a strap (not shown) which may be made of metal, or a suitable strong plastics material in the form of a cable or chain. The strap may be securely fastened to the sleeve 21 or housing 26 at one end and securely fastened to or integrally formed with the pin 30 at the other end and being long enough to pass around a fixed object such as a post, and/or through a wheel of the cycle, to prevent the cycle being carried away.

In place of a key-operated lock 28 in which the key is retained relative to the lock when unlocked, an alternative type of lock could be provided.

However the key-operated lock 28 described with reference to the drawings provides a simple and economical lock. Alternatively, a combination or other kind of lock may be provided if desired.

A spanner, adapted for operation of the collet 22, may be provided as an integral part of the locking device 20. Preferably it would be constructed such that it could not be removed from the device 20 and, when not in use, would be stowed in a recess in the device 20.

Although the invention has been described with reference to preventing relative rotational movement between a frame part, i.e. steering column 14, and the handlebar stem 15 of a cycle, it will be appreciated that the invention may be applied to restrain relative rotation between any other twO inner and outer relatively rotatable preferably generally concentric members of the cycle 10 or any other kind of cycle, i.e. having more than two wheels, or in any other suitable application.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (2)

Claims

1. or Fig

2. of the accompanying drawings.

A cycle having a locking device according to anyone of the preceding chime. The housing of the locking device can be rotrotted to c cycle and not being attached to the crossbar.

1/. Alocking device for inhiblting r@lative rotation beb@@@@n inner and outer r@iatlve members, comprising of a housing which can be retrofitted on a pedai cycl@ etc. The housing comprises of a lock that when a pin is inserted through inner and outer relative members and when locking element is engaged. traps pin in holes and stops inner and outer relative members torn turning etc.

A device according to claim 1/. wherein the outer reiative member comprises of a housing which can be retrofitted to a cycl@ which houses a locking @l@ment.

A device according to claim 1/. 2/. wherein housing passes e ither side of a cycie frame.

A device according to claim 1/. 2/. 3/. wherein housing pases over handie bar stem.

A device according to claim U. wherein inner locking element can be retrofitted to cycle stem, which when fitted to stem, turn..

A device according to claim 4/. 5/. wherein inner locking element has holes for pin location and when aigned with holes in outer housing, enables pin to be inserted.

A device according to claim 6/. wherein a removable pin, that when passed through inner and outer rotatable members stops the tuming.

A device according to claim Sf. 7J. wherein locking pin can be held In place and stopped from being removed by locking element.

A device according to any one of the preceding claims whrein the lock element is o pin and can be removed from the cycle when not in use which inhibits any locking ainction from keywhen pin Is not engaged.

A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there Is provided r detachable strap which can be secured by both ends to pin in lock.

A Locking device substantialy as herein before described with reference to and as shown in Fig.