GB2310454A

GB2310454A - Reinforcing security plate arrangement for locks

Info

Publication number: GB2310454A
Application number: GB9701418A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Simon John Waddington; John Glenn Anthony
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-02-23
Filing date: 1997-01-24
Publication date: 1997-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 2017-01-24
Also published as: GB9701418D0; GB2310454B

Abstract

A lock protecting assembly comprises a lock protection plate 1 having a recessed part 13 for accommodating a projecting lock part 14 in a door panel 2 so as to overlie the lock. The recessed part has an aperture 17 for receiving a key. The plate has at last one first securing element 12, preferably a threaded stud welded to the back thereof and engageable with a securing means 3,9 on the other side of the door panel. A second securing element may comprise a backing plate 3, larger than the plate 3, securable to, and in face to face relation with a lock surrounding region of an inner face of the door panel, which backing plate has an aperture therein capable of allowing passage through the backing plate of a part of the lock protruding inwardly of the door panel.

Description

LOCK PROTECTION This invention relates to the protection of a lock, especially a vehicle door lock, from damage, tampering or removal in the event of an attempt to make a forced entry into the region covered by the lock.

Many locks, especially on vehicles, more especially on motor vehicle door and especially van doors, are easily susceptible to damage, tampering or even removal during an attempted forced entry. For example, a would-be thief can simply knock a hole in the door in the vicinity of the lock and either reach into the van to release the lock or remove it entirely. Another particularly common method of forced entry is to apply a force directly at the lock in the region of its keyhole, most locks being made of a relatively soft metal. This may not only release the lock but render it entirely useless. In any event, all these methods result in considerable damage normally not only to the lock but to the door itself.

It is known to secure to a door of a van, in an area immediately surrounding its lock, protective plating.

However, although this may deter piercing of the surrounding door skin, it will not prevent removal of the entire lock including its barrel assembly, by application of a force at the keyhole region.

In our corresponding UK patent application No.

9603860.1, we describe a lock protection plate which is adapted to cover not only the area of the doors kin surrounding the lock, but the entire lock, including its barrel; only a hole in the plate sufficiently large to receive a key of the lock remains to provide access to the lock.

According to one aspect of that invention, there is provided lock protection means for protecting a lock from damage, tampering or removal, which lock protection means comprises a lock protecting plate and, integral with the lock protecting plate, at least one first securing element co-operable with a or a respective second securing element, .which lock protecting plate is thereby securable, in a lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face contact with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doors kin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doors kin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, the recessed part of the plate having therein a keyhole orifice so as to allow passage through it of a key of the lock, and the or each first securing element being capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided therefor in the doors kin for cooperation with the or a respective second securing element rearwardly of the door, thereby enabling access thereto externally of the door to be prevented.

According to another aspect, that invention provides a method of protecting a lock from damage, tampering or removal, which method comprises: providing lock protection means comprising a lock protecting plate and, integral with the lock protecting plate, at least one first securing element co-operable with a or a respective second securing element, which lock protecting plate is thereby securable, in a lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face contact with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doors kin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doors kin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, the recessed part of the plate having therein a keyhole orifice so as to allow passage through it of a key of the lock, and the or each first securing element being capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided therefor in the doorskin for cooperation with the or a respective second securing element rearwardly of the door, thereby preventing access thereto externally of the door; providing, in the doorskin, in the vicinity of the lock, a or a respective aperture for receiving the or a respective first securing element; passing the or each said first securing element through the or a respective aperture in the doors kin; and effecting co-operation of the said first and second securing elements so as to secure the lock protecting plate in the said lock protecting position in face to face contact with the lock surrounding region of the outer face of the doors kin so as thereby to encase the lock within the recessed part of the plate, thereby protecting the lock from damage, tampering or removal.

According to a third aspect, that invention provides a lock protection assembly comprising: a lock protecting plate securable, in the lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face relation, preferably in face to face contact with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doors kin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doorskin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, which recessed part has, passing therethrough, a keyhole orifice capable of receiving a key of the lock to allow operation of the lock; integral with the lock protecting plate at least one first securing element capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided in the doors kin; a backing plate securable to, and in face to face relation with a lock surrounding region of an inner face of the doors kin, which backing plate has an aperture therein capable of allowing passage through the backing plate of a part of the lock protruding inwardly of the doors kin; and at least one second securing element, the or each second securing element being co-operable with the or a respective first securing element to secure the lock protecting plate in the lock protecting position; each of the said first and second securing means preferably being, when the lock protecting plate is in the said lock protecting position, inaccessible externally of the door.

Preferably, at least the lock protecting plate is removably securable, but only from a position rearwardly of the door. More preferably each of the lock protecting and backing plates are similarly removably securable. Indeed, it is preferred that the entire lock protection assembly be removably securable.

In a preferred embodiment, respective first securing elements are provided by a plurality of bolts integral with the lock protecting plate and extending outwardly from a face of the lock protecting plate so as to be capable of passage through respective apertures provided in the doors kin and respective second securing elements are nuts each co-operable with a respective bolt to secure the lock protecting plate from a position rearwardly of the door.

Still more preferably, the backing plate is provided with respective bolt holes capable of receiving the respective bolts integral with the lock protecting plate, whereby the nuts comprising the respective second elements are co-operable with the respective bolts to secure removably each of the lock protecting and backing plates.

Preferably, in order to provide the recess in the lock protecting plate for receiving the part of the lock projecting outwardly of the doorskin, the lock protecting plate is profiled so that a generally dish-shaped region containing the keyhole aperture lies out of the plane of a flat portion of the plate. This can be achieved by subjecting a flat plate to a pressing operation. In this embodiment, the entire plate will then be essentially of a constant thickness in both the profiled and plannar portions.

In one preferred embodiment, the recess in the lock protecting plate is profiled so that, when in the lock protecting position, the recessed part is in face to face contact with an outer face of the part of the lock protruding outwardly from the doors kin, while another preferred embodiment of lock protection assembly comprises additionally a sealing gasket sheet of, for example, a rubber material such as neoprene which can be fitted between an outer face of the doors kin and an inner face of the lock protecting plate. The gasket may be secured in position by providing in it bolt holes capable of receiving respective bolts integral with the lock protecting plate.

Thus, when fitting the lock protecting assembly, the gasket may be compressed between the doors kin and lock protecting plate to prevent substantial ingress of water or dirt between them, as well as rendering the assembly even less susceptible to tampering. The gasket may be provided with an aperture corresponding to the size of the keyhole orifice or may have a somewhat larger aperture therein so as to be disposed between the doors kin and the lock protecting plate but not so as to extend to a considerable extent into the recessed part of the lock protecting plate for receiving the barrel of the lock (although for improved sealing, it is preferred that there is at least some protrusion of gasket material at the periphery of the recessed portion).

In these embodiments, where the lock protecting plate is spaced from the outer face of the part of the lock protruding outwardly from the doorskin by at most the thickness of a compressed gasket, access through the keyhole orifice to a position between the lock and lock protecting plate is thereby prevented.

Additionally or alternatively, a sealing gasket may be provided for insertion between an internal face of the doorskin and the locking plate.

In the embodiment shown in our co-pending UK patent application No. 9603840.1, respective bolts have studs protruding externally of the lock protecting plate, to which they are welded.

However, more preferably, the bolts are welded only to an internal face of the plate so as to be entirely invisible externally of the door. Not only does this provide a more attractive lock protecting plate, but avoids identification of the securing points to a would-be thief.

Similarly, in our co-pending UK patent application No.

9603840.1, the keyhole orifice is a circular aperture.

However, more preferably, the keyhole is elongate and has an external profile corresponding generally to that of keys conventionally employed for the particular lock to be protected.

Again, in our co-pending UK patent application No.

9603840.1, the aperture in the backing plate for receiving a part of the lock protruding inwardly from the doors kin is circular. However, again, it is preferable to provide an aperture which conforms to the profile of the circumferential periphery of the lock barrel. Thus, in general, doorskins fitted with a lock have an aperture with a profile conforming to that of the external periphery of the lock barrel. Since these profiles are usually not circular, this prevents to some extent rotation of the lock within the aperture. However, if such a profiled aperture is also provided in the backing plate, this contributes considerably to strengthening the lock fitting so as to secure the lock against any attempt to rotate it and thereby provide a weakness enabling possible loosening of the lock fitting.

A lock protection assembly in accordance with the invention may be fitted around the lock of an undamaged doors kin and lock, but alternatively, it can serve as a repair kit for use in covering and thereby strengthening damaged parts of a doors kin surrounding a lock.

The lock protecting plate may be constructed from a material which is as hard and as thick as possible to prevent any access to the lock being achieved in the event of an attempted break-in.

Typically, the lock protecting plate is made from stainless steel which, for improved appearance, may be a brushed stainless steel. It may be of any desired thickness providing sufficient strength, for example from 1/20th of an inch up to 1/8th of an inch thick and, or example, 200 gauge steel, which may be for example "310 stainless" or "304 stainless" steel, this latter steel giving the advantage of annealing as a result of pressing.

Thus, the recess in the lock protecting pate is preferably provided by a pressing operation, so that when the recess is formed in a 304 stainless steel plate, this provides even greater strength around the recessed area.

Similar, the backing plate may be of any sufficiently hard material and of sufficient thickness to provide the required strengthening. However, here the material need not be quite as hard as that of the lock protecting plate, nor need it have such an attractive appearance.

Typically, the material may be of a mild steel, more typically a zinc coated mild steel and again the thickness may vary from 1/20th to 1/8th of an inch, more typically about 1/16th of an inch. Indeed "16 Zintex" had proved particularly suitable.

In a preferred lock protection assembly, the backing plate is longer and wider than the lock protecting plate.

Not only does this provide greater strength to the surrounding area from the rear, but actually contributes to preventing access to the lock from the outside when attempts are made to prise off the lock protecting plate or drill through the doorskin in the surrounding region.

Especially preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an enlarged sectional view, taken along the line A-A of Fig. 2, of a lock protecting assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, which assembly is in part-assembled condition, so as more clearly to illustrate its respective components; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lock protection assembly of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates a lock protection assembly in accordance with the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, fitted to the rear door of a van; Fig. 4 illustrates a lock protection assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention fitted to a side door of the van shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 illustrates a section, taken on the line B-B of Fig. 4;; Fig. 6 illustrates a lock protecting plate of a lock protection assembly in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 7 illustrates a backing plate of a lock protection assembly for use, for example, with the lock protecting plate shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now to Fig. 1, this shows an enlarged sectional view of a lock protection assembly in partassembled condition. The lock protection assembly is fitted to a doors kin 2 carrying a lock (the construction of which is omitted for clarity), generally indicated as 15, having a key receiving portion 14 protruding externally of the doors kin 2 and a barrel portion 4 extending rearwardly of the doorskin and passing through an aperture 16 provided in the doorskin 2 to fit the lock 15. The locking plate assembly comprises a lock protecting plate 1, of, for example, heavy duty stainless steel having drilled through it, in its corner regions, respective bolt holes 11 (see Fig. 2), which receive respective bolts, generally indicated as 12, which are first elements of securing means cooperable with second securing elements provided by locking nuts 9. Each of the locking nuts 9 may be provided, at an axial end of the unit, with a radially inwardly projecting flange capable of defining a seat for an annular washer, fitted internally of the nut, capable of frictional engagement with the screw threaded stud part 18 of a bolt 12 and thereby fixing more securely the nut in its intended position. Typically, such washers are of plastics material, for example, those known as "Nyloc" washers. The bolt head 22 provides a flange projecting radially outwardly of the stud part 18 and in face to face contact with an external face of the lock protecting plate 1. The bolt head flanges are preferably welded to the external face of the lock protecting plate 1 to prevent access to the bolts 12.

The lock protecting plate 1 has, pressed in it, a recessed portion 13, profiled to receive the key receiving portion 14 of the lock 15, protruding externally of the doorskin 2. The recessed portion 13 of the lock protecting plate 1 has a keyhole orifice 17 provided in it to allow access to the lock 15.

The lock protection assembly additionally comprises a backing plate 3, made, for example, from heavy duty sheet steel. The backing plate 3 also has, at its corner regions, bolt holes (not shown), which also receive respective stud parts 18 of bolts 12, and a central aperture 20 through which the barrel portion 4 of the lock 15 passes.

Fitting the assembly around the lock can be achieved by firstly passing the stud parts 18 of the bolts 12 through respective bolt holes 11 in the locking plate 1 until the locking plate 1 lies in face to face contact with an external surface of the doorskin 2. From the rear, the backing plate 3 may then be pushed towards an internal surface of the doors kin 2 so that respective stud parts 18 pass through respective bolt holes in the backing plate 3 and barrel part 4 of the lock passes through aperture 20 provided in the backing plate 3. Thus, the backing plate 3 can be pushed into face to face contact with the internal surface of the doorskin 2.The locking nuts 9 can then be fitted and screwed onto respective screw threaded stud parts 18 of bolts 12 so as to compress the assembly, with respective lock protecting plate 1 and backing plate 3 in firm face to face contact with respective external and internal faces of the doorskin 2. In this condition, recessed portion 13 of lock protecting plate 1 will also be in face to face contact with external portion 14 of the lock 15, again preventing access, for example, through keyhole 17, to a region between the recessed portion 13 of the lock protecting plate 1 and external portion 14 of the lock 15. This gives even greater security against an attempted break-in.

As can be seem from Figs. 1 and 2, the backing plate 3 is both longer and wider than the backing plate 2 in order to provide greater strengthening and indeed extend, cost effectively, the region around the lock at which a would-be thief might be prevented from gaining access.

It can be seen that with this locking device, the lock and its surrounding region of the doors kin are completely encased with a profile-pressed, lock-encasing heavy duty stainless steel plate with oversized heavy duty backing plate, fixed with stainless steel security bolts and locking nuts. By application of such a lock protection assembly, not only can theft from a vehicle be prevented, but the assembly serves as a clearly visible deterrent against such possible theft. This is clearly evident from Fig. 3, which shows a lock protection assembly, generally indicated as 6, in the assembled condition on a rear door of a van, for example a Ford Transit.

The style of the plate and indeed the profile of the assembly can be altered at will, in dependence upon the type and make of vehicle or the profile of the door to which it is to be fitted.

For example, when such a lock protection assembly is to be fitted to a side door of a van such as that shown in Fig. 3, it can be fitted in the manner shown in Fig. 4, where a lock protection assembly is generally indicated as 7.

A particular form of a lock protection assembly for such a purpose is shown in Fig. 5, from which it can be seen that the lock protecting plate 1 is profiled so as to provide a U-section portion 21 capable of fitting around an external periphery of a doorskin 2 of a side door.

In the lock protection assemblies described above, the bolts 12 include bolt heads 22 protruding externally of the lock protecting plate 1. However, these identify to a would-be thief a possible point of weakening. Thus, a more preferred lock protecting plate 1 has no bolt holes 11; it merely has stud parts 18, welded at corner regions of the lock protecting plate, to its internal face. Not only does this construction avoid possible identification by a wouldbe thief of possible weakening parts, but also improves appearance, which appearance can also be further improved by providing the plate with rounded corners. Such a construction of plate is shown in Fig. 6.

The plate shown in Fig. 6 also has a keyhole portion 25 profiled more closely to the shape of a key for a lock so as to limit access to the lock still further.

Typically, such a plate is of 16S gauge stainless steel.

Typical dimensions of such a lock protecting plate 1 are 6" x 3", with studs fitted h" away from respective longitudinal edges and lk" away from respective lateral edges. A typical recessed portion will be centrally disposed and about lk" in diameter. A somewhat narrower plate might have lateral edges 2k" long, with the stud parts being place h" away from respective longitudinal, and " away from respective, lateral edges.

It is often the case that vans, such as Ford Transit vans, have doors, doorskins of which have a laterally extending elongate recessed portion 28 at a region where locks are to be fitted. It is then preferably to profile the backing plate 3 so that it can lie in face to face relationship with such a profiled doorskin. Such a backing plate 3 is shown in Fig. 7, which also shows a typical profile of a lock barrel receiving aperture 30, which may be provided in the region indicated by arrow 32. In this manner, the aperture can be profiled so as to conform exactly with that of the external periphery of the lock barrel 4, thus further lending greater strength to the entire assembly. A typical size for such a backing plate is 7" x 4".

Thus, embodiments of the invention may provide security plate to fit all door locks on a variety of vehicles. The lock protecting plate of such an assembly may be made of heavy duty stainless steel and fit closely over the locks, allowing access through only a keyhole.

However, the assembly may be easily disassembled from the interior (only) of the vehicle.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Lock protection means for protecting a lock from damage, tampering or removal, which lock protection means comprises a lock protecting plate and, integral with the lock protecting plate, at least one first securing element co-operable with a or a respective second securing element, which lock protecting plate is thereby securable, in a lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face contact with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doors kin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doors kin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, the recessed part of the plate having therein a keyhole orifice so as to allow passage through it of a key of the lock, and the or each first securing element being capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided there for in the doors kin for cooperation with the or a respective second securing element rearwardly of the door.

2. Lock protection means according to claim 1, wherein the or each first, and the or each second, securing elements, when secured to a door, are invisible externally of the door.

3. Lock protection means according to claim 2, wherein the lock protecting plate is of stainless steel.

4. Lock protection means according to any preceding claim, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. A lock protection assembly comprising: a lock protecting plate securable, in a lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face relation with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doors kin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doors kin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, which recessed part has, passing therethrough, a keyhole orifice capable of receiving a key of the lock to allow operation of the lock; integral with the lock protecting plate at least one first securing element capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided in the doorskin;; a backing plate securable to, and in face to face relation with a lock surrounding region of an inner face of the doors kin, which backing plate has an aperture therein capable of allowing passage through the backing plate of a part of the lock protruding inwardly of the doors kin; and at least one second securing element, the or each second securing element being co-operable with the or a respective first securing element to secure the lock protecting plate in the lock protecting position.

6. A lock protection assembly according to claim 5, wherein each of the said first and second securing means, when the lock protecting plate is in the said lock protecting position, is inaccessible and invisible externally of the door.

7. A lock protection assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least the lock protecting plate is removably securable to the doorskin.

8. A lock protection assembly according to claim 7, wherein the entire lock protection assembly is removably securable to the doors kin.

9. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 8, which comprises additionally a sealing gasket capable of insertion between an outer face of the doors kin and an inner face of the lock protecting plate, which gasket has an aperture therein for access through the keyhole orifice in the lock protecting plate to a lock.

10. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein respective said first securing elements are provided by a plurality of bolts integral with the lock protecting plate and extending outwardly from a face of the lock protecting plate so as to be capable of passage through respective apertures provided in the doors kin and respective said second securing elements are nuts each co-operable with a respective bolt to secure the lock protecting plate from a position rearwardly of the door.

11. A lock protection assembly according to claim 10, as appendant to claim 9, wherein the gasket additionally has bolt holes therethrough for receiving respective said bolts, whereby on tightening the nuts for securing in position the lock protection assembly, the gasket is compressed into sealing engagement between the doors kin and the lock protecting plate.

12. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the bolts are welded only to the internal face of the lock protecting plate so that, when the lock protection assembly is fitted to a door, the bolts are entirely invisible externally of the door.

13. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the lock protecting plate is of stainless steel.

14. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 13, wherein the said aperture in the backing plate is profiled for conformity with an external periphery of or lock barrel to pass therethrough.

15. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 14, wherein the backing plate is longer and wider than the lock protecting plate.

16. A lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 15 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of protecting a lock from damage, tampering or removal, which method comprises: providing lock protection means comprising a lock protecting plate and, integral with the lock protecting plate, at least one first securing element co-operable with a or a respective second securing element, which lock protecting plate is thereby securable, in a lock protecting position in the vicinity of the lock, to, and in face to face contact with, a lock surrounding region of an outer face of a doorskin of a door carrying the lock, which plate has therein a recessed part capable, when the plate is in the lock protecting position, of receiving a part of the lock projecting outwardly from the doorskin, whereby the plate overlies the lock, the recessed part of the plate having therein a keyhole orifice so as to allow passage through it of a key of the lock, and the or each first securing element being capable of passage through a or a respective aperture provided therefor in the doors kin for cooperation with the or a respective second securing element rearwardly of the door, thereby preventing access thereto externally of the door; providing, in the doors kin, in the vicinity of the lock, a or a respective aperture for receiving the or a respective first securing element; passing the or each said first securing element through the or a respective aperture in the doors kin; and effecting co-operation of the said first and second securing elements so as to secure the lock protecting plate in the said lock protecting position in face to face contact with the lock surrounding region of the outer face of the doors kin so as thereby to encase the lock within the recessed part of the plate, thereby protecting the lock from damage, tampering or removal.

18. Use for protection of a lock from damage, tampering or removal, of lock protection means according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

19. Use, as a kit for protection of a lock from damage, tampering or removal, of a lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 15.

20. Use, for repairing a doorskin damaged in a region surrounding a lock, of lock protection means according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

21. Use, as a kit for repairing a doorskin damaged in a region surrounding a lock, of a lock protection assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 15.