GB2336820A

GB2336820A - Improvements relating to vehicle security

Info

Publication number: GB2336820A
Application number: GB9809269A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy Edward Dainty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-05-01
Filing date: 1998-05-01
Publication date: 1999-11-03
Also published as: GB9809269D0

Abstract

A vehicle security device comprising a pedal linking portion (6) and a base portion (4), the base portion (4) having recess means (18,20,22) and locking means (26 Fig 4), the recess means (18,20,22) being adapted to receive a portion of the pedal linking means (6) inside the base portion (4) and the locking means being adapted to releasably connect the pedal linking portion (6) to the base portion (4) by co-operating with the portion of the pedal linking portion (6) inside the base. The device, in use, links two pedals of a vehicle together thus disabling the vehicle.

Description

2336820 1 IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO VEHICLE SECURITY This invention relates

to the provision of a vehicle security device, sometimes known as a crook lock, and the provision of a new method of 5 securing a vehicle.

It is known that vehicles, being high value mobile goods, are at risk of being stolen. It is also known to provide mechanical devices which attempt to immobilise the controls of a vehicle in such a manner as to make the vehicle unusable.

US4076095 discloses a device which connects together two foot pedals of a vehicle. Two bars extend around the pedals (one above and one below the pedal) thus clamping the pedals together.

USS094092 shows a device wherein the three foot pedals of a vehicle are connected together by a bar formed in two portions. The portions can be locked together thus linking the three pedals together and thus immobilising the vehicle.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle security device comprising a pedal linking portion and a base portion, the base portion having recess means and locking means, the recess means being adapted to receive a portion of the pedal linking 25 portion inside the base portion and the locking means being adapted to releasably connect the pedal linking portion to the base portion by co-operating with the portion of the pedal linking portion inside the base portion.

2 An advantage of such a device is that the interaction between the base portion and the pedal linking portion occurs inside the base portion. Such concealment of the interaction is beneficial in that it makes tampering with the device harder: a person trying to remove the device cannot see how the two portions interact.

Such a device also does not have any portions of significant length which in other devices provide large leverage which can be utilised by parties trying to forcibly remove the device. The present: device may, 10 thus, be more secure than other known devices.

Preferably the pedal linking portion is adapted, in use, to connect two pedals of a vehicle together. As such the device may then be used on vehicles with both automatic and manual transmissions.

is Conveniently, the pedal linking portion may be substantially in the shape of an "E". The three arms of the "E" of the pedal linking portion may be received within the base portion.

The device may be adapted, in use, to receive pedals of the vehicle on which the device is being used within holes formed b&ween the base portion and the rear of the "E" shaped pedal linking portion when the three arms of the "E" are received within the base portion.

Conveniently the pedal linking portion may be fabricated from a sheet of material.

The base portion may comprise a substantially three dimensional rectangle which may be tubular. End plates may be provided at end 30 regions of the tube.

3 The locking means may comprise a pin. The pin may be axially moveable relative to the base portion. In use, the pin may be adapted to pass through the pedal linking portion once the pedal linking means is inserted into the base portion.

The locking means may comprise a "C" shaped lock so utilising a locking means which is commercially available.

Preferably the pedal linking means is adapted to be received into the "C" shaped locking means.

The pin of the locking means may pass between the two end portions of the "C" shaped lock..

Preferably the device is fabricated from steel, being a material which is easy to manipulate but which is tough enough to resist tampering.

An end portion of the pin may be provided with a retaining means which may be a groove, thus providing a way of retaining the pin in position.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of securing a vehicle comprising linking at least two pedals of the vehicle together using a locking device as defined according to the first aspect of the invention.

Preferably, but not necessarily the method is provided to secure a commercial vehicle.

4 The method may comprise the steps of:

1. removing the pedal linking portion from the base portion; 2. placing the pedal linking portion around at least two of the pedals; 3. inserting the pedal linking portion into the base portion; and 4. locking the pedal linking portion into the base portion using the locking means.

A specific example of the invention will now be described with 15 reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a device according to the present invention with a pedal linking portion inserted into the base portion; Figure 2 shows the device of Figure 1 with the pedal linking portion removed from the base portion; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the device of Figures 1 and 2 with the pedal linking portion omitted; and Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the base portion of the device as shown in the previous Figures.

The device 2 of Figure 1 has a base portion 4 and a pedal linking portion 6 releasably connected to the base portion 4.

The pedal linking portion 6 is more clearly seen in Figure 2 and comprises an "E" shaped member cut from 1Omm steel plate. At an end portion of the central arm of the "E" there is provided a hole 8 passing entirely through the "E" shaped member. The portions 10 of the rear of the "E" shaped member between the arms are shown as being curved so reducing the shear stresses at the corners. However, this need not be the case and angular, or right angled corners may be provided.

The base portion 4, most clearly seen in Figure 4 comprises a section of 4mm walled square section tube 12. Although not shown in the Figures the corner portions of the tube 12 are rounded to reduce shear stresses. An end plate 14, 16 is attached to each end of the tube 12 in this case by welding. Thus, an enclosed box is formed. " On a top-most face of the base portion 4 three holes (or recess means) 18, 20, 22 have been cut entirely through the tube forming ducts into the inside of the enclosed box. The holes 18, 20, 22 are formed such that the arms of the "E" shaped pedal linking portion can be received.

A side face of the tube 12 has a cut away portion 24 for the entire of the tube allowing access to the inside of the enclosed box.

A "C" shaped locking means 26 is positioned inside the enclosed box so that the opening of the "C" is positioned below the hole 20 in the upper surface of the tube 12 so that the pedal linking means can be received.

6 The locking means 26 has a pin 28 which passes through a first arm 30 of the locking means 26. The pin 28 can freely slide axially with respect to the locking means 26, and also therefore with respect to the base portion 4.

The pin 28 is received in an opening 31 in a second arm 32 of the "C" shaped locking means 26 and this passes between end portions of the two arms 30,32. A lock is provided within the second arm 32 such that when the pin 28 is inserted into the second arm 32 it is automatically locked in place and a key (not shown) must be used to release the pin 28. A hole 34 (Figures 1 and 2) is provided in the tube 12 adjacent the second arm 32 to allow a key to be inserted into the locking means 26 to operate the lock 26.

The pin 28 has a groove (not shown) or retaining means at an end portion 29 which is adapted to be received inside the second arm 32 and engages the lock.

A section of channel 36 is welded to the tube 1.2 to cover the opening 24. Thus there is no access to the inside of the tube accept through the holes 18, 20, 22. A hole 38 is provided in the channel 36 to allow the pin 28 to protrude through the channel 36.

When the pedal linking portion 6 is inserted into the base portion 4 the hole 8 in the central arm of the "E" is aligned so that the pin 28 can pass through the pedal linking portion 6.

In operation the user turns a key in the locking means 26 to release the pin 28 from the second arm 32 of the locking means 26. The pin is sprung so that it is ejected from the second arm 32 and thus, once 7 released, an end of the pin 28 projects from the hole 38 in the channel 36. The user can then pull the pin 28 so that it is pulled clear of the central arm of the "E" shaped pedal linking portion 6 which is then released from the base portion 4.

It should be noted that when the pin 28 is inserted into the second arm 32 of the locking means 26 the pin 28 does not protrude from the channel 36 so that it cannot be gripped or tampered with. Further, the pin 28 is retained in the first arm 30 of the locking means 26 and cannot be pulled completely free.

Once the pedal linking means 6 is freed from the base portion 4 the user places the pedal linking portion 6 around two of the pedals which helshe is trying to secure. The arms of the pedal linking portion 6 are then reinserted into the holes 18, 20, 22 of the base portion 4. The pin 28 is pushed through the hole 8 in the central arm of the pedal linking portion 6 (thus co-operating with the peal linking portion) and into the second arm 32 of the locking means 26 where it is automatically locked into position.

The pedals of the vehicle are now linked together and cannot be operated independently of one another. Since this is a requirement of operating the vehicle, the vehicle is immobilised.

8

Claims

1. A vehicle security device comprising a pedal linking portion and a base portion, the base portion having recess means and locking means, the recess means being adapted to receive a portion of the pedal linking portion inside the base portion and the locking means being adapted to releasably connect the pedal linking portion to the base portion by cooperating with the portion of the pedal linking portion inside the base portion.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the pedal linking portion is adapted, in use, to connect two pedals of a vehicle together.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the pedal linking 15 portion is substantially in the shape of an "E".

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein the three arms of the "E" of the pedal linking portion are received within the base portion.

5. A device according to claim 3 or claim 4 which is adapted, in use, to receive pedals of the vehicle on which the.device is being used within holes formed between the base portion and the rear of the "E" shaped pedal linking portion when the three arms of the "E" are received within the base portion.

6. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the pedal linking portion is fabricated from a sheet of material.

7. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the base portion 30 comprises a substantially three-dimensional rectangle.

9

8. A device according to claim 7 in which the base portion is tubular.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein end plates are provided at end regions of the tube.

10. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the locking means comprises a pin.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the pin is axially movable relative to the base portion.

12. A device according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein, in use, the pin is adapted to pass through the pedal linking portion once the pedal linking 15 means is inserted into the base portion.

13. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the locking means comprises a "C" shaped lock.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the pedal linking means is adapted to be received into the "C" shaped locking means.

15. A device according to claim 13 or claim 14 as they depend directly or indirectly from claim 10 wherein the pin of the locking means passes between the two end portions of the "C" shaped lock.

16. A device according to any preceding claim which is fabricated substantially from steel.

17. A device according to claim 10 wherein an end portion of the pin is provided with a retaining means.

18. A method of securing a vehicle comprising linking at least two pedals of the vehicle together using a locking device as defined in any of claims 1 to 17.

19. A method according to claim 18 which is used to secure a commercial vehicle.

20. A method according to claim 18 or claim 19 which comprises the steps of:

(i) removing the pedal linking portion from the base portion; (ii) placing the pedal linking portion around at least two of the pedals; (iii) inserting the pedal linking portion into the base portion; and (iv) locking the pedal linking portion into the base portion using the locking means.

21. A vehicle security device substantially as described herein with 20 reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of securing a vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.