GB2410037A

GB2410037A - Security anchor for securing personal possessions

Info

Publication number: GB2410037A
Application number: GB0401041A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Bush
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-01-17
Filing date: 2004-01-17
Publication date: 2005-07-20
Also published as: GB0401041D0

Abstract

A portable security anchor 10 having a first member 12 to be inserted into the ground, a second member 14, which is coupled to the first member and has removal means, attachment means for securing articles and a lock which prevents movement of the anchor. An alarm triggered by movement of the first or second member may be employed in association with the lock, or in a further invention, as an alternative to the lock. Preferably the first member 12 comprises an auger 18, 20 and is coupled by a shaft 16 to the second member which comprises a handle 24 and body 22. The shaft 16 may be surrounded by a sleeve. When locked, preferably a user cannot rotate the auger 20. The lock may comprise a recess (32, fig 5a) and cylindrical protrusion (34, fig 5a) and be attached to shaft 16 and handle 24 respectively. Part of the lock may comprise a toothed wheel. A button (40, fig 5a) may disengage the lock which may be a barrel lock 42 (not shown).

Description

24 1 0037 Security Anchor The present invention relates to a portable

security anchoring device for securing valuables to the ground.

The theft of portable valuables is an ever increasing problem, particularly from owners during recreational activities on beaches or in the countryside. Loss of valuables often results from opportunist thieves. An aim of the present invention is to provide a device that conveniently allows one or more items of value to be temporarily secured to the ground in such a way as to deter theft. A further aim is to provide means of alerting an owner if such a device is being tampered with.

In one aspect the invention comprises a portable security anchoring device for securing valuables to the ground comprising a first member adapted to be inserted into the ground coupled to a second member having removal means; attachment means adapted to facilitate the securing of one or more articles to the first or second member; and a lock such that when the lock is in a first state a user may, using the second member, apply leverage or a twisting force to the first member to assist its insertion or removal from the ground and when the lock is in a second state a user may not apply such leverage or twisting force to the first member.

Preferably the first member comprises an auger, a screw shaped blade or the like. Preferably the second member comprises a handle. Preferably the first member is coupled to the second member by a shaft as this provides a convenient way of using the handle to apply a torque to the first member. The shaft may at least in part be surrounded by a loose sleeve member; this helps prevent removal of the device by means of a grip attached to the top end of the shaft.

Preferably, when the lock is open a user may rotate the first member about an axis using the second member, but cannot do so when the lock is closed. The device may have a first locking member attached directly or indirectly to the first member that operably engages a second locking member attached directly or indirectly to the handle portion. Thus, the device is conveniently locked by allowing the handle portion to freely rotate; normally about the rotational axis of the auger or screw blade. The first locking member may have at least one recess or protrusion that engages a protrusion or recess in the second locking member; preferably the protrusion is cylindrical in shape and the recess presents a circular aperture.

The first locking member may comprise a wheel and the wheel may have teeth. The first and second locking members may in use be separated by depressing a button; preferably there are bias means acting between the first and second locking members. The lock may comprise a key operated barrel lock. Optionally, an alarm may be triggered by movement of the device, and preferably such an alarm is activated when the lock is closed. The alarm may comprise a module that may be attached or detached from the device when the lock is open. This allows such a feature to be supplied as an extra facility.

In another aspect the invention comprises a portable security anchoring device for securing valuables to the ground comprising a first member adapted to be inserted into the ground and a second member having attachment means adapted to facilitate the securing of one or more articles to the first or second member and an alarm triggered by movement of the first or second member.

The invention will now be described by reference to the following diagrammatic drawings in which: Figures la to to shows a plan view, a side view, and an end view respectively of a first embodiment of the invention; Figures 2 shows a perspective view of the device of Figure 1 with the handle extended and without an alarm; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a device according to the invention with an alarm module fitted; Figures 4 shows a plan view of the upper part of the device of Figure 3; and Figures Sa and 5b show side views of the device of Figure 3 in the locked position and the unlocked position respectively.

A first embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 3. Referring to Figures l(a) to l(c), the security anchoring device 10 comprises a first member 12 and a second member 14.

First member 12 comprises a shaft 16 with a point 18 at the lower end and also with a helical blade 20 integrally formed about the lower portion of shaft 16. The upper end of shaft 16 is coupled to second member 14. Second member 14 comprises a body portion 22 from which a handle 24 extends. In use, handle 22 normally extends in a direction that is generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis A-A' of shaft 12, as shown in Figures l(a) and l(b).

FIandle 24 may pivot about its fixed end so that it lies in a plane generally parallel to axis A-A' (as shown in Figure 3); this facilitates packaging and storage of the device when not in use. The handle 24 is formed from a circular bar bent at the free end to form a closed loop; this provides one means of securing a valuable item to the device.

Figures 4 and S show how handle 24 is attached by pivot 28 to the main body portion 22. In this embodiment a locking mechanism is housed within the main body portion. When locked this allows a user to apply torque to shaft 12, during insertion and removal of the device from the ground, using handle 24. When unlocked, handle 24 may freely rotate about axis AA', thus preventing an insertion or removal torque being applied to the device. In this embodiment the above locking function is provided by a first locking member 28 fixed to the upper end of shaft 16; and a second locking member 30 fixed to handle 16 and main body portion 22. First locking member 28 has a cylindrically shaped recess 32 in the lower face and second locking member 30 has a corresponding cylindrically shaped protuberance 34. Pivot 28 is held between arms 36 of the second locking member, these arms providing a generally U-shaped mount for the pivot 28. 30. In the unlocked state cylindrical protuberance 32 mates with recess 32 as the two locking members are forced together by the biasing action of a spring 38 (see Figure 5(a)); this prevents handle 16 rotating relative to shaft 16 and so allows torque to be applied to blade 20 via the shaft 16. When the device is in a locked state the second locking member is pushed downward away from the first locking member (see Figure 5(b)) thus separating protuberance 34 from recess 32 and thereby allowing the handle 24, pivot 28, second locking member 30 and the main body 22 all to rotate freely about axis A-A' of shaft 16 and thus prevent a user applying torque to shaft 16 by handle 24. The second locking member is separated from the first locking member in this way by depressing a locking button 40 against the biasing action of a spring 38. Once so depressed button 34 is held in this position through the action of barrel lock 42; unless a key is used to open barrel lock 42 and thus release locking button 40.

In use, security anchoring device 10 is unlocked as described above and then point 18 of shaft 16 is pushed into the ground; for example soil or sand, and handle 24 is used to apply torque to the shaft so that blade 20 screws into the ground and this action is continued until the bottom of the main body portion 22 is just above ground level. The device is then locked as described above; thus preventing removal of the device by use of handle 24. However, the device may easily be removed by unlocking so that an unwinding torque may be applied to shaft 16 and blade 20 using handle 24.

While the shaft 16 is preferably circular in cross section this is not essential; for example a square or hexagonal cross section could be used. Blade 22 may take a number of forms (for example; helical and spiral shaped screw threads about a shaft or corkscrew type helix) that provide the function of ensuring that shaft 16 ascends/descends into the ground as the shaft is rotated.

The locking portion may differ from the arrangement described above providing it functions to allow second member 14 to apply torque to blade 22 when in the unlocked state and prevents this when locked.

While it is much preferred to have a shaft 16 connecting the handle and main body to the blade 22 other arrangements where this connection is provided by a body member that is not a shaft are possible.

Optionally an alarm device may be fitted to the above described embodiment. The alarm may be triggered by tilt or movement of the device whilst locked; for example by rotation of the handle and main body or by appreciable shaking of the device. The alarm may have a tie member; for example a flexible securing cable; in which case severing of such a member may also trigger the alarm. Once triggered the alarm would alert the owner; for example by propagating of an audible, visible or electromagnetic signal. The alarm may be adapted for modular attachment to the main body member. The alarm may be activated by a lock on the device. For example, as a lock member moves during locking contacts may abut to complete an electrical circuit that makes the alarm active, so that it is triggered by movement. If the alarm comprises a separate module electrical connection to the anchor device may be made through a set of touching contacts. If the lock is modular it is preferable that it can only be attached and detached from the anchor device when a lock is open. Optionally, the lock may be arranged so that when it is closed a user may, using the second member, apply leverage or a twisting force to the first member to assist its insertion but not its removal; for example by the use of a ratchet device.

A second embodiment of the invention comprises an anchor device for insertion within the ground the upper end of the ground device having attachment means that allow a user to conveniently secure valuables thereto; for example using a chain, a cable or the like. The device has an alarm triggered by tilt or movement; for example, by rotation of a handle. The alarm may be activated by a lock on the device. For example, as a lock member moves during locking contacts may abut to complete an electrical circuit that makes the alarm active, so that it is triggered by movement. If the alarm comprises a separate module electrical connection to the anchor device may be made through a set of touching contacts. If the lock is modular it is preferable that it can only be attached and detached from the anchor device when a lock is open. In other respects the second embodiment may incorporate some or all of the features of the first embodiment as described above.

Claims

Claims 1. A portable security anchoring device for securing valuables to

the ground comprising a first member adapted to be inserted into the ground coupled to a second member having removal means; attachment means adapted to facilitate the securing of one or more articles to the first or second member; and a lock such that when the lock is in a first state a user may, using the second member, apply leverage or a twisting force to the first member to assist its insertion or removal from the ground and when the lock is in a second state a user may not apply such leverage or twisting force to the first member.
2. A portable security anchoring device for securing valuables to the ground comprising a first member adapted to be inserted into the ground and a second member having attachment means adapted to facilitate the securing of one or more articles to the first or second member and an alarm that is triggered by movement of the first or second member.
3. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the first member comprises an auger or screw shaped blade.
4. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the second member comprises a handle.
5. A device according to Claim I or 2 wherein the first member is coupled to the second member by a shaft.
6. A device according to Claim 5 wherein the shaft is surrounded by a loose sleeve member.
7. A device according to any of Claims 1 and 3 to 6 wherein when the lock is open a user may rotate the first member about an axis using the second member but cannot do so when the lock is in the second state.
8. A device according to any of Claims I and 3 to 7 wherein a first locking member attached directly or indirectly to the first member operably engages a second locking member attached directly or indirectly to the handle portion.
9. A device according to Claim 7 or 8 wherein the first locking member has at least one recess or protrusion that engages a protrusion or recess in the second locking member.
10. A device according to Claim 8 wherein the protrusion is cylindrical in shape and the recess presents a circular aperture.
11. A device according to Claim 8 wherein the first locking member comprises a wheel.
12. A device according to Claim 11 wherein the wheel has teeth.
13. A device according to any of Claims 8 to 12 wherein a button is depressed to operably disengage the first and second locking members.
14. A device according to any of Claims 8 to 13 wherein bias means are provided between the first and second locking members.
15. A device according to any of Claims 8 to 14 comprising a barrel lock.
16. A device according to any preceding claim comprising an alarm triggered by movement of the device.
17. A device according to Claim 16 wherein the alarm is activated when the lock is in the second state.
18. A device according to Claims 16 or 17 wherein the alarm is modular and adapted for attachment to the second member.
19. A device according to Claims 18 wherein the alarm module may only be attached or detached from the device when the lock is in the first state.
20. A device according to any preceding claim wherein the attachment means comprise a lock and the alarm is activated by operation of the lock.