GB2425291A

GB2425291A - Anti-theft security device for trailers

Info

Publication number: GB2425291A
Application number: GB0507870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James George
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-04-19
Filing date: 2005-04-19
Publication date: 2006-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2025-04-19
Also published as: GB2425291B; GB0507870D0

Abstract

An anti-theft security device for trailers comprises a multi-walled housing (10) having one open wall (12). The housing (10) is, in use, to complementarily fit over, through the open wall (12), at least the front part (14) of a draw bar arrangement (16) of a trailer (18) including a conjoint and a plate (20) with a ball socket hitch (22) fastened thereto and thereat being locked to the draw bar arrangement (16) to prevent removal therefrom of the ball socket hitch (22). The housing (10) has two vertically-spaced walls (24A, 24B). Both are similarly of substantially triangular shape in plan with an apex truncated. The base of the shape is the open wall (12) and a wall surround (26) extends around between the vertically-spaced walls (24A, 24B).

Description

1 2425291

ANTI-THEFT SECURITY DEVICE FOR TRAILERS

This invention relates to an anti-theft security device for trailers, that is any wheeled vehicle to be towed behind a powered vehicle such as a platformed vehicle, a horse box, or a caravan. A majority of trailers have a draw bar arrangement at its front end comprising two elongate members converging together towards and being secured together at their conjoint at the front of a trailer in the direction of intended forward travel. A mounting is provided at the conjoint to which a ball socket hitch is secured by fasteners, such as bolts. One or more braces are provided between the two elongate members on which a jockey wheel arrangement is mounted and/or a hand brake of.a.:.

braking arrangement, the wheel being capable of being raised out of contact with a road surface: * :* when coupled to a powered vehicle or being lowered into contact with the road surface prior to being decoupled or unhitched from the powered vehicle. : is Trailers, particularly at this time, have become an easy target for thieves since there is a * S S...

booming market for second-hand trailers. While there are means available to secure or disable ball socket hitches and therefore prevent unauthorised removal of trailers, the thieves now simply remove the fastenings of the plate and conjoint, separate the existing plate with the ball socket hitch and replace with one of their own plate with ball socket hitches. This can be achieved in a short period of time. Accordingly, there is a problem in making secure trailers from unauthorised removal.

An object of the present invention is to obviate or mitigate the problem.

Accordingly, the present invention is an anti-theft security device for trailers, the device comprising a multi-walled housing having one open wall, the housing being, in use, to complementarily fit over, through the open wall, at least the front part of a draw bar arrangement of a trailer including a conjoint and a plate with ball socket hitch fastened thereto and thereat being locked to the draw bar arrangement to prevent removal thereform of the ball socket hitch.

Preferably, the housing has two vertically-spaced walls, both being similarly of substantially triangular shape in plan with the apex truncated and the base being the open wall and a wall surround extending around between the vertically-spaced walls.

Preferably also, the walls and wall surround are welded together and a grip handle is provided extending upwardly from the upper wall adjacent to the base. A lifting flange may be provided at the top of the wall surround at the truncated apex.

Preferably further, a lock mechanism is provided in the upper wall. The lock mechanism desirably has a casing standing proud of the upper wall with a bolt held captive in one lateral side and movable between a locking inward position and an unlocked outward position. A locking bar, desirably having a handgrip at its upper end and an aperture spaced downwardly therefrom, is preferably provided to pass through a slot in the upper side of the casing, the aperture being provided, when the bar is fully home, to be entered by the bolt, the bottom of the bar engaging * * position restraining means preventing longitudinal movement of the housing. A key operating a:. *.*.

locking arm to engage the inner end of the bolt when in a locked inward position is beneficially provided. *.*.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with S...

reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- .. *... S...

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a front end of a trailer having a drawbar arrangement; .. : Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a security device according to the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device fitted to the drawbar.

Referring to the drawings, an anti-theft security device is provided for trailers. The Device comprises a multi-walled housing 10 having one open wall 12. The housing 10 is, in use, to complementarily fit over through the open wall 12, the front part 14 of a draw bar arrangement 16 of a trailer 18 including a conjoint and a plate 20 with ball socket hitch 22 fastened thereto and thereat being locked to the draw bar arrangement 16 to prevent removal therefrom of the ball socket hitch 22.

The housing 10 has two vertically-spaced walls 24A, 24B, both being similarly of substantially triangular shape in plan with the apex truncated. The base is the open wall 12 and a wall surround 26 extending around between the vertically-spaced walls 24A, 24B.

The walls 24 and wall surround 26 are welded together and a grip handle 28 is provided extending upwardly from the upper wall 24A adjacent to the base. A lifting flange 30 is provided at the top of the wall surround 26 at the truncated apex.

A lock mechanism is provided in the upper wall 24A. The lock mechanism has a casing 32 standing proud of the upper wall 24A with a bolt 34 held captive in one lateral side of the casing 32. The bolt 34 is movable between a locking inward position and an unlocked outward position. A locking bar 36, having a handgrip 38 at its upper end and an aperture 40 spaced downwardly thereform is provided to pass through a slot 42 in the upper side of the casing 32. The aperture 40 being provided, when the bar is fully home, to be entered by the bolt, the bottom of the bar * * S.....

engaging position restraining means preventing longitudinal movement of the housing 10. A ker: 44 operating a locking arm (not shown) is provided to engage the inner end of the bolt 34 when in a fully locked inward position. The housing 10 extends over the front end of the draw bar S...

arrangement 16 stopping short of a jockey wheel and brake on the arrangement 16.

Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the inventicr* S...

above described. .. :

Claims

1. An anti-theft security device for trailers comprising a multi-walled housing having one open wall, the housing being, in use, to complementarily fit over, through the open wall, at least the front part of a draw bar arrangement of a trailer including a conjoint and a plate with a ball socket hitch fastened thereto and thereat being locked to the draw bar arrangement to prevent removal therefrom of the ball socket hitch.

2. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the housing has two vertically- 1*sS spaced walls, both being similarly of substantially triangular shape in plan with an apex truncated and a base of the shape being the open wall and a wall surround extending around between the vertically-spaced walls. a as. a...

3 An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the walls and wall surround ara.ms' 5.4.

welded together and a grip handle is provided extending upwardly from the upper wall.. : adjacent to the base.

4. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein a lifting flange is provided at the top of the wall surround at the truncated apex.

5. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claims 3 or 4, wherein a lock mechanism is provided in the upper wall.

6. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the lock mechanism has a casing standing proud of the upper wall with a bolt held captive in one lateral side and movable between a locking inward position and an unlocked outward position.

7. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 6, wherein a locking bar, uprightly oriented, has a handgrip at its upper end and an aperture spaced downwardly therefrom and is provided to pass through a slot in the upper side of the casing, the aperture being s provided when the bar is fully engaged through the slot to be entered by inward movement of the bolt, the bottom of the bar engaging position restraining means preventing longitudinal movement of the housing.

8. An anti-theft security device as claimed in Claim 7, wherein a key operating a locking arm is provided to engage the inner end of the bolt when in a locked inward position.

I..,,. * p,

9. An anti-theft security device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. -pp * A IbIS S. *

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