GB2565616A

GB2565616A - Security device

Info

Publication number: GB2565616A
Application number: GB1804298.6A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Byfield Michael
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-07-20
Filing date: 2018-03-16
Publication date: 2019-02-20
Also published as: GB201804298D0; GB2564692A; GB201711667D0

Abstract

A security device 100 suitable for securing an object, such as an item 110 to be left unattended by a delivery person, comprises a receiving member 140 (such as a cuff), an outer plate 160, an inner plate 170, a cable 125 and a cable latching mechanism 176. The cable latching mechanism receives the cable and allows the cable to be drawn through in one direction, whilst resisting movement in the opposite direction. The cable extends from a user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the outer plate, the inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, the inner plate, the outer plate and the receiving member. The cable has an engaging element 130 that engages a portion of an object to be secured, which may be a flexible sack 105. Pulling the user engagement end 180 of the cable draws the cable through the security device and draws the engaging element into the receiving member to retain the portion of the object to be secured within the receiving member. The device may comprise a hollow extension tube 150 that extends from one end of the receiving member such that the cable extends through the hollow core between the receiving member and the outer plate.

Description

SECURITY DEVICE

The present invention relates to the field of security devices and in particular to devices for securing items to be left unattended by a delivery person.

Conventionally when a delivery company is tasked with delivering an article to a recipient, if it is small enough, it will be put through the letter box. However, if the parcel is too large to fit through the letter box, then the delivery driver may knock on the door of the recipient and hand the parcel to them, perhaps after obtaining a signature or some other evidence of delivery. If the recipient is not at home, then the delivery driver may leave a card to advise the recipient that they have a delivery waiting for them. Alternatively, the delivery driver may leave the parcel at an alternative location such as with a neighbour or perhaps at the back of the house etc.

If the parcel is taken away by the delivery driver, the recipient will typically have to rearrange a delivery or perhaps collect it from a central office. This can be inconvenient for the recipient who may be at work during normal delivery hours and so may have to take time off work or make other arrangements. It is also undesirable for the delivery company, if the parcel is returned with the driver as it requires them to either provide a collection facility or to have to arrange a further delivery.

If the parcel is left behind then there is a security risk as the parcel might be seen by a passer-by and the parcel may be stolen. If the parcel is left with a neighbour, this may generally be safe from theft but is still an inconvenience for the neighbour, who may not be happy to be disturbed to receive the parcel and again when the recipient comes to collect it. It will also inconvenience the driver who has to take the parcel to the neighbour, explain the situation and potentially obtain information for verification purposes. It may also be inconvenient for the recipient who will have to retrieve the parcel from the neighbour, who may not be in when they visit.

Other options include using third party recipients such as local shops or post offices or even publicly located lockers, where the parcel is left so that it can be collected by the recipient at a convenient time. However, whilst these may provide a reliable and secure method of delivery, they may still require the recipient to travel to collect their item. There will also be a cost associated with this which must be borne either by the recipient or by the sender.

As a result there is a general difficulty in reliably delivering parcels, in a timely and costeffective manner to a recipient’s premises and in a way which is secure, when they are not there to receive them.

The present invention sets out to overcome or at least ameliorate the problems with the existing delivery systems.

Therefore according to the present invention there is provided a security device for securing an object, comprising: a receiving member; an outer plate; an inner plate; a cable latching mechanism arranged for receiving a cable and for allowing the cable to be drawn through in one direction and resisting movement in the opposite direction; and a cable arranged to extend from a user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the outer plate, the inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, the inner plate, the outer plate and the receiving member, wherein the cable is provided with an engaging element arranged to engage a portion of an object to be secured, wherein pulling the user engagement end of the cable draws the cable through the security device and draws the engaging element into the receiving member to retain said portion of an object to be secured within said receiving member.

The above arrangement provides a means for securing an object to a door or other object with a suitable orifice. Once attached to the door by passing the inner plate and latching mechanism through, the security device can be configured such the object is securely attached to the security device and that the security device cannot be removed from the door again without being able to access the cable latching mechanism. As the latching mechanism is on the inside of the door, this can only be done by a person able to access the inside of the door, typically the owner or resident of the house in which the door is located. This allows the object to be left in the security device attached to the door to prevent its removal other than by someone with access to the property.

The security device preferably includes an extension tube having a hollow core and extending from one end of the receiving member, wherein the cable is arranged to extend through the hollow core of the extension tube between the receiving member and the outer plate. This allows the receiving member and hence the object to be secured to be positioned away from the orifice, e.g. a letter box. This allows the object to be positioned on the ground for example, so that it is not hanging from the door and does not obstruct access to the door.

The receiving member is preferably configured like a cuff. For example, it may be formed as a generally thin cylindrical or conical walled sleeve or surface which defines a volume within it, similar to a shirt cuff. The walls of the sleeve may be parallel having a substantially cylindrical form or may be divergent forming a widening or narrowing mouth having a conical form. The receiving member may take other forms such as a sleeve where opposite walls are arranged closer together to form a relatively narrow slot-like passage with one dimension significantly larger than the other.

The extension tube is preferably substantially axially incompressible. This helps to prevent the tension in the cable from being alleviated in order to try to remove the security device.

The cable may extend along the extension tube between the user engagement end and the outer plate.

The receiving member may have a frusto-conical profile with the cross sectional area increasing towards the end nearest the engaging element. The engaging element is preferably sized such that it can pass into the receiving member up to a point where the dimensions of the engaging element correspond to the dimension of the receiving member. This prevents further movement and allows the tension in the cable to be applied and maintained.

The action of drawing the engaging element into the receiving member generally allows access to the engaging member and anything attached to it, to be restricted due to the receiving member surrounding it.

Preferably, the inner plate includes a first hole and a second hole such that the cable passes from the user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the outer plate, the second hole in said inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, and the first hole in the inner plate.

The outer plate may include a first hole and a second hole wherein the cable passes from the user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the second hole in the outer plate, the inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, the inner plate, and the first hole in the outer plate.

Preferably, the latching mechanism is mounted on said inner plate. This provides a means of securing the latching mechanism on the inside of the door and securely mounting it to allow easy access for the recipient once inside the door. This also allows the latching mechanism to bear the load in the cable against the inner plate.

The inner plate may include a guide channel for carrying the cable between the cable latching mechanism and the point where the cable passes through the inner plate towards the outer plate and then on to the receiving cuff. The guide channel provides a guide to allow the cable to smoothly bend around from where it passes through the inner plate on the way in and where it passes through the plate on the way out. In this way, when tension is applied to the cable, it can smoothly pass around the guide avoiding it snagging or being forced to traverse too steep a bend as it passes out of the respective holes.

Preferably, the inner plate includes a guide channel for carrying the cable between the cable latching mechanism and the point where the cable passes through the inner plate towards the outer plate and then on to the user engagement end of the cable. For reasons noted above, the guide channel similarly provides a guide to allow the cable to smoothly bend around from where it passes through the inner plate.

The inner plate may include a plurality of elements which may be moved relative to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration at least one dimension of the inner plate is smaller than in the second configuration to allow the inner plate to be passed through an orifice in the first configuration but prevent passage through the orifice in the second configuration. This allows the inner plate to be easily passed through the orifice but once through can be switched to the second configuration to increase the dimensions such that it will no longer pass back through the orifice.

The security device may further comprise an object to be secured, wherein the object to be secured includes one or more orifices through which a portion of the cable is passed. In this way, the object can be securely retained by the cable and the cable is securely attached to the security device, preventing the object from being removed along with anything contained within it.

The object to be secured is preferably a flexible sack having a mouth, wherein said one or more orifices are arranged near said mouth such that as the orifices are drawn together, they tend to close the mouth of the sack. With this arrangement, as the cable is drawn into the cuff, the cable pulls the orifices together closing off the sack and preventing access to the contents of the sack. Once the cable is tensioned, the orifices are prevented from reopening and so access to the sack can only be provided by releasing the tension in the cable.

The security device may further comprise one or more connecting interface elements, each for connecting to a corresponding object to be to be secured, wherein the connecting interface element includes an engaging means for attachment to said engaging element, to secure said connecting interface element to said engaging element and an object securing means for securing an object to be secured to said connecting interface element. The connecting interface elements can therefore be retained by the security device and may be connected to another storage device for storing items. In this way, multiple items can be attached to a single security device attached to a door or the like.

The connecting interface element preferably includes: a strap member having a securing element provided on a first end and an engagement slot provided close to a second end, and further including a locking slit provided between said securing element and said engagement slot; and a cuff member having a hollow interior opening out at a first end and cuff slits provided on opposite sides at a second end of said cuff member, wherein said second end of said strap member is insertable into said first end of said cuff member and passed through and out of said second end of said cuff member until the securing element engages the inner surface of the cuff member to prevent further inward movement wherein said cuff slits are aligned with said locking slit such that said second end of said strap member may be passed through the cuff slits and locking slit to pass through the cuff member. The passage of the strap member through the locking slit prevents further movement of the strap in and out of the mouth of the cuff member thereby preventing the securing element moving out of the mouth of the cuff. This allows one of more items to be secured to be attached and retained by the securing element.

The engaging element preferably includes a hook portion. This can be used to receive one of more items which can be secured to the security device.

The receiving cuff may be provided with a cavity with a cruciform internal cross sectional shape. This arrangement provides a convenient arrangement allowing the hook portion to be received in opposing arms of said cavity whilst the ends of the straps can be received in the other pair of arms, preventing their removal.

The hook portion preferably has a flattened profile such that it can be received into pairs of opposing arms of said cavity.

Specific examples of the present invention will now be described in more detail by reference to the following drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention prior to being deployed;

Figure 2 shows a view of part of a security device according to the present invention when it is deployed;

Figure 3 shows a view of part of a security device according to the present invention when it is deployed;

Figure 4 shows a sack for use with the present invention;

Figure 5 shows a close up view of part of the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a schematic horizontal sectional view of the invention once deployed;

Figure 7 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a part of the security device of the present invention;

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 9 shows an alternative arrangement of the inner plate;

Figure 10 shows a partial side cross-sectional view of an alternative cuff member;

Figure 11 shows a partial cross-sectional end view of an alternative cuff member;

Figure 12 shows a partial view of the end of an engaging member;

Figure 13 shows a side view of a sack interface member;

Figure 14 shows a top view of a sack interface member;

Figure 15 shows a perspective view of the sack interface member;

Figure 16 shows a partial sectional view of the sack interface member when the end piece is fully retracted; and

Figure 17A shows a transverse sectional view of an exemplary cable for use with the invention;

Figure 17B shows a longitudinal sectional view of an exemplary cable for use with the invention;

Figure 17C shows a perspective view of a part of a cable for use with the invention;

Figure 18A shows a perspective view of a modified plate;

Figure 18B an end view of the modified plate;

Figure 18C shows a plan view of the modified plate;

Figure 19A shows a side view of a modified inner plate in a partially unfolded configuration;

Figure 19B shows a plan view of the modified inner plate in an unfolded configuration;

Figure 20 shows an alternative example of the sack attachment end of the device;

Figure 21 shows how the sacks are attached to the strap; and

Figure 22 shows a further alternative example of a sack attachment end of the device.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the invention prior to being used. The arrangement includes a sack 105 into which an item to be delivered 110 can be placed. The neck of the sack is provided with a number of separate extensions 115 resembling fingers. Each of the fingers 115 is provided with a hole 120 through which a cable 125 is threaded. Figure 4 shows an enlarged view of the sack 105.

The cable passes through each of the holes 115 and is terminated with an end piece 130. The end piece 130 is arranged so that it is larger than the holes 120 in the fingers 115. In this way, when the cable is pulled relative to the sack 105, the cable tends to be drawn through the holes. As the end piece is larger than the holes, it pulls the first finger nearest towards the second finger and so on, bringing the fingers together. As the fingers are drawn together, the mouth of the sack is progressively closed off.

The cable may be arranged to pass through the fingers in a number of ways. For example, it may pass from one side of the sack to the other or simply pass around the sack from one finger to the next.

After passing through the fingers, the cable continues into a receiving member shaped, in this example, like a cuff 140. The cuff 140 is a generally cylindrical hollow member provided at the end of an extension 150. The cuff provides a space within it having an opening at one end which is larger than the opening into the extension 150. In this way, as the cable is drawn into the extension, the end piece 130 is drawn into the space within the cuff. As it is drawn into the cuff, the fingers of the sack 105 are drawn into the interior of the cuff ahead of the end piece 150.

The extension is formed as a cylindrical tube having a hollow centre to allow the cable to pass through. The other end of the extension 150 forming the cuff is attached to the front surface of an outer plate 160. The outer plate 160 is arranged to be used on the outside of the recipient’s property. The extension 150 has an end piece or flange provided for attachment to the outer plate 160. The flange can then be bonded or otherwise attached to the surface of the outer plate 160. The end of the extension 150 is aligned with a hole 162 in the outer plate 160. The hole 162 allows the cable passing through the extension 150 to also pass through the outer plate 160.

The security device further includes an inner plate 170. The inner plate 170 is provided with a first hole 172 and a second hole 174. A latching mechanism 176 is also provided. The cable 125 passes from the hole 162 in the outer plate through the first hole 172. The cable then extends through the latching mechanism 174 and through the second hole 174. As shown in figure 1, the cable passes through the first hole 172 in one direction and then through the second hole in the opposite direction.

The latching mechanism 176 is attached to the inner surface of the inner plate 170 surrounding the second hole 174. However, the latching mechanism 176 may be attached to the inner surface of the inner plate 170 surrounding the first hole 172. It may also be provided next to either hole (172, 174) on the outer surface of the inner plate, i.e. on the surface facing the outer plate 160. It may also be positioned elsewhere than on the surface of the inner plate - for example see figure 9.

After passing through the second hole 174 in the inner plate, the cable continues on through a further hole 164 in the outer plate 160. Again, the cable continues through the further hole 164 in the outer plate. It passes through in the opposite direction to the direction it passes through the hole 162. After passing through the further hole 164, a further section of cable is provided. The cable is terminated with a handle 180 or similar means to assist with pulling the cable 125.

Figure 2 shows the part of the security device 100 that would be visible from outside the property to which a parcel is being delivered when the security device is deployed. A door 190 is shown in figure 2 although the rest of the building is not shown.

When it is desired to use the security device of the present invention, the delivery driver or other person wishing to leave an item 110 first opens the sack 105. This is done by pulling the mouth of the sack open and allowing the fingers 115 to slide along the cable as it passes through the holes 120 in the fingers. As the fingers spread out, the mouth of the sack can be opened up allowing access to the inside. Once the mouth of the sack has been opened, the item 110 to be left is inserted into the sack 105.

The next stage is to engage the security device with the door 190. This is done by inserting of the inner plate 170, along with the latching mechanism 176, through a letterbox 195 in the door 190. The overall thickness of the inner plate 170, the latch mechanism 176 and the portion of the cable protruding through the inner plate is sufficiently narrow to allow it to pass through a standard letterbox.

Once the inner plate has passed through the letterbox, it will naturally tend to drop until it hangs from the two parts of the cable 125. Once the inner plate has been inserted, the cable can be pulled, for example using the handle 180. As the handle is pulled, the cable is drawn through the hole in 164. This action begins to pull the inner plate towards the outer plate. As the cable is pulled further, it begins to be drawn through the latching mechanism 176. The latching mechanism 176 is arranged to allow the cable to be drawn through the inner plate with little or no resistance.

As the cable is drawn through the latching mechanism 176, more cable is pulled through the first hole in 172 in the inner plate 170. This action draws more cable through the hole and 162 in the outer plate 160 and up through the tubular extension 150. As the cable is drawn further up the extension tube, it begins to draw the end piece 130 towards the mouth of the cuff 140. As the end piece 130 is drawn into the cuff, the fingers of the sack are pulled together in the portion of the cable in front of the end piece and carried into the mouth of the cuff in front of it. The cuff 140 has a mouth which is slightly bigger than the end piece providing some clearance around the end piece as it is drawn into the mouth of the cuff. This clearance allows space for the neck of the bag to pass between the end piece and the inside surface of the cuff.

The cuff 140 has a slightly frusto-conical shape such that the radial dimension reduces along the length of the cuff away from the mouth. Consequently, as the end piece is drawn into the cuff, it will eventually lodge against the sides and will move no further into the cuff. Consequently, the cable can be pulled no further into the extension 150. Once this happens, no further cable then passes out of the hole 162. As the user continues to pull on the cable using the handle 180, this causes the inner plate to be drawn towards the outer plate as the lengths of cable between the two are reduced. This action will draw the inner plate and the outer plate towards each other until one of them engages the surface of the door (or the letterbox frame). As both of the inner plate and the outer plate are sized to be larger than the letterbox, the first plate to meet the door will stop. The other plate will continue to be drawn towards the door until it also engages the surface of the door (or the letterbox frame).

Once the plates have engaged either side of the door further pulling on the handle 180 will put the cable under tension as further movement of the cable will be prevented due to the end piece 130 being unable to move further into the cuff and no further cable can be taken up.

At this point, the security device will look similar to the arrangement shown in figure 2. The neck of the sack 105 will be drawn into the cuff and so the opening in the mouth of the sack will not be accessible. The tension in the cable will continue to pull the inner and outer plates towards each other. The outer plate will be held firmly against the front of the door whilst the inner plate is held against the inside of the door. The tension will also hold the end piece within the cuff. The extension tube 150 has sufficient longitudinal stiffness so that it does not compress significantly under the tension in the cable although some compression can be absorbed as the cable is pulled tight by the user. Once tensioned, the extension tube should be able to be flexed without the tension in the cable being released significantly. Whilst a small reduction in the tension in the cable might allow some slight movement in the plates or end piece, this should not significantly impact the security of the device. Even a slight movement of the end piece will not allow the sack to be accessed or the inner or outer plates removed from the letter box.

Figure 3 shows the arrangement of the security device on the inside of the door (not shown). As can be seen in figure three, the dimensions of the inner plate 170 are such that when the inner plate is pulled towards the inner surface of the door, it engages on the upper and lower edges of the letterbox 195. If the letterbox has a lid 197, this will be displaced as the inner plate is inserted through the letterbox and held in its open position by the inner plate so as not to interfere with the operation of the security device.

The view shown in figure 6 shows how the cable passes sequentially through the hole 164 in the outer plate 160, the letterbox cavity, the second hole 174 in the inner plate 170 and then the latching mechanism 176 before then passing through the hole 172 in the inner plate, the letterbox cavity and the hole 162 in the outer plate before passing down the extension tube 150. It also shows how the fingers of the sack 115 are engaged between the end piece 130 and the side of the cuff. This is shown in further detail in figure 7. It will be apparent from figure 7 that any attempt to withdraw the sack from the cuff will be resisted by the engagement of the end piece with the inner sides of the cuff and also because the fingers pass around the cable. The tension in the cable will prevent the end of the sack being pulled out of the cuff.

Once the security device is in this position, the user can release the handle 180. The latching mechanism 176 is arranged to latch the cable and resist movement of the cable in the direction away from the inner plate. This will prevent the cable from passing back through it and into the extension tube 150 thereby maintaining the tension in the cable 125. The user can then simply release the handle and leave the security device in place.

In this configuration, the sack is securely attached to the end piece inside the cuff so that access to the inside of the sack is prevented. The cuff is securely attached to the extension tube which is in turn securely held against the outer plate. The outer plate is secured to the inner plate by the cable and the inner plate is engaged with the inner side of the door to prevent it moving out of the letter box. As a result, the sack cannot be removed or accessed. This prevents passers-by from accessing or removing the item

110.

When the resident returns, they can unlock and open the door as normal. The extension tube 150 has a degree of flexibility to allow the door to the opened without the security device obstructing access. Once inside, the resident can access the inner plate and the latching mechanism 176. The latching mechanism 176 can be released, for example by pressing a release button 175. Once the release button has been pressed, the latching mechanism will allows the cable to be drawn out of the latching mechanism in a direction away from the inner plate. This allows the resident to withdraw the cable portion that is connected to the handle 180. As the cable is withdrawn, this releases the tension in the rest of the cable and allows the cable to the passed through the inner and outer plates. This allows the inner plate and the outer plate to be pulled away from each other and away from the surface of the door. The resident can then pass the inner plate back through the letterbox and thereby detach the security device from the door.

Once the security device has been removed, additional cable can be fed through the extension tube to allow the end piece to pass out of the mouth of the cuff. Once the end piece has been withdrawn from the cuff, the fingers of the sack can be spread along the length of the cable to allow the mouth of the sack to be opened. The user can then extract the item 110 from the sack 105.

Once the security device and the item to be delivered have been separated, the user can then either discard or return the security device to the sender or delivery company.

In the arrangements described above, the sack provides an enclosed space within which the item is securely retained. The item cannot be removed from the sack without releasing the tension in the cable or by physically damaging the sack, for example by cutting it open. Different levels of security can be provided for according to the requirements of the delivery service. For example, for a basic level of security the sack could be relatively lightweight material which would prevent access by someone without suitable cutting tools. In this way, a casual passer-by will not be able to access or remove the sack. Additional security may be provided by making the material of the sack more resistant to physical attack. For example, the sack may be made of a material incorporating metal fibres, to resist cutting of the sack.

Further security may be provided by placing the item to be delivered inside a rigid box which can be closed and secured by mechanism which is then drawn into the cuff in a similar way to the fingers of the sack. With this arrangement, as the cable is pulled by the handle 180 the locking mechanism of the box is drawn into and covered by the cuff to prevent access to the locking mechanism. The rigid box provides a higher level of security against thieves accessing the item 110.

The extension tube is preferably arranged to be reasonably flexible to allow the sack to be moved relative to the door to avoid restricting access to the user. In order to prevent access to the sack, the tension in the cable needs to be maintained at a reasonable level. This prevents the end piece 130 been withdrawn from the cuff 100. The extension tube 150 is therefore preferably relatively incompressible in an axial direction. The extension tube may be a plastic tube. Again, if higher security is required, then the extension tube may be produced from a material able to resist cutting to prevent a thief cutting through the extension tube and the cable within.

The other end of the cable connected to the handle 180 plays no role in securing the sack once the cable has been tensioned and the latching mechanism is preventing the cable releasing. There is therefore no need to secure this end of the cable for high security applications.

As noted above, the length and flexibility of the extension tube allows the sack to be manoeuvred relative to the door even once the security device is in place. However, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the extension tube may be shortened or removed completely so that the cuff connects directly to the outer plate. The end of the cuff may even be recessed into the outer plate such that it lies within the cavity of the letter box. With such a short or no extension tube, as the sack is drawn into the cuff, it would be left hanging from the cuff. This may provide a more convenient security device for relatively small or light articles. This also avoids having the exposed extension tube 150, which may enhance security by reducing a potential point of attack by a thief.

In a further modification, one or both of the inner and outer plates may include protrusions which project into the cavity within the letterbox to prevent movement of the plates up or down or left and right along the surface of the door.

Although the inner and outer plates are shown as flat in the above described embodiment, they may have other shapes. For example, the inner plate may have a convex curved surface such that when it is held against the inner surface of the door, the convex surface provides a guide for the cable to help direct the cable as it has to turn through 180 degrees after passing through the first hole 172 in the inner plate and before passing through the second hole 174.

Alternatively, the inner plate may include a guide 200 similar to that shown in figure 8. The guide takes the form of a roughly semi-circular or arcuate tube extending from the first hole 172 to the point where the cable enters the latching mechanism 176. The cable 125 would then be passed through the tube.

In the above embodiment, the extension tube 150 includes the flanged end section 155 which is attached to the outer plate 160. This arrangement provides improved security as it prevents a thief from attempting to access the cable 125 in the gap between the end of the extension tube and the surface of the outer plate 160. However, it is not essential to have such a feature and instead the extension tube may simply be abutted against the surface of the outer plate. With this arrangement, the tension in the cable would hold the end of the extension tube up against the surface, restricting access to the cable inside.

As an alternative, the hole 162 in the outer plate may be enlarged such that it is larger than the external dimension of the extension tube. This would allow the extension tube to pass through the hole 162 into the cavity within the letterbox. The outer plate may then be provided with a recessed surface similar to the surface 210 shown in figure 8, against which the end of the extension abuts. In this way, access to the end of the tube 150 would not be possible as it would need to be withdrawn from the recess in the modified outer plate 160’ which would not be possible with the cable under tension.

With the above embodiments, the inner and outer plates both have separate holes for the incoming and outgoing cable. However, this is not essential and the cables may pass through a single hole or slit in the plates. Furthermore, the extension tube may carry both the incoming and outgoing cable with the handle end of the cable projecting from a point along the extension tube. This arrangement would allow the outer plate to have a single extension tube containing the incoming and outgoing cable. Figure 8 shows a modified embodiment such as that described above. The extension tube is modified to contain both the incoming and outgoing cable. A bifurcated end 152 allows the cable portion connected to the handle to be directed out of the extension tube without allowing access to the cable passing to the cuff.

The embodiment also shows, a recessed receiving hole 210 in the modified outer plate 160’ into which the end of the extension tube may be inserted. The modified embodiment also shows a guide tube 200 (similar to that described above) attached to the inner plate 170 to guide the cable out of the first hole and into the second.

The cables may pass through a common hole in the inner plate. The guide tube would then act as the anchoring mechanism which the cable engages with to maintain the tension on the cable and pull the inner plate towards the door. Figure 9 shows a modified inner plate 170’ with a single hole and modified guide 201. The latching mechanism has been repositioned although this is not necessary but may provide a more convenient arrangement.

In the above arrangements, the inner plate 170 and the outer plate 160 are relatively simple flat plates with some items such as the latch mechanism 176, guide 201 or recess 210 optionally provided. However, the plates may have other structures according to the requirements of the application. For example figures 18A to 18C show a modified plate 500 which may be used to replace the inner or outer plates mentioned above. Again, the plate 500 may have additional items (such as those listed above) provided on them.

Figure 18A shows the configuration of a modified plate having a spider type structure 505 formed from a central portion or rib 520 extending between two bush members 550 provided with through holes 530 to allow the cable 125 to pass through. Additional arms or ribs 510 may be provided between the bushes 550 and the corners of the plate 500. This spider like structure provides a strong structure which can bear load applied to the surface of the plate particularly around the bushes.

For example, if an attempt is made to pull the security device back through the letter box by pulling on the external part, then considerable load may be placed on the cable which would be transferred to the bushes, particularly on the inner plate. Equally, putting additional strain on the cable will tend to pull the inner and outer plate together which would put load on the bushes of both the inner and outer plates.

The arms or ribs 510 help to distribute the load from the bushes to the edges of the plate to be borne by the door or the edge of the letter box. This provides a strong structure to resist attempts to break the device. In order to prevent access to the inside of the letter box, the flat portion 540 provides a cover to prevent access. The ribs 510, 520 and bushes 550 forming the spider structure 505 may be formed from a high strength material such as a metal to provide the desired strength whilst the flat portion 540 may be made of a polymer as it does not need the same structural strength, allowing it be lighter and cheaper.

The flat portion 540 may be attached to the spider structure 505 by bonding or using fastening means or the flat portion 540 may be formed directly on the spider structure, such as by moulding a polymer directly onto the metal spider structure. Alternatively, the spider structure and flat portion 540 may be moulded/formed from a single material such as metal or polymer. The material will be dictated to an extent by the level of security and hence the strength required.

The structure shown in Figures 18A to 18C is exemplary and other structures may be used with different arrangements of ribs 510, 520 and bosses 550. For example additional ribs may be provided across the structure for extra strength. In accordance with the embodiments above, a single boss may be used where only a single hole is required. The holes may be provided in the flat portion 540 instead of in the spider structure 505.

The inner plate 170 is described above in terms of being passed flat through a letter box so that when it is pulled back towards the letter box, it changes alignment so that it engages the sides of the letter box and resists movement back through the letter box, to anchor the security device to the door. However, this requires the inner plate 170 to engage the sides of the letter box. The delivery person has no access to the inner side of the door and so cannot control the orientation of the inner plate easily and so may have difficulty getting the plate to engage the inner side of the door. This can be eased by making the plate bigger, increasing the likelihood of the plate engaging the inner part of the door.

Figures 19A and 19B show an alternative plate arrangement 600 which includes two parts 600A and 600B. These two elements are hinged together by passing a hinge pin 620 through hinge members 610 and 640 on parts 600A and 600b respectively. The pin holds the two parts in engagement whilst allowing them to pivot relative to each other. This allows the two parts 600A, 600B to be folded together and passed through the letter box. Once the folded plate 600 has passed through the letter box, the two parts 600A and 600b can be folded apart to return the plate to the unfolded state as shown in figure 19B. The dimensions of the unfolded plate are such that they are larger than the dimensions of the letter box so that the engage the sides.

The plate 600 is arranged so that the two halves can be unfolded to a point at which they engage to prevent them folding further and back on themselves. In other words, when folded, the two halves are easily passed through the letter box but when the two halves are unfolded, they form a structure which has dimensions to prevent them returning through the letter box. In the arrangement shown in Figure 19A, the halves are shown partially unfolded and can continue until the two halves are substantially co-planar forming a plate like structure 600. However, they may be configured such that once they reach the position shown in Figure 19A, they cannot rotate any further such that the planes of the two halves of the plate 600 remain at an angle to each other, e.g. at 45^eforming a structure having a triangular cross-section, similar to that shown in Figure 19A.

The plate 600 may also include an opening mechanism such as a spring 650 to provide a bias to cause the two plates 600A and 600B to move into the unfolded position. This allows the plate to be folded by the delivery person against the spring bias, to be passed through the door. Once through the letter box, the biasing mechanism will tend to open the folded parts so that they engage the inner side of the door if the cable is retracted.

Once in place, the plate 600 forms a cover over the inside of the letter box preventing access to the inside of the property and can bear the load applied by tensioning the cable which is passed through holes 630 provided in the plate. The position of the holes is exemplary and different positions could be used or a single hole provided.

The plate 600 may include a latching mechanism to prevent it being folded again without being released. This may be separate to the cable latching mechanism 176 or may be integral with it such that when the cable is pulled, the latch is engaged preventing the plates 600A and 600B moving into the folded position. The latch may be provided with a release mechanism that is only accessible from the inside of the door.

It will be appreciated that other arrangements may be provided within the scope of the invention in which the inner plate may be formed in multiple pieces which can be arranged to be moved into a smaller dimension configuration for passing through the letter box but then opened up once passed through, to allow it to engage the inner surface of the door and providing a load bearing structure to resist attempts to withdraw it and the cable from the letter box, whilst also preventing access to the inner part of the door to prevent the inner plate being retracted back through the letter box. For example, an umbrella type structure may be used which is passed through the letter box in a folded state but which opens once passed through by extending a number of arms to engage the inner side of the door to prevent removal, which can only be done by the recipient by gaining access to the inside of the property.

The above embodiments use an arrangement where the cable is passed through the holes 120 in the fingers 115 in the sack 105 so that they lie on the cable between the rest of the cable and the end piece. However, this arrangement preferably has the sack assembled on the cable so that the sack cannot be slid off the cable over the end piece. However, this may not be convenient as it may make changing the sack difficult or require the sack and security mechanism to be permanently attached. Figure 10 shows an alternative arrangement in which the end piece is modified. Instead of the enlarged end piece 130 of the previous embodiments, a hook arrangement is provided in the modified embodiment of figure 10.

The cuff section is also modified for this embodiment. The cuff section 310 of the modified cuff is attached to the end of an extension tube in a similar manner to the above embodiments. The modified cuff section 310 is formed as a generally cylindrical tube although it may also taper towards the end. Inside, the tube, is provided a cavity 350 which has a generally “cross”-shaped cross section. This can be seen more clearly in figure 11.

The end of the cable is attached to or integrally moulded with an engaging member 320. The engaging member is shaped so that it is thinner in one dimension than the other giving it a slightly flattened appearance, as shown in figure 11. The engaging member 320 sized so as to fit relatively snugly into opposite arms of the cross-shaped cavity 350 when it is drawn into the cavity, as the cable is drawn up the extension tube 150. The shape of the cross-shaped cavity 350 is symmetrical, so the engaging member 320 may be received into the upper and lower arms of the cross or into the left and right arms.

With this embodiment, when the user pulls the cable out of the hole in the outer plate, it is drawn up the extension tube which pulls the engaging member 320 into the cavity 350. Prior to pulling the cable, the user would attach one or more articles to the hook so that they are hooked over the hook 330. The attachment may take different forms depending on the article to be secured. The example in figure 12 shows a simple strap like structure 370 which is a generally flat elongate structure with a slot 380 provided close to the end. The strap is wider than the width of the engaging member 320, such that they extend out to the side of the engaging member, as shown in figure 11.

In use, the strap 370 is passed over the hook 330 so that the hook passes into the slot 380. Multiple straps may be used, as shown in figure 12 with each passed over the hook so that they form a stack. Once the straps have been placed on the hook, the cable can be pulled as described above. As the cable is pulled, the engaging member is drawn into the cavity 350. In the view in figure 11, the engaging member enters the upper and lower arms of the cavity 350. This leaves the side arms 360 of the cross-shaped cavity 350 free to receive the sides of the straps 370 as they extend out form either side of the hook 330. It will be appreciated that the stack of straps 370 when placed on the hook 330 form a structure having cross-section which is generally cross shaped so as to fit into the cross-shaped cavity 350.

As the cable pulls the engaging member 340 into cavity, the end of the engaging member 340 will abut against the end 355 of the cavity preventing it from moving further into the cavity. This will pull against the force on the cable from the user allowing the cable to be tensioned, as described above. When the engaging member 340 is fully received into the cavity 350, the end of the hook will have passed inside the cavity so that the straps 370 can no longer be removed. Indeed, the straps will be held between the walls of the side arms of the cross-shaped cavity 350 preventing movement upwards to remove them from the hook.

With this arrangement, the straps cannot be removed from the cuff 300 and are therefore attached to the security device, to secure whatever is attached to them. The straps may be attached to any number of articles which might wish to be secured. For example, the other end of the strap may be integrally formed into a box or sack such as that described above.

With this arrangement, the security device can be used to secure a number of articles with only one door attachment part. The hook may be designed to receive more than the three straps shown and may be able to secure a large number of items limited only by the thickness of the straps and the size of the hook.

The straps can be made of different materials according to the security requirements of the security device. The straps may be made of a thick polymer material to allow a degree of flexibility whilst being able to prevent a thief easily breaking the straps. However, the straps may be made of more rigid material or even reinforced with metal or other materials to provide increased security against, for example, cutting.

The original embodiment provides a means for securing a single sack which is attached to the security device. Whilst it is possible to put multiple smaller items in a single sack or the size of the sack may be increased to fit multiple larger items, there is limit to what a single sack can contain. It may also be desirable to have separate sacks for different articles. Accordingly, it may be preferable to secure multiple separate sacks. For example, supermarkets often deliver food which is provided in separate packages for example for refrigerated, frozen and dry goods. It is often undesirable to mix dry goods with frozen goods as condensation may damage the dry goods and heat from the dry goods may cause the frozen food to defrost more rapidly.

With the above arrangement, multiple items can be secured but the simple sack arrangement of the original embodiment, as shown in figure 4, is designed so that the fingers of the sack are pulled together by the pulling of the cable and then drawn into the cuff to prevent access to the mouth of the sack. This sack would not be suited to the arrangement of figures 10 to 12 since the fingers and mouth of the sack may not be drawn sufficiently into the cuff to secure the mouth.

Figure 13 shows a sack interface member 400 which provides a means for securing a sack such as that shown in figure 4 in a manner similar to the first embodiment above but for use with the hook based cuff shown in figures 10 to 12. The sack interface member 400 allows the sack to be secured to the sack interface member 400 with the fingers drawn into a cuff to prevent access to the mouth of the sack. The sack interface member 400 can then be secured to the cuff on the security device to secure the sack interface member 400 to the door.

Figure 13 shows a side view of the sack interface member 400 whilst figure 14 shows a view from above. Whilst is it referred to as a sack interface, it may be used with other securing articles such as suggested above.

The sack interface member 400 comprises two main parts, namely a strap part 410 and a cuff member 420. The strap part 410 comprises an elongate flattened portion with an end piece 430 similar to the end piece 130 described above. The strap part 410 includes a slit 440 arranged close to the end of the strap part near the end piece 430. The strap part 410 also includes an engaging slot 460 close to the other end of the strap part.

The cuff member 420 has a frusto-conical shape with an increasing cross section towards one end. The cuff member has a slightly flattened elliptical rather than a circular cross section to reflect the flattened shape of the strap, although this is not essential. The end piece 430 is preferably also configured with a more ellipsoid shape. The cuff member also includes cuff slits 450 near the narrow end of the cuff member, away from the diverging mouth 470. The cuff slits are provided on opposite sides of the cuff member to provide a hole passing through the cuff member from top to bottom (as seen in figure 13).

In use, the strap part 410 is inserted into the cuff member 420. The end furthest away from the end piece is inserted into the mouth 470 of the cuff member. It passes through the cuff member and emerges at the opposite end as shown in figures 13 to 16. The sack is attached to the strap in a similar way to the cable in the original embodiment described above. As shown in figure 15, the sack includes fingers 115 provided with holes through which the strap part 410 is passed.

Once the strap part 410 has been inserted into the cuff, it emerges at the other end and it can then be pulled further through the cuff to the position shown in figure 15. As the strap 410 is pulled further through the cuff, the end piece 430 is drawn into the mouth 470 of the cuff. As it is drawn in, the fingers of the sack are drawn in ahead of it, pulling the top part of the sack into the cuff. Eventually, the end piece 430 is pulled into the mouth sufficiently far that the narrowing dimensions of the inner surface of the cuff mean that it can pass no further into the cuff.

Once the strap part reaches a point where it can be pulled no further through the cuff, the end piece closes the open mouth end of the cuff, trapping the fingers of the sack inside the cuff and preventing access to the sack 105. At the point at which the end piece is unable to pass further in to the cuff, the slit 440 is positioned to align with the cuff slits 450. This provides a passageway through the cuff and strap from one side to the other. The end of the strap part protruding from the end of the cuff can be flexed back on itself and passed through this passageway, as shown in figure 16.

The presence of the strap in the slit 440 prevents the strap part inside the cuff from being able to move back out of the cuff, thereby holding the end piece firmly in place in the mouth of the cuff. The slit 440 and the cuff slits 450 are narrow enough and the strap part 410 thick enough that it cannot flex significantly across its width whilst in the slits. This prevents the strap part from deforming significantly and allowing the end piece to move out of the mouth. A small amount of deformation can be tolerated as a small movement of the end piece out of the mouth will still mean that the fingers of the sack are well inside the cuff and not sufficiently accessible for the contents of the sack to be accessed.

Once the sack interface member 400 is assembled with the strap fed through the slit 400 and the cuff slits 450, the sack interface member 400 can be secured to the security device. The end of the strap part is provided with the engaging slot 460. The engaging slot 460 can be used with the arrangement shown in figure 12 with the end of the strap being hooked onto the hook 330 by passing it through the engaging slot 460. The hook is then withdrawn into the cuff 300 to secure the sack interface member 400 to the security device which is then secured to the door etc.

With this arrangement, a number of sacks can be used, with each sack secured separately to a respective sack interface member 400. The sack interface member 400 for each sack is then hooked onto the hook 330. The user then pulls the cable as described above to pull the hook into the cuff 300 and secure all the sacks to the security device. This allows multiple sacks to be secured by a single security device to a single letter box whilst allowing the separate sacks to be used for different items such as frozen and dry goods. Different combinations of items may be secured using the cuff 300 shown in figures 10 to 12. For example, it may be used to secure two sacks (using sack interface members 400 to attach the sacks to the cuff 300) along with other items such as a security box which can be secured by pulling on a short strap which is hooked onto the hook 330 and pulled into the cuff 330.

In a further option, the sack or sacks can be provided with slightly larger eyelets (or even simple handles like those on a carrier bag) that can be hooked onto the hook 330 so that the extensions 115 are drawn into a cuff 300 such as that shown in figure 10. As long as the length of the extension members is such that the act of drawing the cable up the extension tube and pulling the engaging member 320 into the cuff draws enough of the upper part of the bag into the cuff and brings all (or enough) of the open parts of the sack into the cuff, then the contents of the sack will not be accessible.

The retention of the sack to the extension member may be achieved in other ways than in the embodiments described above. The key aspect of this part of the apparatus is to draw the upper parts of the sack into a place where they cannot be subsequently withdrawn without releasing the cable 125. This will ensure that the sack contents cannot be accessed once the apparatus is in place on a door. As noted above, different levels of security can be achieved by modifying the materials and construction of the device. The cuff and cable arrangement shown in figure 1 provides an effective method of drawing the upper part of the sack into the cuff and by virtue of the engagement of the end piece 130 engaging the inner wall of the cuff, a good grip is provided on the sack itself as well as excluding access to the upper part of the sack where the extension and eyelets are positioned.

However, other arrangements might be used to achieve a desired level of security. Figure 20 shows such an alternative arrangement. Instead of the cable 125 passing down the extension tube 150, a strap member 725 having a flattened strap like configuration extends out of the end of the extension tube. The strap 725 may be connected to the cable 125 inside the extension tube such that only the end is strap like, or some or all of the entire cable 125 may be replaced with the strap like configuration.

The strap 725 extends out of the extension tube as shown in Figure 20. The end of the strap 725 includes a latching arrangement which in this embodiment includes a narrower portion 730 between the main body of the strap and an end tab 735 provided at the end of the strap. This narrow portion provides a neck which can be used to engage with the strap further along its length. The strap therefore includes an orifice 750 through which the tab 735 can be passed. Once it has passed through the orifice 750, it can be reoriented so that the neck portion 730 lies in the orifice and the inner sides of the tab 735 engage the outer surface of the strap 725 around the orifice 750. In this way, any attempt to withdraw the tab 735 back through the orifice 750 is prevented.

Prior to inserting the tab 735 into the orifice, one or more items such as sacks 105 can be attached to it. Figure 21 shows the strap being threaded through sacks similar to those shown previously. The sacks have eyelets 720 which are sized to be able to receive the strap 725. The eyelets are provided on the upper part of the bag on extensions 115 although they may be simply provided in the upper body of the bag in a position sufficient to allow the strap to securely engage the sack to allow it to be drawn into the end of the extension tube 150. Once the sack or sacks are attached, the tab 735 can be passed through the orifice 750. Once the tab is inserted a loop is formed on which the eyelets are mounted, preventing the eyelets from being slid off the end of the strap.

The other end of the cable (or strap if the entire cable is replaced by the strap) can be pulled, in the manner described above to secure the security device to a door. This action will draw the strap into the extension tube 150. As the strap is drawn in, the loop will be drawn into the extension tube 150. The extension tube in this embodiment does not have a cuff but instead has a portion 740 of the extension tube with a larger cross section towards the end. The strap including the loop is drawn into the portion 740 until the end of the loop is received. As the strap is drawn further in, the extensions and the upper part of the sack are also drawn into the portion 740. As the received end of the strap and sack pass further into the extension tube, the thicker portion reaches the point where the larger portion 740 ends and the extension tube narrows. The strap then engages the narrower part of the extension tube, preventing further movement into the extension tube. This allows the rest of the security device to be pulled tight and engaged with the door.

Once the end of the strap and the end of the sack are drawn into the larger end 740 of the extension tube 150, they are no longer accessible from outside and so the interior of the sack is not accessible.

As noted above, other arrangements are possible and the shape and configuration of the sack engaging part can be modified in a number of ways as long as it is able to engage with the sack in such a way as to prevent access once the security device is in place and the cable drawn into the locked position. Any arrangement where the ends of the sack are drawn into a container or receptacle, such as the cuff or the larger cross-section portion 740 of the extension tube, can restrict access to the sack. Once the ends of the sack are drawn in, it would be necessary to prevent their removal from the cable/strap, preferably by withdrawing the attachment point (e.g. tab 735) within the portion 740, the cuff or equivalent.

By shaping the end of the extension tube to match the cable or strap shape, a high level of security can be achieved. The end piece 130 fits snuggly in the cuff to secure the ends of the bags in the cuff and prevent access. The strap and the tab 735 are withdrawn into the extension tub end portion 740 which is shaped to closely match the shape of the strap (allowing for the portion of the sacks drawn in) with relatively little clearance so that once withdrawn, it is difficult to access the tab to try to remove it or disengage it from the orifice 750. As such it is advantageous to match the shape of the extension tube shape to the retaining mechanism on the end of the cable/strap and so may be modified according to the shape of the end of the cable.

Figure 22 shows a further exemplary alternative cable end arrangement. In this embodiment, the end of the cable is provided with a simple latching hook arrangement.

The hook member 760 is provided at the end of the cable and is sufficiently small to allow it to be passed through eyelets or other orifices in a sack to secure the sack to the cable in a similar manner to the previous embodiments. Once the bag or bags have been attached, the hook member 760 can be opened and engaged with the cable, as shown in Figure 22. The sacks (not shown) would then be attached to the cable around the loop formed at the end of the cable.

Then, the security device can be secured as before by withdrawing the cable through the device. The cable would then be drawn into a receiving element similar to the cuff or enlarged extension tube described above. As it is drawn in, the hook can slide down the cable reducing the size of the loop until the portions of the sack are held tight. The entire hook member and the ends of the sack would then be drawn into the receiving element. By configuring the receiving element to have a shape to closely match the shape of the hook, once it is drawn in access to the hook will be prevented. As before, the end of the receiving element will include a narrowing portion or step which the hook will eventually engage against preventing further movement up the extension tube and allowing the cable to be tightened.

In the embodiments above, the security device is secured by attaching it to a letter box in a door. However, it will be appreciated that the letter box may be provided in other places such as a wall, an external standalone letter box etc. Furthermore, whilst a letter box provides a convenient attachment point, any suitably sized hole may be used where the inner plate can be passed through and engaged with the inner side of the other end of the hole. The cable can be long enough to allow significant variation in the size and depth of the letter box or other hole to accommodate different depths and configurations of letter box. The cable is simply pulled until the inner and outer plate pull together.

The cable in the above embodiments needs to be reasonably flexible, to allow it to pass through the various elements, in particularly through the first hole in the inner plate and then back out again through the second hold. The cable also needs to be strong enough to be able to maintain the tension holding the end piece in the cuff and also to prevent it being easily damaged by any physical abuse, such as by a potential thief attempting to pull the security device off the door. The cable also needs to be capable of being latched by the latching mechanism 176 so that it does not slip once pulled tight. A variety of different materials and shapes may be used as would be apparent to the skilled man. The cable does not need to have any specific cross-sectional shape and may take a number of different forms such as circular, octagonal, rectangular etc. It may therefore have a generally circular cross-section or a flatter strap like configuration, including the examples given above.

Figures 17A to 17C show an example of a nylon cable usable with the invention. Figure 17A shows the generally octagonal outer cross section of the cable. However, the side portions have a recessed portion 126 with a series of teeth 127 provided along the bottom of the recess on opposite sides of the channel. These teeth are preferably 5 angled in one direction so that they can be passed through the latching mechanism and can act like a ratchet, allowing the teeth to pass through when passing in one direction due to the angled surface pushing the ratchet away but preventing reverse motion because the ratchet engages against the vertical backs of the teeth.

In the above embodiments the sacks are described as having fingers to provide a way of drawing the mouth of the sack closed. However, the fingers are not intended to be essential and the cable may simply be passed through a series of holes in the wall of the sack to act as a draw string to close the neck of the bag and draw it into the cuff.

Various variations and modifications to the basic embodiment have been described above and it will be appreciated that some or all of these variants may be used together or in different combinations. The invention is not intended to be restricted to the specific embodiments and combinations described herein.

Claims

1. A security device for securing an object, comprising:

a receiving member;

an outer plate;

an inner plate;

a cable latching mechanism arranged for receiving a cable and for allowing the cable to be drawn through in one direction and resisting movement in the opposite direction; and a cable arranged to extend from a user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the outer plate, the inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, the inner plate, the outer plate and the receiving member, wherein the cable is provided with an engaging element arranged to engage a portion of an object to be secured, wherein pulling the user engagement end of the cable draws the cable through the security device and draws the engaging element into the receiving member to retain said portion of an object to be secured within said receiving member.

2. A security device according to claim 1 further comprising an extension tube having a hollow core and extending from one end of the receiving member, wherein the cable is arranged to extend through the hollow core of the extension tube between the receiving member and the outer plate.

3. A security device according to claim 2 wherein said extension tube is substantially axially incompressible.

4. A security device according to claim 2 or 3 wherein said cable extends from the extension tube between the user engagement end and the outer plate.

5. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the receiving member has a frusto-conical profile with the cross sectional area increasing towards the end nearest the engaging element and wherein the engaging element is sized such that it can pass into the receiving member up to a point where the dimensions of the engaging element correspond to the dimension of the receiving member.

6. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the inner plate includes a first hole and a second hole such that the cable passes from the user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the outer plate, the second hole in said inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, and the first hole in the inner plate.

7. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the outer plate includes a first hole and a second hole such that the cable passes from the user engagement end of the cable sequentially through the second hole in the outer plate, the inner plate, the cable latching mechanism, the inner plate, and the first hole in the outer plate.

8. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the latching mechanism is mounted on said inner plate.

9. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein said inner plate includes a guide channel for carrying the cable between the cable latching mechanism and the point where the cable passes through the inner plate towards the outer plate and then on to the receiving cuff.

10. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein said inner plate includes a guide channel for carrying the cable between the cable latching mechanism and the point where the cable passes through the inner plate towards the outer plate and then on to the user engagement end of the cable.

11. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein said inner plate includes a plurality of elements which may be moved relative to each other between a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration at least one dimension of the inner plate is smaller than in the second configuration to allow the inner plate to be passed through an orifice in the first configuration but prevent passage through the orifice in the second configuration.

12. A security device according to any preceding claim further comprising an object to be secured, wherein the object to be secured includes one or more orifices through which a portion of the cable is passed.

13. A security device according to claim 12 wherein the object to be secured is a flexible sack having a mouth, wherein said one or more orifices are arranged near said mouth such that as the orifices are drawn together, they tend to close the mouth of the sack.

14. A security device according to any preceding claim further comprising one or more connecting interface elements, each for connecting to a corresponding object to be to be secured, wherein the connecting interface element includes an engaging means for attachment to said engaging element, to secure said connecting interface element to said engaging element and an object securing means for securing an object to be secured to said connecting interface element.

15. A security device according to claim 14 wherein said connecting interface element includes:

a strap member having a securing element provided on a first end and an engagement slot provided close to a second end, and further including a locking slit provided between said securing element and said engagement slot; and a cuff member having a hollow interior opening out at a first end and cuff slits provided on opposite sides at a second end of said cuff member, wherein said second end of said strap member is insertable into said first end of said cuff member and passed through and out of said second end of said cuff member until the securing element engages the inner surface of the cuff member to prevent further inward movement wherein said cuff slits are aligned with said locking slit such that said second end of said strap member may be passed through the cuff slits and locking slit to pass through the cuff member.

16. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein said engaging element includes a hook portion.

17. A security device according to claim 16, wherein said receiving cuff has a cavity with a cruciform internal cross sectional shape.

18. A security device according to claim 17, wherein said hook portion has a flattened profile such that it can be received into pairs of opposing arms of said cavity.