GB2569092A - Hose security device - Google Patents

Abstract

End fitting for an elongated flexible, hollow security component 3 (e.g. rope lock), which is securable using locking means (e.g. a padlock securing looped end-fittings [Fig. 2], a combination lock barrel [Fig. 3], or a plunge pin mechanism [Fig. 1]), wherein when the locking means is activated, it prevents access to the valve 10 (e.g. grub screw) for the hollow cavity of the security cable. Both ends of the cable lock may be fitted with such endings so as to enclose the cavity. The cavity may act as a fluid reservoir, containing a security tagging liquid, which may include forensic chemical DNA or microdots. The access valve may be sealed when in use. The access valve may be obscured by a lockable component, such as a padlock, which has been inserted through a hole 13. The flexible, hollow security component may be hydraulic hose, such that the fluid inside may be pressurised.

Description

Description of the Invention

Background

Bolt croppers tend to be the tool of choice for bicycle and motorcycle thieves because they provide the fastest way to defeat the majority of locks. A limitation of bolt croppers is that their jaws do not open very wide because they are only designed to tackle solid rods, chains or bolts that are very rarely wider than 12mm in diameter. The relatively wide diameter of many hoses makes them difficult to fit inside the jaws of bolt croppers in order to cut them.

Disc cutters will cut through everything available on the lock market. Battery powered disc cutters tend to be the new tool that is gaining popularity with thieves. Disc cutters are not used in the security testing done by independent security testing bodies such as Sold Secure in the UK. It is assumed that the noise the machine creates is its own deterrent.

The level of security of a lock is defined by how long it takes to cut with specific ranges of tools.

To increase the security level of bike locks, the response of lock makers has been to produce tougher and thicker metal components resulting in heavier locks for riders to carry.

In such an industry where a premium is charged for lightweight cycling components it seems detrimental to have to design and produce heavier devices for added security.

Patents previously published have mentioned the use of composite hose and specifically hydraulic hose but they have all been either as a reinforcing element or for the primary purpose of containment of a dye or taggant liquid.

The patent application of Phillip Pennell and the Gates Corporation application number US3991445 (A) — 1 976-11 -1 6 describes the use of hydraulic hose as a reinforcement to a locking cable which is further described in their subsequent patent application US41 57602 (A) — 1 979-06-12. This patent from 1 976 does disclose the use of looped end fittings on a hydraulic hose, able to be secured by a padlock. Other types of modified lockable insert systems are not disclosed and are not obvious.

A ‘taggant’ is a fluid used for security marking purposes, including coloured dyes, UV detectable dyes, synthetic DNA and forensic chemical marker fluid products etc. With modern forensic DNA liquid technology the attack tools are marked when in contact with the liquid and connected to specific thefts, leading to prosecution of thieves. This criminal activity can be proved as each individual lock has its own chemical DNA coding.

The taggant is a deterrent to thieves, particularly to the thief with a disc cutter who may spray dye over themselves, their cutting tool and the bike when the cutting disc contacts and disperses the taggant. Traces of taggant would be left on any attack tool that is used to cut the device.

Taggant systems for ownership marking are available on the market where an adhesive liquid contains microdots printed with unique serial numbers for each dose of adhesive liquid, which can be unique to each product or batch of products. This system is used for such things as marking bicycles or car parts. The dots and printed serial codes are visible with a simple magnifying glass so that they can be read without requiring lab analysis of a chemical DNA. This type of serial dot marking system has not been previously proposed for a locking system because it has previously only been used to paint directly on to solid products.

The combinations and possibilities of what may or may not be hidden inside the hose increases the deterrent value of the security device.

Forensic taggants are produced in clean laboratory environments to eliminate the opportunity of cross contamination. This is very different from the type of workshop facility that hydraulic hoses or metal locks are produced.

The use of taggant materials has been disclosed by previous patents and suggested in the public domain but no disclosures define specific taggant as being contained in a separate or removable reservoir or cartridge.

The presence of a quality forensic marking taggant in a security device presents a high level deterrent for any thief.

The Invention

This invention relates to a security device incorporating a length of hose designed primarily for the transmission of fluids or for use in hydraulic systems.

In particular, the hoses used in hydraulic systems are made to hold very high pressures (thousands of pounds per square inch) therefore they are very tough and strong yet are relatively flexible, ideal for use as part of a security product.

All fittings for hydraulic hoses are designed for the primary purpose of transmitting fluids. This invention relates to end fittings designed for security purposes, i.e. designed to allow the ends of the hose to be locked together and to be tough and strong to be able to withstand attacks from potential thieves. The end fittings are likely to be made of toughened steel, titanium or other suitably tough alloy.

The annular geometry of hydraulic hose allows the security device to be relatively light yet too wide to fit into the jaws of tools commonly used to steal bikes such as bolt croppers and cable cutters.

This configuration is particularly advantageous because it allows the weight/security level ratio to be improved.

Hydraulic hose tends to flatten when it does fit into the jaws of large bolt croppers and is squeezed. This acts in jamming up the jaws so the hose is very difficult to sever apart. Surprisingly, the use of cable or chain inside the hose can act in a detrimental way because it gives the bolt croppers something for the jaws to cut against. Nevertheless, addition of solid metal components within the hose bore can help defend against attack from hacksaws and disc cutters.

Through disc cutter cutting tests it has been found that regularly available hydraulic hoses take longer to cut than steel chain because of the relatively wide diameter of the hose and also because of the presence of rubber in the composition of the hose. The abrasion and heat of the cutting disc melts and burns the rubber, acting as a brake on the cutting disc as the disc is coated in rubber.

Some hydraulic hoses are wide enough that a battery powered disc cutter disc is not big enough to cut through the entirety of the hose from one angle of attack. This is an obvious security benefit because with a short length lock the cutter cannot normally access the inside of the hose because the bike or securing post will be in the way.

Using hydraulic hose for this invention allows simple customisation in length and appropriately scaled fittings will fit any size of off-the-shelf hose.

The hollow centre of the hose allows space for a taggant reservoir or cartridge to be added in to the bore of the hose. During assembly of the security device, the taggant reservoir is inserted into the hydraulic hose before the securable end-fitting components are secured in place. The securable end-fitting components seal the taggant reservoir in place and create a waterproof and airtight seal so that taggant cannot leak under normal use.

Some forensic DNA chemicals have a shelf life beyond which they may degrade so it is of benefit to be able to access the DNA core element in order to periodically replace the degraded core. Access may be provided by end-fittings that incorporate a removable portion that allows access to the bore of the hydraulic hose. This can be done simply through a sealable access in the securable end-fitting component. For example, access may be provided via a hole that is sealed by a plug or a grub screw. From this access hole a taggant reservoir may be removed and replaced, prolonging the active life of the security device. This bore access also allows the taggant reservoir to be as long in length as possible within the security device.

The taggant may be contained under pressure in the reservoir or contain additives (such as an aerosol fluid) to help increase dispersion of the taggant when the reservoir is attacked. If the reservoir is pressurised mechanically it is likely to lose its pressure over time so access would be beneficial in order to be able to recharge the pressure via a valve in the end-fitting or by replacing the entire taggant reservoir.

The taggant reservoir may contain unique property-marking serial microdots so that a theft investigation would not require the lengthy process of chemical analysis of forensic chemical DNA. The taggant reservoir may hold anti-theft dye as a less sophisticated deterrent or any combination of taggant types.

The security device’s taggant fluid may contain any combination of serial numbered microdots, synthetic chemical DNA, a UV fluorescent fluid, indelible dye, noxious fluid, adhesive and scent detectable by sniffer dogs. The taggant fluid may also contain aerosol fluid or may be mechanically pressurised so that rupturing the reservoir spreads the taggant further.

The end-fitting components may provide access to the bore of the hydraulic hose so that the taggant fluid reservoir can be removed and replaced. A part of the end-fitting may be mechanically fixed to the taggant reservoir to simplify the process of replacement.

The access hole plugs may also hold the taggant fluid reservoir in place, securing it to one or both end-fittings within the bore.

The access hole may be positioned such that it is inaccessible when the end fittings are secured together so that access is restricted to anyone but the key holder.

A tamper detection marker on the access hole may be useful to later ensure that the taggant reservoir has not been affected outside of factory fitting.

The hose structure of the device can further deter disc cutter attack by incorporation of long loose fibres. The fibres have the ability to tangle with the abrasive disc stopping it from rotating and make cutting dangerous for the thief.

The hose may also contain a metal rod or rods. The rods are not necessarily connected to both lockable ends of the locking device because this allows them to move within the hose making them more difficult to cut by conventional tools. The metal rod also helps the locking device retain its circular shape so that it is easier to use because high-pressure hydraulic hose is relatively stiff to bend into a tight circle for use as a lock. The metal rod may instead be a bar or strip of high strength steel that may also be twisted to enable it to bend in various directions.

The closed core of the hose can be used to house an attack detection device as well as being triggered by movement it could also be triggered by detecting a change in the ambient pressure inside the hose, assuming that when the device is produced the pressure in the hose is set different to ambient air pressure. The tamper detection system could also be triggered by a change in the properties (e.g. electrical conductivity) of the metal components of the security device as the device is cut. The tamper detection system could wirelessly alert the owners of a potential theft.

Recent developments in electronic locks are enabling keyless use. These locks are mechanically ‘unpickable’ (as there is no keyhole) and could be integrated into the invention, secured as end-fittings.

The conventional way to secure end-fittings to the hose is by crimping on ferrules. This process also allows other protective sleeving to be neatly fixed around the hose. For instance, these sleeves may be woven or knitted polymer threads, flexible plastic extrusions, flexible metal braids or corrugated sleeves. There are many standard sleeve protectors on the market. Adding sleeves makes it more difficult to cut through the hose and therefore increases the security of the device. Testing has shown stainless steel braid to be the most effective supplementary sleeve against an attack.

Sleeving can also be used to make the hose more visible for road safety benefits through it being brightly coloured or reflective. The sleeve could also house pockets for a cycle rider to keep belongings. The rubbery outer surface of the hose can also be printed for decoration, visibility purposes and branding.

For high security purposes where weight is not such an issue or the product being secured is very precious, in a further subsidiary aspect of the invention a security chain or metallic cable is incorporated in the channel of the hose so that any attacker has to cut away the hose before being able to access and cut the chain.

Whilst being particularly inventive in the field of bicycle locks, the invention may be incorporated into any of the following:

Roof rack, cycle rack, motorcycle lock, travel luggage lock, ground anchor lock, ratchet strap type locks, straps for holding loads onto trailers, locks for spare wheels on cars, locks for trailers to secure to vehicles, secure dog leads, boat lock, tamper proof safety harness.

Preferred embodiment

In its preferred form the invention consists of a length of hydraulic hose with securable end-fitting components that form the mating parts of a locking device. The securable end-fitting components are crimped in place with ferrules. These securable end-fitting components also secure a separate reservoir of taggant fluid inside the hollow core of the length of hydraulic hose.

The securable end-fitting component at one end comprises an insert portion that is secured into the hydraulic hose with a ferrule and a protruding portion that is detachably securable to the mating endfitting component at the other end of the hose. This mating end-fitting component comprises an insert portion that is secured into the hydraulic hose with a ferrule and a housing portion containing a locking mechanism that receives said protruding portion of the other endfitting component.

The insert portion of the end-fittings may be ribbed or have an undulating surface to increase its adhesion to the hydraulic hose when crimped in place.

In a simpler form the invention consists of a hydraulic hose that has end-fitting components with loops connected at either end which also may secure a separate reservoir of taggant fluid inside the hydraulic hose. The loops on the end fittings can be locked together with various types of padlock. There are a variety of other possible methods to secure the ends of the hose together including end fittings with integrated combination lock parts at either end.

Any of these methods may secure a taggant reservoir inside the bore of the hydraulic hose and may also incorporate an access system in order to remove and replace the taggant reservoir.

Description of figures

Figure 1 shows the preferred embodiment of the locking device with integrated, securable, end-fitting components. Shown here is a key operated, plunge pin mechanism 1 fitted to the receiving hose endfitting 2. At the other end of the hose 3 is shown the protruding, ‘male’ end-fitting 4. The key 5 is also shown in the lock.

Figure 2 shows a simpler embodiment with a separate padlock 6 to secure the looped end-fittings 7 that are crimped to the hose.

Figure 3 shows a combination lock barrel locking the end-fitting components 8 at either end of the hose 4.

Figure 4 shows one embodiment of a sealable access to the hose bore. The figure shows a cross section of a securable ‘male’ end-fitting with a hose bore access 9 which is sealed with a grub screw 10. The end fitting has a ribbed profile 11 on the insert portion, a shoulder onto which into the outer ferrule crimps onto 12. The hole 13 is for the detachable locking mechanism. The hole 14 in line with the hose bore access enables removal of the grub screw and access for the taggant reservoir to be inserted into the hose.

Claims (10)

1. An end fitting for an elongate flexible hollow security component which is securable using locking means and which, when the locking means is activated, prevents a cavity of the elongate hollow security component being tampered with or accessed.

2. A security device comprising an elongate flexible hollow component with an end fitting as in claim 1 attached to each end so as to define an enclosed internal cavity along the length of the elongate component between the two ends.

3. A security device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the enclosed internal cavity contains an insert containing a taggant liquid.

4. A security device as claimed in claim 3 where the taggant liquid includes forensic chemical DNA or microdots.

5. An end fitting as claimed in claim 1 comprising means of access to the cavity which is sealed when in use.

6. An end fitting as claimed in claim 5 comprising a hole through which a lockable component may be passed and obscures access to the cavity.

7. An end fitting as claimed in claim 6 where the lockable component is a padlock.

8. A security device as claimed in claim 2 where the flexible hollow security component is readily available hydraulic hose.

9. A security device as in any of the preceding claims that has a pressurised taggant reservoir inside the cavity of the flexible hollow security component.

10. A security device as in any of the preceding claims where the flexible hollow security component is recycled hydraulic hose.