FR2615236A1 - Tamperproof protection device for padlocks used for theft prevention - Google Patents

Abstract

The tamperproof protection device has the object of protecting the padlock so that the latter becomes practically indestructable by means of a mass, this being in a particularly simple way and at a low cost. It consists of a cover 1 in the shape of an inverted U 2, 3, 4 which totally caps the ring 8 of the padlock, as well as the upper part of the body 6 of the latter where the link with the ring 8 takes place. The rounded upper part 2 of the cover includes a middle opening 5 receiving the end rings 9-10 of an anti-theft chain 11, which rings are held by the ring 8 of the padlock put in the closed position by the command 7. It becomes impossible to destroy the padlock by means of a mass during a break-in. The device applies to all padlocks used for theft prevention, for example joining the ends of an anti-theft chain.

Description

 The present invention relates to a tamper-proof protection device for padlocks used in anti-theft devices; for example to join the two ends of a case-hardened steel chain, or other similar process.

 The common practice on the part of attackers is to destroy, during a break-in, the padlock itself by means of a mass.

 The object of the inviolable protection device according to the invention is to protect the padlock in such a way that the latter becomes practically indestructible by means of a mass and, in a particularly simple manner and at a high cost.

 The tamper-evident protection device according to the invention is characterized in that it consists of a metal cover affecting in section the general shape of an inverted U capable of covering, completely covering, the ring of the padlock as well as the upper part of the body of the latter, where the connection takes place between the ends of the ring and the body itself of the padlock, the rounded upper part of the cover having a transverse median opening allowing entry, side -to-c8te, the two end rings of an anti-theft chain coming to bear on the opposite edges of the opening, said end rings being crossed by the free end of the ring of the padlock, before proceeding to closing the latter; and vice versa.

 In the case of application to a padlock of a type comprising an opening and closing control system with numbers or letters and whose body pivots in the plane of the ring of the padlock, upon opening and the closure of the latter; the front and rear faces of the cover are identical in the height direction.

 In the case of application to a padlock of a type comprising an opening and closing control system with key or maqnétique and the body of which; after an away movement; pivots in a plane orthogonal to the plane containing the ring of the padlock, when opening and vice versa when closing the latter; - one of the sides of the cover is shorter in the direction of the height than the other face; so as to allow the two phases of movement of the body of the padlock, when opening and vice versa when closing the latter.

 Other characteristics, advantages and peculiarities of the invention will emerge from the description which is given below, with reference to the appended drawings representing, by way of preferred example, two possible embodiments of said invention.

On these drawings
Figure 1 is an elevational view of a protective device according to the invention, applicable in particular to padlocks of a type comprising a number or letter closure-and whose body pivots in the plane of the ring of the padlock , when opening the latter
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, while oue
Figure 3 is a top view taken along arrow III of Figure 1;
Figure 4 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the protection device according to the invention; applicable in particular to padlocks of a type comprising a key or maqnétique closure and the body of which pivots in a plane orthoaonal to the plane containing the ring of the padlock, when the latter is opened;
Figure 5 is a vertical couoe made along the line VV of Figure 4, while
Figure 6 is a top view taken along arrow VI of Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a protection device according to the invention of the type of Figures 1; 2 and 3, once placed on a letter padlock in the closed position on the end rings of an anti-theft chain;
Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 7; but the padlock being this time shown in the open position;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a variant of the protection device according to the invention of the type of
Figures 4; 5 and 6; once placed on a keyed padlock
closed position on the end rings of a chain
anti-theft;
Figures 10 and 11 are explanatory diagrams showing
how does the extraction of the padlock of the type of figure 9 work out of the
protection device and anti-theft or vice chain rings
and vice versa.

Referring first to Figures 6; it can be seen that the 41st padlock protection device according to the invention is
essentially consisting of a hardened steel cover designated by the
general reference 1, affecting the general shape of an inverted U
likely to cover, by covering it completely, the ring of a
padlock, as well as the upper part of the body of the latter where
the connection takes place between the ring and the body of the padlock itself.

Since the padlock ring to be protected must be able to
come to engage, for example in the end rings of a chain
anti-theft device, as will be seen in detail below, the curved part
upper 2 of the protector, connecting the front 3 and rear 4 sides of
the latter has a transverse opening 5 in which
can penetrate said end rings of the anti-theft chain
to engage them by the ring of a padlock.

Obviously, the thickness as well as the dimensions
of the cover itself 1 as those of the opening 5 will be determined by
function of the various padlocks existing in the trade and which one
will want to protect by the device according to the invention.

However, it should be noted that; in the case
application of the invention to a padlock of a type comprising a
closing control system with numbers or letters and the
body pivots in the plane of the padlock ring, when opening
of the latter, the front 3 and rear 4 faces of the cover 1 are
identical in height, as it appears
distinctly; in Figures 1, 2; 7 and 8.

Whereas, in the case of application of the invention to a
padlock of a type comprising a key or magnetic locking control system and the body of which pivots in a plane orthogonal to the plane containing the padlock ring, when the latter opens, the front face 3 of the cover 1 is shorter in the direction of the height than the rear face 4 of said cover; as shown clearly in Figures 4, 5 and 9, and this simply to allow the opening of the padlock, as will be seen in detail below.

 We will now describe in detail the application of the invention to a padlock of a type comprising a number or letter closure with particular reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8.

 It will be recalled first of all that any padlock of the aforementioned type comprises a body proper 6 provided with its opening control system with numbers or letters 7 and a ring 8, it should be noted that in order to pass from its position of closure (Figure 7) in its open position (Figure 8) and vice versa, the body 6 pivots in the plane of the ring 8.

 It immediately follows that, in this case, the front 3 and rear 4 faces of the cover 1 are identical in the direction of the height and that the protector according to the invention is of the type of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. I1 comes to cover both the ring 8 of the padlock, by completely covering it, that the upper part of the body 6 of the latter practically up to the height of the upper part of the opening control system 7, that is to say by covering the fragile part where the connection takes place between the ring 8 and the actual body 6 of the padlock.

 The dimensions of the transverse opening 5, formed in the rounded upper part 2 of the protection device 1 are determined to allow, in this case to penetrate side by side the two end rings 9 and 10 of an anti-theft chain 11, preferably in case-hardened steel; and to bring them to bear on the opposite edges of the opening 5 of the protection device.

 I1 appears on reading FIG. 7, that the protection device according to the invention prevents any possibility of collision by means of a mass both on the ring 8 and on the ring-body link of the padlock as well as on the junction between padlock ring and end rings 9-10 of the anti-theft chain 11.

 Referring to Figure 8, we see that it will be easy; either to penetrate the free end 8A of the ring 8 of the padlock into said end rings 9 and 10 of the anti-theft chain 11 and to close the padlock, or on the contrary; after opening the padlock, extract the ring 8 of the padlock from the end rings 9 and 10 of the chain and release the latter.

 We can immediately see that the protection device according to the invention makes it possible to achieve real tamper-proof protection of the padlock by preventing any possibility of break-in by means of a mass on the padlock, and this thanks to a particularly simple and '' a low cost.

 We will now describe in detail the variant of application of the invention to a padlock of a type comprising a key or magnetic opening and closing control system with particular reference to Figures 4, 5, 6, 9 , 10 and 11.

 It will be recalled that any padlock of the aforementioned type comprises, as in the previous case, a body proper 6 provided with its key or magnetic opening control system designated here by the general reference 7 and a ring 8; being noted that; can pass from its closed position (shown at 61 in solid lines in Figure 9) to its final open position (shown at 63 in dotted lines in the same figure 9) passing through an intermediate position (shown at 62 in dashed line in said Figure 9); the body 6, under the action of the control system 7; in a first phase, moves vertically in the direction of the arrow F1 to pass from position 61 to position 62; which has the well-known effect of releasing said body from one of the ends (8A for example) of the ring 8 and allowing it to pivot around the other end 8B of the ring 8.

 This transition from position 61 to position 62 has the effect; also to bring the upper part of the padlock body 6 below the level of the edge of the front face 3 of the protection device which, as described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, is shorter in the direction as high as the rear face 4 of the protection device.

 From this moment it is possible to rotate, along arrow F2, the body 6 in a plane orthogonal to the plane containing the ring 8 of the padlock, to pass from position 62 to the opposite position 63.

 When the body of the padlock is in this position 63, it becomes possible (see FIGS. 10 and 11) to pivot the whole of the padlock 8-63 along the arrow F3 in the plane of the ring 8 by sliding the latter in the end rings 9-10 of the anti-theft chain to bring the assembly into position 81a - 63a shown in Figure 11. To extract the padlock from the end rings 9-10 of the chain, simply push the ring 8 in the direction of arrow F4, it being obvious that the anti-theft chain will be completely released when the free end 8A of the ring 8 arrives at the end of the transverse notch 5.

 Obviously, the operations described above will be carried out in strictly reverse order to bring the padlock - anti-theft chain - protection device assembly into the relative protection positions shown in FIG. 9.

 It is particularly interesting to note, with reference again to FIGS. 10 and 11, that, if someone who does not have the key 7 enabling the padlock to be opened, wanted to rotate the padlock assembly in the initial closed position 61 in the direction of arrow F3; the padlock body could not exceed the final position 6îa of Figure 11 and without the ring itself 8 or the upper part of the padlock body 6 where the ring-body connection takes place at no time exceed the protection effective and inviolable protection device itself 1.

 In conclusion, it is clear that the protection device according to the invention allows real protection of the padlocks used in anti-theft devices by preventing any possibility of break-in by means of a mass or other tool on the padlock.

Claims (6)

 1. Tamper-proof protection device for padlocks used in anti-theft devices; characterized in that it consists of a metal cover (1) affecting, in section; the general shape of an inverted U (4, 2, 3) capable of coming to cap; by completely covering it, the ring (8) of the padlock as well as the upper part of the body (6) of the latter, where the connection takes place between the ends (BA, BB) of the ring (8) and the actual body (6) of the padlock, the rounded upper part (2) of the cover (1) comprising a transverse median opening (5) making it possible to penetrate; side by side the two end rings (9; 10) of an anti-theft chain (11) bearing on the opposite edges of the opening (5), said end rings (9, 10) being traversed by the 'free end (8A) of the ring (8) of the padlock, before proceeding to close the latter, and vice versa.  2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the case of application to a padlock of a type comprising a control system (7) for opening and closing with numbers or letters and whose body ( 6) pivots in the plane of the ring (8) of the padlock, when the latter is opened and closed; the front (3) and rear (4) faces of the cover (1) are identical in the height direction.  3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the case of application to a padlock of a type comprising a control system (7) for opening and closing by key or magnetic and whose body (6 ); after a moving away (F1; 61, 62), pivots (F2; 62, 63) in a plane orthogonal to the plane containing the ring (8) of the padlock, when opening and vice versa when closing of the latter; one of the faces (3) of the cover (1> is shorter in the direction of the height than the other face (4) so as to allow the two phases of the movement (Fl; 61, 62, F2; 62; 63) of the body (6) of the padlock; when opening and vice versa (63; 62-F2, 62, 61-Fl) when closing said padlock.  4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3; characterized in that both the cover itself (1) and the anti-theft chain (11) are made of case-hardened steel.  5. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the control system (7) for opening and closing with numbers or letters prevents any movement of rotation of the body (6) of padlock inside the cover (1 ) when the padlock is in the closed position, which provides real tamper-proof protection for fragile parts of the padlock.  6. Device according to claim 3; characterized in that, when the padlock is in the closed position, it is impossible to pivot it inside the cover (1), without having the control key (7) to bring it into the position allowing its opening, which provides real tamper-proof protection for fragile parts of the padlock.