GB2469513A - Vehicle immobiliser which attaches to a wheel - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a vehicle immobiliser of the type which is securable to a vehicle wheel to restrain movement of the vehicle in use. A body portion 1 longer than a radius of a wheel to be secured, primary 4 and secondary 10 releasable wheel engaging means to engage extended wheel bolts (15, Figure 3) or nuts (17, Figure 4) are provided. When fitted to a wheel the device rotates with the wheel and part of the body 1 projects beyond the wheel's circumference. The primary engaging means 4 is locatable about an extended wheel bolt (15) or nut (17) without requiring its removal and in use, at least partially surrounds a longitudinally extending portion of the shaft of the bolt (15) or nut (17). Preferably the secondary 10 engaging means incorporates a movable lockable member 11 engaging another bolt (15) or nut (17) without requiring its removal.

Description

VEHICLE SECURITY DEVICE AND IMMOBILISER

The present invention relates to a vehide wheel securfty device such as an mmobliser useful for deterring theft of vehcIes, trailers, caravans and the like or for controlling their parking in restricted places where parking is subject to regulation. More particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle immobiliser of to the type which can be releasably secured to a vehicle wheel to prevent or hinder its rotation.

The reader will need no introduction to conventional wheel clamps which are used, for example, by the police, traffic wardens and private contractors to control parking and have acquired some notoriety.

These known wheel clamps were originally proposed as an anti-theft device and, indeed, are to a limited extent used for that purpose. The clamps typically consist of three relatively large parts, which are clamped to a vehicle wheel and then locked in the clamped position.

The present invention provides a vehicle immobiliser of the type which is securable to a vehicle wheel to restrain movement of the wheel, in use.

According to this invention there is provided: a generally elongate body portion whose length exceeds the radius of the wheel to be secured; primary wheel engaging means adapted releasably to engage an extended wheel bolt or nut affixed to the vehicle wheel; secondary wheel engaging means also adapted releasably to engage another extended wheel bolt or nut affixed to the vehicle wheel, the device when so fitted to a vehicle wheel being coupled to the wheel for rotation therewith and part of said body portion projecting beyond the circumference of said vehicle wheel, the primary engaging means being locatable, in use, about said extended wheel bolt or nut without requiring its removal, wherein the primary engaging means is upstanding at least in part from the elongate body such that, in use, it at least partially surrounds a longitudinally-extending portion of the shaft of the extended wheel bolt or nut.

Advantageously, in use, the primary engagement means acts not only as a locator for the axially extended nut or bolt about which it is located, but also as an anti-removal device which may thwart or hinder attempts to remove or tamper with said bolt or nut when the vehicle immobiliser is secured to a vehicle wheel.

Preferably, the primary engagement means may be adapted such that it is shaped to prevent rotation of an extended bolt of nut with which it is engaged.

Preferably, the primary engaging means comprises a tubular formation such as a sleeve or a bore. The sleeve or bore may be open-ended. Alternatively, the sleeve or bore may comprise a closed end, which covers, in use, the exposed end of the extended nut or bolt.

Preferably, the secondary engaging means may incorporate a movable lockable member which releasably engages said another bolt or nut without requiring its removal from the wheel.

The body portion preferably comprises a rigid member adapted to be removably secured to a vehicle wheel by an arrangement involving an axially-extended wheel bolt or nut.

The feature that the rigid member is secured to the vehicle wheel using extended nuts or bolts enables the immobiliser to be considerably smaller, lighter and cheaper than many known vehicle immobilisers or wheel clamps.

It s envisaged that a kt of parts may comprise at least one immobWser according to the invention and one or more, preferably two or more, extended whee' bofts or nuts adapted for engagement with the or each immobiiser.

The invenbon also provides methods of installuig the immobihser according to the invention.

In order that the invention may be iustrated, more easily appreciated and readily carned into effect; embodiments thereof will now be described purely by io way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings of preferred embodiments and in which: * Figure 1 is an isometric view of the immobiser body; * Figure 2 is a rear view of the immobiser body shown in Figure 1; * Figure 3 is a view of one suitable axiay extended wheel boft; * Figure 4 is a view of one suitable axiaUy extended whe& nut; * Figure 5 is a schematic view of a pair of axiay extended wheel bolts being fitted to a vehicle wheel prior to insta'lation of an immobiliser body; and * Figure 6 is a schematic view of an immobilised body being affixed then locked onto the axially extended wheel bolts depicted in Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 thereof, the immobiliser body position 1 comprises a length of angie section steel, in which the two internal faces la, lb are formed at 900. The body has a length 2 which may be in the range of 18 to 24 inches or so, depending upon the radius 3 of the tyre/wheel to be protected. The internal upright face la is provided with primary wheel engaging means 4. This comprises a hoow s'eeve we'ded to or integrally formed with the face la. The sleeve is hoow to the external face la of the body 1 as seen also in Figure 2. The body unit has a secondary whed boft engaging means 8 in the form of a chamber 10 into which a lockable boft 11 is arranged to pass. The chamber 10 at least in the position shown in Figure 1 is dosed to the extent that access to the interior is denied via any of its available sides in Figure 1. However, access is possible from the rear face lb of the body unit 1, as will be explained hereafter.

An elongate lockable bolt 11 passes through a section of the chamber which incorporates a lock, such as a secure cylinder lock. The ockable bolt is mounted in that section for linear displacement to a stop position, against an abutment 13 projecting from face la of the body, by means of cylinder lock 12, the locking bolt can be locked in a substantially retracted position, and in a fully inserted position (not shown) in which the bolt has been inserted back into the chamber and through an aperture in an extended wheel nut or boft (not shown in this figure).

When the lockable bolt 11 has been displaced through the said section and into the chamber then it will appear through window 14 at the rear face lb of the body unit. For clarity, the extended wheel nut or bolt through which the locking bolt would pass is not shown in Figure 2. In use, this extended wheel bolt or nut would pass through window 14, which, as it comprises an elongate slot allows the device to be attached to wheels having differently spaced bolts or nuts, e.g. whee's of different sizes or for different vehicle types.

Equally, the other extended wheel bolt or nut that would fit through the bore in the primary engagement means is also not present in Figure 2, but wilt be subsequently described. The cylinder lock is preferably key operated and is dep'oyed to determine the position and locking states of the locking bolt within the said locking chamber.

Refernng to Figure 3 there is shown an axially extended wheel bolt for female threaded hubs. The bolt includes a hollow transverse bore of a size that can accommodate the locking boft by way of a loose fit therein.

Similarly Figure 4 shows an axially extended wheel nut designed to fit hubs with male studs. It has an internally axially threaded portion for securement to such a stud, and a hollow transverse bore portion near its other end, of a shape and size to accommodate a locking bolt as described and illustrated herein. The external form is conventional hexagonal or octagonal cross section to enable the io bolt or nut to be affixed to and released from the wheel hub using a conventional wheel spanner (not shown).

Application of the immobiliser device is as shown in Figures 5 and 6. In order to prepare the vehide wheel in readiness to accept the present immobiliser device, it is necessary initially to remove two diagonally opposing conventional wheel retaining bolts or nuts to be replaced on the wheel by a pair of axially extended such nuts or bolts of the type depicted either in Figure 3 or Figure 4 whichever is suitable for that vehicle wheel. The replacement bolts or nuts are then tightened up either using the conventional wheel brace or a separate tommy bar that can be supplied. Then, the body can be located such that one projecting nut or bolt is surrounded by the sleeve and the other nut or bolt enters the locking chamber through the window 14 on its rear face with its transverse hollow bore aperture so aligned that the locking bolt can be caused to enter and pass through said bore then locked in position via the cylinder lock.

Conveniently, therefore, the immobiliser can be fitted on a wheel without any necessity to unscrew a wheel bolt or nut each time, since it is necessary merely to replace a conventional wheel bolt or nut with an elongate one, whereafter the immobiliser can be slipped on and off one elongate bolt or nut, and securely locked to another, without difficulty.

Upon such instaUation and locking, the body una becomes affixed to the vehide wheel with part of its length protruding beyond the radius of the tyre fitted to the wheeL With the locking boft locked and the key removed from the lock cylinder in the locking chamber section, the immobiliser device has been installed upon the vehicle wheel. The installation is in such a manner that the axially extended wheel bolts (or nuts) remain substantially hidden from view from the front the vehicle wheel and substantially are not accessible unless and until the immobiliser is unlocked and removed. This is because the sleeve of the primary engagement means is acting as a shield to the axially extended nut or bolt that became located therein. Absent access to the exterior sides of such extended wheel bolt or nut, there is no purchase for a wheel brace or tommy bar to interfere with and try to loosen that nut or bolt. Hence the sleeve acts not only as a locator for that axially extended nut or bolt but also as an anti-removal device preventing interference with the respective shielded nut or bolt.

Further, it will be appreciated that, advantageously, when the immobiliser is in place neither of the two extended wheel bolts or nuts involved in securing the immobiliser to the wheel may be unscrewed.

FIGURE 5 Remove two diagonally opposed wheel retaining studs/nuts and fit two extension studs/nuts and tighten using the tommy bar supplied.

FIGURE 6 Place the bar over the extension studs/nuts. The bar will fit either way. * * *S*. *.. * a S. * . * S..

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Claims (5)

1. C'aims 1. A vehicle immobliser of the type which is securable to a vehicle wheel to restrain movement of the wheel, in use, comprising: a generally elongate body portion whose length exceeds the radius of the wheel to be secured; primary wheel engaging means adapted releasably to engage an extended wheel bolt or nut affixed to the vehicle wheel; secondary wheel engaging means also adapted releasably to engage another extended wheel bolt or nut affixed to the vehicle wheel, the device when so fitted to a vehicle to wheel being coupled to the wheel for rotation therewith and part of said body portion projecting beyond the circumference of said vehicle wheel, the primary engaging means being locatable, in use, about said extended wheel bolt or nut without requiring its removal, wherein the primary engaging means is upstanding at least in part from the elongate body is such that, in use, it at least partially surrounds a longitudinally-extending portion of the shaft of the extended wheel bolt or nut.
2. 2. A vehicle immobiliser according to Claim 1, wherein the primary engagement means is adapted such that it is shaped to prevent rotation of an extended bolt of nut with which it is engaged.
3. 3. A vehicle immobiliser according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the primary engaging means comprises a tubular formation such as a sleeve or a bore.
4. 4. A vehicle immobiliser according to Claim 3, wherein the sleeve or bore is open-ended
5. 5. A vehicle immobiliser according to Claim 3, wherein the sleeve or bore comprises a closed end, which covers, in use, the exposed end of the extended nut or bolt.6 A vehde mmobiser according to any one of the precethng Daims, wherein the secondary engaging means incorporates a movab'e ockabe member which reIeasaby engages sad another boft or nut without requiring its remova' from the wheeL 7. A kit of parts comprising at least one mmobihser according to the invention and two or more extended wheel bolts or nuts adapted for engagement with the or each immobiliser.