WO2008023144A1

WO2008023144A1 - A security device

Info

Publication number: WO2008023144A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/003018
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Shaw
Original assignee: Shaw, Dorothy
Priority date: 2006-08-23
Filing date: 2007-08-09
Publication date: 2008-02-28
Also published as: GB2441184A; GB2441141A; GB0616673D0; EP2061942A1; GB0708134D0

Abstract

A security device for attaching a toolbox or similar piece of equipment to a wall or floor surface comprising a first component consisting of a base plate (11) and upstanding post (12) securely fixed to. the wall or floor surface, and a second component comprising a spreader plate (20) which locates against the bottom wall (15) of a toolbox or similar piece of equipment and has a pin (21) which passes into a central bore of the post (12) of the first component and then a lock (30) is located on the post (12) such that its locking peg (32) passes through aligned apertures in the post (12) and the pin (21). A central anchor (18) whose securing bolt head (19) is inaccessible within the bore of the post (12) prevents removal of the first component while the high security lock (30) prevents separation of the pin (21) from the post (12).

Description

A SECURITY DEVICE

This invention concerns a security device for use in anchoring movable objects to fixed surfaces, for example a toolbox to a workshop floor.

In light engineering and garage workshops there will often be a number of work stations where functions of diagnosis, repair and fabrication will take place. A technician working in such a work station must have a readily accessible kit of tools, some of which may be very valuable. Typically the technician will own and insure his own tool kit housed in a cabinet which is usually movable and free standing on the workshop floor and may be moved from one location to another when required, or when the technician moves to a different employment.

The considerable value and re-saleability of the contents of such toolboxes and other such equipment has resulted in many occurrences of theft. To avoid this the technician will usually secure the tool box to a nearby fixed object using heavy duty chains and the like, but recent advances in technology have made most of the traditional means of securing such equipment ineffective since even high tensile steel security chains can be destroyed using, for example, modern portable cutting and shearing equipment. Therefore, theft can occur in just a few minutes and long before the police or security services can arrive on site.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a security device by which a tool box or any other object may be secured to a fixed surface and which substantially reduces the risk of theft.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a security device a part of which may be fixedly secured to a floor or wall surface while another part may be movable with a toolbox for attachment to the fixed part of another such security device at a different location. Thus, the device is in two parts one of which is at a fixed location and the other of which is transportable and adapted for attachment in another fixed location.

According to the present invention there is provided a security device for attaching an object to a fixed surface, comprising a first component including means for securing it to the fixed surface and having a first engaging part; a second component including means whereby it may be secured to an object to be attached to the fixed surface, and having a second engaging part engagable with the first engaging part of the first component; and a removable lock which when the first and second engaging parts are inter-engaged may be attached thereto to prevent separation thereof; characterised in that at least part of the securing means is concealed and inaccessible when the first and second engaging parts are inter-engaged, thus preventing access to and removal of said securing means.

The securing means of the first component may include at least one shield anchor.

The securing means of the first component may include further shield anchors with snap-off nuts.

The first component may comprise a base plate adapted to be anchored to the fixed surface and an upstanding post centrally bored to receive a pin being the second engaging part of the second component.

The second component may comprise a spreader plate adapted to be placed against an internal bottom or side wall of an object to be fixed, the pin being attached to the spreader plate.

The upstanding post and the pin may have further apertures which become aligned when the pin is received within the bore of the post, said further apertures serving to receive a locking member of the removable lock.

The removable lock may be a shutter-type padlock having a U-shaped body with a retracting peg, and the upstanding post of the first component may have a reduced portion to receive the body of the lock.

The second component may include at least one freely rotatable cylindrical sleeve which surrounds a part of the pin which is located outside of the post when the first and second engaging parts are interengaged.

The second component may include at least two freely rotatable concentric cylindrical sleeves which surround a part of the pin which is located outside of the post when the first and second engaging parts are interengaged. The inner of the two freely rotatable concentric sleeves may be of case hardened steel and the outer sleeve may be of mild steel having an outer galvanised shell.

The upstanding post and base plate of the first component may be of steel and welded together.

The first and second components, when their respective engaging parts are inter- engaged and locked, may be disposed such that the object and the fixed surface are disposed no more than 200mm, preferably 120mm, apart.

The pin and spreader plate may be of steel.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the parts of a security device made in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a part-sectional view showing the device in use and securely attaching the bottom of a toolbox or similar such equipment to a concrete floor.

Referring now to the drawings, the security device comprises a first component 10 comprising a steel base plate 11 being some 200mm square and 5mm thick to which is welded, at 50, an upstanding post 12 some 1 15mm in height and of circular cross- section and of steel having a central bore 13 through the post, and a reduced shoulder 14. The post may have a diameter in the region of 65mm, and its central bore 13 may be some 24mm in diameter.

It will be assumed that the base plate 11 is adapted to be bolted to a concrete floor surface although in another application it could be bolted to a wall. For this purpose the plate includes four apertures each adapted to receive the stud of a shield anchor 16 (see Fig. 2) which is inserted into holes appropriately drilled into the substrate of the floor. Snap-off nuts 17 may be used so that once the anchors have been tightened to a certain torque rating, the heads of the nuts snap off thus hindering or preventing subsequent removal of the component 10 short of destroying the floor. A fifth shield anchor 18 is inserted into the floor and an associated bolt 19 passes downwardly through the bore 13 and through an aperture in the plate 11 , to be secured to the anchor 18 in the floor. As will be seen, the anchor bolt 19 need not include a snap-off head since it will be inaccessible and concealed when the device is in use.

A second component of the security device comprises a spreader plate 20 to which is welded a pin 21 , both of steel. The spreader plate is some 140mm by 90mm and in use is located against the floor 15 of a toolbox as will be described. The pin 21 has a diameter of around 23mm and thus will be a close fit within the bore 13 of the post 12.

The pin 21 has a transverse bore 26 of slightly elliptical shape part-way down its length and, as will be described, this hole 26 becomes aligned with a similar transverse hole 27 in an upper region of the post 12 when the first and second components of the device are inter-engaged.

A removable padlock 30 of the shutter type comprises a U-shaped body 31 , a retractable peg 32 and a releasing key 33. A central recess 34 of the lock 30 is to be seated upon the reduced shoulder 14 of post 12 as will be seen.

Referring now to Fig. 2 and assuming that the security device is to be used to secure a toolbox to a workshop floor, the base plate 11 is anchored to the floor 35 as shown. The toolbox may comprise a cabinet which stands on legs (not shown) on the floor 35 so that the bottom wall or floor 15 of the cabinet will stand approximately 150mm from and parallel to the floor surface. The bottom wall 36 is drilled as at 37 to receive the pin 21.

With the cabinet positioned directly over the first component 10 so that the aperture 37 is aligned with the bore 13 in the post 12, the pin 21 may be inserted into the bore 13. The pin 21 is rotated so that apertures 26 and 27 are aligned and then the lock 30 is introduced and its peg 32 advanced to pass through the apertures 26 and 27. Thus, the pin 21 is prevented from removal and the first and second components of the lock are inter-engaged and prevented from separation.

The floor of a typical toolbox cabinet, is strengthened by being of castellated or ridged form so that the lowermost face X of the floor is lower than the main floor surface of the bottom wall 15 of the toolbox. Accordingly, as can be seen from Fig. 2, there is a length of pin 21 exposed between the top of the post 12 and the underside of the floor 15, the pin being thus located, between two adjacent castellations of the toolbox base.

Although access to the exposed part of the pin would be very difficult to achieve, nevertheless for additional security a pair of concentric sleeves 22 and 23 are disposed around the pin prior to its introduction into the bore 13. Inner sleeve 22 is of case hardened steel while outer sleeve 23 is of mild steel with a galvanised outer shell.

When the parts are assembled it will be seen that inner sleeve 22 rests upon the top of post 12 while outer sleeve 23 rests upon the body 31 of the padlock 30.

Any attempt to cut through the outer sleeve 23 with a grinding disc would cause the sleeve to spin but should it be possible to start a cut in the outer sleeve then its outer galvanised shell will cause the cutting disc to become clogged thus preventing the cutting action and further encouraging the sleeve 23 to spin.

In extreme circumstances should a cutting disc successfully cut through the outer sleeve 23 then it would be prevented from cutting the inner sleeve 22 in view of its case hardened characteristics and the fact that it is free to rotate upon the pin 21.

From Fig. 2 it can be seen that the inner and outer sleeves 22 and 23 are of slightly ^" reduced length to allow for height tolerances of different tool boxes. However, in use, should the outer sleeve be lifted sufficiently to allow a cutting device to be introduced beneath it, with difficulty, nevertheless cutting of the pin 21 is prevented by the upper end region of the post 12 above the shoulder 14, which stands well above the upper side of the lock 30 when the lock is in place. As an alternative, the top of the post 12 may sit slightly below the upper side of the lock 30, in which case the inner rotatable sleeve 22 will be longer so that it is seated upon the top of the post 12 and prevents a cutting disc from gaining access to the pin 21.

Since the main body of the post 12 is some 65mm in diameter then to cut through it would require the use of an angle grinder having a nominal cutting depth of at least 65mm. Such a tool has an overall depth in the region of 165mm and since the head space between the base plate 11 and the lower extremity X of the toolbox is no greater than 115mm then it would be impossible to introduce any cutting tool into that head space with sufficient cutting depth capability to pass through the post 12 without substantially damaging or destroying the toolbox being secured.

Thus, with the toolbox cabinet so secured it is extremely difficult if not impossible for it to be released without opening the lock 30 with the key 33. Even if the heads of the shield anchors 16 can be ground off, nevertheless the head of the bolt 19 is concealed and inaccessible within the post 12. The lock 30 itself is of a high security rating and cannot readily be destroyed. Any attempt to release or destroy any parts of the security device are hampered by the minimal head space between the lower extremity X of the floor of the tool box cabinet and the floor surface 35.

A security device made in accordance with the invention provides substantially improved protection against theft when compared with conventional devices and requires considerably more time for it to be destroyed by force. Accordingly, insurance premiums could be reduced for objects secured thereby.

However, if the toolbox is legitimately to be moved to a different location it is a simple matter of releasing the lock 30 and lifting the plate 20 and pin 21 from the post 12. Ordinarily, the first component comprising the plate 11 and post 12 may remain in situ to receive another toolbox or the like by re-applying the plate 20 and pin 21.

In the unlikely event that the first component is to be moved to a different location this can be done after removal of the second component and any toolbox secured thereto, by grinding off the snap-off nuts 17 from the shield anchors 16 and simply unscrewing the bolt 19 from of the central anchor 18.

In extreme cases where additional security might be required the plate 11 can be bonded to the floor surface so that it shall remain there permanently. However, this requirement is largely avoided by the provision of a central anchor 18 which renders the component more readily removed to a different location as required.

The entire security device may, instead, be applied to a wall surface with the first component bolted to the wall arid the second component fixed to a back wall of the toolbox or the like. However, in most instances the integrity of a wall is more readily destroyed than that of a concrete floor and so floor-attachment is preferred. It is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only. For example, the first and second components could be reversed in the sense that the first component comprises a pin while the second component, attachable to the toolbox, may be a receptor for the pin.

Claims

1. A security device for attaching an object to a fixed surface, comprising a first component including means whereby it may be fixedly secured to the fixed surface and having a first engaging part; a second component including means whereby it may be secured to an object to be attached to the fixed surface, and having a second engaging part engagable with the first engaging part of the first component; and a removable lock which when the first and second engaging parts are inter-engaged may be attached thereto to prevent separation thereof; characterised in that at lest a part of the securing means is concealed and inaccessible when the first and second engaging parts are inter-engaged, thus preventing access to and removal of said securing means.

2. A security device according to claim 1 wherein the securing means of the first component includes at least one shield anchor.

3. A security device according to claim 2, wherein the securing means of the first component includes further shield anchors with snap off nuts.

4. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the first component comprises a base plate adapted to be anchored to the fixed surface, and an upstanding post centrally bored to receive a pin being the second engaging part of the second component.

5. A security device according to claim 4 wherein the second component comprises a spreader plate adapted to be placed against an internal bottom or side wall of an object to be fixed, the pin being attached to the spreader plate.

6. A security device according to claim 4 wherein the upstanding post and the pin have further apertures which become aligned when the pin is received within the bore of the post, said further apertures serving to receive a locking member on the removable lock.

7. A security device according to any one of claims 4 to 6 wherein the removable lock is a shutter-type padlock having a U-shaped body with a retracting peg and the upstanding post of the first component has a reduced portion to receive the body of the lock.

8. A security device according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the second component includes at least one freely rotatable cylindrical sleeve which surrounds a part of the pin which is located outside of the post when the first and second engaging parts are interengaged.

9. A security device according to any one of claims 4 to 8 including at least two freely rotatable concentric cylindrical sleeves which surround a part of the pin which is located outside of the post when the first and second engaging parts are interengaged.

10. A security device according to claim 9, wherein the inner of the two freely rotatable concentric sleeves is of case-hardened steel.

11. A security device according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the outer of the two freely rotatable concentric sleeves is of mild steel having an outer galvanised shell.

12. A security device according to claim 4 wherein the upstanding post and base plate of the first component are of steel and welded together.

13. A security device according to any preceding claim, wherein the first and second components, when their respective engaging parts are inter-engaged and locked, are disposed such that the object and the fixed surface are disposed no more than

200mm apart.

14. A security device according to claim 13 wherein the first and second components, when their respective engaging parts are inter-engaged and locked, are disposed such that the object and the fixed surface are disposed no more than 120mm apart.

15. A security device according to any one of claims 4 to 12 wherein the pin and spreader plate are of steel.

16. A security device according to any one of claims 4 to 12, wherein the securing means includes a bolt which passes through the central bore of the upstanding post to be anchored to the fixed surface, and so as to be concealed in the bore.