GB2191983A

GB2191983A - Vehicle wheel hub security support

Info

Publication number: GB2191983A
Application number: GB8715109A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Skwarek; Wim Batist
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-06-26
Filing date: 1987-06-26
Publication date: 1987-12-31
Also published as: GB2191983B; GB8615582D0; GB8715109D0

Abstract

A stand 1 is mounted on the wheel hub, with or without the wheel, by fitting the stand onto the hub with the bolts from the hub passing through slots 6, 7, 8 and 9. The wheel nuts are then tightened upon the bolts. A tab 11 of a cover plate 15 is then inserted through a slot 5 in the stand and the plate is pivoted downwardly such that an outwardly extending plate 4 on the stand passes through an opening 10 in the cover plate. The hasp of a padlock is then passed through a hole 12 in the plate 4 to hold the plate in position and prevent wheel nut removal. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security support The present invention relates to a security support, and is particularly, although not exclusively, applic abletoasecuritysupportfortrailers and caravans.

Where a caravan is supported by its wheels, it is possible forthe caravan to be towed away by an unauthorised person simply by that person hitching the caravan up to a towing vehicle. Furthermore, it is the case that most caravans are not used forfairly long periods, and if they are allowed to remain standing on the wheels of the caravan then the wheels may deteriorate and deflate. If the wheels are merely removed and stored indoors, and the caravan supported on blocks, it is possible for an unauthorised person to put a set of wheels on the caravan and tow the caravan away.

It is an object ofthe present invention to alleviate at least some of the above described disadvantages.

According to one aspect of the present invention a security support is arranged to supportthe hub of a wheel and is arranged to be detachably mounted on the hub by at least one threaded memberthreadably engaging one boltfrom the hub, the support also including a security portion movable between a first position, in which removal of a threaded member from the bolt of a hub on which the support ismoun- ted is prevented, and a second position in which such a threaded member may be removed, the support also including locking means arranged to be able to lock the security portion in the first position.

With such a security support, one hub at least of a caravan may have the security support attached, and removal ofthesupport byan unauthorised person in order to locate a wheel on the hub and tow the vehicle away may be prevented by the locking means which prevent the threaded memberfrom leaving the bolt of the hub.

The security portion,when the support is mounted on the hub of a wheel, may be arranged to extend over a plurality of threaded members each engaging a different bolt from the hub, and may be arranged to extend over a threaded member co-operating with each of the bolts from the hub. This arrangement allows greater security in that any unauthorised person wou Id have to tamper with the device such that a plurality of threaded members can be removed from the bolts, rather than merely having totamperwith a single threaded member in orderto remove the security support. The security portion may be arranged to extend over the end ofthethreaded member or members secured to the bolt or bolts which detachably mountthe support on the hub.

The security portion may be detachable from the security support. The security portion may cooperate with a stand which may be arranged to support a hub.

The locking means may be located remote from the region of the security portion which is arranged to prevent removal of a threaded member or members which engage a bolt or bolts on which the support is detachably mounted.

In the second position of the security portion, access may be gained to a threaded memberwhich engages a bolt from a hub which is supported bythe security supportfrom the side of the bolt.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa perspective view of a stand for a caravan; Figure2 is a front view of a locking plate arranged to co-operate with the stand shown in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a side section through the line ll-ll of Figure 2.

In orderto immobilise a caravan, the caravan is raised on a jack, and each of the wheels are removed.

A stand such as is shown in Figure 1 is then applied to each ofthe hubs from which the wheels have been removed.

The stand is provided with four radially outwardly extending slots 6,7,8 and 9 through each of which the bolt from a wheel hub passes. The stand can then be fastened to the wheel hub by tightening up nuts on each of the bolts so thatthe front plate 13 ofthe stand is held firmly against the wheel hub. Once a stand is secured to each of the wheel hubs the caravan can then be lowered, and the caravan is then supported on a base 14 of each stand.

In order to prevent an unauthorised person from undoing the nuts which hold the stand againstthe wheel hub, a locking plate 15, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is located over the ends of each of the bolts carrying the retaining nuts.

The locking plate 15 is located in position bytilting a cover portion 16 until it extends in a generally horizontal direction,and inserting atab 11 inthrough a slot formed towards the top of the stand shown in Figure 1. The cover plate 15 is then pivoted downwardly until the cover portion 16 extends over, and adjacent to each ofthe slots 6,7,8 and 9 and the bolts and nutsholdingthestandontothewheel hub. The lower region of the cover portion includes a slot 10 which passes around an outwardly extending plate 4 located beneath the lower end of the slots 8 and 9.

The cover plate includes an inwardly directed flange 17 along its upper and lower edges opposed side edges which allows the cover portion to extend generally parallel to the front plate 13 and prevents access to nuts, covered bythe plate 13. The cover plate can then be locked in place by passing the hasp of a padlockthrough a hole 12 in the outwardly extending plate 4.

With the locking plate held in place on the stand by a padlock, the nuts are inaccessible and it is not pos sible for the nuts holding the stand onto the hubto come off the end of the bolts on which they are mounted.

The stand and locking plate are both made out of pressed steel and are thus relatively cheap and quick to manufacture.

Although the specific embodiment has been described in relation to a hub from which a wheel has been removed, it will be appreciated that it may be possible to mount the security support on a hub on whichthewheel is still mounted.

Claims

1. A security support arranged to support the hub of a wheel and arranged to be detachably mounted on a hub by at least one threaded memberthreadably engaging one bolt from the hub, and a security portion movable between a first position, in which removal of a threaded memberfrom the bolt of a hub on which the support is mounted is prevented, and a second position in which a threaded member may be removed, the supportfurther including locking means arranged to be able to lock the security portion in the first position.

2. Asecuritysupport in which,when supporting the hub of a wheel, the security portion in the first position is arranged to prevent removal of a plurality ofthreaded members each co-operating with a different boltfrom the hub.

3. A security support as claimed in Claim 2, in which, when supporting the hub of a wheel, the security portion in the first position is arranged to prevent removal of all threaded members each cooperating with a different boltfrom the hub.

4. A security support as claimed in any preceding claim in which, when supporting the hub of a wheel, thesecurityportion extends over the end ofthebolt or bolts from the hub.

5. Asecurity support as claimed in any preceding claim in which the security portion is arranged to be detachably mounted on the security support.

6. A security support as claimed in any preceding claim in which the security portion, in the first position, is arranged to co-operate with a stand which is arranged to support the hub of a wheel.

7. A security support as claimed in any preceding claim in which the locking means are arranged to be located rernote from the region of the security por tionwhich, inthefirst position, when the security support is supporting the hub of a wheel, prevent removal ofthethreaded member or members.

8. A security support as claimed in any preceding claim in which, when the security portion is in the second position, access to a threaded memberfrom the hub of a wheel on which the support may be mounted is from the side ofthe boit.

9. A security support as claimed in any preceding claim when supported on the hub of a wheel.

10. Asecuritysupportasclaimed in Ciaim 9 in which the support is mounted on a hub from which a wheel has been removed.

11. Asecurity support substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.