SECURITY SYSTEM AND SECURITY DEVICE

Abstract: A security system and device for safeguarding a computer or peripheral (10) from theft and removal of internal components such as the CPU comprises an enclosure (13) and a per se known securing assembly (11) for securing the enclosure (13) to the structure; the enclosure (13) comprising a plurality of members (14, 15, 17, 18) adjustably secured together to conform to and encircle at least three adjacent sides of the article (10) and secured together by fastener means accessible solely from within the enclosure (13); the enclosure (13) further comprising one or more end members adapted to be secured to conform to the article (10) at one or both ends orthogonal to said three adjacent sides; the enclosure (13) or the article (10) subsequently being secured to the structure by the per se known securing assembly (11).

Description: SECURITY SYSTEM AND SECURITY DEVICE This invention relates to a security system and security device. The invention was particularly developed with a view to ensuring security of computers and peripherals, but could be used for other equipment, all of which are referred to generically as "articles". Computer theft is widespread. It is extremely disruptive to businesses and individuals since a theft means the loss not merely of a computer but also of the data which it holds, which may be irreplaceable. Security devices have been proposed for example incorporating cables which are anchored to a fixed surface such as a wall, threaded through eyelets on the articles to be made secure, and locked into a socket on one of the articles. However even the strongest cable can sometimes be cut or wrenched free from the attachment. Furthermore, whether or not a thief can steal a complete computer, the most valuable parts such as the central processing unit and hard disk drive may sometimes be removed from the casing. However there is a problem in trying to protect computer articles because of the great variety of sizes and shapes available. It is an object of the present invention to provide a security system and a security device capable of being used to overcome or reduce the disadvantages mentioned above. According to a further aspect, the invention provides a security system for securing an article to a structure (for example a wall or desk) , the system comprising an enclosure and a per se known securing assembly for securing the enclosure to the structure; the enclosure comprising a plurality of members adjustably secured together to conform to and encircle at least three adjacent sides of the article and secured together by fastener means accessible solely from within the enclosure, the enclosure further comprising one or more end members adapted to conform to the article at one or both ends orthogonal to said three adjacent sides; the enclosure or the article subsequently being secured to the structure by the per se known securing assembly. Typically, the securing assembly may comprise an anchor plate, adapted to be secured to a fixed structure such as a wall or floor or desk surface, an engagement plate secured to the article or the enclosure, and releasable locking means to lock the engagement plate to the anchor plate. The anchor plate may be secured by bolting on or by adhesive means for example. The end member or members may be secured to the engagement plate or to said plurality of members, or may be integral with said plurality of members. Said plurality of members of the enclosure may comprise two types of bracket, an angle bracket folded to an angle shape and a channel bracket of channel shape adapted to receive a limb of the angle bracket as a telescopic sliding fit. The enclosure may comprise three channel brackets, one for each of said three adjacent sides, and four angle brackets adapted to be moved relative to the channel brackets to conform with the corners of the article. However additional straight or cranked members may be provided to accommodate large or awkwardly shaped articles. Alternatively an angle bracket may have an integral channel. In each case, it is preferred that the brackets are of strong sheet material such as metal sheet and that they cover a substantial area of said three adjacent sides. The brackets may have a plurality of closely spaced fixing holes to enable the sides to be adjusted to conform closely to the size of the article to be secured. Alternatively, the brackets may have a slot adapted to provide a continuum of fixing position for said fastener means. The sheet material of the brackets may be provided with apertures for use as cooling vents. According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a security device comprising an enclosure as set out in the foregoing statements of invention, and capable of being used with a per se known securing assembly. Embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which, FIGURE 1 illustrates a security system for securing a conventional personal computer to a horizontal structure such as a desk top, the system being illustrated without the PC, FIGURE 2 illustrates a security system in use in protecting a mini or midi tower system attached to a horizontal structure, FIGURE 3 illustrates a security system in use in protecting a tower computer system secured to a vertical structure such as a wall, FIGURE 4 to FIGURE 8 illustrate typical components of a first embodiment of a security system, of which Figure 4 and Figure 5 are respectively lower and upper adjustable angle brackets; Figures 6 and 7 respectively show top and side channel brackets and Figure t shows an end bracket. FIGURES 9 ' 10 are respectively side elevational and underneath plan views of a lower side plate of an alternative embodiment, FIGURES 11 & 12 are respectively rear elevational and top plan views of an upper side plate of the alternative embodiment shown in Figures 9 and 10; FIGURE 13 is a detail of a channel, FIGURE 14 is an underneath plan view of a top channel member of the alternative embodiment, FIGURES 15 to 17 are views of a rear bracket of the alternative embodiment. Referring firstly to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, a computer or other valuable article is indicated at 10. It is intended to secure the article 10 to either a horizontal structure such as a desk or a vertical structure such as a wall. A securing assembly 11 of generally known type is used and this may briefly be described as comprising an adhesive pad which is secured to the wall or desk, an anchor plate which is adhesively secured to the adhesive pad and which has anchor formations (not shown) and an engagement plate 11 which is secured to the article 10 and which has means engaging the anchor means on the anchor plate and capable of being locked by means of locking devices 12. Other known security assemblies have an anchor plate bolted directly to the horizontal or vertical structure omitting the adhesive pad. Such known security assemblies have been used to secure the casing of the article 10 directly to a structure such as a wall or desk. However this does not protect the expensive internal components of the computer such as the central processing unit (CPU), memory chips or hard disk drive. In the use of the present invention, the securing assembly is used in combination with an enclosure generally indicated at 13 comprising a number of parts assembled together so as to conform closely to the casing of the article 10. The size and shape of the enclosure can be varied to suit the article 10 and the objective is to make the enclosure as close a fit as is reasonably practicable. The enclosure is defined by brackets which serve the purpose firstly of encircling the article 10 and secondly of covering at least a substantial part of the sides of the article. However it should be appreciated that the brackets may be reduced in area so as merely to have the encircling function and not the covering function. In the first embodiment, shown in Figures 1 to 8, the brackets are of two general types illustrated in Figures 4 to 8. Figures 4 and 5 respectively show lower and upper angle brackets 14 and 15, the positions of which are identified on the drawings, Figures 1 to 3. The upper angle bracket is provided with slots to permit air cooling of the article 10. However these are not shown in all of the drawings. Slots could be provided in the lower angle bracket 14 if desired. Both the upper and lower angle brackets 14 and 15 are provided with tapped holes 16 for screw threaded fasteners. As diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 4 , a row of such holes may be provided at closely spaced intervals so that the size of the side of the enclosure can incrementally be increased or decreased according to which of the holes is used for the fasteners. The same applies to the holes 16 provided in the upper angle bracket 15. Alternatively, a slot 9 may be substituted for the holes, giving a continuum of fixing positions, as indicated at the left-hand end of Figure 4 The other type of bracket used in the enclosure is a channel bracket. Figure 6 shows a top channel bracket 17 and Figure 7 shows a bottom channel bracket 18. Again the positions of these brackets are indicated on Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. It will be appreciated that the top and side channel brackets differ mostly in size and therefore they can be reversed, for example as shown in Figure 1. Each of the brackets 17 and 18 has a pair of inwardly turned end flanges 19 which define channels to receive for example the flange 20 of one of the angle brackets 14, 15. The flanges 19 have a series of unthreaded fastener holes 21. An enclosure can therefore be made by sliding the flanges 20 of the angle bracket into the channels defined by the flanges 19 of the channel brackets and fitting the necessary fasteners through the holes 21 into the tapped holes 16. The fasteners are then not accessible from outside the enclosure. The enclosure therefore defines a space 22 as shown in Figure 1, into which a computer or similar article can be inserted. The enclosure can be completed by the use of end plates 23 which may be secured either to the brackets defining the remainder of the enclosure or to the engagement plate 11 of the known securing assembly as shown in Figure 1. To secure an article such as a computer to a structure, all that is then necessary is for the engagement plate to be attached in generally known manner to the anchor plate and adhesive pad already assembled to the desk or wall surface. Figure 2 shows an article 10 attached to a desk or other horizontal structure and Figure 3 shows the use of an attachment to a vertical wall or similar structure. If a user wishes to change computer, the engagement plate 11 can be unlocked using the locks 12 and the whole enclosure can then be disassembled to remove the article 10. The components can be reassembled to suit the size and shape of an alternative article 10. Although illustrated for use with a box like article 10 having flat rectangular sides, the security system could be altered by using additional straight plates to extend the enclosure at the sides or top or by using cranked plates to enable the enclosure to conform to an irregularly shaped article. In the second, alternative embodiment shown in Figures 9 to 17, the principle of the enclosure has been retained but the angle and channel brackets have been combined in some places. The top channel bracket 109 is similar to bracket 18 of the first embodiment and receives as a sliding fit a flange 110 of top side bracket 111, which also has a channel bearing flange 112. The channels 113 of the flange 112- can be seen in Figure 11 and are shown in detail in Figure 13. The enclosure is completed by lower side brackets such as that shown at 114 Figures 10 and 11. This has a planar flange 115 which can be received in the channels 113 of the side bracket and secured as required. The lower side bracket extends across underneath the article and can be secured to the engagement plate 11 of the security assembly. The front corner of the lower side bracket has a folded over portion forming a corner protection 116. This may be reinforced by a separate corner element 117 welded on. This is functionally equivalent to the end plates 23 in preventing removal of the article from the enclosure. The angle shaped rear bracket of the first embodiment is replaced by a pair of oppositely handed brackets as shown in Figures 15 to 17. These have large horizontal plates 118 provided with fixing slots, and relatively smaller triangular vertical plates 119. This makes it relatively easy for the user to position the rear brackets so as not to obstruct the functional features at the rear of the computer or other article 10, such as ports and power sockets. The rear brackets could be height adjustable and extend over the top of the article to meet and engage the top channel bracket 109. All of the brackets forming the enclosure are desirably made of a strong steel sheeting, with or without slots or perforations for cooling or other purposes.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A security system for securing an article to a structure, the system comprising an enclosure and a per se known securing assembly for securing the enclosure to the structure; the enclosure comprising a plurality of members adjustably secured together to conform to and encircle at least three adjacent sides of the article and secured together by fastener means accessible solely from within the enclosure; the enclosure further comprising one or more end members adapted to be secured to conform to the article at one or both ends orthogonal to said three adjacent sides; the enclosure or the article subsequently being secured to the structure by the per se known securing assembly. 2. A security system according to Claim 1 wherein the securing assembly comprises an anchor plate adapted to be secured to the structure, an engagement plate secured to the article or to the enclosure and releasable locking means to lock the engagement plate to the anchor plate. 3. A security system according to Claim 1 wherein the end member or members are secured to said plurality of members. 4. A security system according to Claim 2 wherein said end member or members are secured to the engagement plate. 5. A security system according to Claim 1 wherein the plurality of members of the enclosure comprise two types of bracket namely an angle bracket having a pair of limbs and a channel bracket of channel shape adapted to receive one of said limbs of the angle brackets as a telescopic sliding fit. 6. A security system according to Claim 5 wherein the enclosure comprises three channel brackets associated respectively with each of said three adjacent sides and four angle brackets adapted to be secured to the channel brackets to conform with corners of the article. 7. A security system according to Claim 6 wherein the enclosure consists solely of three channel brackets and four angle brackets. 8. A security system according to Claim 6 wherein the enclosure further comprises additional straight or cranked members. 9. A security system according to Claim 5 wherein the angle brackets and channel brackets are made of sheet metal and cover a substantial area of said three adjacent sides. 10 . A security system according to Claim 5 wherein at least one bracket comprises both an angle bracket and a channel bracket. 11. A security system according to any preceding claim wherein at least one of said plurality of members has a series of closely spaced fixing holes for said fastener means. 12. A security system according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein at least one of said plurality of members has a slot to provide a continuum of fixing position for said fastener means. 13. A security device comprising an enclosure adapted for fitment to a structure by means of a per se known securing assembly, the enclosure comprising a plurality of members adjustably secured together to conform to and encircle at least three adjacent sides of the article and secured together by fastener means accessible solely from within the enclosure; the enclosure further comprising one or more end members adapted to be secured to conform to the article at one or both ends orthogonal to said three adjacent sides.

Inventors: KEMP ERIC JOHN, KEMP, ERIC, JOHN
Applicants: ANCHOR PAD UK LTD, KEMP ERIC JOHN, ANCHOR PAD UK LIMITED, KEMP, ERIC, JOHN
Application year: 1995
Main classification: E05B73
IPC codes: E05B73