Abstract:
A method of and device for immobilising a motor vehicle having a foot actuated brake pedal affixed at the end of a pedal arm. A pedal clasping portion of the immobilisation device is hooked around the brake pedal and a rigid strut portion slides from an elongate body portion where it is locked in such extended position to prevent depression of the brake pedal to its actuating position. The pedal clasping portion has the form of a deep channel firmly affixed to the elongate body portion of the device and may have a cutout in one of the flanges through which the pedal arm passes.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/398,478, filed Apr. 5, 2006, now abandoned, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/515,447, filed Jul. 26, 2005, now abandoned, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/515,447 is a Section 371 National Phase Application of PCT/AU03/00631, filed May 22, 2003, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention concerns the use of locking devices to immobilize motor vehicles such as cars, vans, trucks and the like. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The primary security means for protecting motor vehicles from theft or other unauthorised removal are door locks, steering locks and ignition locks. Many modern vehicles are also fitted with electronic immobilisers which prevent a computerised ignition and/or fuel injection system from working if a correctly coded key is used with the vehicle. However thieves have found ways to circumvent such devices by appropriate breakage of components of the vehicle and/or electrical interlinking, sometimes with sophisticated electronic devices carried to the vehicle by the thief. 
     Many types of mechanical immobilising devices are used as an adjunct to such primary vehicle security. These include bars clamped to steering wheels or gear change levers and clamps on road wheels. But clamps attached to the rims of steering wheels may be easily removed by using a bolt cutter to cut through the steering wheel rim, then bending open the rim, removing the lock, and bending the rim back into position for use in driving the vehicle away. 
     Many forms of lockable clamps have been developed which prevent rotation and removal of the road wheels. These tend to be more secure than steering wheel clamps but are larger, heavier and more awkward to transport and fit. For many people they are difficult to fit, and are inconvenient in the rain. They are also forcibly removable by a determined thief, particularly if they are not concerned about damaging the tires. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, one aspect the invention provides a method of immobilising a motor vehicle having a foot actuated brake pedal, said pedal being affixed at the end of a pedal arm, wherein: said pedal has a front face onto which a driver&#39;s foot would press to brake the vehicle, said pedal has a rear onto which said pedal arm is affixed, and said pedal arm is adapted to transmit force from the pedal to a braking system in the vehicle, said method comprising:—hooking around the brake pedal a pedal capturing portion of an immobilisation device, said pedal capturing portion having the form of a deep channel and said pedal capturing portion being firmly affixed to an elongate body portion of the device,—slidably extending from the elongate body portion a rigid strut portion downwards to beyond the pedal capturing portion, and locking the strut in such extended position such that said extended strut prevents depression of the brake pedal to its actuating position. 
     The strut may be extended until it reaches a floor or firewall of the motor vehicle while the pedal is in its undepressed position. 
     The channel&#39;s longitudinal axis is preferably substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body. The channel-shaped pedal capturing portion may cover at least most of the front face and/or the rear of the pedal. The pedal capturing portion may largely envelop the pedal. 
     The elongate body is preferably tubular. 
     Preferably, the channel has two flange portions and a web portion, and one said flange portion has an open ended cutout or slot extending from one edge, and the pedal arm passes through the cutout when the strut is in said extended position. Preferably, the strut prevents removal of the pedal arm from the cutout. 
     Preferably, there are a plurality of positions at which the rigid strut is lockable. The locking of the strut may prevent both upwards and downwards movement of the strut relative to said body portion, but preferably it prevents upwards movement of the strut relative to said body portion but does not prevent downward movement of the strut relative to said body portion. The locking of the strut is preferably by means of a key operated barrel lock. 
     At the end of the elongate body distal of the pedal capturing portion, the immobilisation device may be hooked to a steering wheel of the vehicle by an elongate member slidably extendible from the body portion. 
     The body portion may be laid substantially horizontally on the floor of the vehicle and hooked to a seat component. 
     Another aspect the invention provides a device for immobilising a motor vehicle having a foot actuated brake pedal, said pedal being affixed at the end of a pedal arm, said device comprising: an elongate body portion having at or near one end thereof a means for capturing the brake pedal, said capturing means having an open-ended slot therein through which the pedal arm passes, a rigid strut slidably extendible from the body portion to beyond the pedal capturing means and past or through the open end of said slot, and means for locking the strut in its extended position to thereby prevent depression of the brake pedal and release of the pedal from the capturing means. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the invention may be more fully understood there will now be described, by way of example only, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an immobilising device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the device in  FIG. 1  shown in its usual storage configuration with its extendible members retracted; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially cut away side elevation view of the device in  FIG. 1  shown in its operating position engaged with a steering wheel and brake pedal of a motor car; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of a device according to another embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view an immobilising device according to a further embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the device in  FIG. 5  shown with its rigid strut portion withdrawn from the position it would be locked when immobilising a vehicle; 
         FIG. 7  is a side elevation of a device according to a further embodiment of the invention with the strut portion withdrawn prior to its installation to immobilise a vehicle; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the device in  FIG. 7  shown with the strut extended into its position for immobilising the vehicle; 
         FIG. 9  is a plan view of the device in  FIG. 8  shown with its rigid strut portion extended; and 
         FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view through plane A-A shown on  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the drawings, like features in different embodiments are labelled with the same identifying numeral for ease of description. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the immobilising device  10  has a central elongate body portion  12  comprising two tubular barrels  14  and  16  made from hardened steel. At one end of the body portion  12  is welded a clasping portion  18  made of steel which has the general form of a channel shaped member  19  aligned with its longitudinal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body portion  12 . 
     The clasping portion  18  is attached to the elongate body portion  12  at one of the flanges  20  of the channel section near the lip  21  of flange  20  and centrally in the longitudinal direction of the channel. The opposite flange  22 , namely the flange distal of the body  12 , carries a large slot or cut-out  24  positioned midway along its length and extending from its free edge into the flange  22  almost to the web portion  26  of the channel section. The cut-out  24  thus substantially divides the flange  22  into two arms  23  separated by the cut-out  24 . 
     The clasping portion  18  forms a flattened hook with which the device  10  can, in use, grasp the pedal  48  of the brake pedal assembly. As used in this specification, the word “clasping” does not mean held with a clamping force between the flanges  20  and  22 . It is meant that the pedal is held, perhaps loosely, such that it is captured and cannot escape the confines of the clasping portion. 
     One of the barrels  16  carries a steel rod  28  which is able to protrude into the pedal hook  18  and is slidably extendible from the barrel  16  until it protrudes through the cutout  24  and well beyond the flange  22 . This extended position is illustrated in  FIG. 3  whereas the retracted position is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     On the body portion  12  is a barrel lock  30  which is associated with a spring loaded pawl or similar ratcheting device (not shown) such that the rod  28  may be extended from the barrel  16  by way a series of detent stops formed by a series of buttressed circumferential grooves  32  on the rod  28 . 
     In the wall of the barrel  16  is a slot  34  which is elongated in the direction of the axis of the barrel and through which the rod  28  within is exposed. In  FIG. 3 , part of the barrel  16  is shown as cut away in order to show the rod  28  within. The slot  34  is on the cut away portion of the barrel  16 . 
     Attached to the rod  28  and protruding through the slot  34  is a thinner rod  36  which forms a handle by which the rod  28  may be moved to and from its extended position as shown in  FIG. 3  and its retracted position as shown in  FIG. 2 . The handle  36  is joined to the rod  28  between the lock  30  and the flange  20  and it is shaped to extend past the lock  30  and bend outwards at its free end to form a handgrip  37  conveniently accessible for the user. 
     The pedal clasping portion  18  is configured so that it can be slipped over the top of a brake pedal footpad  48  as shown in  FIG. 3  with the downwardly extending arm  50  of the pedal passing through the cutout  24  and the pedal footpad  48  retained within the channel of the clasping portion  18 . With the rod  28  extended, the footpad  48  cannot be removed from the clasping portion  18  and when the rod  28  is extended until it hits the floor or firewall  38  of the vehicle (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) and the rod  28  is locked in that position, the brake pedal then cannot be depressed. 
     The vehicle is thereby immobilised because, even if the vehicle was started, there would be no way of effectively stopping it from a significant speed. 
     In practice, the rod  28  may not need to be extended until it contacts the floor  38 . It is merely sufficient for it to be extended sufficiently so that the pedal cannot be depressed to a position where it actuates the brakes. 
     The upper barrel  14  also carries a steel rod  40  which is extendible from the barrel  14  and lockable by the lock  30  in any of a plurality of positions. This lockability is achieved by a series of circumferential buttressed grooves  42  which act in the same manner as the grooves  32  and co-operate with a spring loaded ratchet mechanism within the lock assembly. Whereas the ratchet action of the grooves  32  prevent the rod  28  being pushed into the corresponding barrel  16 , the action of the grooves  42  are to prevent the rod  40  being pulled from the barrel  14 . 
     On the free end of the rod  40  is a hook  44  which, in use, is hooked over the rim of the steering wheel of the vehicle after the rod  28  is extended as far as possible. The hooked rod  40  is then pressed into the barrel  14 . The key does not need to be in the lock for this locking operation but the key is required to release the pawl from the grooves  32  and  42  in order for the rods  28  and  40  to be extended from the body and the device removed from its operable position. 
     In another embodiment of the invention, the hook  44  is not locked in position to provide a securing device but instead provides merely a stabilising feature for the upper end of the device. The hook  44  may in this embodiment be attached by an elastic cord to the body  12 . 
     In the embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 4 , the device  52  has, replacing the grooved rod  40  with its hook  44 , an alternative rod  54  carrying a substantially longer hook  56 . The end of the rod  54  within the barrel  14  is not grooved in the manner of the grooves  42  shown in  FIG. 3 , but instead the rod is permitted to move backwards and forwards longitudinally within the barrel  14  for a maximum displacement of less than, and preferably about 50% to 70% of, the length of the turned back portion  58  of the hook  56 . The rod  54  is spring loaded with a bias towards pulling the rod  54  inwards to the body  12 . 
     The end of the rod  54  is held captive within the barrel  14  but the rod  54  does not engage with the lock  30 . However the rod  54  is free to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the barrel  16 . When using the immobilising device  52 , the hook  56  is first placed around a section of the steering wheel rim  46  and the body  12  is pressed down, against the bias spring acting on the hook  56 , until the clasping portion  18  can be slipped over the pedal footpad  48 . The handle  36  is then used to extend the rod  28  to the floor, as described above in relation to  FIG. 3 , and locked at that extension by means of the lock  30 . It may then be possible to lift the hook back a little from the steering wheel rim, but this movement would be insufficient to allow the hook  56  to be removed from around the steering wheel rim. 
     In another embodiment, a steering wheel engagement portion is not provided at all but instead a rubberised strap or velcro strap is provided whereby the elongate body portion  12  may be strapped to the steering column of the vehicle when in use. In this embodiment some cushioning means may be provided on the body  12  where it rests against the steering column. 
     As a further alternative the hook  44  may be used, or replaced by a suitable engagement means, for locating onto the frame at the lower front of the seat of the vehicle. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the immobilising device  110  has an elongate body portion  112  comprising a tubular barrel  116  made from hardened steel. At one end of the body portion is welded a clasping portion  118  of the same configuration as the clasping portion  18  described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . The clasping portion  118  has the general form of a deep channel shaped member  119 . The clasping portion  118  is aligned such that the longitudinal axis of its channel is at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the barrel  116 . 
     The clasping portion  118  is attached to the barrel  116  at one of the flanges  120  of the channel section near the lip  121  of flange  120  and centrally to the longitudinal dimension of the channel. The opposite flange  122 , namely the flange distal of the barrel  116 , carries a large cut-out  124  positioned midway along its length and extending into the flange  122  almost to the web portion  126  of the channel section  119 . 
     A steel rod  128  is able to protrude into the pedal hook and is slidably extendible from the barrel  116  until it protrudes through the cutout  124  and well beyond the flange  122  but this extended position is not shown in the drawings of this embodiment. 
     On the body portion  112  is a barrel lock  130  which is associated with a spring loaded pawl  131  (shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ) or similar ratcheting device such that the rod  128  may be extended from the barrel  116  by way of a series of detent stops  141  formed by a series of buttress  143  to circumferential grooves  142  such as described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     The steel rod  128  protrudes from the end of the barrel  116  distal from the pedal clasping portion  118  and is screw threaded  165  into a plastic knob  164  which acts as a handgrip for the user. 
     The pedal clasping portion  118  is configured so that it can be slipped over the top of a brake pedal  148  as shown in  FIG. 6  with the downwardly extending pedal arm  150  passing through the cutout  124  so the pedal  148  is retained within the channel of the clasping portion  118 . With the rod  128  extended, the foot pedal  148  cannot be removed from the clasping portion  118  and when the rod  128  is extended until it hits the floor or firewall of the vehicle and the rod  128  is locked in that position, the brake pedal then cannot be depressed. The pedal clasping portion  118  preferably extends beyond the side edges of the pedal in order to restrict the ability to angularly wobble the pedal in the channel. The pedal clasping portion  118  thus largely envelops the pedal. 
     An end plate  129  is welded to that end of the rod  128  which is at the pedal clasping end  160  of the immobilising device. This can be conveniently made by slipping a washer over the end of the rod  128  and welding it in that position. The end plate  129  serves to prevent the device being disabled by hitting it firmly axially so that the rod punctures the firewall of the vehicle thus allowing the brake pedal to be depressed. The outside diameter of the end plate is sized to be a loose fit through the cutout  124 . 
     The embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9  and  10  is a variation of that shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . All of the features described above with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6  are also in  FIGS. 7 ,  8 ,  9  and  10  and for clarity the features have accordingly been identified by the same numbers. A particular feature of the embodiment in  FIGS. 7 to 10  is that the lock  130  is positioned close to that end of the barrel  116  which is uppermost when the device  110  is being installed in the motor vehicle. This serves to reduce the overall length of the device and allows improved access to the lock in use. 
     The embodiment described with reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6  is not fastened to the steering wheel or steering column. 
     Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. 
     For example, although the invention has been described particularly in relation to motor vehicles such as cars, vans, trucks and the like, it is also applicable to a diverse range of other vehicles such as tractors, heavy earthmoving equipment, snowmobiles and ride-on lawn mowers for example. 
     It will be also understood that where the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. 
     The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.