Unsecured valuables left on the ground in a public open space, for example on a beach whilst the owner is swimming, are particularly vulnerable and theft under such circumstances is a common occurrence. In a crowded environment, it is unlikely that anyone will notice or remember who removes anything from a given place on the beach, and public locker facilities, if available, can be expensive and inconvenient. One solution is for one member of a group to watch over the valuables while the others are absent, but this is not always congenial and is not possible if the owner of the valuables is alone.

International Patent Application No. PCT/US95/07922 discloses a device for securely storing possessions on a beach. This known device employs a pair of augers, each having a helical blade at one end and a loop at the other end. The augers are screwed into the sand in spaced-apart relationship, so that the looped ends of the augers just project above the sand, and the augers are then connected together by means of a crossbar which passes through the loops of the augers, so that neither auger can be unscrewed. The bar is prevented from being removed from the augers by an enlarged head at one end of the crossbar and by a chain which is inserted through a hole in the other end of the crossbar. The chain is then padlocked to a box containing the user's valuables, thereby preventing removal of the box. This device requires a number of fairly complicated and relatively expensive components and requires significant effort to assemble. Moreover, the box can be separated from the crossbar simply by cutting the chain.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and compact yet effective security device for safely storing possessions on the ground.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a portable security device for safely storing possessions on the ground, comprising an anchor member for burying in the ground with a proximal upper end thereof projecting from the ground, a lockable container having a base formed with an aperture to receive the proximal end of the buried anchor member when the container is placed on the ground, and catch means for engaging the proximal end of the anchor member within the container to secure the container and anchor member together.

Advantageously, the base of the container has projecting therefrom a flange for insertion into the ground when the container is placed on the ground.

Conveniently, the anchor member comprises a shaft carrying a blade at a distal end thereof whereby the anchor member may be used to dig a hole in which the anchor member is to be buried with the proximal end of the shaft projecting from the ground.

According to a preferred feature the proximal end of the shaft of the anchor member is formed with at least one recess and the fastening means comprises detents for engaging in the recess or a selected recess of the anchor member.

In one embodiment, the proximal other end of the shaft of the anchor member is formed with at least one groove and the fastening means comprises a fastening ring adapted to be received on the anchor member and carrying resiliently biased detents for engaging in the or a selected groove.

The security device preferably comprises a flared anchoring sleeve disposed on the shaft of the anchor member so as to flare away from the proximal end of the shaft.

Conveniently, the anchoring sleeve is detachable from the anchor member.

Advantageously, the container is provided with wheels so that it may be wheeled along the ground and the anchor member is incorporated in a handle for detachable connection to the container.

If desired, the container may be provided with flaps which may be extended to form a table top.

The container of the security device may also comprise means for attaching the container to other lockable containers.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a portable security device for safely storing possessions on the ground, comprising an anchor member for burying in the ground with a proximal end of the anchor member projecting from the ground, a lockable container and means for securing the container to the proximal end of the anchor member, the anchor member carrying a flared anchoring sleeve which flares away from the proximal end of the anchor member and is under the ground when the anchor member is buried.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portable security device embodying the invention, the device being shown in a first assembled condition for transporting; Figure 2 is a schematic side view, party in cross-section, of the security device of Figure 1 in a second assembled condition in which the device is secured to the ground; Figure 3 illustrates an anchor member which also forms part of a handle of the security device; Figure 4 is a partly sectioned schematic plan view illustrating a fastening ring of the security device; and Figure 5 illustrates an auxiliary anchoring sleeve for use with the anchor member of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of a portable security device according to the present invention comprises a box-shaped container 1 having a lockable lid 2, a base 3 and four side walls 4 to 7 which project beyond the base 3 to form a flange 3A around the periphery of the base.

A pair of wheels 8 and 9 are mounted in corresponding corners of the opposed side walls 4 and 6 and a detachable handle 10 is mounted on the lid 2, so that, in the first assembled condition of Figure 1, the container 1 can be wheeled along the ground.

The handle 10 of the security device is of two-part construction and is composed of a lower spade-shaped anchor member 11 detachably connected to an upper handle portion 12. The anchor member 11 comprises a shaft 13 provided with a blade 14 at a distal end thereof. The upper handle portion 12 comprises a straight shaft portion 15 having at its upper end a hand grip portion 16 extending at an angle to the shaft portion 15. The lower end of the shaft : portion 15 is detachably connected to a proximal end of the shaft 13 of the anchor member to form the composite handle.

The base 3 of the container 1 is formed centrally with an aperture 17 dimensioned to receive the proximal end of the shaft 13 of the anchor member 11. As shown in Figure 3, the proximal end of the shaft 13 of the anchor member 11 is formed with a series of circumferential grooves 18.

The security device further comprises a fastening device 19, shown in detail in Figure 4, for lockable engagement with a selected one of the grooves 18 formed at the proximal end of the shaft 13 of the anchor member 11. The fastening device 19 comprises an annular ring 20 formed with a pair of diametrically opposed bores 21 extending radially through the ring. Each bore 21 houses a plunger-like detent 22 which is biased radially inwardly of the ring 20 by a spring 23 and which is attached to a finger pull 24 which projects from the radially outwardly end of the bore 21. By pulling on the finger pull 24 the detent 22 may be withdrawn from a central aperture 25 of the ring 20 into its respective bore 21.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the security device also includes a conical anchoring sleeve 26 having an aperture 27 at its apex dimensioned to receive the shaft 13 of the anchor member 11.

In use of the described security device, the container 1 is wheeled to a location where it is to be secured to the ground. The handle 10 is detached from the container 1 and is used to dig a hole in the ground to a depth of around 50cm. The anchor member 13 is separated from the upper handle portion 12 and the conical anchoring sleeve 26 is placed on the shaft 13 with the apex of the anchoring sleeve uppermost, i. e. remote from the blade 14, and is slid down to the bottom of the shaft 13. The anchor member 11 is then placed in the hole in the ground so that the blade 14 is lowermost and rests on the bottom of the hole. The sand or soil removed from the hole is then replaced in the hole, leaving the proximal end of the shaft 13 formed with the grooves 18 still projecting above the ground.

The container 2 is tipped onto its base 3 and lowered onto the shaft 13, so that the proximal end of the shaft projects into the container 1 through the aperture 17 in the base 3 and the container is pressed into the ground, so that the flange 3A around the base 3 digs into the ground. The lid 2 of the container 1 is opened and the fastening devise 19 is lowered onto the projecting part of the shaft 13 inside the container 1, so that the proximal end of the shaft 13 passes through the aperture 25 of the ring 20 and the detents 22 of the fastening ring engage one of the grooves 18 on the shaft 13. The fastening ring 14 may be moved down the shaft 13 to a selected position on the grooved part of the shaft 13 by manipulating the finger pulls 24 to retract the detents 22 and releasing the finger pulls when the desired groove 18 is reached. The user's valuables, together with the upper handle portion of the handle may then be locked inside the lockable container 1 by locking the lid 2.

In the installed position of Figure 2, the locked container 1 is securely attached to the ground by the anchor member 11, the resistance to withdrawal of the anchor member being considerably increased by the presence of the conical anchoring sleeve on the shaft 13. Moreover, the connection between the anchor member and the container 1 is securely enclosed within the container 1 itself. The embedding of the flange 3A around the base 3 in the ground resists sideways motion and prevents the anchor member from being loosened.

To release the container from the ground, the container 1 is unlocked, the fastening device 19 is removed from the shaft 13 by actuating the finger pulls 24 and sliding the ring from the shaft, and the box is then lifted off the shaft 13. The upper handle portion 12 is connected to the buried anchor member 11 and the assembled handle is rocked from side-to-side to release the anchor member 11 from the ground.

When the security device is not in use, the handle components and the fastening ring may conveniently be stored in the container.

If desired, it is envisaged that the container 1 may be formed with flaps which open out into a table top.

Furthermore, it is envisaged that additional containers may be attached to the container 1 by means of key-ways on the containers to provide additional storage space.