SECURING BICYCLES AND THE LIKE FROM THEFT Background and Summary of the Invention The present invention concerns the securing of bicycles, electric bicycles, scooters, motor cycles, motor scooters and other framed transport vehicles from theft. Such devices are collectively referred to as"framed vehicles"in this specification. The invention relates to a vehicle accessory and lock combination. The invention also relates to an accessory of a vehicle, such as a bicycle or motorcycle that, in combination with a locking means, enables a user to secure the vehicle to a fixture to prevent theft or unlawful removal of the vehicle.

The theft of bicycles and similar vehicles is a significant cost and inconvenience to members of the community. The possibility of theft of an expensive bicycle is a deterrent to purchase and impacts on the increased use of a useful, efficient, ecologically friendly and enjoyable mode of transport. Many forms of bicycle locks are in use and have been proposed, but there is the substantial disadvantage of having a convenient way of carrying a conventional locking device. Securing the lock from falling off the moving bicycle, or from even being stolen itself if left unsecured for a short period, impedes proper bicycle security. Arriving at a destination and having lost or forgotten to bring a locking device also hampers bicycle security. Where the lock is carried by attaching or securing it to the frame or body of the vehicle, the practice is particularly disadvantageous to the user as the locking device can become entangled with other parts of. the vehicle, particularly the wheels, and cause an accident whilst the vehicle is being used.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the above disadvantages of the prior art by providing a vehicle accessory and lock combination that is already fitted to the vehicle, or can be bought as an accessory for fitting to the vehicle, so that either when in use or securing the vehicle when not in use the combination is always attached to the vehicle.

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides apparatus for securing a framed vehicle comprising:

-a tubular housing forming part of or attached to the frame of the vehicle, -flexible elongate securing means housed within the housing and with an end or ends extendible from the housing, -retaining means on said securing means to prevent complete removal of the securing means from the housing, and -on said extendible end or ends of the securing means, means for attaching, by a secure locking device, either: -said extendible end to the housing or frame, or -said extendible ends to each other.

The flexible elongate securing means may be a member with one end extendible from said one end of the housing. Alternatively the elongate securing means may be a member with both ends extendible from one end of the housing. Alternatively the elongate securing means may be a pair of members each with one end extendible from one end of the housing. Alternatively the elongate securing means may be a pair of members each with one end extendible from respective opposite ends of the housing.

The tubular housing may be formed by all or portion of those parts of a bicycle frame extending from a rear axle along a chain stay to adjacent a crankshaft and continuing along a down tube towards a head tube. Alternatively the tubular housing may be formed by all or portion of those parts of a bicycle frame extending from the rear axle up along a seat stay and continuing along a crossbar toward a head tube.

Alternatively the tubular housing may be attached to a bicycle frame externally, with said housing containing said locking device.

In another form the tubular housing comprises two rigid tube portions joined by a flexible tube portion, one of the rigid tube portions affixed to a bicycle frame alongside a chain stay, the other rigid tube portion affixed to the frame alongside a down tube, and the flexible tube portion bypassing the crank bearing region.

The elongate securing means may comprise a chain or cable or composite matrix material, but is preferably a cable sheathed with plastics material.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle accessory and lock combination comprising: a vehicle accessory having an associated retaining means; locking means; cable means having one end insertable into said locking means to lock said cable means and having another end retained by said retaining means to prevent removal of said cable means from said accessory.

In use, the combination may secure a vehicle to a fixture to prevent removal of the vehicle by the user unlocking said one end from said locking means, extending said cable means through said retaining means and looping said one end around the fixture and vehicle into said locking means. The locking means may have a further retaining means through which said one end is looped prior to looping around said fixture.

The vehicle may be any one of a bicycle, motorcycle or scooter or the like and said accessory may be a guard means, such as a chain guard or mudguard, a handle bar means or carrier means.

The locking means may be attached to or integrally formed with said accessory or be attachable to or integrally formed with a portion of the vehicle, such as a tube or part of the frame of a bicycle, or attachable to another accessory of the vehicle.

The retaining means of the accessory may be in the form of an aperture or housing or eye-bolt that retains said another end of said cable means. Preferably said another end has a flange element or is flared such that the another end is larger than the aperture to prevent complete removal of the cable means from the accessory. Preferably a portion of the cable means resides in a housing or bore which may be integrally formed or attached to said accessory and said housing or bore is preferably obscured from view when the vehicle is in use.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle having the vehicle accessory and lock combination fitted or attached thereto.

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: Figure 1 is a side view of a bicycle to which the invention may be applied; Figure 2 is a view of the frame of the bicycle in Figure 1, when seen from the opposite side as for Figure 1, to which one embodiment of the invention has been applied; Figure 3 is another obverse side view of the frame of the bicycle in Figure 1 to which a second embodiment of the invention has been applied; Figure 4 is a further obverse side view of the frame of the bicycle in Figure 1 to which a third embodiment of the invention has been applied; Figure 5 is a side view of a second type of bicycle to which the invention may be applied; Figure 6 is a side view of a third type of bicycle to which the invention may be applied; Figure 7 is a side view of another bicycle to which a further embodiment of the invention has been applied; Figure 8 is a partially cross sectioned side view of a component in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a cross section view of a component according to a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 is a side view of a vehicle accessory, in the form of a bicycle chain guard, having a locking means integrally formed therewith into which one end of a cable means extends and the other end of the cable means extends from another portion of the chain guard; Figure 11 is a side view of another vehicle accessory, in the form of a mudguard, having a locking means attached thereto and a cable means, one end of which is

insertable into the locking means the other end extends from a further portion of the mudguard; Figure 12 is an end view of a front end portion of the mudguard shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is a side view of the rear portion of a bicycle, having guard means in the form of a chain guard fitted thereto and a locking means extending from a portion of the frame of the bicycle; and Figure 14 is a side view of the rear portion of a bicycle having a rear mudguard from which a cable means extends and is insertable into a locking means attached to a portion of the frame of the bicycle.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the bicycle 10 has a frame 12 comprising a down tube 14 and seat tube 16 joined in the region of the crank bearings 18, and a crossbar 20 which is joined to the down tube 14 at a head tube 21 and to the seat tube 16 at a seat post clamp 22.

Extending horizontally from the crank bearings 18 are a pair of chain stays 24 which, at their rear ends terminate at respective notched plates 30 to which is fixed the rear wheel axle 26. A pair of seat stays 28 extend from the seat post clamp 22 to the notched plates 30. The bicycle has a conventional chain drive 31 on the right hand side of the frame 12.

The down tube 14, seat tube 16, crossbar 20, chain stays 24 and 25, and seat stays 30 are all tubular. Each of these tubes has a constant circular cross section, except for forming to facilitate joining at its ends, but the cross section may alternatively be non circular and/or non uniform.

The two chain stays 24 and 25 have a diameter a little larger than normal for such bicycles and one chain stay 25 has an opening 32 at its rear end. Chain stay 25 is preferably on the opposite side of the bicycle to the chain drive 31, but may be on the chain drive side if desired.

Extending from the opening 32 when the bicycle is ready for riding (as shown in Figure 1) is a tail piece 34 which is attached to a length of plastic coated stainless steel cable 36

which extends along the hollow core of the chain stay 25, past the crank bearings 18, and then along the down tube 14 where it terminates just short of the head tube 21. The cable is approximately 1 metre long. When the bicycle is in use the cable is stored in this position inside the frame. The cable is prevented from sliding out of that storage position by the tail piece 34 being clipped to a retaining hole on a tab welded to the frame adjacent the opening 32. Otherwise the cable is free to slide out of the storage position. As an alternative to the tail piece 34 being clipped to a hole as described above, any other suitable clip type of device may be used to hold the cable into the storage position.

When the tail piece is unclipped or otherwise released and the cable withdrawn from the frame, the second end (not shown) of the cable is held captive within the chain stay 25 due to a ferrule swaged onto the cable. The ferrule is of larger diameter than the opening 32.

To secure the bicycle, the cable is drawn out of the opening and passed around a suitable fixed object such as a pole, or passed through the bicycle's wheels and frame, and the tail piece is then locked to a suitable place on the frame. Such a place may be the same retaining hole used to clip the tail piece when riding the bicycle. In Figure 2 the cable 36 is shown partially withdrawn from the frame, that is before the ferrule engages to prevent further withdrawal.

Referring to Figure 3, an alternative to the embodiment shown in Figure 2 has the securing cable 37 exiting from the frame through an aperture 38 at the bottom of the down tube 14, adjacent the crank bearings 18. While the bicycle is being ridden, approximately half the cable 37 (identified as the free half 35) remains outside the frame while the other half (identified as the captive half, and not visible in Figure 3) is stored within the down tube 14. The free half 35 of the cable is clipped to the chain stay 24 by three quick release clips 40. Although three clips are used in this example, any reasonable number of clips may be used. When the cable is to be used to secure the bicycle, the free half 35 is simply unclipped from clips 40 and the captive half 39 is slid out through the aperture 38. As for the earlier described embodiment, the end of the captive half has a ferrule or other enlargement on its end to prevent that end from coming free of the frame. This gives a cable length of about one metre which is sufficient for wrapping around an appropriate pole or other fixed structure and/or the bicycle wheels before locking.

The free end of cable has a swaged tailpiece 41 which locks into the frame. Towards the top of the down tube 14 a locating socket 42 is provided on the underside of down tube 14.

The tail piece 41 on the cable locks into socket 42. A keyhole 43 set into the down tube 14 adjacent the socket 42 allows for the tail piece 41 to be released by key from the locating socket. By having the ends of the cable 37 fixed at the down tube 14, a bicycle locked in this manner is better balanced and less likely to fall over than when the ends of the cable are positioned adjacent the rear axle as shown in Figure 2.

Alternatively the socket 42 and keyhole 43 may be located in the seat tube 16, preferably in the upper third of the seat tube, and the tailpiece is locked into the socket there. By having the ends of the cable 37 fixed near the crank and seat respectively, a bicycle locked in this manner is better balanced and less likely to fall over than when the ends of the cable are positioned near each end of the down tube as shown in Figure 3. Also the lock mechanism associated with keyhole 43 is more conveniently accessible for servicing from the nearby open end of the seat tube at the clamp 22.

With reference to Figure 4, the embodiment of the invention shown therein has a frame substantially the same as that shown in Figures 2 and 3. Towards the bottom of the down tube 14 the ends of two cables 45 and 46 extend from an aperture surrounded by a grommet 49 of plastics material. Each of the cables is approximately half a metre long. To lock the bicycle, both cables are pulled out through the grommet 49, although their other ends are retained captive within the down tube 14 by an appropriate ferrule swaged to each of their ends. Cable 46 carries on its free end a tail piece 48 which is lockable into a mating tail piece 47 on cable 45. The tail pieces lockably engage under finger pressure and are disengaged by rotation of a key in a barrel lock on tail piece 47. The particular mechanism by which the tail pieces are interengaged and locked together may be chosen from a wide range of existing locking systems.

Alternatively cables 45 and 46 may be opposite ends of a single length of cable whose centre is prevented, by an appropriate enlargement, from pulling out through the grommet 49.

While the bicycle is being ridden, cables 45 and 46 are slid up into the down tube 14 for storage with the tail pieces 47 and 48 left protruding from the grommet 49. The cables 45 and 46 may be held in their stored position either by some sort of retracting device connected to their captive ends or by the tail pieces 47 and 48 being snap fitted to appropriate clips at the grommet 49.

The twin cable embodiments described with reference to Figure 4 have the advantage that the tubular housing for the cable does not have to be as long as that described with reference to Figure 2 and, unlike the embodiment described with reference to Figure 3, all the cable is stored within the tubular housing.

In the embodiments described above the cable is pushed into its housing by hand.

However in a further modification the cable may be biased to return into the housing by a flexible tension means located inside the housing. A suitable tension means may be a length of rubber stranded cord of the type commonly known as bungee cord. It may alternatively be a length of nylon webbing woven steel strapping, flexible tape, or wire cable which coils into a reel spring. This is generally the preferred option as it provides the necessary degree of elongation while still maintaining a compact structure.

A further variation of the embodiments described with reference to Figure 4 has the grommet 49 located high on the down tube 14 so that the cables slide down into the down tube 14 which would make a cable retraction system and appropriate clips for snap fitting the tail pieces 47 and 48 to the grommet 49 less necessary. As a further alternative, the grommet 49 could be placed high on the seat tube 16 so that the cables 45 and 46 hang down into the seat tube.

The bicycles 71 and 75 illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 respectively have frames of a more modern design than those in Figures 2 to 4. Both bicycles 71 and 75 have shock absorbing rear suspension systems so neither have conventional fixed seat stays extending from the seat to the rear axle. In these situations the most suited embodiment of the present invention would be to use for the cable storage the large diameter down tube 72 of bicycle

71, or the Y-shaped main frame member 76 extending between the seat post 77, head tube 78 and crank bearings 79 of bicycle 75. It will be appreciated that a roll type retractor would be particularly suitable for use in the mainframe 76 with its larger diameter and shorter run lengths.

Further details of how the above described securing system works may be discerned from the following description with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The bicycle 50 in Figure 7 is shown with its front sprocket, drive chain and gear mechanisms removed for ease of explanation. In this embodiment of the invention the tubular housing for the cable is not formed by the bicycle frame itself but is instead secured to the outside of the frame.

The frame of the bicycle 50 has a down tube 52 and a pair of chain stays 54. Securely attached beneath the down tube 52 is a straight length of rigid tube 56, which may be metal but is preferably of a suitable grade of plastics material. A similar length of tube 58 is attached beneath one of the chain stays 54. The two straight rigid lengths 56 and 58 are joined by a flexible length of tube 60 which is securely adhered to both. The front tube 56 has a blanking cap 62 to prevent water entry and the rear tube 58 has a strong metal cap 64 attached to its trailing end with a hole 65 therein to allow the cable 66 to smoothly pass therethrough. The cable cannot be fully removed from the tubing due to a ferrule 68 swaged to its captive end, the ferrule 68 having an outside diameter larger than the diameter of the hole 65. The provision of a hole 70 through a tab 69 on the strong metal cap 64 offers a facility whereby the tail piece 34 can be locked back to a place where, even if the tubular casings are attacked and broken, a continuous metal looping of the lock remains.

The flexible length of tube may be constructed from smooth plastic tubing or from convoluted tubing or from a length of coil spring. The cable is most conveniently approximately 1 metre long. A bullet-nosed tip on the ferrule 68 facilitates easier insertion of the cable into the tubing.

Figure 9 shows a cross section through the down tube 82 of a bicycle incorporating an embodiment of the invention similar to that described above with reference to Figures 7

and 8. However in Figure 9 the tubular housing comprises a single length 84 of extruded plastics material which has sufficient flexibility to curve around the crank bearings without an intermediate flexible portion akin to length 60 being inserted. The extruded section 86 has a generally central tubular portion 88, having a circular hole 89 and a pair of wings 90 extending from the tubular portion 88. The wings 90 run into each other to form an arcuate face 91 which generally matches the curvature of the down tube 82. The circular housing 84 is attached to the down tube 52 and a chain stay 55 by means of screws 92 through the wings 90 and appropriately spaced along the length of the down tube 52 and chain stay 55.

In an alternative embodiment, a length of the plastics section 86 is utilised but extending only along the down tube 52. The plastics material in this embodiment does not need to be sufficiently flexible to curve around the crank bearing housing. In a similar manner to the cable shown in Figure 3, approximately half of the cable is clipped to the chain stay 54 while the bicycle is in use. When the bicycle is to be locked up, the cable 87 is unclipped from the chain stay 54 and the remaining part of the cable is then pulled out of the housing while leaving a ferrule on the end of the cable captive within the housing.

With reference to Figure 10 there is shown a guard means in the form of a chain guard 102 particularly adapted for vehicles such as bicycles. A locking means 114 is integrally located at one end 116 of the chain guard 102 which is adapted to receive and secure a first end 108 of a cable means 110. The locking means 104 can be key operated whereby a key is inserted into a key hole 111 to either lock or unlock the end 108 of the cable means 110.

The other end 112 of the cable means 110 and a substantial portion of the cable means 110, when not in use, resides in a hollow portion or bore 114 that may be formed within the chain guard 102 or otherwise attached to the chain guard 102.

The cable means 110 may be pulled to extend the other end 112 of the cable means up to an aperture (hidden) 116 or retaining means formed within the chain guard 102 or attached to the chain guard 102 and a flange element 113 on said other end 112 is so shaped as not to be removed or pass through the aperture or retaining means 116. The end 112 may instead be flared or splayed such that the strands of wires making up the cable are splayed outwardly. Other stopping means may be used to keep the end or flange element 112

within the chain guard such as an eye-bolt. The bore or hollow 114 may ideally be located adjacent an upper edge of the chain guard 102 and may be of a suitable length to house a substantial portion of the cable means 110 when not in use.

When not in use a portion of the cable means 110 generally follows the arc or curved surface 118 of the chain guard 102 and has first end 108 inserted into the locking means 104. This keeps the cable means 110 from getting entangled or looped around a foot or an object. It is to be noted that the locking means 104 may be separated from the chain guard 102 and be attachable to or attached to a portion of the frame of the vehicle, such as an upright tube 154 as shown in Figure 14. The locking means may have a retaining means (not shown), preferably in the form of an eye-bolt, which is used as extra protection against theft of the vehicle when it is secured to a fixture, such as a pole. The user, after extending the cable 110 from housing 114, would insert the end 108 through the retaining means and then loop the cable around the fixture and (if needed) around a part of the vehicle. In this manner, the end 112 would not fit through the retaining means of the locking means in situations where the chain guard is cut by a would-be thief. A bracket 120 of the chain guard 102 is used for support to allow securement of the chain guard 102 to a chain wheel of the bicycle through aperture 122. Similarly aperture 124 is used to secure the rear portion of the chain guard 102 to the frame of the bicycle.

Shown in Figures 11 and 12 is a guard means, more particularly a mudguard adapted for a rear wheel of a vehicle such as a bicycle. The mudguard 126 has adjacent one end 128 a locking means 130 in the form of a key operated lock. The locking means 130 is integrally formed with the mudguard 126 and is adapted to receive and lock one end 132 of a cable means 134 which protrudes through an aperture 136 formed as part of a projection 138 that extends from the surface of the mudguard 126. The cable 134 is adapted to reside within a bore 140 or housing that is either formed integrally with the mudguard 126 or may be attached thereto. The other end of the cable means 134 has a ferrule or flange element 142 (or may be splayed as described previously) which prevents complete removal of the cable 134 from the mudguard 126 by virtue of a smaller diameter aperture 136 or other part of the bore means 140. Otherwise a retaining means, in the form of an eye-bolt, may be fitted to the mudguard to prevent the ferrule or flange element 142 going through it. Thus the

cable may be extended to almost its full length from the mudguard 126, wrapped around a portion of the frame or other parts of the bicycle and a fixture (such as a pole 152 as shown in Figure 13) and then the other end 132 of the cable means 134 being locked into pace in the locking means 130 to secure the bicycle. Alternatively, prior to wrapping the cable 134 around the vehicle and pole 152, the end 132 is inserted through the retaining means or eye-bolt (not shown) of the locking means to aid further in preventing end 142 going therethrough in case of theft where the retaining means of the mudguard is rendered inoperative. The eye-bolt may be located elsewhere on the frame rather than at the locking means.

More clearly seen in Figure 12 is the key 144 used to lock and unlock the end 132 from the locking means 130. Ideally the locking means may be in the form of a tumbler key operated system or other convenient locking means may be used.

With reference to Figure 13 there is shown the chain guard 102, fitted to a bicycle 146, which extends from a part of the frame near the rear hub 148 to the chain wheel 150 in conventional manner. In order for a user to secure their bicycle 146 to a fixture such as a pole 152 the user would unlock the end 108 of the cable 110 from the locking means 104 which is shown in the Figure as being attached to an upright seat tube 154 of the bicycle by means of a bracket 156. Thus the locking means 104 does not necessarily need to be formed on or in the chain guard 102 but can be attached to any other portion or part of the bicycle. Once the user has releasably detached the end 108 from the locking means 104 they would loop the cable 110 around a part of the bicycle, typically the frame or wheel and around the pole fixture 152 and then insert the end 108 into the locking means 104 and then lock the cable. Alternatively, the end 108 is fed through a retaining means or eye-bolt, either on the locking means or another part of the frame, looped around the frame and pole fixture 152 and then locked into the locking means 104. This arrangement prevents any theft or removal of the bicycle from the fixture 152 without severing the cable 110. In this state the cable 110 may be fully extended such that the other end 112 abuts against the aperture or retaining means 116 and prevents removal of the cable from the chain guard 102. When not in use the cable 110 would extend along a substantial portion of the bore

114 and have its other end 108 residing in the locking means 104 where it cannot get entangled with the pedals, chain or wheels or other parts of the bicycle that move.

With reference to Figure 14 there is shown a mudguard 126 of the type shown in Figure 11 fitted to the back wheel of the bicycle 146. The lock and vehicle accessory combination is shown in a state that secures the vehicle or bicycle to a fixture 152. Thus in order to get to this state the user would typically unlock the end 132 from the locking means 130, withdraw the cable 134 from the housing or bore 140 within the mudguard 126, and leave enough length to wrap around the frame of the bicycle, the fixture 152 and then lock the end 132 into the locking means 130, which is shown secured to an upright seat tube 154 of the bicycle by means of bracket 158. Alternatively the end 132 is looped through a retaining means as previously described. Thus as with the previous case in Figure 13, the locking means 130 need not necessarily be integrally formed or attached to the mudguard 126 but may instead be attached to the portion of the frame or other part of the bicycle, such as a seat tube or the seat itself. When not in use the end 132 is simply unlocked from the locking means 130 and pushed back into its housing or bore 140 or other means that secures the cable to the mudguard 126 and then the end 132 is locked into the locking means 130 out of the way of any moving parts of the bicycle or the feet of the user.

With each of the embodiments described with reference to Figures 10 to 14 or more eye- bolts (or retaining means) may be affixed to or incorporated into the frame of the vehicle through which the cable would pass. For example, the retaining means may be located adjacent to or part of the connection point to the frame of the guard means.

It is noted that although the description of the vehicle accessory and lock combination has been described with reference to chain guards and mudguards, any other accessory of the bicycle may be used to house or have in some way attached thereto a cable and locking means. such as a carrier rack, or the handle bars of the bicycle. Furthermore the cable and locking means may be attached or in some way secured to front mudguard or guard means instead of a back or rear mudguard as shown in Figures 11,12 and 14.

The present invention provides a complete vehicle accessory and lock combination unit that can be either bought with the vehicle or bought as spare parts and fitted to the vehicle.

It provides a convenient way in which to secure the vehicle to a fixture other immovable object and prevents any loss of their locking means and cables which may ordinarily happened where the lock is sold separately to the vehicle accessory.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within its spirit and scope. For example the invention is applicable to electric bicycles, motor cycles and motor scooters, wheelchairs, and even to the newly popular unmotorised scooters where the cable can be stored within the vertically standing tube supporting the handlebars. Also, the locking mechanism may be key locked, as described in the above embodiments, or combination locked, or may be electronically locked by touch pad or remote actuator.

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.