THIS INVENTION relates to the prevention of theft of vehicle wheels. In particular, the invention relates to a security device, and to a method of preventing the theft of vehicle wheels.

On some types of vehicle, the axle hubs are provided with screw threaded studs which project from the axle hub and the wheels of the vehicle are mounted so that the studs protrude through the corresponding openings in the wheel hubs. The wheels are then secured to the axle hub with wheel nuts. On other types of vehicle, the axle hubs are provided with screw-threaded sockets. The wheels of the vehicle are then mounted so that the sockets are aligned with the openings in the wheel hubs and the wheels are secured to the axle hub with wheel bolts.

However, both wheel nuts and wheel bolts can relatively easily be removed and the wheel stolen. It is an object of this invention to address this problem. For the purposes of this specification, wheel nuts and wheel bolts as well as the screw-threaded studs and screw-threaded sockets with which they engage are referred to as wheel-securing elements.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a security device for use in preventing the removal of a wheel of a vehicle when the wheel is mounted on the vehicle, the device including a mounting part which is configured or adapted to be mounted on a wheel hub of the vehicle by means of a wheel-securing element ; a blocking part which is releasably engageable with the mounting part; and a locking mechanism which is operable to lock the blocking part to the mounting part when it is engaged with the mounting part; the mounting part and the blocking part being configured so that, when the mounting part is mounted on the wheel hub of the vehicle by means of the wheel-securing element, and the blocking part is engaged with and locked to the mounting part, the blocking part blocks access to the wheel-securing element.

When used in respect of a wheel of a vehicle, the phrase "mounted on the vehicle"should be understood to mean mounted on the vehicle in a road-engaging position or mounted on the vehicle as a spare wheel.

The mounting part, the blocking part and the locking mechanism may be separate bodies. Instead, the locking mechanism rnay

form part of the blocking part. The mounting part and the blocking part may be connected to one another.

The mounting part may be provided with an aperture having a diameter which is selected so that a wheel-securing element selected from threaded studs and wheel bolts can extend through the aperture.

The mounting part will then be secured to the wheel hub by a wheel nut or wheel bolt.

In this embodiment, the mounting part may be in the form of a generally cylindrical-or cup-shaped body having a base, a side wall and an open top, and in which the opening is located in the base.

The diameter of the cylindrical or cup-shaped body will then be large enough for the wheel nut or wheel bolt to be tightened or loosened with a wheel spanner. Naturally the size of the body will vary with the size of the vehicle being smaller in the case, for example, of passenger vehicles, passenger vehicle trailers and the like and larger in the case of large trucks, for example of the mechanical horse and trailer type.

The blocking member may be in the form of an insert which is shaped to be receivable in the open top of the cylindrical-shaped body and the locking mechanism may be provided in the insert. The cylindrical- shaped body may then have an inner engagement formation and the locking mechanism of the insert may include an engagement member or bolt which is releasably engageable with the engagement formation when the insert is received in the open top to lock the insert in the open top.

The blocking part may thus be a cylindrical-shaped lock such as a barrel lock or a cylinder lock. In this case, the locking mechanism forms a part of the blocking part.

In another embodiment of the invention, the blocking part may be in the form of a lid which is hingedly attached to the cup-shaped body to be displaceable between a closed position in which it closes the opening so that access to the wheel nut is prevented and an open position in which access to the wheel nut is allowed.

The device may then be provided with a lock for locking the lid in the closed position. The lock may, for example, be a swivel lock which is fitted to the lid and which has a latch which engages with a

complementary locking formation on the cylindrical wall of the first cup- shaped body.

In another embodiment of the invention, the blocking part may be in the form of a second cylindrical-shaped body which is shaped to be received over the first cylindrical-shaped body in a mouth-to-mouth orientation. The first cylindrical-shaped body and the second cylindrical- shaped body may then have complementary locking formations and the device may be provided with a separate lock for locking the engagement formations together.

The blocking part may thus be in the form of a lid which is configured to close the open top of the cylindrical-shaped body. The lid and the cylindrical-shaped body may then have complementary locking formations and the device may be provided with a separate lock for locking the engagement formations together.

For example, the first cup-shaped body may be provided with a first external ear having an opening and the second cup-shaped body may be provided with a corresponding second external ear having an opening and with a slit, the openings being positioned and the slit being shaped so that, when the second cup-shaped body is received over the

first cup-shaped body, the first ear is received in the slit and the openings are aligned. The second cup-shaped body can then be locked to the first cup-shaped body with a locking device such as a padlock.

Instead, the second cup-shaped body may be provided with a swivel lock. The first cup-shaped body may then include a locking formation and the swivel lock may include a latch which is shaped and dimensioned to engage with the locking formation. The swivel lock may be offset from the longitudinal axis of the second cup-shaped body. The first and second cup-shaped bodies may each be provided with indexed locating formations for preventing rotation of the cup-shaped bodies relative to each other when the second body is received over the first body.

The indexed locating formations may be in the form of an ear and a slit.

In all of these embodiments, a wheel nut is first removed from one of the axle studs (or a wheel bolt is removed from its threaded socket).

The cylindrical-or cup-shaped body is then positioned so that the axle stud extends through the opening in the base of the body (or so that the wheel bolt extends through the opening in the base) and the device is secured to the wheel hub with the wheel nut (or the wheel bolt). The blocking part is then located in position and locked with the locking mechanism so that access to the wheel nut is prevented.

In another embodiment of the invention, the device is in the form of an integral body incorporating the attachment part and the shielding part, the attachment part being provided with an insertion portion which is shaped and dimensioned so that it can be inserted into an opening in the hub and the shielding part being in the form of a cover which is positioned so that, when the insertion part is inserted into the opening, the cover is located over a wheel nut.

The device may then be provided with securing means operable to prevent withdrawal of the insertion portion from the opening.

The securing means may be in the form of a locking mechanism which is integral with the insertion portion. The securing means may, instead, be a separate locking mechanism. For example, the locking mechanism may be a hasp and staple mechanism.

In this embodiment of the invention, the wheel nut is not removed. Instead, the insertion part of the device is inserted into the opening in the wheel hub, so that the cover is located over the wheel nut, and the device is secured to the wheel hub by locking the insertion portion to the hub.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a security device for use in preventing the removal of a wheel of a vehicle when the wheel is mounted on the vehicle, the kit including a hollow generally cylindrical-shaped body having an open end, a closed end and an aperture in the closed end, the aperture having a diameter which is selected so that a wheel-securing element selected from threaded studs and wheel bolts can extend through the aperture so that the hollow body can be secured to a wheel hub of a wheel of a vehicle with a wheel nut or a wheel bolt ; and a cylindrical lock which is receivable and lockable in the open end to close the open end.

The cylindrical lock may be a cylinder lock or a barrel lock.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a security device for use in preventing the removal of a wheel of a vehicle when the wheel is mounted on the vehicle, the device including a hollow cylindrical body having a length of between about 3cm and 15cm and a diameter of between about 2cm and 15cm the cylindrical body having a partly closed end and an open end, the partly closed end being provided with an aperture having a diameter of between about 6mm and 50mm; and

a lockable closure member; the open end of the cylindrical body and the lockable closure member being configured so that the closure member can be received in the open end to close it and locked in position.

The length and diameter of the cylindrical body and the diameter of the aperture will depend on the size of the vehicle to which the device is to be fitted.

For example in the case of an average passenger vehicle, the length of the cylindrical body will typically be between about 2cm and 6cm, the diameter will be between about 2cm and 6cm and the diameter of the aperture will be between about 10mm and 25mm.

In the case of a large vehicle such as a truck, the length of the cylindrical body will typically be between about 8cm and 13cm, the diameter will be between about 5cm and 10cm and the diameter of the aperture will be between about 10mm and 40mm.

The closure member may be a cylinder or barrel lock.

The invention extends, further, to a vehicle having a wheel fitted with a security device as hereinbefore described.

The cylindrical-or cup-shaped body will typically be made of mild steel or aluminium and the barrel or cylinder lock will be of steel.

In use, in order to retain wheel balancing, two of the devices of the invention may be used on diametrically opposed wheel nuts or wheel bolts.

The security device of the invention can also be referred to as a security kit because, in the preferred embodiments of the invention, the parts of the device would be provided separately (and would typically, but not necessarily, be sold in kit form) and would be assembled when fitted to a wheel of a vehicle.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preventing the removal of a wheel of a vehicle, when the wheel is mounted on the vehicle and secured by wheel-securing elements, the method including the steps of

locating a blocking member in a position relative to at least one of the wheel-securing elements so that access to that wheel-securing element is blocked; and locking the blocking member in position.

Locating the blocking member may include securing a mounting part to a wheel hub of the vehicle with the at least one wheel- securing element, engaging the blocking member with the mounting part and locking it to the mounting member.

The blocking member may be a blocking part of a security device as hereinbefore described.

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the following diagrammatic drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a security device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a sectional side view of the security device of Figure 1, in use on a vehicle wheel ; Figure 3 shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a security device in use on a vehicle wheel ;

Figure 4 shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a security device in use on a vehicle wheel ; Figure 5 shows a sectional side view of another embodiment of a security device in use on a vehicle wheel ; Figure 6 shows an end view of another embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention; and Figure 7 shows a sectional side view of the device of Figure 6.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a security device in accordance with the invention. The security device 10 includes a mounting part 12 in the form of a first generally cylindrical-or cup-shaped body, and a blocking member or blocking part 14 in the form of a second generally cup-shaped body.

The mounting part 12 has a circular base 16 in which an aperture 18 is located, a generally cylindrical side wall 20 and an open top 22.

The blocking part 14 also has a cylindrical side wall 24, an open mouth 26 and a closed top 27. The blocking part 14 is shaped and dimensioned to be slidingly received over the mounting part 12 as can be seen in Figure 2. The mounting part 12 has a first external ear 28 in which

an opening 30 is provided, and the shielding part 14 has a matching second external ear 32 in which a second opening 34 is provided. The cylindrical side wall 24 of the shielding part 14 includes a slit 36 in which the first external ear 28 of the attachment part 12 is received, when the shielding part 14 is slidingly fitted over it as shown in Figure 2.

Referring now to Figure 2, the security device 10 is attached to the wheel of a vehicle by locating it on a wheel hub 42 so that one of the axle studs 40 of the wheel hub protrudes through the opening 18 in the base 16 of the attachment part 12 and securing it to the hub with a wheel nut 46.

The blocking part 14 (also shown in broken lines) is then fitted over the mounting part 12 thereby closing the opening 22 (see Figure 1) of the mounting part 12 and preventing access to the wheel nut 46. The mounting part 12 and the blocking part 14 are then locked together by means of a padlock 48, with the bolt of the padlock extending through the openings 30 and 34 of the ears 28 and 32.

Referring to Figure 3, reference numeral 60 generally indicates another embodiment of a security device in accordance with the invention. The device 60 is shown in use attached to a wheel hub 44. The security device 60 also has a cup-shaped mounting part 62 which

resembles the mounting part 12 of Figure 1 and a blocking part 64. As for the part 12 of Figure 1, the mounting part 62 has a base portion 66, a cylindrical side wall 67, an opening or aperture 68 provided in the base portion 66 and an open top 69. The blocking part 64 is in the form of a lid which includes a first hinge member 70 fast with the side wall 67 which is hingedly connected to a second hinge member 72, which in turn is fast with a lid-like closure member or blocking part 65.

The security device 60 is attached to an axle hub 44 with a wheel nut 46 fitted on a stud 40 which is fast with the axle hub 44 in the same way as the security device 10.

The security device 60 is provided with a locking mechanism in the closure member 64. The locking mechanism is a swivel lock 74 which has a latch 76 which is shaped and dimensioned to engage with a complementary locking formation 78 on the inside of the cylindrical side wall 67 of the attachment part 62.

With the security device 60 fixed in position, the lid 64 is closed and the locking mechanism 74 is locked to close the attachment part 62, thereby preventing access to the wheel nut 46.

Referring to Figure 4, reference numeral 80 generally indicates another embodiment of a security device in accordance with the invention. The device 80 is shown in use. The security device 80 has an integral body 82 which incorporates a mounting part 84 and a blocking part 86. The blocking part 86 is cup-shaped to fit over a wheel nut 46. The mounting part 84 is in the form of an arm projecting from the cup-shaped shielding part 86 with a bent end 88 which acts as an insertion portion which is dimensioned to be inserted through an opening 90 in a wheel hub 42 adjacent the wheel nut 46. The insertion portion has an aperture 89 through it.

In use, the insertion portion 88 is inserted into the opening 90 in the wheel hub 42 so that it protrudes behind the wheel hub 42 and is locked in position with a bolt 96 of a padlock 94 (shown schematically in dotted lines) locked through the aperture 89 in the end 88. The attachment part 84 is thereby locked to the wheel hub 42, hasp-and-staple fashion so that it cannot be withdrawn from the opening 90.

Referring to Figure 5, reference numeral 100 generally indicates another embodiment of a security device in accordance with the invention. The security device 100 closely resembles the security device 10 of Figure 1 and also includes a mounting part 102 in the form of a first

generally cup-shaped body, and a blocking part 104 in the form of second generally cup-shaped body.

The mounting part 102 has a circular base portion 106 in which an opening 108 is located, a generally cylindrical side wall 110 and a mouth 112. A locking formation in the form of a circumferentially extending ridge 128 is provided on the inside of the cylindrical side wall 110.

The blocking part 104 also has a cylindrical side wall 114, an open mouth 116, and a closed end 118. The blocking part 104 is shaped and dimensioned to be received slidingly over the mounting part 102, as can be seen in Figure 5. The mounting part 102 has an external ear 120 and the blocking part 104 has a slit 122 in which the external ear 120 of the mounting part 102 is received when the blocking part 104 is slidingly fitted over the mounting part 102 as shown in Figure 5.

A swivel lock 124 is mounted on the closed end 118 of the blocking part 104. The swivel lock 124 is located off the longitudinal axis of the shielding part. The swivel lock has a latch 126 that is arcuately displaced when a key 130 is rotated in the swivel lock 124.

Similar to the example shown in Figure 2, the security device 100 is attached to the wheel of a vehicle by locating the mounting part 102 on a wheel hub 42 so that one of the axle studs 40 of the wheel hub protrudes through the opening 108 in the base 106 of the mounting part 102 and by securing it to the hub with a wheel nut 46. The blocking part 104 is then fitted mouth to mouth over the mounting part 102 thereby closing the mouth 112 of the mounting part 102 and preventing access to the wheel nut 46. The mounting part 102 and the blocking part 104 are then locked together by means of the swivel lock 124 by rotation of the key 130 in the swivel lock 124, thereby to bring the latch 126 into engagement with the ridge 128 on the inside of the cylindrical side wall 110 of the attachment part 102.

Turning now to Figures 6 and 7, reference numeral 140 generally shows a preferred embodiment of a security device in accordance with the invention. In Figure 7, the device 140 is shown secured to a wheel hub 42 (shown in part in the drawing) by means of a wheel nut 46 screwed onto a stub 40 in a similar arrangement to that shown in Figure 2. In this embodiment of the invention, the device 140 consists of an outer cylindrical body 142 with a closed base 144 having an aperture 146 through which the stud 40 protrudes. The cylindrical body 142 has an open end 148 and a cylinder lock generally indicated by

reference numeral 150 is received in the open end 148 of the cylindrical body 142. The cylinder lock 150 has a lock body 152, a lock sleeve 154, a steel locking bolt 156 and a key hole 157. The inner wall of the cylindrical body 142 is provided with an annular recess 158 in which the steel bolt 156 is receivable. The lock sleeve 154 is provided with two 0-rings 160, received in complementary annular recesses 161 in the lock body 152 to prevent ingress of water, dust and the like into the device 140. A rubber dust cap 162, shown in dotted lines, covers the open end of the device 140. The cylindrical body 142 is preferably of mild steel and the lock case 154 is of aluminium or a synthetic polymeric material.

In use, as described for the previous embodiments, the nut 46 is removed from the stud 40 and the cylindrical body 142 is located so that the stud 140 protrudes through the aperture 146 and the nut 46 is replaced and tightened. The cylindrical lock 150 is then inserted into the open end 148 of the cylindrical body 142 and locked in place so that the nut 46 is inaccessible. The rubber cap 162 is then placed over the end of the device 140 so that water and dust cannot penetrate into the device 140.

The Inventor believes that the invention provides a useful new security device for preventing theft of a wheel of a vehicle when the wheel is mounted on the vehicle and secured by wheel nuts or wheel bolts by preventing unauthorised access to at least one wheel nut or wheel bolt of the mounted wheel.