Elongate body with exoskeleton

Abstract

Elongate body adapted to bend in a single plane, comprising a rope 4 extending withing a succession of individual tubular elements 2 closely spaced along the rope, each element 2 having on two opposit

Description

This invention relates to security devices, and has particular application in security devices in which two ends of an elongate body must be held together. Such devices can be used for securing baggage and light vehicles in the manner described in various Patent publications including International Specification Nos. WO2010 / 103327 and WO2015 / 087067; and US Patent Nos. 5,706,679 and 6,510,717, the disclosures whereof are hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention is directed at such an elongate body in the form of a flexible body, which can also be used as part of a flexible plate or planar item. The object of the invention is provide a body that offers increased resistance to attempts to cut it. According to the present invention, there is provided a lock comprising an elongate body adapted to bend in a single plane, the elongate body comprises a rope extending within a succession of individual tubular elements closely spaced along the rope. Each element has on two opposite sides of the plane an extended section engaging a recess in its neighbouring element, the profiles of the section and recess allowing relative rotation of adjacent elements in plane. The tubular elements thus form an exoskeleton around the rope which must be breached before the rope can be cut. The geometry of the tubular elements can be such that notwithstanding gaps, the rope cannot be readily accessed unless the exoskeleton is broken. The rope which defines the axis of the elongate body of the invention is normally a wire rope, preferably a compacted wire rope. Such a rope may comprise metallic strands wound round an helically wound metallic core. In some embodiments, the rope can be replaced by a chain. Preferred embodiments of the invention have restricted bending in one direction in their bending plane. This can be accomplished by using tubular elements that have on a third side substantially perpendicular to the plane juxtaposed sections that engage when the body is sought to be bent in that one direction. In this arrangement the respective element sections can be designed to engage when the body is substantially straight. Each tubular element will normally comprise a cut-resistant material. Examples of suitable materials are cermet; tungsten carbide; titanium carbide; titanium nitride, and titanium carbon nitride. The cut-resistant material will not usually form the entirety of each element, but can be part of it or coated on the element. This can be accomplished by flame spraying or laser cladding. Each tubular element in a lock according to the invention can be a solid, preferably metallic tube; cast, moulded or fabricated, but is preferably a skeletal structure or a perforated tube. For example, a fabricated element might comprise a single metal pressing cut to shape and closed into a tube with the closing edges secured by one of crimping clinching and welding. Another might comprise two matching metal pressings cut to shape and closed into a tube with the closing edges secured by one of crimping clinching and welding. Such fabricated elements can be formed with ridges creating a channel for reinforcing strips. However, in all embodiments of the invention some form of reinforcing strip is provided, preferably on at least one side of said plane and aligned with the engaging extended sections and recesses. In our co-pending UK patent application No. 2103539.9 filed today entitled Metal Rope, the disclosure whereof is hereby incorporated by reference, we disclose the concept of stabilising a wire rope by collars spaced along its length. The same concept can be adopted in elongate bodies of the present invention, by fixing a section, preferably a longitudinally central section, of each tubular element relative to the rope. Where the rope comprises helically wound strands, the section prevents lateral relative movement of the strands. This can be accomplished by clamping using swaging techniques, by shimming, and also using a solid or liquid resin polymer filler which sets or cures around the rope. Locks according to the invention have particular use in security devices. A typical use will be as a bicycle or motorcycle lock. Another use for bodies of the invention is in the formation of a flexible plate. A plurality of bodies may be laid side to side in a plane common with the bending plane with the tubular elements in each body linked to those in the neighbouring body. The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows an elongate body according to the invention; Figure 2 shows tubular elements having a skeletal structure in a body of the invention; Figures 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views of different forms of tubular elements; and Figure 6 shows a cross section through a tubular element formed from two components. The elongate body shown in Figure 1 has a plurality of tubular bodies 2 interengaging along a length 4 of rope. The body is arranged with a straight section 6 and a section 8 curved in a single plane. Each element has an extension 10 which is received in a recess 12 in its neighbour. The elements 2 are thus in close engagement, and the extension 10 and recess 12 allow rotation of each element relative to its neighbour. Their close engagement means that when the body is bent in a direction that increases that engagement the extension and recess make contact and prevent or restrict such bending. The elements 2 are formed with similarly arranged extensions and recesses on the opposite side of the rope 4. In this way, bending of the body is restricted to substantially a single plane. An arrangement of extensions and recesses are also formed on the outer and inner sides of the bent body shown on Figure 1, to allow bending in the direction illustrated, but prevent bending in the other direction beyond the straight. As can be seen the outer extensions and recesses are in contact and the inner extensions and recesses are separated in the straight section 6. In this way the design of the inner and outer profiles of the tubular elements sets the limits to which the body can bend in either direction in its bending plane. In the straight section 6 of the body in Figure 1 reference 14 identifies zones on the elements 2 that are attached to the rope to prevent movement therealong. This assists in stabilising the body and also provides a further restriction on the extent to which the body can be bent. The attachment can be accomplished by swaging, or other means as described in our co-pending Application referred to above. Figure 2 shows a train of tubular elements 2 , each of which is a metal casting forming a skeletal structure. Extending between each extension 10 and recess 12 is a reinforcing strip 16 of cut resistant material such as cermet; tungsten carbide; titanium carbide; titanium nitride, and titanium carbon nitride. A similar strip is formed on the opposite side, and may also be formed on one or both of the outer and inner sides of the bent body as shown at 18. Of course, the entire element can be formed in a cut-resistant material, but for most applications strips such as are shown here are sufficient, and applied to elements cast in other materials such as metal alloys. The strips will be disposed such that they overlap on at least two sides to avoid gaps that might provide access for a conventional wire cutter whether the body is bent or straight. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show different designs of tubular elements 2 formed form metal pressings, those in Figures 3 and 4 have holes which reduce their weight, but these openings, like those in the skeletal structure of Figure 2 are shaped and located not to facilitate access to the rope in an attempt to cut the body as a whole. The elements shown in Figure 5 has no holes, but has zones 14 adapted for attachment to the rope 4, for example by swaging. A pressed element may be formed from a single pressing or matching pressings shaped and crimped, clinched or welded to form a tube. Figure 6 shows the cross section of a tubular element formed from two identical pressings, crimped, clinched or welded together at the edges 20. The cross section shown also has ridges 22 creating channels for a cut-resistant material as described above.

Claims

1. A lock, comprising:an elongate body adapted to bend in a single plane, complementary locking units at respective ends of the elongate body, andthe elongate body further comprising a rope extending within a succession of individual tubular elements closely spaced along the rope, each element having on two opposite sides of said plane an extended section engaging a recess in its neighbouring element, the profiles of the section and recess allowing relative rotation of adjacent elements in said plane.

2. A lock according to Claim 1 wherein the rope is a wire rope.

3. A lock according to Claim 2 wherein the rope is a compacted wire rope.

4. A lock according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the rope comprises metallicstrands wound round an helically wound metallic core.

5. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein the tubular elements have on a third side substantially perpendicular to said plane juxtaposed sections that restrict bending of the body in one direction in said plane.

6. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein each tubular element comprises a cut-resistant material comprising one of cermet; tungsten carbide; titanium nitride and titanium carbon nitride.

7. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein a section of each tubularelement is fixedly attached to the rope.

8. A lock according to any preceding Claim including shims ora resin polymer filler around the rope within each tubular element.

9. A lock according to Claim 8 wherein the attachment is by means of a central section of each body being clamped around the rope.

10. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein each tubular element is a skeletal structure.

11. A lock according to any of Claims 1 to 9 wherein each tubular element is a perforated tube.

12. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein each element comprises a single metal pressing cut to shape and closed into a tube with the closing edges secured by one of crimping clinching and welding.

13. A lock according to any preceding Claim wherein each element comprises two matching metal pressings cut to shape and closed into a tube with the closing edges secured by one of crimping clinching and welding.

14. A lock according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 wherein the pressings are formed with ridges creating a channel for reinforcing strips.

15. A lock according to any of Claims 1 to 13 wherein each tubular element has on at least one side of said plane a reinforcing strip aligned with the engaging extended sections and recesses.

16. A lock according to Claim 15 wherein the rope comprises helically wound strands, and wherein said central section prevents lateral relative movement of the strands.

17. A flexible plate comprising a plurality of lock bodies according to any of Claims 1 to 16 laid side to side in said plane with the tubular elements in each body linked to those in the neighbouring body.

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