US1568509A - Theft-alarm switch for automobiles - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5 1926.

C. H. KOLLING ET AL THEFT ALARM SWITCH FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Nov. 10; 1923 INVENTOR (/752/65/{75/5020/7? ea; 0 we BY 3 ATN,

Patented Jan. 5,1926.

- umrso j sures PATENT oFFlcs.

CHARLES H. ROLLING AND REINHOLD PB IETZ, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A8-=- SIGHOBS OF THBEE-EIGHTHS T OSGAR LA'UCKNEB, 9] HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, AND TEBEE-EIGHTHS TO OSCAR A. WEISSENIBOBN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

- THEFT-ALARM SWITdH FOB AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed November 10, 1923. Serial Ho. 673,888. a

" tor vehicles and its purpose is to cause the givin of an audible-alarm when the motor vehic e with which it is associated is tampered with or started by unauthorized persons, the object being to nip rise persons within hearing of the alarm t at a theft is being perpetrated. s

The vention consists in situating upon a motor. vehicle an audible alarm element such for example as an electric bell and associate ing with the bell an electrical circuit includv ing devices which, when the vehicle is moved, will'automatically effect the operation of the alarmpelement. The signal op.-

' erating circuit is controlled through one or u more gravitating'members vprefera ly oper- 1 ating afterthe mannerof one or more pendulums suspended upon diflerent axes and i "Ieach' of-which carries at least one contact formin .parts' of the electrical control cir- 80 cult. he contacts. are normally, spaced apart through the gravitation of the pendu- 1 lums into vertical position, but if the car is started the pendulums will oscillate and in so doing will cause the contacts to engage and 8b close the operating circuit whereby the bell will The invention may therefore be said to basedupon the power of gravity to maintain the contacts in spaced relation so far as the axes of the pendulums are stav tionaryand to close-the circuits when the stability of the pendulums is disturbed through movement of the axes thereof. When two pendulums are-operating as described the contacts'will engage only momen- 5 ta'rily and in order to keep the audible signal operating after. this operation has been started a relay or maintaining device is preferably employed so that when the operating circuit is once closed, it will remam closed to keep the alarm "sounding until the system is turned ofi by'some authorized per son.

' The alarm and its mechanism are preferably housed within a sealed casin of sufiicient strength to preclude a thief I'OIIl rendering the system inoperative before attempting to steal a car with which it is associatedso that all of the operating arts are housed and protected .within the c osed casing and tampering therewith precluded,-

An important feature of the present in vention resides .in the sensitiveness of its control, it being impossible to operate the car no matter how careful the thief may be without causing thegiving of an alarm and this despite the fact that the mechanism is unusually simple and sturdy and will not get out of order.

Features of the invention other than those adverted to will be a parent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments ,of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only,

and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 shows a system embodying the present invention in diagrammatic form.

Figure 2 shows the form of avity actuated control element illustrated in Figure 1.

' Referrin to the drawings 1 designates the control ing element of the device. This controlling element is shown in these figures as embodying, generally speaking, a pendulum' 2 weighted as shown at 3 and-givoted at 4 on a link*5 which may be sai to constitute a second endulum'which is susended on a pivot 6 y an insulating bushing 7. The pendulum 5' swings about-the pivot 6 and the nduluin 2 also swings about the pivot 6 with the pendulum. 5 but is aleo capable of oscillation independently on the pivot 4.

om which it is insulated The pendulum 5 carries 'two contacts 8,

while the pendulum 2,. carries two spring contacts '9 which reach upwardly and overlie the contacts 8 but are normally spaced theretacts 9 are so adjusted that they no not engage with the contacts 8. Itwill be noted moreover thatthe contacts 9 are insulated with respect to the pendulum 2 by insulating strips and bushings. To the pendulum 5 is electrically connected 9. wire 10 so that the contacts 8 are electrically connectedto this wire through the pendulum 5. .To the contacts 9 are connected a wire 11. and it will thus appear that when the pendulums are gravitating in raised positions, the-cirpivot 6 and at the same time will have an independent oscillation on its pivot 4.

As soon however as this occurs, the pendulums 5 and 2 will partake of different angular relations with respect to one another than they partake of when in quiescent condition and as soon as this occurs, one ofthe contacts 9 will engage with one of the contacts 8 and if the pendulums swing back and forth the contacts 9 will alternately make momentary connection with the respective contacts-8 so as to alternately complete the circuit of which the wires 10and 11 form a part. I

- Upon the operation of a controlling element such as we have described, the system of the present invention is based, since, manifestly, if the wires 10 and -11 are connected through a suitable source of electrical sup 1y to an alarm and the pivot 6 mounted in xed position on a motor vehicle, it will be apparent that so long as the motor vehicle is at rest the pendulums will maintain quiescent positions and the electrical circuit referred to will remain broken at the contacts 8 and 9. If, however, any attempt is made to start the vehicle, a sudden forward impulse of the vehicle or a letting in of the clutch will cause the pendulums to swing about their res ective pivots so that the circuit including tlie alarm will be energized and the alarm'sounded. It will be noted however that the car may be left standing either uphill or downhill or on the level without causin an alarm to be given so lon as the car is left stationa since the pendu ums will, when the car is rought to rest, gravitate into alinement and assume a state of rest with thecontacts free from one 7 another.

In carrying out the invention in practice I mount the pivot 6 upon, any suita le support within a casing 12 preferably metallic and sutficiently strong to form a housing which cannot be readily disrupted or broken into andwe include in the circuit of which the lines 10 and 11 form a part suitable mechanism for rendering the circuit opera- V the tive or inoperative and for supplying current for energizing said circuit.

In the form of the invention disclosed, the system is shown as associated with the ignition circuit of the motor vehicle in which the system is installed. 13 designates the storage battery of the car connected to ground at 14 and also connected by a lead 15 to the ignition system of the car.- For example to the cut out switch or directly to the distributor or otherwise in accordance with the particular car in which the device is installed. This part of the system forms no part of the present invention. The switch 16 shown in Figure 2 is the conventional ignition switch whereby the car driver may render his ignition circuit operative or inoperative and this switch is conveniently controlled by a key which the driver takes with him when he leaves the car standing with the ignition circuit locked in inoperative condition.

In accordance with the invention as shown, a wire 17 is led from the wire 15 beyond the switch 16 through an armored cable 18, shown as BX cable to the interior of the box 2 where it connects with a coil 19 of a magnet having a fixed core 20. The other end of the coil is connected by a wire 21 which passes through the conduit 18 to ground 14. So long. as the ignition switch is closed and the car in operative condition, current from arm'is lifted free from a contact 25 which is mounted at 26.

However, if the switch 16 is open and the magnet deenergized, the weight of the switch arm will cause it to gravitate into engagement with the contact 25 and thus connect the switch arm to ground. The switch arm 23 is connected by a wire 27 to one pole of a local battery 28, which in practice may consist of one or more dry cells.

To the other pole of thebattery is connected the wire 10 previously described. The wire 11 connects with the wire 29 which leads to one binding post of an audible alarm 30, either bell, whistle or other suitable device shown in the drawings as a bell. The other binding post of the alarm device is grounded at 31.

With this arrangement it will be apparent that if the car is left with the ignition switch lock in open position, any attempt to start the car by causing it to roll down hill under its own momentum or towing a car will cause pendulums to oscillate in the manner previously described and inasmuch as the switch arm 23 is grounded, as soon as the contacts '9 touch the contacts 8. the bell 3O Wlll ring. Since this ringing however will be but momentary, it is desirable to associate locked against removal.

with the system maintainingineans to keep it ringing after it starts to rlng and to this end, a. maintaining switch 32 1s shunted across the controlling pendulums being con-.

nected to the wire 10 by a wire 33 and to the wire 29 by a wire 34 terminating in a contact 35. From the wire 34 is tapped a wire 36, which leads to a magnet 37 grounded at 38. So long as the magnet 37 is deenergized, the switch arm 32 will fall free from the contact 35, but when the magnet 37 is energized. it will shift the switch arm 32 and complete the circuit from the battery 28 directly to the wire 29.

As a result of this arrangement, the following operation takes place. As soon as the pendulums start to oscillate and one of the contacts 9 touches one of the contacts 8. a circuit will be established through the bell as previously described, but simultaneously with the establishment of this circuit, the current will branch througlfwires 34 and 36 through the maintaining magnet 37 to ground} at 38. The sooner the magnet is energized, its armature which is the maintaining switch, will be lifted thereby engaging the contact so that a. circuit will thereupon be set up from the battery 28 through the wires 33, maintaining switch 32, wires 34 and 29 to the bell, while a part of the current will divide and continue to pass through the magnet 37 to ground thereby keeping the maintaining switch closed. As soon as the maintaining switch is closed the controlling pendulums will be shunted so that even though the contacts 8 and 9 cease to engage one another, the bell will continue to ring notifying persons in the vicinity that the car is being tampered with or that an attempt is being made to steal the car.

It is well recognized that thieves become especially perturbed when audible alarms are sounded and such being the case the ring ing of the alarm will serve to protect the car against being stolen even more than though the car were actually mechanically It may be here noted that should the thief attempt to sever either one or both of the wires 21 or 17, the switch arm 23 will immediately fall and will condition the alarm for operation as soon as the car is moved.

in Figure 1 of the drawings, the system is shown as associated with and in a measure controlled by the ignition circuit of the vehicle. 1 wish it understood however that this is for'the purpose of illustration only and that instead of connecting the wires 21 and 17 into the ignition circuit, they may be made to include battery 13 and also a manually operable switch positioned in some suitable part of the car and adapted to be opened when the owner leaves the car unaccompanied.

In lieu of the arrangement shown in Figure 1, the magnets 19 and 20 and the wires 21 and 17 may be entirely omitted and the switch 23 may be positioned on the outside of the box in any suitable location and be manually operable. When the car is be,

ing run by an authorized person the switch will be manually opened but when the car is to be left standing alone the switch is closed so as to leave the system in a condition to operate automatically and give an alarm in the event of attempt at theft.

In practice, the box 12 is made strong and substantial and any attempt of thieves to open or break the box will be thwarted.

Having thusfully described the invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

1. A circuit closer embodying a rigid link mounted on a relatively fixed pivot and carrying a contact intermediate its ends, a second rigid link pivoted to and extending below the lower end of the first named link and also having a contact secured intermediate the ends of said link and extended beyond the pivot of its link to engage the firstnamed contact, said contacts being normally separated when the links are gravitating in quiescent condition, but being, adapted to engage one another and complete a circuit in which said contacts are adapted to be included when the quiescence of the rigid links is disturbed.

2. A circuit closer embodying a link pivoted at its upper end to a fixed pivot, a second link pivoted at its upper end to and extending below the lower end of the first named link, a weight associated with the lower end of the second link. and contacts mounted on both links to contact with each other between the pivots between the said links and spaced apart when the links are gravitating in quiescent condition, said contacts being adapted for engagement with one another to complete a cooperating circuit when the relativequiescent condition of the links is disturbed.

In testimony whereof we have signed the foregoing specification.

CHARLES H. KOLLING. I REIN HOLD PRIETZ.

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