US2866181A - Burglar alarm having both visual and audible alarm means - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1958 R. A. GORDON BURGLAR ALARM HAVING BOTH VISUAL AND AUDIBLE ALARM MEANS Filed March 28, 1956 6 29 an 8 15 j 6 1N VEN TOR. A. ozva/v By va M 8% ATTORNEY dow or door.

United States Patent BURGLAR ALARM HAVING BOTH VISUAL AND AUDIBLE ALARM MEANS Richard A. Gordon, Freeport, N. Y.

Application March'28, 1956, Serial No. 574,441

1 Claim. (Cl. 340-276) This invention relates to an electrical burglar alarm for the conventional double hung window which will give warning if the window is opened by an intruder.

Burglar alarms, per se, are not new and a number of such devices have been previously constructed to give warning of the approach of an intruder through a win- The prior devices, however, have been unwieldy, expensive, and relatively difiicult to install.

The instant invention has for its principal object the construction of an electrical window burglar alarm for a window of the double hung type having vertically movable leaves (the conventional English-type window) which will be small and compact, low in price, and capable of installation with the most simple tools.

The invention has, for a further object, a construction which will cause the device to operate should an intruder cut the conductors connecting the actuating switch to the remainder of the device.

A further object of this invention is to produce an electrical window burglar alarm which will continue to operate even if the intruder de-activates the actuating switch.

A further object of this invention is to produce an electrical window burglar alarm which will contain both electrical sounding means and electrical illuminating means wherein the light produced by actuation of the illuminating means will be directed upon the window opening to illuminate the intruder.

The invention may be biefly described as comprising, in combination and in interconnected operative relationship, a first electrical actuating switch adapted to be con nected across the window and to be actuated when the window is opened, electrical relay means closed by actuation of the first switch means and held closed when once actuated, additional electrical switch means actuated by closure of the relay means, and means for connecting the burglar alarm to a source of electrical power.

In the illustrated form of this invention, which is merely one form that it may take, a casing is provided which may be secured to the interior of the room to be protected in any convenient spot. The first actuating switch is located without the casing and has a downwardly movable actuating arm extending across the horizontal junction of the leaves of the window with a downwardly depending portion resting upon one of the leaves when the window is closed and the switch is in inoperative position. Means are provided for urging the arm into a downward operative position upon movement of one of the leaves. Where this device is used upon a casementtype window the actuating arm extends across the junction between the openable portion of the window and the frame thereof with the downwardly depending portion of the arm resting upon the openable portion.

The casing contains a relay which is adapted to be closed by actuation of the first actuating switch and is held in closed position when once actuated. The relay is formed with a projecting arm which extends through an opening in the casing. Additional switch means are located upon the projecting arm and are actuated by closure of the relay. An electrical sounding device and an electrical illuminating device are also within the casing and each are in abutting relationship with an opening therein. Reflector means are provided within the casing for directing the light produced by the illuminating device upon the window opening.

The projecting arm of the relay, which moves toward the body thereof to close the same, may be manually moved away from the body of the relay to disconnect the device. This manual movement is performed by the householder after the device has operated and has served its purpose. The projecting arm is placed in a nonobvious position upon the device where it normally would not be noticed by an intruder.

The preferred construction of the invention as illustrated also contains a battery within the casing which serves as a source of electrical power, making the device independent of an external current source. Electrical conductors are also provided operatively joining all of the parts of the device.

The invention will be further described by reference to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification.

Fig. l is a front cross-sectional view of the casing of one form of the burglar alarm of this invention with the position or the first actuating switch indicated.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 taken along lines 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuit connections of the invention shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a closed double hung window with the first actuating switch in operative position thereupon showing the position of the parts.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the first actuating switch of the invention showing the internal construction thereof with the switch in operative position, with the inoperative position of the switch indicated by phantom lines.

Pig. 6 is a sectional view through the switch showing of Fig. 5 taken along lines 66 of Fig. 5.

Rer'erring now to the specific form of the invention as shown in the drawings for a detailed description thereof; a hollow casing 10 is provided with a plurality of openings 11, 12, 15, and 14 therein. A first switch 15 is formed with a downwardly movable actuating arm 16 which has an offset portion 17. Arm 16 extends trans.

versely across the horizontal junction 18 of the vertically movable leaves 19 and 20 of the window to which the first switch is attached and portion 17 of arm 16 rests in inoperative position upon leaf 19 of the window when the window is closed. When switch 15 is thus inoperative arm 16 is clear of contact 21. Arm.16 is of spring material and springs downwardly against contact 21 when leaves 18 or 19 are moved to open the window thereupon actuating the device as will be subsequently explained.

Wires 22 and 23 are provided to join switch 15 to the remainder of the device and extend into casing 10 through openings 11. Wires 22 and 23 are fastened to switch 15 by screw contact 24 and an additional screw contact (not shown).

Relay 25 consists of a soft iron core 26, a coil 27, and a projecting arm 28. Arm 28, which is conductive along its entire length, bears contact points 29, 31, and 32. Additional contact points 33 and 34- are also provided which, in addition to the lower contacting surface of core 26, are spaced from contact points 29, 31 and 32, but points 2926, 3134 and 3233 are adapted to be brought into contact by upward movement of arm 28.

3 The point sets 2926, 31--34 and 3233 are actually electrical switches.

Relay 25 is also joined to terminal 37 of battery 35 by wire 40.

Electrical sounding device 38 is joined to terminal 37 of battery 35 by wire 50. Wire 50 is secured to terminal 39 of sounding device 38. Another branch of wire 50 joins terminal 37 of battery 35 to terminal 41 of socket 42 of illuminating device 60. Bulb 43 is disposed Within socket 42 and reflector 44 surrounds bulb 43. Reflector 44 and sounding device 38 are located within casing and are in abutting relationship with openings 12 and 13 of casing 10. Casing 10 is so constructed that the light produced by bulb 43 will fall upon the window opening.

Terminal 46 of sounding device 38 and terminal 45 of socket 42 are joined to arm 28 of relay 25 by wire 60.

The operation of this device will now be explained.

When the device is not desired to operate upon opening of the window to which the actuating switch is secured, a nonconductive bar 61 made of wood, cardboard, plastic or other nonconductive material, is placed between the bottom portion of arm 16 of switch 15 and the upper portion of contact 21. This position is shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In this position, as is seen, even if arm 16 moves downwardly no electrical contact can be produced.

When the householder leaves his home he closes the window and removes bar 61 from its position. At this point arm 16 is still in an upward inoperative position because of its location upon leaf 19. It is noted that, in this position, arm 16 is still clear of contact 21. If an intruder should move either leaf 19 or 20 to open the window arm 16, which is of spring material, will spring downwardly and engage contact 21 closing an electrical circuit. This in turn will close the circuit between battery 35 and relay 25 causing core 26 of relay 25 to become magnetized and drawing arm 28 toward core 26. Movement of arm 28 will close the circuit between points 29-26, 31-34 and 32-33. The contact of points 3134 closes an independent circuit between battery 35 and relay 25 so that even if arm 16 is moved away from contact 21 core 26 will still remain magnetized and relay 25 will remain closed.

Closure of relay 35, as stated previously, brings points 32-33 into contact and thus closes a circuit between battery 35, sounding device 38 and illuminating device 60 causing these devices to become operative and give warning of the intruders attempt to gain entrance to the building.

The device will continue to operate until the householder wishes to turn it oif which he can do by manually moving arm 28 out of contact with core 26 opening the entire circuit and rendering the device inoperative awaiting the next actuation. In order to prevent the intruder from discovering this procedure arm 28 is placed in an unobvious position.

In the drawing of this invention, for clarity of illustration, wires 22 and 23 are shown spaced apart a much greater distance than they actually are. Wires 22 and 23 are either placed in one conductor insulated from one another or are in abutting relationship. Thus, if an intruder attempts to cut wires 22 and 23 at the same time with any metal tool he will close the identical circuit as is closed by actuation of switch 15 and will actuate the device.

The foregoing specific modifications of this invention as set forth in the specification and drawings herein are for illustrative purposes and for purposes of example only. Various changes and modifications may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

An electrical burglar alarm for a window having an openable portion comprising, in combination and in interconnected operative relationship, a switch having a movable actuating arm formed with a depending portion thereupon extending transversely across the junction between said openable portion and the remainder of the window and resting in inooperative position upon said openable portion when said openable portion is in closed position; means for urging said arm into an operative position upon movement of said openable portion, a casing having a diagonal lower face adapted to be vertically disposed above said window, said casing being provided with an opening within said lower face and an additional opening elsewhere therewithin, a relay within said casing closed by actuation of said first switch and held closed when once actuated, an additional switch actuated by closure of said relay, a downwardly directed reflector within said casing in abutting relationship with said additional opening, said bulb and said sounding device being actuated by said additional switch, the light produced by said bulb being directed upon said window opening, a manual resetting device without said casing for opening said relay after closure thereof and thereby disconnecting the device, a battery within said casing, and electrical conductors operatively interconnecting all of the parts thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,204,513 Smith Nov. 14, 1916 1,738,243 Hedberg Dec. 3, 1929 1,808,491 Bellman June 2, 1931 2,634,409 Walcher Apr. 7, 1953 2,724,823 Toepfer Nov. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 63,912 Switzerland Feb. 4, 1913

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