US3270333A

US3270333A - Portable closure alarm having compensating support bracket

Info

Publication number: US3270333A
Application number: US507021A
Authority: US
Inventors: Barber Joseph A La
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-11-09
Filing date: 1965-11-09
Publication date: 1966-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-30

Description

Aug. 30, 1966 J. A. LA BARBER PORTABLE CLOSURE ALARM HAVING GOMPENSATING SUPPORT BRACKET Filed Nov. 9, 1965 INVENTOR. JOESPH A. LA BARBER United States Patent M 3,270,333 PQRTABLE CLOSURE ALARM HAVING COM- PENSATING SUPPORT BRACKET Joseph A. La Barber, 1313 Maenpah Circle, Las Vegas, Nev.

Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 330,915,

Dec. 16, 1963. This application Nov. 9, 1965, Ser. No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 340-274) The present invention relates to a portable device for signaling the unauthorized movement of a closure means such as a door or window away from its mating surface, i.e., the door jamb or window sill. Particularly the invention proposes a novel structure for retaining the portable signaling device on the closure means and for urging a pressure operated switch, which forms part of the circuit of the signaling device, into engagement with the mating surface when the closure means and its mating surface are in close proximity to each other.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a resilient retaining means for a portable signaling device which is readily adjustable to accommodate various widths of closure means.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a plate interposed between the resilient retaining means and the signaling device wherein the retaining means is attached to the plate in such a manner that part of the plate and part of the retaining means are movable relative to each other.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a tensioning spring situated between the plate and the signaling device; the tensioning spring acting to restrain relative movement between the plate and the signaling device.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a retaining and positioning means for a portable signaling device which will broaden the application and use of the portable signaling device and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become obvious with a better understanding of the device as it is described in the accompanying specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation showing the device in use,

FIGURE 2 is a front perspective view of the device,

FIGURE 3 is a front housing perspective view.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view from the front with the housing removed,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a corner showing manner of securing housing,

FIGURE 6 shows a side of the device with housing removed,

FIGURE 7 is a rear perspective view with the housing removed.

Referring to the drawing showing the preferred structure and which like numbers represent like parts, FIG. 1 shows the interuder alarm unit 1 which is flexibly mounted on the room door 5 by the clipping action of hanger 4.

The alarm unit preferably consists of signal means 16 powered by battery 13. Such signal means 16 is preferably a common electro-magnetic buzzer, however, it could be any other device for producing a signal. Connected to item 16 by wire 17 is electrical switch 2 provided with a button. Said switch is commonly called a door switch. It is of the type which makes electrical contact when pres sure on the button is released. Wire 12 connects the door switch to switch 7. Switch 7 is commonly called an onand-off switch. Pressing its button alternately opens and closes the electrical circuit within it without constant pressure on the button. Wire 14 connects switch 7 to battery 13. This battery is preferably a long life 1%.

3,270,333 Patented August 30, 1966 volt flashlight type. Said

items

2, 7, 16 and 13 are secured to rear housing 11. Such housing is formed from an electrical conductor whereby an electrical circuit is formed among said items. The rear housing 11 has tab portions bent backwardly at right angles thereto for a purpose hereinafter described.

Covering said units is front housing 10 illustrated in FIG. 3. Said housing is secured to rear housing 11 by tab 18 of housing 10 fitting into slot 19. Screw 8 in a corresponding orifice further secures the housing. There may be an orifice 9 to permit sound to escape.

A plate 6, having a series of orifices 15, has two tabs cut from its side and bent forwardly at right angles thereto to operatively engage the tab portions cut and bent from rear housing 11. The mating tabs are brought into engagement to form brackets 20; a shaft 23 having a spiral spring wound about it (not shown) is then threaded through the tabs of the brackets 20 to hingedly connect the plate 6 and the rear housing 11. The spring which functions as a tension means presses on the plate and the housing to restrain relative movement between the housing and the plate about the hinged connection formed by brackets 20 and shaft 23.

Resilient hanger 4 is mounted on plate 6 by

flanges

22 and 21 on each side thereof. This is best shown in FIGURE 7.

The hanger and plate together are means for retaining the assembly on a door.

Resilient hanger 4, preferably formed of spring wire material, is substantially L-shaped when viewed from the side, with the base portion being adapted to hang on door 5 below door frame 3. The resilient construction of hanger 4 allows for limited relative movement between plate 6 and hanger 4 about the pivot line formed by

flanges

21, 22. This limited relative movement accounts for the adjustability feature of this invention. An analysis of FIGURE 7 shows two parallel slots 24 being provided in the rear housing in the rear housing 11 for the leg portions of hanger 4. These slots allow for relative movement of the base portion of hanger 4 toward and away from plate 6. As can be seen from FIGURES 1 and 6 the hanger 4 will adjust to the thickness of the closure member 5 by pivoting the base portion about the fulcrum line formed by

flanges

21, 22, either closer or further away from plate 6.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Hanger 4 is hooked over the top edge of a door whereby the unit will be inside the room. The door is closed in the usual manner. Such closing causes the button of switch 2 to engage with the frame 3 of the door or window. The button remains depressed by the pressure of spiral spring 23. When an intruder opens the door the button of switch 2 is released completing the circuit between buzzer 16 and battery 13 and the resulting sound of the buzzer may then both frighten the intruder and arouse the occupant of the room.

Pushing the button of switch 7 causes a break in the circuit whereby the buzzer will not be activated by the ordinary entrance into the room. The alarm can again be set by pushing the button of switch 7.

The device can be used on a window instead of a door. Except as noted, the entire device is made of thin metal sheet metal.

Although preferred embodiments of the device are as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that further modification and changes in the details of construction that may be resorted to will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device for signaling the unauthorized movement of a closure means away from its mating surface the combination comprising, a housing; a signal means positioned within said housing; an energy source also contained within said housing; an electrical circuit interconnecting said energy source and said signal means, said circuit having a pressure operated switch carried by said housing to operatively engage and disengage said electrical source and said signal means, said switch extending outside of said housing and when in the operative position engaging the mating surface of the closure means to disengage said energy source and said signal means; a substantially L-shaped bracket attached on a hinge means to said housing, said bracket securing said housing to said closure means, said hinge means allowing relative movement between said bracket and said housing, and tension means positioned on said hinged attachment between said housing and said bracket, said tension means acting to restrain said housing against limited movement relative to said bracket thereby forcing said switch means into the mating surface of said closure means to disconnect the circuit between said energy source and said signal means when said housing is on said closure means and said closure means and its mating surface are in close proximity to each other.

2. In a device for signaling the unauthorized movement of a closure means away from its mating surface the combination comprising, a housing; a signal means positioned within said housing; an energy source also contained within said housing; an electrical circuit interconnecting said energy source and said signal means, said circuit having a pressure operated switch therein to operatively engage and disengage said electrical source and said signal means, said switch extending outside of said housing, said switch when in the operative position engages the mating surface of the closure means to disengage said energy source and said signal means; plate means hingedly attached to said housing; a resilient substantially L-shaped bracket attached to said plate means having a portion thereof for relative movement with regard to said plate means; said bracket acting to secure said housing to said closure means; and tension means positioned on said hinged attachment between said housing and said plate means, said tension means acting to bias said housing away from said plate means and bracket thereby forcing said switch means into the mating surface of said closure means to disconnect the circuit between said energy source and said signal means when said housing is on said closure means and said closure means and its mating surface are in close proximity to each other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,590 12/1911 Bobo 340-274 2,049,593 8/1936 Schabinger 2731.5 2,624,792 1/1953 Fruh 340274 2,816,280 12/1957 Detweiler 340283 3,011,163 11/1961 Britt 340274 3,165,727 1/1965 Callahan 340274 NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner.

R. M. GOLDMAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A DEVICE FOR SIGNALING THE UNAUTAHORIZED MOVEMENT OF A CLOSURE MEANS AWAY FROM ITS MATING SURFACE THE COMBINATION COMPRISING, A HOUSING; A SIGNAL MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOUSING; A SIGNAL MEANS CONTAINED WITHIN SAID HOUSING; AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT INTERCONNECTING SAID ENERGY SOURCE AND SAID SIGNAL MEANS, SAID CIRCUIT HAVING A PRESSURE OPERATED SWITCH CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING TO OPERATIVELY ENGAGE AND DISENGAGE SAID ELECTRICAL SOURCE AND SAID SIGNAL MEANS, SAID SWITCH EXTENDING OUTSIDE OF SAID HOUSING AND WHEN IN THE OPERATIVE POSITION ENGAGING THE MATING SURFACE OF THE CLOSURE MEANS TO DISENGAGE SAID ENERGY SOURCE AND SAID SIGNAL MEANS; A SUBSTANTIALLY L-SHAPED BRACKET ATTACHED ON A HINGE MEANS TO SAID HOUSING, SAID BRACKET SECURING SAID HOUSING TO SAID CLOSURE MEANS, SAID HINGE MEANS ALLOWING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID BRACKET AND SAID HOUSING, AND TENSION MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID HINGED ATTACHMENT BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND SAID BRACKET, SAID TENSION MEANS ACTING TO RESTRAIN SAID HOUSING AGAINST LIMITED MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID BRACKET THEREBY FORCING SAID SWITCH MEANS INTO THE MATING SURFACE OF SAID CLOSURE MEANS TO DISCONNECT THE CIRCUIT BETWEEN SAID ENERGY SOURCE AND SAID SIGNAL MEANS WHEN SAID HOUSING IS ON SAID CLOLSURE MEANS AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS AND ITS MATING SURFACE ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO EACH OTHER.