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United States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 4,522,146

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Carlson [45] Date of Patent: Jun. 11, 1985

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BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEM INCORPORATING
PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED COMPONENTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to burglar alarm systems, and particularly to a pneumatically operated system which activates photographic equipment to take a picture of jQ the intruder, activates a light in the area of intrusion, and sounds an audible alarm.

2. Description of the Prior Art

It is believed that the prior art relevant to the subject invention may be found in the following classes and [5 sub-classes:

Class 340, sub-classes 626, 544, 545, 540, 404
Class 354, sub-classes 75, 76
Class 346, sub-classes 107.

A search in the area indicated, has revealed the exis- 20 tence of the following U.S. Patents:

2,012,818 3,725,886 3,531,794 3,349,679 3,594,747 4,063,251 3,672,269 25

Referring to these patents, it is noted that U.S. Pat. No. 2,012,818 relates to an air horn that is operated by the vacuum in the induction system of an automobile 3Q engine when the electro-suction control unit is actuated by pressing a button within the automobile. This permits air to be drawn through the horn by the vacuum in the induction system.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,349,679 relates to photo identification 35 apparatus mounted within an automobile, such as a taxi cab, and which is actuated when the rear door of the taxi cab is opened and closed after entry of a passenger into the back seat of the vehicle. The system is arranged to illuminate the back seat of the vehicle, including the 40 use of high intensity flashes of light.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,594,747 describes a surveilance system for banks where a camera is programmed to operate at a normal rate but which may be accelerated upon command in the event of a robbery. An audible alarm is 45 sounded after an adjustable time delay following accelerated operation of the camera.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,794 is directed to the problem created by people who turn in false fire alarms. This device is intended to turn on a light, sound an alarm and 50 simultaneously activate a camera to take a picture of the person that has tripped the alarm.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,269 relates to a structure including a hidden camera that is sequentially operated when intrusion into a room is detected by a detection system 55 that is not disclosed by this patent.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,886 relates to a fluid powered alarm system in which intrusion is detected by an appropriate intrusion detection system, which is connected to a transmitter, with the transmitter in turn transmitting a 60 signal to an appropriate receiver associated with the alarm unit.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,251 is directed to a security system applicable particularly to lockers such as in a bank vault or in an equipment storage facility or for that 65 matter in any facility. Each locker is equipped with a normally open push button switch which is actuated when the door is opened.

2

While various types of alarm systems have been patented, as indicated by the patents noted above, I have been unable to find a pneumatically operated system which is independent of other power sources and which may be easily installed in residential, commercial or industrial premises and which has sufficient versatility to not only sound an audible alarm, but to initiate illumination of the premises and simultaneously to photograph the intruder. Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a burglar alarm system that incorporates pneumatic means for operation and fulfills these characteristics.

The concept of security of ones property wherever it may be located is a complex one. The subject is complex not only because an intrusion violates a property right with which the property owner is emotionally involved and therefor may trigger a very traumatic reaction on the part of the owner, but it is complicated also because it appears that the law does not protect the owner of the property to the extent that he may believe it protects him. For instance, the law in general holds that human life is more valuable than property. Accordingly, in several cases that have had wide publicity in the media, home owners who attempted to protect their own property and either killed or severely injured an intruder, have found themselves embroiled in lengthy and very expensive law suits. Accordingly, another object of the present invention is to provide a burglar alarm system that will be activated by an overt act of the intruder, and which will simultaneously activate photographic equipment so as to preserve the fact of intrusion on film and at the same time identify the intruder, and then activate an alarm which hopefully will cause the intruder to immediately leave the premises.

There have been many different types of burglar alarm systems installed in residential, commercial and industrial properties. These systems run the gamut from induction type systems that protect the entire building by monitoring the inductance of the interior of a building and sound an alarm when the inductance changes as the result of an intrusion by a human being. Similar type burglar alarm systems working on a capacitive principle have also been installed and work on the premise that the alarm be sounded as soon as an intrusion is either attempted or effected from the outside of the premises to the inside thereof. Other types of burglar alarms incorporate light beams which when broken by the inter-position of an object, such as the human body or a hand or leg, activates an alarm to signal the fact of intrusion. Still other burglar alarm systems are "hard wired" and depend upon the physical disruption of an electrical circuit by the breaking of an electrical conductor. So far as is known, none of these systems simultaneously illuminate the premises being intruded and at the same time photograph the intruder for purposes of evidence in a subsequent prosecution of the intruder, and then sound an alarm to frighten the intruder into flight. Accordingly, another object of the present invention is the provision of a burglar alarm system which is sufficiently versatile to sound an alarm, illuminate the premises and photograph the intruder in relation to intrusion into the premises from the outside thereof, and which is also applicable in a given or designated area within the premises, such as a bank vault, a bedroom, or a storeroom in a commercial establishment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pneumatically operated burglar alarm system which is activated by an overt act of the burglar, such as opening

3 4

a door or window, and which will first photograph the DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

intruder, illuminate the scene during the momentary EMBODIMENT photographic process, and subsequently sound an alarm

to frighten the burglar into flight. In terms of 8reater detail>the pneumatically operated

The invention possesses other objects and features of 5 burSlar alarm svstem of the invention operates from a

advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be source f„a!r under Pressure designated generally by the

7- • . ■ ^ , ;L , numeral 2 m the accompanying drawing, the source of

apparent from the following description and the draw- . ,., , . ,:. ," . . ° , , ... .

. vv T . , , f , , . ■ air conveniently being a cylinder that is filled with air to

ings. It is to be understood however that the invention at ^ 5Q ... per squafe inch ... ...

1S not limited to the embodiment illustrated and de- 1Q greater pressure may be utilizedi however, it has been

scribed, since it may be embodied m various forms found that 50 Psi is sufficient to activate the burglar

within the scope of the appended claims. alarm system and keep it operating for a reasonable

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION length of time. The system includes a pair of air horns 3

and 4, and a flash camera unit designated generally by

In terms of broad inclusion, the burglar alarm system 15 the numeral 6. Actuation of these components in their

of the invention is preferably pneumatically operated appropriate sequence is controlled by approximately

and is preferably installed in an interior room or area eight pneumatically operated valves interconnected in

into which an intruder bent on burglary would nor- such a way with each other and with other air con

mally enter, such as a bedroom, a bank vault, or a store trolled devices to operate the system in the manner in

room, these rooms being contained within larger prem- 20 which il is intended, as will hereinafter be described,

ises and normally being provided with only a single Referring to the drawings, the flow of compressed air

access door to the interior of these rooms from the from *e compressed air cylinder 2 is controlled by a

, r . . c . manually operated toggle valve 7 connected to the

general area of the premises. Thus, in the preferred * * * r*i. J • i- J i. J •

r „ . , ... . A, ■ , • output port of the compressed air cylinder by a conduit

installation, a burglar might gam access to the interior 2J g Thg g .g £rabl of the ... ,astic

of the premises vlewed as a whole without activating an and may conveniently be a one.eighth 0r one-quarter

alarm. However, once inside the premises, if he ap- inch internal diameter type conduit. Obviously, other

proaches the specific or designated area in which the appropriate sizes of conduit may be used. It should also

pneumatically operated burglar alarm system of this be understood that when reference is made to a valve

invention was installed, and proceeds through an overt 30 structure that the valve structure is intended to control

act on his part to open the door leading to such pro- the flow of air in all instances with actuation of a valve

tected area, then the pneumatically operated burglar sometimes being effected by an air pulse and at other

alarm system of this invention is automatically acti- times actuation of a valve being manual in the sense that

vated. it is manipulated by hand rather than manipulated into

The pneumatically operated burglar alarm system of 35 an open or closed position by an air pulse.

this invention then is used in conjunction with an open- As illustrated in the drawings, the air valve 7 is pro

ing into a protected area, with opening of the door or vided with the togg,e 9 that is manually manipulate

window to the protected area being the overt act re- and.m the, draw'nS shown symbolically m a valve-open

quired by the intruder to initiate the system. The system P031*10" ^rouSh u*e of 'he Jo/nt Indusf I Conference

. , , , .' , ,., . . , 40 symbols. Connected to the outlet port of the valve 7 by

includes one or more compressed air tanks that provide' . , , ,. ,

. . T» , <■■,-, an appropriate conduit 12 is an adiustable pressure reeu

a source of air under pressure. Release of such air under ^ „ adjustabIe t0 a selected ure and for the

pressure is controlled by a sensing device in the form of present system> adjusted tQ a pressure of at ]east 5Q Psj a valve associated with the door or other opening into xhe output from the pressure regulator 13 is conthe room to be protected. When the door to the room is 45 nected through conduit 14 and conduit 16 with a noropened, the valve is actuated and triggers air actuation many open four-way pilot-operated valve 17 shown in of a series of air-actuated valves that operate in a pre- open position in the drawings. Junction points between scribed sequence to initially operate photographic conduits are shown schematically inasmuch as the cornequipment that takes a series of pictures of the intruder ponents for such interconnections are conventional, in a very short interval. Following the photographic 50 The output of the pressure regulator is additionally recordation of the fact of intrusion and the recordation connected by the conduit 14 to the input port of the on film of the identity of the intruder, the system acti- normally closed valve 18, and connected by conduit 19 vates one or more air horns which sound an audible to the inPut Port of normally closed pilot-operated alarm in the immediate area. The psychological effect valve 21 Additionally, through a branch conduit 22 of actuation of the photographic equipment, which is 55 connected to the conduit 19, air under pressure is supnormally accompanied by flashing lights, is to surprise Phed t0 the lnPut Port of a ... °Pen two-position the intruder. He may or may not know or realize that he spnng-pressed valve 23 the actuator 24 of which is . , , * u J c u *i >.l .l j depressed by the edge 01 the door 26 into a valve-c osed has been photographed. Subsequently, with the sound- *V. f, . . & „ . , , . ., ... . , r., rr ±. \ c . , . , position so that air cannot pass through the valve until ing of the air horns the effect is to frighten the intruder 6Q * of the doQr causes the s in| essed ,

and cause the intruder to leave the premises. or ac(uator 24 of the yalve 23 fo be ... [hus fe.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS turning the closed valve to its normally open condition.

When this occurs, air under pressure passes to the

The single FIGURE is a complete schematic illus- output port of valve 23, which is connected by conduit

trating the system applied in a single room and adapted 65 27 to the input port of normally open pilot-operated

to be activated by the opening of a door to that room. three way valve 28. Since the valve 28 is normally open,

The system is shown armed for activation of the alarm air under pressure continues through this valve to actu

upon opening of the door. ate the pilot 29 of the normally closed pilot-operated

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