AUTOMOBILE THEFT PREVENTION DEVICE

• US 3,614,458 A
• Filed: 04/22/1970
• Issued: 10/19/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ira B. Stein
• Original Assignee: Ira B. Stein
• Inventors: Stein, Ira B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/030,850
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 307/1AT,10 180/114 340/63,64
• US Class Current: 180/287
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

A self-activating automobile theft prevention device including a time delay relay, preferably of the thermal type. The apparatus will interrupt the ignition circuit of an automobile unless, within a predetermined time after activation of the ignition circuit, a concealed relay-defeating switch is activated.

Claims

1. An automatic resetting automobile theft prevention device comprising, in combination with an automobile having an ignition circuit including a battery and an ignition lock switch for connecting said battery to said circuit, a time delay relay including normally closed switch contacts in series connection with said ignition circuit, and a time delay, contact-opening circuit, a control relay shiftable between first and second conditions of operation and including a latching coil adapted, when energized, to maintain said control relay in said second condition, means for shifting said control relay from said second to said first condition when said coil is deenergized, first switch means in said control relay for connecting said contactopening circuit of said delay relay to said battery responsive to activation of said ignition circuit when said control relay is in said first condition, second switch means in said control relay for energizing said latching coil when said control relay is in said second condition, and self-opening open-setting switch means for temporarily energizing said latching coil to shift said control relay to said second condition responsive to simultaneous closing of said setting switch and said lock switch, said coil being deenergized responsive to deactivation of said ignition lock switch.

2. The device of claim 1 and including a bypass switch for maintaining said latching coil in energized condition when said lock switch is in the closed position.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said time delay relay is of the thermal type and said contact-opening circuit includes means for varying the time required to activate said opening circuit.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said normally closed switch contacts are interposed between the primary of the ignition coil and the distributor points, whereby said ignition circuit will be opened responsive to energization of said contact-opening circuit notwithstanding the bypassing of said lock switch or the use of an auxiliary battery.

5. The device of claim 1 and including holding means for maintaining said relay in said second condition for a predetermined time following deactivation of said ignition lock.

6. An automatically resetting automobile theft prevention device comprising, in combination with an automobile having an ignition circuit including a battery and an ignition lock switch means for connecting said battery to said circuit, a thermal time delay relay means including a pair of normally closed coNtacts in series connection in said ignition circuit, and a normally closed heater circuit adapted to open said contacts after energization for a predetermined time, said heater circuit being energized responsive to closing of said ignition lock switch means, holding circuit means including a coil, for deactivating said heater circuit in the energized condition of said coil, and concealed switch means for activating said holding circuit means after said lock switch is in the open position, said holding circuit means being connected to said ignition circuit and being deactivated responsive to interruption of said ignition circuit.

7. A device in accordance with claim 6 and including means for preventing deactivation of said holding circuit for a selected time period after interruption of said ignition circuit.