VAULT PROTECTION SYSTEM

• US 3,618,062 A
• Filed: 04/02/1969
• Issued: 11/02/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Charles D. Ott
• Original Assignee: Charles D. Ott
• Inventors: Ott, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Palan, Perry
• Application Number:
  US04/812,689
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 340/261,273 179/110.1,113,114,115,115.5 109/38,42
• US Class Current: 367/136
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1672 using sonic detecting means, e.g. a microphone operating in the audio frequency range

Abstract

An electrical protection system of the acoustic type for bank vaults and like structures which provides means for collecting the sound from numerous points whereby adequate protection is provided for vaults of building block construction at far less expense than is possible under the prior art. The invention also permits operation at higher sensitivity levels while maintaining normal stability when used in conjunction with vaults of monolithic construction.

Claims

1. An electrical protection system for detecting physical attacks on vaults and like structures constructed of building blocks of the type wherein a sensor responsive to vibrations in the structure activates an electronic detecting and alarm device wherein the improvement comprises:

a. a pluRality of elongated, metallic, vibratory energy collecting and transmitting strips each disposed in close physical contact with a respective portion of an interior surface of a select wall of the structure, each strip being made of a hard metal having a better vibratory energy conductance than the walls of the structure;

b. at least one vibration sensitive microphone mounted in close vibratory contact with both the interior surface of the select wall and the strips and being arranged to produce an electrical signal voltage in response to detection of vibrations transferred thereto along all axes from the select wall and the strips;

c. vibration transmitting mounting means mounting the strips on the interior surface of the select wall, the mounting means including individual metallic attaching elements spaced apart along the strips, penetrating the select wall and contacting the strips to transfer vibrations along all axes from the select wall the the strips; and

d. means for supplying the electrical signal voltage from each of the microphones to the electronic detecting and alarm device.

2. An electronic protection system for vaults and like structures subject to physical attacks, comprising:

a. a plurality of vibration sensitive microphones mounted in close vibratory contact with the walls of the structure at spaced apart positions on the interior surfaces of the walls, each of the microphones being capable of producing an electrical signal voltage in response to detection of vibrations transferred thereto along all axes from the walls of the structure;

b. means for separately collecting vibratory energy along all axes from numerous spaced apart positions on the interior surfaces of the walls and for transmitting the collected vibratory energy from selected groups of the positions to selected corresponding ones of the microphones, the collected vibratory energy from the positions in each of the selected groups being transmitted as a unit to the selected corresponding microphone along an individual transmission path having a sonic energy conductance much greater than the conductance of the walls; and

c. means for detecting the electrical signal voltage output of one or more of the microphones as an alarm signal indication of an attack on a wall of the structure.

3. The method of protecting vaults and like structures subject to physical attacks, comprising the steps of:

a. positioning a plurality of vibration sensitive microphones in close vibratory contact with the walls of said structure at spaced apart positions on the interior surfaces of said walls, each of said microphones being arranged to produce an electrical signal voltage in response to detection of vibrations transferred thereto along all axes from the walls of said structure;

b. separately collecting vibratory energy along all axes from numerous spaced-apart positions on the interior surfaces of said walls;

c. transmitting said collected vibratory energy from selected groups of said positions to selected corresponding ones of said microphones, said collected vibratory energy from the positions in each of said groups being transmitted as a unit to the corresponding microphone along an individual transmission path having a sonic energy conductance much greater than the conductance of said walls; and

d. detecting the electrical signal voltage output of one or more of said microphones as an alarm signal indication of an attack on a wall of said structure.

4. An electrical protection system for detecting physical attacks on vaults and like structures having walls subject to physical attack, comprising:

a. an electronic detecting and alarm device;

b. a plurality of vibration-sensitive microphones each mounted in close physical contact with the interior surface of a wall of said structure such that vibrations of said wall surface along all axes are physically transmitted to each of said microphones and each of said microphones being arranGed to produce an electrical signal voltage in response to detection of vibrations transferred thereto from the interior surface of a wall of said structure;

c. a plurality of elongated metallic vibratory energy transmitting strips each extending along and in close proximity to a respective portion of a wall surface of said structure and each being in close vibratory contact with select ones of said microphones to aid in collecting and transmitting vibratory energy arising in said respective portion of a wall surface to said select ones of said microphones;

d. means including individual metallic mounting elements each penetrating a select strip and a wall of said structure for mounting each of said strips on said respective portion of a wall surface such that vibrations of said wall surface along all axes are transmitted to each strip; and

e. means for supplying the electrical signal voltage from each of said microphones to said electronic detecting and alarm device.

5. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which said microphones are responsive to a frequency range of about 7,000 to 50,000 cycles per second.

6. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which said individual mounting elements are spaced along said strips at spacings not exceeding about 3 feet.

7. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which said microphones are mounted on respective sound transmitting metal plates and in which each of said metal plates is attached to a wall of said structure by sound transmitting metallic fastening elements capable of transmitting vibrators in said wall along all axes to said plates.

8. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which said strips are steel channels having the open sides thereof facing the adjacent structure wall.

9. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which at least some of said microphones are mounted directly on respective ones of said strips.

10. An electrical protection system as set forth in claim 1 in which some of said strips are mounted horizontally on each vertical wall of said structure, the strips on each of said vertical walls being disposed generally parallel to each other, the strips nearest the ceiling and floor of said structure being spaced not more than about 1 1/2 feet from the adjacent ceiling and floor, respectively.