VEHICLE HOLDUP AND THEFT ALARM

• US 3,639,897 A
• Filed: 06/11/1969
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rudor M. Teich
• Original Assignee: Rudor M. Teich
• Inventors: Teich, Rudor M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US04/832,363
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 340/64,63,213,274
• US Class Current: 340/430
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features

Abstract

An alarm system for a vehicle provides both theft and holdup prevention. When the vehicle is unattended any unauthorized attempt to open the cargo doors or to move the vehicle causes an alarm to be sounded and the motor to stall. An attempt at a holdup in which the cab door is opened while the driver is within the cab causes an alarm to sound and the motor to stall after a predetermined period of delay. The siren will continue to sound for at least a predetermined period even if the thief should gain possession of the alarm key and turn the alarm circuit off.

Claims

1. An alarm system for providing an indication of the unauthorized use of a vehicle, said system comprising means effective to sense the unauthorized use of the vehicle and to establish an alarm signal in response thereto, means operatively connected to said sensing means and effective when said alarm signal is established to produce an actuating signal delayed in time by a predetermined amount from said alarm signal, alarm means, means operatively connected to said actuating signal producing means and said alarm means, actuated by said actuating signal and effective when so actuated to energize said alarm means, and manually actuatable alarm-disabling means operatively connected to said alarm-energizing means, said alarm disabling means being effective when manually actuated to produce an alarmdisabling signal only after a predetermined time has elapsed, said disabling signal being effective to deactuate said alarmenergizing means, thereby to deenergize said alarm means.

2. The alarm system of claim 1, in which said actuating signal producing means comprises first switch means actuated when an unauthorized use of the vehicle is sensed, second switch means, and circuit means operatively connected between said first and second switch means, and effective to actuate the latter a predetermined time after the actuation of the former.

3. The alarm system of claim 2, in which said alarm-disabling means comprises manually actuatable third switch means, fourth switch means, means operatively connected to and energized by the actuation of said fourth switch means and effective when energized to deactuate said second switch means, and second circuit means operatively connected to said third and fourth switch means and effective to actuate the latter a predetermined time after the actuation of thE former.

4. In the alarm system of claim 1, means for actuating said alarm-disabling means which comprises switch means actuatable by the ignition key used to operate the vehicle, said actuating means being inoperative so long as said ignition key is in position to operate the vehicle.

5. An alarm system for use in a vehicle for providing a warning of either the theft of merchandise from the vehicle when the vehicle is unattended, or the holdup of the vehicle when the driver is in the vehicle, the vehicle comprising a driver'"'"''"'"'s compartment having a normally closed first door, a merchandise compartment having a normally closed second door, a power supply, and first and second alarm circuits adapted to be enabled by connection thereof to said power supply, said system comprising alarm means, first switch means operatively connected in said first alarm circuit and effective when actuated and when said first alarm circuit is enabled to substantially instantaneously energize said alarm means, means effective to actuate said first switch means when said second door is opened, second switch means effective when actuated and when said second alarm circuit is enabled to energize said alarm means, and means effective to actuate said second switch means a predetermined time after said first door is opened, and an ignition switch selectively operable between an off condition and an on condition, said ignition switch in its off condition operatively connecting said first alarm circuit to said power supply thereby to enable same and operatively disconnecting said second circuit from said power supply thereby disabling same and in its on condition operatively connecting said second alarm circuit to said power supply thereby enabling same and operatively disconnecting said first alarm circuit from said power supply thereby disabling same.

6. In the system of claim 5, means effective to deactuate said second switch means a predetermined time after it is actuated, thereby to deenergize said alarm means.

7. In the system of claim 5, a conductor normally establishing an electrical connection between said power supply and the ignition switch, second means effective to actuate said first switch means when the ignition switch is in its said off condition and said conductor is broken.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising third means effective to actuate said first switch means in response to the movement of the vehicle when the ignition switch is in its said off condition.

9. In the system of claim 7, in which the vehicle further includes a second conductor adapted to be operatively connected to one or more electrically operated components in the vehicle and normally disconnected from said first mentioned conductor when the ignition switch is in its said off condition, fourth means effective to actuate said first switch means upon the connection of said second conductor to said first conductor when the ignition switch is in its said off condition.