ALARM SYSTEM FOR BUSINESS MACHINES

• US 3,685,037 A
• Filed: 10/06/1970
• Issued: 08/15/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aladar Heppes, Anthony B. Bennett
• Original Assignee: Aladar Heppes, Anthony B. Bennett
• Inventors: Heppes, Aladar, Bennett, Anthony B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Partridge, Scott F.
• Application Number:
  US05/078,385
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 340/272,280,283 200/85
• US Class Current: 340/571
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1472 with force or weight detection

Abstract

An alarm system for protecting business machines and the like against theft, which includes a casing for location on a base support such as a desk or the like, for containing the components of the alarm system, and for supporting the machine to be protected. The alarm becomes operative upon (1) unauthorized removal of the machine from the alarm containing casing; or (2) unauthorized removal of the machine, together with the alarm containing casing from the base support.

Claims

1. An alarm system for use with a business machine and a support base for said machine, said system comprising intermediate support means removably positioned between said machine and said support base, said intermediate support means including a movable portion for receiving thereon the bottom of said business machine, alarm means, and means for controlling the operation of said alarm means, said controlling means being mounted on the movable portion of said intermediate support means, said controlling means including a movable actuator member and means for biasing said actuator member to its operative position, said actuator member abutting said support base when said machine is normally disposed on said intermediate support means and said intermediate support means is disposed on said base support and being moved to its inoperative position, said actuator member being automatically moved to its biased operative position for operating said alarm means upon (1) removal of said machine from said intermediate support means whereby the removal of the weight of said machine is effective to lift the movable portion of said intermediate support means in response to the bias of said actuator member and to simultaneously allow the biased actuator member to move to its operative position, or (2) concurrent removal of said machine and said intermediate support means from said support base whereby said actuator member is no longer in abutting relation to said support base and is thereby biased to its operative position.

2. An alarm system as in claim 1, wherein said intermediate support means comprises a casing, said casing includes a movable top wall and a bottom wall formed with an opening, said control means being mounted on the underside of said top wall and said control member projecting through the opening in said bottom wall.

3. An alarm system as in claim 2, wherein said alarm means is within said casing and is electrically operable, said control means comprising switch means in circuit with said alarm means, said actuator member being a spring biased switch element on said switch means movable between a normally open position and a closed position, the weight of said machine being effective to depress said casing top wall and to move said switch element to its open position;

and the removal of said machine from said casing top wall being effective to raise said casing top wall and to move said switch element to its closed position.

4. An alarm system as in claim 3 and further including latch means in circuit with said alarm means and said switch means for continuing the operation of said alarm means despite the movement of said switch element to its open position.

5. An alarm system as in claim 4 and further including a key operated arming switch in circuit with said alarm means, said arming switch including a normally open switch, cylinder lock means removably mounted on said casing for engaging and closing said normally open switch, key operable means on said lock means for locking said cylinder lock means to said casing.

6. An alarm system as in claim 5, and further including means on the top wall of said casing engagable with said cylinder lock means for preventing opening movement of said casing top wall.

7. An alarm system as in claim 1, wherein said intermediate support means includes a bottom wall formed with an opening, tapering side walls and a top wall pivoted at the rear edge thereof on the reduced rear end portions of said side walls to provide said casing with a wedge cross section, said control means being mounted on the underside of said pivoted top wall and said actuator member projecting through the opening in said bottom wall.

8. An alarm system as in claim 7, wherein said alarm means is electrically operable, said control means comprising switch means in circuit with said alarm means, said actuator member being a spring biased switch element, an arming switch in circuit wiTh said alarm means and located adjacent a wall portion of said casing, an opening in said casing wall portion in alignment with said arming switch, collar means mounted in said opening, a lock cylinder removably mounted in said collar for operating said arming switch, and key means for locking said lock cylinder in its arming switch operating position.

9. An alarm system as in claim 1 wherein said alarm means comprises electrically operable buzzer means, said intermediate support means comprising a depressible wall portion, said control means comprising switch means in circuit with said buzzer means, said actuator member comprising a spring biased switch element operable to maintain said depressible wall portion in a raised position in the absence of any weight thereon and concurrently closing said switch means.

10. An alarm system for use with a business machine and a support base, said alarm system comprising a casing disposed on said support base for supporting said machine, said casing including a movable wall portion underlying said machine, alarm means and control means for operating said alarm means, said control means being mounted on the underside of said movable wall portion and including spring biased means for raising the casing movable wall portion in the absence of said machine for rendering said control means operative.