Lock having flexible shackle with severance alarm

• US 3,879,721 A
• Filed: 09/27/1973
• Issued: 04/22/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert A. Yereance
• Original Assignee: Robert A. Yereance
• Inventors: Yereance, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US05/401,194
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 340/274,296,280,224,63 116/137R,138,143,153,164,166,168,169,80,79,33 70/30,31,43,49,275,277,441,457 200/61.76,39,61.79,61.8,61.5A,40,161
• US Class Current: 70/441
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 45/02 with mechanically-operated bells
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 67/003 Chain, wire or cable locks alarms therefor E05B45/005; E05B69/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/483 Flexible shackle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/827 Attention-directing

Abstract

A lock containing a flexible shackle made of a flexible outer cable and a filament loosely carried in the cable wherein the filament is under tension and including an alarm device that is released or energized in the event the filament is severed.

Claims

1. In a lock, the combination of:

a. a lock casing including a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking a shackle therein;

b. a flexible shackle including an outer tubular cable having opposite ends arranged to be locked to said casing and a continuous filament slidably carried in said cable;

c. means engaged with the filament of said shackle and normally applying a tensile force thereto;

d. signal-producing means in said lock casing; and

e. trigger means in said casing connected between the filament of said shackle and said signal-producing means and arranged normally to engage and hold said signal-producing means against activation, but movable to activate said signal-producing means in response to the severance of the filament of said shackle.

2. A lock according to claim 1, wherein the means (c) for applying a tensile force to said filament comprises a spring positioned between an end of said tubular cable and an end of said filament and biasing said end of said filament toward movement outwardly from said end of said cable, and wherein said trigger means includes a lever arm positioned adjacent said end of said filament and movable in response to the outward movement of said end of said filament.

3. A lock according to claim 1, wherein said signal-producing means comprises a spring motor-driven whistle.

4. A lock according to claim 1, wherein said signal-producing means comprises a radio frequency oscillator.

5. A lock according to claim 4, wherein said radio frequency oscillator includes an antenna normally concealed in said casing, but arranged to be extended outwardly from said casing by said trigger means upon severance of said filament.