Security system for merchandise display

• US 4,069,919 A
• Filed: 10/08/1976
• Issued: 01/24/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Francis W. Fernbaugh
• Original Assignee: Francis W. Fernbaugh
• Inventors: Fernbaugh, Francis W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Parsons, Jr., Marion
• Assistant Examiner(s): Holko, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US05/730,957
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 211/4, 211/5, 211/6, 211/7, 211/8, 211/9, 211/123, 211/124, 70/26, 70/30, 70/38 A, 70/39, 70/49, 70/58, 70/59, 70/62, 70/439, 340/280
• US Class Current: 211/4
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 69/006 Lockable hangers or hanger racks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5027 Supporting stands

Abstract

The security system generally includes an elongate tubular member provided with a row of spaced apertures and a locking member movably mounted within the tubular member and formed with a series of pockets. Elongate flexible guard members with enlarged heads at each end are passed through a closed loop portion of the article and the heads are inserted through a selected pair of adjacent apertures and into the corresponding pockets. Relative movement of the tubular member and locking member reduce the effective exit area and all heads are locked in the tubular member simultaneously. An electrical circuit is connected with an alarm device and with the various pockets. When both heads of the guard member are in a selected pair of pockets or both removed, the circuit is complete. When one head is in a pocket and the other is not, or if a cable is cut by a shoplifter, the circuit is open. The alarm device is arranged to emit a visual and/or audio warning signal when the system is in locked condition and an open circuit occurs.

Claims

1. A security system for releasably securing a plurality of articles of merchandise in a display, comprising:

an elongate tubular member provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures extending through its wall;

locking means mounted within the tubular member including a plurality of outward opening receivers spaced longitudinally to correspond with the spacing of the apertures and to lie in registry with them;

a plurality of individual elongate flexible guard members, each provided with an enlarged head at each end, adapted to be passed through a closed loop portion of an article of merchandise with the heads entering through a selected pair of apertures in the tubular member and into the corresponding registered receivers; and

an actuating means to change the relative position of the tubular member and at least a portion of the locking means by displacing at least that portion of the locking means which includes the receivers, and positively transfering the guard member heads to off-center positions with respect to the apertures to prevent removal of the heads from the tubular member;

the operation of the actuating means being reversible to release the heads.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which

the locking means comprises an elongate locking member mounted within the tubular member for relative movement and extends throughout the major portion of the length of the tubular member;

the receivers comprise pockets formed in the locking member lying in registry with the apertures in a first position of the locking member and in displaced relation with respect to the apertures in a second position of the locking member;

and the actuating means is operable to displace the locking member to its second position to prevent removal of the heads, and to return it to its first position to release the heads for removal.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the actuating means moves the locking member axially to produce longitudinal mismatch of the pockets and the apertures and reduce the effective exit paths to sizes less than the sizes of the heads.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the pockets are provided with means to releasably retain the heads in seated position.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, in which

the retaining means comprise resilient lips on the pockets with entrance openings smaller than the lateral dimensions of the heads.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5, in which

the heads are spherical and the inner walls of the lips have approximately the same radius of curvature as that of the heads.

7. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the apertures in the tubular member are of substantially uniform size, and the heads are dimensioned to pass through the apertures with working clearance.

8. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the heads are provided with relatively rigid stems overlying the end portions of the flexible guard members to provide grips for inserting the heads in the pockets and removing them.

9. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the tubular member is provided with elongate vertical floor standards adjacent to its ends to enable it to serve as a primary rack for supporting articles of merchandise.

10. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

each guard member is formed of metallic cable to resist deliberate breakage and provided with a plastic covering to prevent damage to articles secured thereby.

11. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

the actuating means is mechanically selflocking in the second position of the locking member and is provided with a key lock to prevent manual release.

12. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which

each successive two apertures along the length of the tubular member and their corresponding pockets constitute a cooperative pair of securing devices to receive the heads of a selected guard member;

the pockets open inward as well as outward;

a series of slender elongate resilient electrical conductors are individually mounted adjacent their mid portions in end-to-end relation in the locking member, with an end portion of one conductor overlying the inner end of a first pocket of a cooperative pair and an end portion of the next conductor overlying the inner end of the second pocket of the same pair, the end portions of the two conductors meeting in conductive contact at a locus between the first and second pockets;

the series extends lengthwise to overlie the longitudinal extent of all of the pockets in the locking member;

an electrically powered alarm device has a first terminal connected to the first conductor in the series, and a return path conductive member is connected to the last conductor in the series and to a second terminal on the alarm device to complete a circuit;

the alarm device in enabled condition is arranged to emit a warning signal in response to occurrence of an open circuit;

the guard member comprises a strand of conductive metal;

the heads in fully seated position in the pockets extend inward sufficiently to spring the contacting ends of the adjacent conductors inward and apart and open the electrical circuit;

and the ends of the conductive strands contact the end portions of their respective conductors and complete a conductive path between them to maintain a closed circuit through the alarm device.

13. A system as claimed in claim 12, in which

the tubular member is composed of conductive metal and serves as the return path member;

and at least the surface of each head is of nonconducting material.

14. A system as claimed in claim 12, in which

the location in its pocket of only one head of a given guard member displaces its respective conductor end portion to open the circuit through the conductors;

and the separation of the other head from its respective conductor end portion precludes completion of the circuit.

15. A system as claimed in claim 12, in which

operation of the actuating means to move the locking member to its first position disables the alarm device from emitting a signal;

and operation of the actuating means to move the locking member to its second position enables the alarm device to emit a signal in response to occurrence of an open circuit.

16. A system as claimed in claim 12, in which

severance of a guard member with both of its heads locked in their respective pockets opens the circuit and causes the alarm device to emit a signal.