Magnetic article theft alarm

• US 4,584,571 A
• Filed: 11/18/1983
• Issued: 04/22/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Castelijn & Beerens Lederwaren BV
• Original Assignee: Castelijn & Beerens Lederwaren BV
• Inventors: Spoorenberg, Gerard J. A., Smit, Johannes W. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, III, Glen R.
• Application Number:
  US06/553,072
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572, 340/568, 340/574
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/18 Devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/149 with electric, magnetic, capacitive switch actuation

Abstract

A portable alarm device is positioned in a garment, bag or the like to protect valuable articles located therein, such as wallets. The device includes a casing provided with a power source and a circuit fed by said power source, the circuit including at least one magnetically sensitive element, and at least one signal member serially connected therewith, and a permanent magnetic body attached to the valuable article and cooperating with the at least one magnetically sensitive element to open and close the circuit. In a further refinement, two or more reed switches are connected in series and spaced apart a distance less than the range over which the permanent magnet can control one of the switches so the article can move about within a bag without causing an alarm.

Claims

1. A portable alarm for preventing the theft of an article from a cavity in a garment, bag, or the like comprising:

a permanent magnetic body attached to said article;

a casing attached to said garment, bag or the like;

at least two magnetic switch means disposed in said casing and serially connected, for sensing the proximity of said permanent magnetic body attached to said article, said switch means being open in response to the proximity of said permanent magnetic body and being otherwise closed;

a power source serially connected with said at least two magnetic switch means; and

a signalling device serially connected to said at least two magnetic switch means and said power source, said signalling device notifying a user of said garment, bag or the like when all of said switch means are closed to signal that said article has been removed from proximity with any of said magnetic switch means;

said at least two magnetic switch means being spaced apart within said cavity at a distance no more than the distance within which a said magnetic switch means will respond to said permanent magnetic body so as to allow said article to shift in said cavity without activating said alarm.

2. An alarm device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said magnetic switch means is a REED-alternating switch.

3. An alarm device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said signalling device is an oscillator controlled vibrating-plate, which vibrating-plate fits in said casing made as a resonance box, to emit an audible signal.

4. An alarm device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said circuit is provided with a manually operated ON-OFF switch serially connected to said at least two magnetic switch means to selectively disable said alarm.

5. An alarm device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic body is a strip.

6. An alarm device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said strip is made from flexible material.

7. An alarm device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said magnetic body is formed integral with said article.