Security apparatus for radio frequency cable connections

• US 4,932,874 A
• Filed: 05/04/1989
• Issued: 06/12/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David E. Rea, Norman L. Hollopeter
• Original Assignee: David E. Rea, Norman L. Hollopeter
• Inventors: Hollopeter, Norman L., Rea, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRADLEY, PAULA A
• Application Number:
  US07/347,003
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 439/133, 439/134, 439/304, 439/306, 439/308, 439/309
• US Class Current: 439/133
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1409 for removal detection of electrical appliances by detecting their physical disconnection from an electrical system, e.g. using a switch incorporated in the plug connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use

Abstract

Security apparatus is provided for preventing theft or portable electrical and other equipment having connections for radio frequency cable or other types of cable thereon. The apparatus includes a substantially uncuttable flexible tubular member for receiving a cable therein. First and second elongated housing sleeves are mounted on opposed ends of the flexible tubular member for connection to the equipment and a separate base unit or a fixture. Each housing sleeve has a pair of parallel passages, a first of which receives the flexible tubular member therein and a second of which receives specially actuable rotatably operable locking means. According to this invention, a planar lip surrounding the first passage in each housing sleeve is retained in tightly abutted engagement with the equipment or the base unit or fixture as applicable so that no space is available for prying or tampering with the cable connections which are completely enclosed in the housing sleeves.

Claims

1. A security apparatus for preventing theft of electrical equipment having at least one connection for attachment of a radio frequency cable thereto, said apparatus comprising:

a first elongated housing sleeve having a pair of parallel longitudinal passages extending therethrough,

a substantially uncuttable flexible tubular member having a first end thereof mounted in a first of the passages in the first housing sleeve, said flexible tubular member being adapted to receive a radio frequency cable therein, said first of the passages in said first housing sleeve being adapted to receive therein a radio frequency cable connector mounted on a first end of said radio frequency cable,

said first passage in the first housing sleeve having a substantially planar lip for tightly engaging a surface of the electrical equipment so that said first passage completely encloses the connection for said radio frequency cable therein when the planar lip is abutted against said surface of the electrical equipment,

means on a second end of said flexible tubular member for lockably securing the second end of said tubular member to a substantially immovable surface adjacent to said electrical equipment, a specially actuable, rotatably operable locking means mounted in a second of the passages in said first housing sleeve, said specially actuable locking means having a rotatable threaded member for threadedly engaging threaded means on said electrical equipment located adjacent to the connection for said radio frequency cable thereon, said threaded member being operable to draw the first housing sleeve into close engagement with the electrical equipment and to retain said first housing sleeve in said position.

2. The security apparatus of claim 1 where in the threaded means on said electrical equipment comprises a threaded stud protruding outwardly therefrom adjacent to the connection for said radio frequency cable thereon.

3. The security apparatus of claim 2 wherein the threaded stud is mounted on an adaptor having a flange with a hole therethrough permitting mounting of the adaptor on said connection, said threaded stud protruding outwardly from the flange of said adaptor.

4. The security apparatus of claim 2 wherein the second of the elongated passages in said first housing sleeve has a partially exposed part cylindrical portion adjacent to the electrical equipment and adapted to serve as a guide for the threaded stud therein.

5. A security apparatus for preventing theft of electrical equipment having at least one connection for attachment of a radio frequency cable thereto, said apparatus comprising:

first and second elongated housing sleeves, each having a pair of parallel longitudinal passages extending therethrough,

a substantially uncuttable, flexible tubular member having opposed ends thereof mounted in a first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves, said flexible tubular member being adapted to receive a radio frequency cable therein, said first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves bring adapted to receive therein a radio frequency connector on each end of the radio frequency cable,

said first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves each having a substantially planar lip for tightly engaging a surface of the electrical equipment and a surface of a substantially immoble fixture, respectively, so that said first passages completely enclose the connections for said radio frequency cable when said planor lips are engaged with said surfaces,

a specially actuable, rotatably operable locking means mounted in a second of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves, said locking means of the first and second housing sleeves each having a rotatable threaded member for threadedly engaging threaded means on said electrical equipment and said substantially immovable fixture, respectively, said threaded members of the locking means in said first and second housing sleeves being operable to draw the first and second housing sleeves into close fitting, tightly abutted engagement with said electrical equipment and said fixture.

6. The security apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a separate base unit for attachment of the second housing sleeve thereto, said base unit including a plate member adapted to be secured to a surface adjacent to the electrical equipment, a radio frequency terminal unit adapted to be mounted on the plate member, said radio frequency unit having at least one connection for attachment of radio frequency cable thereto, a cap member for mounting on said plate member and adapted to cover said radio frequency terminal unit, said cap member having a passage for protrusion of the connection on said radio frequency terminal unit therethrough, said separate base unit having threaded means therein adapted to threadedly engage the threaded member of the locking means in said second housing sleeve.

7. A security apparatus for preventing theft of equipment having at least one connection for attachment of a cable thereto, said apparatus comprising:

a first elongated housing sleeve having at least one longitudinal passage extending therethough.

a substantially uncuttable flexible tubular member having a first end thereof mounted in the longitudinal passage in said first housing sleeve, said flexible tubular member being adapted to receive a cable therein, said longitudinal passage being adapted to receive therein a cable connector mounted on the first end of said cable,

the first housing sleeve having a perpheral substantially planar lip bounding at least a major portion of the periphery of the longitudinal passage for tightly engaging a surface of the equipment,

means on a second end of the flexible tubular member for securing the second end of said flexible tubular member to a substantially immovable surface adjacent to said equipment, and

a specially actuable, locking means mounted in the longitudinal passage in the first housing sleeve for selectively maintaining the first housing sleeve in close fitting tightly abutted engagement with said equipment, said locking means having a longitudinal passage for receipt of the cable therethrough.

8. The security apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first housing sleeve has at least a pair of paralled longitudinal passages extending therethrough, the first end of substantially uncuttable flexible tubular member being mounted in a first of the longitudinal passages in the first housing sleeve, said specially actuable, locking means being mounted in a second of the passages in said first housing sleeve, the first housing sleeve having a peripheral substantially planar lip bounding at least a major portion of each of the first and second longitudinal passages in the first housing sleeve for tightly engaging a surface of the equipment.

9. The security apparatus of claim 8 wherein said specially actuable locking means includes cam means movable to alternate positions for selectively (i) abutting a surface of said cable connector in the first of said passages in the first housing sleeve to prevent removal of the first housing sleeve from said equipment and (ii) being disengaged from the abutted position against said surface to permit removal of the first housing sleeve from said equipment.

10. The security apparatus of claim 9 wherein said specially actuable locking means is rotatably operable and said cam means is enclosed within said first housing sleeve and movable within said first housing sleeve to said alternate positions.

11. The security apparatus of claim 9 wherein said specially actuable locking means is rotatably operable and said cam means is rotatably movable to said alternate positions.

12. A security apparatus for preventing theft of equipment having at least one connection for attachment of a cable thereto, said apparatus comprising:

first and second elongated housing sleeves, each having at least two parallel longitudinal passages extending therethrough,

a substantially uncuttable, flexible tubular member having opposed ends thereof mounted in a first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves, said flexible tubular member being adapted to receive a cable therein, said first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves being adapted to receive therein a connector on each end of the cable,

said first of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves each having a substantially planar surface for tightly engaging a surface of equipment so that said first passages completely enclose the connections for said cable when said planar lips are engaged with said equipment,

a specially, actuable, locking means mounted in a second of the passages in each of the first and second housing sleeves, said locking means being operable to retain the first and second housing sleeves into close fitting, tightly abutted engagement with said equipment.

13. The security apparatus of claim 12 further comprising mid-line lock down means for securing said flexible tubular member to a substantially immovable fixture.

14. The security apparatus of claim 13 wherein said mid-line lock down means comprises a third housing sleeve having an elongated passage therein and means for securing said third housing sleeve to the substantially immovable fixture, said third housing sleeve having specially actuable locking means in the elongated passage therein and bracket means connected to said specially actuable locking means for alternately clamping and releasing said substantially uncuttable flexible tubular member to and from said third housing sleeve.