Security device with retractable tether

• US 5,124,685 A
• Filed: 07/29/1991
• Issued: 06/23/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Spring & Mfg. Co.
• Inventors: Rankin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Oda, Christine K.
• Application Number:
  US07/737,409
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568, 340/651, 340/652, 340/665, 340/687, 340/548, 200/61.13, 200/61.18
• US Class Current: 340/568.2
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18

Abstract

A security device for deterring theft of articles of merchandise displayed for customer handling and demonstration. A cable is attached to an article and is extendable under tension from a storage reel attached to a store fixture. A switch adjacent to the reel is held in one of two operative positions by the cable stretching across an actuator arm of the switch. If the cable is severed or cut, as by a thief intending to steal the article, the storage reel retracts the cable past the actuator arm causing the switch to change to the other position and actuate an alarm.

Claims

1. A security device for deterring theft of openly displayed articles from a fixture, comprising:

a support formed to be secured to the fixture;

a cable connected at one end to said support and formed to be connected at the other end to the article;

resilient means operatively connected between said support and said cable for retracting said cable toward said support;

guide means fixed adjacent to said support for preventing lateral displacement of a portion of said cable extended from said support; and

detector means operable in response to severance of said cable for actuating an alarm, said detector means including an electrical switch fixed to said support and biased to an alarm-actuating position, and an actuator arm connected to said switch and urged against the side of the extended portion for withholding said switch from said position.

2. The security device according to claim 1 further comprising:

a reel rotatable on said support for storing said cable;

a hub rotatable on said support on an axis parallel to the rotatable axis of said reel; and

said retracting means including a spring fixed at the inner end to the periphery of said hub and at the outer end to said reel for winding in opposite directions onto said hub.

3. The security device according to claim 1 wherein said guide means further comprises:

apertures on opposite sides of said actuator arm for retaining the extended portion of said cable in tension substantially normal to the length of said arm.

4. A device for tethering a first member from a second member, comprising:

a cable having opposed ends for connecting to the respective members;

resilient means connected to said cable for connecting to the second member for imparting tension to a portion of said cable extended from the second member;

guide means for connecting to the second member and for limiting displacement of the extended portion in all lateral directions therefrom; and

detector means operatively connected to the extended portion for signalling severance of the cable from the second member, said detector means including an electrical switch having an actuator arm urged against the side of the extended portion.

5. A device for tethering a first member from a second member, comprising:

a cable having opposed ends for connecting to the respective members;

resilient means connected to said cable to be connected for connecting to the second member for imparting tension to a portion of said cable extended from the second member;

guide means for connecting to the second member and for limiting lateral displacement of the extended portion;

detector means operatively connected to the extended portion for signalling severance of the cable from the second member, said detector means including an electrical switch having an actuator arm urged against the side of the extended portion; and

wherein

said resilient means further comprises a reel formed to rotate on said second member for storing said cable, and a cylindrical flange coaxially extending from one side of said reel, a hub formed to rotate on the second member on an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said reel, and a spring member fixed at one end thereof to the periphery of said hub and at the other end to the periphery of said flange for winding in opposite directions onto said hub and said flange.

6. In a security device for deterring theft of openly displayed articles from a fixture, the device including a cable retractable under tension on a reel, the improvement comprising:

detector means mounted on said device and operable in response to severance of the cable for actuating an alarm, said detector means including an aperture for limiting the lateral displacement of an extended portion of the cable in tension, an electrical switch biased in one of two positions, and an actuator arm urged against the side of the extended portion for holding the switch in an other of said positions.