Automotive vehicle antitheft system

Claim 1

A system for impeding unauthorized use of a vehicle of the type having an internal combustion engine equipped with an ignition circuit including therein a source of electrical energy, an actuatable ignition switch, an ignition coil, and breaker points comprising: a. means connecting a source of electrical energy with the ignition switch; b. an electrically energizable warning device; and c. a bistable switch mounted at a concealed location within the vehicle including: i. a first pivotally operable bridge element adapted to be displaced between a first and a second position for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition switch and the warning device, when in a first position, whereby the warning device is adapted to be energized in response to a circuit-closing actuation of said ignition switch, and for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition switch and the ignition coil, when in a second position, whereby the ignition coil is adapted to be energized in response to the circuitclosing actuation of the ignition switch; ii. a second pivotally operable bridge element adapted to be displaced between a first position and a second position for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition coil and the breaker points, when in a second position; iii. an electromagnetic device disposed adjacent to said first and second bridge elements having windings electrically coupled with the ignition switch adapted to be energized in response to a circuit-closing actuation of said ignition switch for establishing a flux field to develop a holding force sufficient for simultaneously maintaining the first and the second bridge elements in their second positions; iv. a spring coupled with said first and second bridge elements for continuously urging said bridge elements toward their first positions with a force sufficient to maintain said elements in their first positions, against the holding force of the established flux field; and v. a manually operable, reciprocating plunger operatively associated with said first and second bridge elements adapted to be depressed for simultaneously displacing the bridge elements from their first positions to their second positions.

Claim 2

A system for impeding unauthorized use of a vehicle of the type having an internal combustion engine equipped with an ignition circuit including therein a source of electrical energy, an actuatable ignition switch, an ignition coil, and breaker points comprising: a. means connecting a source of electrical energy with the ignition switch; b. an electrically energizable warning device; and c. a bistable switch mounted at a concealed location within the vehicle including: i. a first pivotally operable bridge element adapted to be displaced between a first and a second position for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition switch and the warning device, when in a first position, whereby the warning device is adapted to be energized in response to a circuit-closing actuation of said ignition switch, and for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition switch and the ignition coil, when in a second position, whereby the ignition coil is adapted to be energized in response to the circuitclosing actuation of the ignition switch; ii. a second pivotally operable bridge element adapted to be displaced between a first position and a second position for closing an electrical circuit between the ignition coil and the breaker points, when in a second position; iii. an electromagnetic device disposed adjacent to said first and second bridge elements having windings electrically coupled with the ignition switch adapted to be energized in response to a circuit-closing actuation of said ignition switch for establishing a flux field to develop a holding force sufficient for simultaneously maintaining the first and the second bridge elements in their second positions; iv. a spring coupled with said first and second bridge elements for continuously urging said bridge elements toward their first positions with a force sufficient to maintain said elements in their first positions, against the holding force of the established flux field; and v. a manually operable, reciprocating plunger operatively associated with said first and second bridge elements adapted to be depressed for simultaneously displacing the bridge elements from their first positions to their second positions.