Motor vehicle antitheft means and method

Claim 2

Motor vehicle antitheft means for use on a motor vehicle to hinder theft thereof comprising a single electrical switch means constructed to be electrically incorporated in the ignition circuit of said motor vehicle and to be physically located on said motor vehicle in a secret location known only to authorized users of said motor vehicle, said switch means having a single pair of switch contacts, and a moveable switch element having an open position in respect to said switch contacts and a close position bridging said switch contacts, said switch means having yieldable means normally holding said moveable switch element in said open position, said moveable switch element being manually actuable by one of said authorized users in opposition to said yieldable means from said open to said close position, said switch means having electromagnetic means adapted to be in series with said switch contacts so as to be energized when said moveable switch elemEnt is in close position, said moveable switch element having to be held by said authorized user in its close position until energization of said electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means, when energized, acting in opposition to said yieldable means for holding and maintaining said moveable switch element in said close position to maintain itself energized, said yieldable means operative upon deenergization of said electromagnetic means to actuate said moveable switch element from said close to said open position.

Claim 3

Motor vehicle antitheft means as claimed in claim 1, said switch means having a pivot connection, said moveable switch element pivotally moveable via said pivot connection.

Claim 4

Motor vehicle antitheft means as claimed in claim 2, said pivot connection located intermediate the ends of said moveable switch element and being one of said switch contacts, the other switch contact being at an end of said moveable switch element, said moveable switch element having a handle portion at the other end thereof by which it is manually actuable, said yieldable means applying a pulling force on said moveable switch element between said handle portion thereof and said pivot connection therefor, and said electromagnetic means, when energized, applying a pushing force on said moveable switch element between said handle portion thereof and said pivot connection therefor.

Claim 5

Motor vehicle antitheft means for use on a motor vehicle to hinder theft thereof comprising a single electrical switch means electrically incorporated in the ignition circuit of said motor vehicle and physically located on said motor vehicle in a secret location known only to authorized users of said motor vehicle, said switch means having a single pair of switch contacts in series with the vehicle ignition switch and a single moveable switch element having an open position in respect to said switch contacts and a close position bridging said switch contacts, said switch means having yieldable means normally holding said moveable switch element in said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring, said moveable switch element being manually actuable by one of said authorized users in opposition to said yieldable means from said open to said close position to render said ignition circuit capable of being energized, said switch means having electromagnetic means in series with both said ignition switch and with said switch contacts so as to be energized upon energization of said ignition circuit, said moveable switch element having to be manually held by said authorized user in its close position until energization of both said ignition circuit and said electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means, when energized, acting in opposition to said yieldable means for holding and maintaining said moveable switch element in said close position to maintain both said ignition circuit and itself energized until the ignition key is turned to off position, said yieldable means operative upon simultaneous deenergization of both said ignition circuit and said electromagnetic means to actuate said moveable switch element from said close to said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon by-passing of the ignition switch by hot wiring.

Claim 6

Motor vehicle antitheft means for use on a motor vehicle to hinder theft thereof comprising a single electrical switch means electrically incorporated in the ignition circuit of said motor vehicle and physically located on said motor vehicle in a secret location known only to authorized users of said motor vehicle, said switch means having a single pair of switch contacts in series with the vehicle ignition switch and a single moveable switch element having an open position in respect to said switch contacts and a close position bridging said switch contacts, said switch means having yieldable means normally holding said moveable switch element in said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring, said moveable switch element being manually actuable by one of said authorized users in opposition to said yieldable means from said open to said close position to render said ignition circuit capable of being energized, said switch means having electromagnetic means in series with both said ignition switch and with said switch contacts so as to be energized upon energization of said ignition circuit, said moveable switch element having to be manually held by said authorized user in its close position until energization of both said ignition circuit and said electromagnetic means, said electromagnetic means, when energized, acting in opposition to said yieldable means for holding and maintaining said moveable switch element in said close position to maintain both said ignition circuit and itself energized until the ignition key is turned to off position, said yieldable means operative upon simultaneous deenergization of both said ignition circuit and said electromagnetic means to actuate said moveable switch element from said close to said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon by-passing of the ignition switch by hot wiring.

Claim 7

Motor vehicle antitheft method for use on a motor vehicle to hinder theft thereof comprising providing a single electrical switch means having a single pair of switch contacts and a single moveable switch element having an open position in respect to said switch contacts and a close position bridging said switch contacts, secretly locating said switch means on a motor vehicle so that its location thereon is known only to authorized users of said motor vehicle, electrically incorporating said switch means in the ignition circuit of said motor vehicle so that said switch contacts are in series With the vehicle ignition switch, applying a yieldable force to said moveable switch element to normally hold it in said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring, manually actuating said moveable switch element in opposition to said yieldable force from said open to said close position to render said ignition circuit capable of being energized, electrically holding said moveable switch element in its close position in opposition to said yieldable force as long as said ignition circuit remains energized, applying said yieldable force to said moveable switch element upon deenergization of said ignition circuit to actuate said moveable switch element from said close to said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition switch or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring.

Claim 8

Motor vehicle antitheft method for use on a motor vehicle to hinder theft thereof comprising providing a single electrical switch means having a single pair of switch contacts and a single moveable switch element having an open position in respect to said switch contacts and a close position bridging said switch contacts, secretly locating said switch means on a motor vehicle so that its location thereon is known only to authorized users of said motor vehicle, electrically incorporating said switch means in the ignition circuit of said motor vehicle so that said switch contacts are in series With the vehicle ignition switch, applying a yieldable force to said moveable switch element to normally hold it in said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition key or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring, manually actuating said moveable switch element in opposition to said yieldable force from said open to said close position to render said ignition circuit capable of being energized, electrically holding said moveable switch element in its close position in opposition to said yieldable force as long as said ignition circuit remains energized, applying said yieldable force to said moveable switch element upon deenergization of said ignition circuit to actuate said moveable switch element from said close to said open position to render said ignition circuit incapable of being energized upon use of the ignition switch or upon bypassing of the ignition switch by hot wiring.