§
Luxuse
Patent Intelligence
Sign In
← Back to Patent Explorer
US3670837A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Anti-theft apparatus for a motor vehicle

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-08-26
•
Granted: 1972-06-20
•
Expires: 1990-08-26
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Anti-theft apparatus for a motor vehicle which has a conventional distributor driven by a distributor shaft which shaft is divided into first and second separated portions. A clutch member is provided which in a first position leaves the two shaft portions disconnected and when moved to a second position rotatively connects the two shaft portions together. Electrical coil means are provided adjacent the clutch member and when the coil means are appropriately energized the clutch member is moved from the first to the second position to connect the two shaft portions together which enables the distributor shaft to be rotatively driven. The coil means are made up of a plurality of separate coils, each of which is connected to an electrical power source, such as the vehicle battery, by its own separate electrical circuit. The electrical conductors which make up the separate electrical circuits for each of the coils normally pass through a key actuated switch which is rendered relatively inaccessible to a thief or any other person by means of housing the same within a resin-impregnated assembly or otherwise protected enclosure. As a result of this construction, essentially the only portion of the apparatus which is accessible to a thief are the plurality of conductors which make up the separate electrical circuits and in order to appropriately energize the coil means all of the plurality of coils must be properly electrically connected or else sufficient lifting force will not be provided to move the clutch member from the first to the second position to appropriately connect the shaft portions together. In other words, without appropriate electrical equipment the possibility of a thief properly jumping the wires to the separate coils is rendered relatively impossible. Additionally provision is made in the apparatus whereby if, in jumping any of the coil circuits, the polarity of a given coil is reversed, the clutch member is moved to an inoperative position whereat it is latched in this inoperative position.

Inventors

  • 👤 Peter B Olson

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 21:11
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R25/00; B60R25/01; B60R25/04; B60R25/045

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 178 words
Apparatus for preventing the theft of an automobile which has a distributor adapted to be driven by a shaft which has first and second axially in line and spaced shaft portions including in combination a clutch armature having an opening within which the first shaft portion resides in a first position thereof and in a second position of said clutch armature both the first and second shaft portions reside in the said opening to rotationally connect the first and second shaft portions together, spring means urging said clutch armature to said first position, electrical coil means around said clutch armature and when appropriately energized causing movement of said clutch armature from said first to said second position to rotationally connect the first and second shaft portions together, said coil means comprising a plurality of coil portions, each coil portion being connected to a battery by first and second electrical conductors through relatively inaccessible switch means, all said coil portions acting in the same direction being required to move said clutch armature from said first to said second position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 178 words
Apparatus for preventing the theft of an automobile which has a distributor adapted to be driven by a shaft which has first and second axially in line and spaced shaft portions including in combination a clutch armature having an opening within which the first shaft portion resides in a first position thereof and in a second position of said clutch armature both the first and second shaft portions reside in the said opening to rotationally connect the first and second shaft portions together, spring means urging said clutch armature to said first position, electrical coil means around said clutch armature and when appropriately energized causing movement of said clutch armature from said first to said second position to rotationally connect the first and second shaft portions together, said coil means comprising a plurality of coil portions, each coil portion being connected to a battery by first and second electrical conductors through relatively inaccessible switch means, all said coil portions acting in the same direction being required to move said clutch armature from said first to said second position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 92 words
Anti-theft apparatus for a vehicle having a distributor shaft which is connectable by means of a clutch member; including in combination electrical coil means adjacent the clutch member and when appropriately energized moving the clutch member to connect the control shaft, said coil means comprising a plurality of coils which must be electrically connected in a predetermined manner to appropriately energize said coil means to move the clutch member to connect the control shaft, each of said coils being connected to a source of electrical energy by means of separate electrical circuits.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 92 words
Anti-theft apparatus for a vehicle having a distributor shaft which is connectable by means of a clutch member; including in combination electrical coil means adjacent the clutch member and when appropriately energized moving the clutch member to connect the control shaft, said coil means comprising a plurality of coils which must be electrically connected in a predetermined manner to appropriately energize said coil means to move the clutch member to connect the control shaft, each of said coils being connected to a source of electrical energy by means of separate electrical circuits.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 58 words
Anti-theft apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the predetermined manner of electrically connecting the plurality of coils is to connect them in such manner that the force exerted by each on the clutch member is in the same direction; the total force required to move the clutch member being the force exerted by all of said coils.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 52 words
Anti-theft apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the distributor shaft is disconnected to form first and second portions and the clutch member has an opening within which said first portion resides and when the clutch member moves to connect the shaft both said first and second portions reside in said opening.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 32 words
Anti-theft apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the source of electrical energy is the vehicle battery and said separate electrical circuits to said battery are made through relatively inaccessible switch means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 62 words
Anti-theft apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the clutch member is constructed of a permanent magnet having its north and south poles so related to the normal polarity of the coils that if the polarity of a coil is reversed the clutch member will be moved to an inoperative position; latch means for latching the clutch member in the inoperative position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 125 words
Anti-theft apparatus including a vehicle shaft which is connectable by means of a clutch member, comprising in combination electrical coil means adjacent the clutch member and when appropriately energized moving the clutch member to connect said shaft, said coil means comprising a plurality of coils which must be electrically connected in a predetermined manner to give the additive effect of all of the coils to move the clutch member to connect the control shaft and the same condition must be maintained to keep the clutch member connected, substantially inaccessible switch means located remote from said coil means, electrical conductor means extending from each of said coils to said switch means and when said switch means are actuated connecting said coils in said aforementioned predetermined manner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 125 words
Anti-theft apparatus including a vehicle shaft which is connectable by means of a clutch member, comprising in combination electrical coil means adjacent the clutch member and when appropriately energized moving the clutch member to connect said shaft, said coil means comprising a plurality of coils which must be electrically connected in a predetermined manner to give the additive effect of all of the coils to move the clutch member to connect the control shaft and the same condition must be maintained to keep the clutch member connected, substantially inaccessible switch means located remote from said coil means, electrical conductor means extending from each of said coils to said switch means and when said switch means are actuated connecting said coils in said aforementioned predetermined manner.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2180412A Cited
US2136673A Cited
US3004170A Cited
US3084776A Cited
US3389355A Cited
US3576473A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1975-06-20 1975-12-20 1976-06-20 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1979-06-20 1979-12-20 1980-06-20 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1983-06-20 1983-12-20 1984-06-20 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag