Abstract An AC alarm system for protection against unauthorized intrusion having an alarm which consists of two pairs of adjacent bridge arms, each having at least one fixed resistor and a normally open switch shunted across at least one of the fixed resistors. The switches are normally open in a safety condition of the system and adapted to be closed during an unsafe condition. A variable resistor is also connected in series with one or more of the fixed resistors for balancing the bridge circuit. An AC transformer is provided having a secondary winding connected to opposite points of the bridge arms and two detection latch circuits are each connected at another of opposite points of the bridge arms for detecting a change in the resistance values of pairs of bridge arms and for producing a current in response to that change in order to actuate an alarm.
Inventors
👤 John W. Walter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-27 20:27
CPC Classifications
G; G08; G08B; G08B25/00; G08B25/008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
An alternating current alarm system for the protection against unauthorized intrusion having an alarm, comprising: two adjacent bridge arms, each arm having at least one fixed resistor constituting a sensing resistor, and at least one variable resistor in series with the fixed resistor, constituting a balancing resistor, the combination constituting a rectangular connected electrical bridge circuit; normally open switch means shunted across at least one of said fixed resistors, said switch means being open in a safe condition of the system and adapted to be closed during an unsafe condition thereof; an alternating circuit transformer having a secondary winding connected to opposite points of said bridge arms of said bridge circuit, said secondary having a center tap winding connected to a common ground of the system, and at least one diode connected to the intersection of each variable and fixed resistor in each bridge arm, a pair of detection latch means each connected to the output of said diodes for detecting a change in the resistance value of said bridge arms and for producing a current in response to said change which actuates said alarm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
An alternating current alarm system for the protection against unauthorized intrusion having an alarm, comprising: two adjacent bridge arms, each arm having at least one fixed resistor constituting a sensing resistor, and at least one variable resistor in series with the fixed resistor, constituting a balancing resistor, the combination constituting a rectangular connected electrical bridge circuit; normally open switch means shunted across at least one of said fixed resistors, said switch means being open in a safe condition of the system and adapted to be closed during an unsafe condition thereof; an alternating circuit transformer having a secondary winding connected to opposite points of said bridge arms of said bridge circuit, said secondary having a center tap winding connected to a common ground of the system, and at least one diode connected to the intersection of each variable and fixed resistor in each bridge arm, a pair of detection latch means each connected to the output of said diodes for detecting a change in the resistance value of said bridge arms and for producing a current in response to said change which actuates said alarm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The alarm system as recited in claim 1 wherein said detection latch means comprises a silicon controlled rectifier including an input trigger and a parallel arrangement of a biasing resistor and stabilizing capacitor connected to said input trigger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The alarm system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lamp driver circuit connected to each of said detection latch means, and a light emitting diode connected to said lamp driver circuit and actuated by the latter upon the production of said current by said detection latch means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The alarm system as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one of said fixed resistors is hidden in said normally open switch means.