US 4,044,577 A · Anti-theft device for portable apparatus

Abstract

An automatic anti-theft device or lock is secured to a support of a portable apparatus to secure the apparatus against theft. The lock has two mating halves secured together to form a shatter-proof casing. One casing half includes a hollow spindle integral with the inside wall of the casing half, a retractile reel mounted on the spindle with a cable secured at one end thereto and wrapped around the reel. The second free end of the cable extends through one wall of the casing. The second casing half mounts a lock mechanism having a rotatable lock member which extends into the spindle when the casing halves are joined. The free end of the cable includes a lock cylinder which aligns with the rotatable lock member when it is inserted into the first casing half, and is secured by the rotatable lock member. The first casing member includes a slidable latch which is spring-biased to a first position to engage and latch the reel against rotation. The latch may be moved against the spring bias when the free end of the cable is not engaged in the casing to allow the reel to move and the cable to be extended or retracted. When the cable is at the desired extended position, the latch is released to secure the reel and the lock cylinder is inserted into the casing which prevents the latch from being moved from the first position. The cable is secured around some immovable object before it is inserted into the casing.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An automatic locking device adapted to be operably mounted on a support wwhich is rigidly formed with a bicycle or like portable instrument for releasably securing said instrument against theft, said locking device comprising:

i. a substantially enclosed casing;
ii. a spindle secured within said casing and having retractile reel means mounted thereon;
iii. said reel means including a flexible cable having one end secured thereto and a protruding second free end extending through said casing, and means for automatically retracting said cable when it is extended from said casing;
iv. latch means supported on said casing for latching said reel means against movement in a first position, and for releasing said reel means for movement in a second position;
v. said free end of the cable arranged to be engaged through said casing with said latch means in said first position;
and
vi. lock means supported on said casing for releasably locking said free end of the cable in said casing and concurrently preventing movement of the reel means and latch means.

4 more elements

An automatic locking device adapted to be operably mounted on a support which is rigidly formed with a bicycle or like portable instrument for releasably securing said instrument against theft, said locking device comprising:

i. a substantially enclosed casing including a first and a second mating casing parts;
ii. a spindle secured within said first casing part and having retractile reel means mounted thereon;
iii. said reel means including a flexible cable having one end secured thereto and a protruding second free end extending through said casing, and means for automatically retracting said cable when it is extended from said casing;
iv. latch means supported on said first casing part for latching said reel means against movement in a first position, and for releasing said reel means for movement in a second position;
v. said free end of the cable arranged to be engaged through an opening in said first casing part with said latch means in said first position;
and
vi. lock means supported in said second casing part for releasably locking said free end of the cable in said casing and concurrently preventing movement of the reel means and latch means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Anti-theft device for portable apparatus

Life of this patent

Anti-theft device for portable apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17