Switching device for motor vehicle anti-theft system

An anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, the system comprising an electrically-powered alarm, a switching device for actuating the alarm, and an electrical circuit connecting the switching device and the alarm, the switching device being attached, in use, to the motor vehicle, said switching device comprising a housing defining a chamber containing a partial filling of an electrically-conductive fluid, a plurality of electrical contacts in the form of elongated immersible sensors extending downwardly into said chamber to differing extents with at least one of said sensors being of a fixed extent longer than the others thereof and terminating adjacent to the floor of said housing and being immersed in said fluid filling when the vehicle is in a given set position, said sensors automatically closing the said electrical circuit to set off the alarm when a shorter one of said sensors is electrically connected to said immersed sensor by the said fluid when the vehicle is tilted from said given set position, said housing being a cup-shaped vessel closed off at the top by a cover, said sensors depending from said cover and being formed as a plurality of groups of sensors with the sensors of each group having essentially the same length, said sensors in different groups extending downwardly into said chamber to different extents, and wherein said chamber is annular and is adjacent to the outer wall of the said housing and defines a cylindrical inner element receiving chamber.

An anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, the system comprising an electrically-powered alarm, a switching device for actuating the alarm, and an electrical circuit connecting the switching device and the alarm, the switching device being attached, in use, to the motor vehicle, said switching device comprising a housing defining a chamber containing a partial filling of an electrically-conductive fluid, a plurality of electrical contacts in the form of elongated immersible sensors extending downwardly into said chamber to differing extents with at least one of said sensors being of a fixed extent longer than the others thereof and terminating adjacent to the floor of said housing and being immersed in said fluid filling when the vehicle is in a given set position, said sensors automatically closing the said electrical circuit to set off the alarm when a shorter one of said sensors is electrically connected to said immersed sensor by the said fluid when the vehicle is tilted from said given set position, said housing being a cup-shaped vessel closed off at the top by a cover, said sensors depending from said cover and being formed as a plurality of groups of sensors with the sensors of each group having essentially the same length, said sensors in different groups extending downwardly into said chamber to different extents, and wherein said chamber has a central axis and is divided into a plurality of chamber compartments by means of upright radial divider walls, said divider walls being spaced from the housing floor so that the chamber compartments are in fluid communication with each other, and each of the sensors of each said group thereof being located in a different one of said chamber compartments and equidistantly from said chamber axis.

An anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, the system comprising an electrically-powered alarm, a switching device for actuating the alarm, and an electrical circuit connecting the switching device and the alarm, the switching device being attached, in use, to the motor vehicle, said switching device comprising a housing defining a chamber containing a partial filling of an electrically-conductive fluid, a plurality of electrical contacts in the form of elongated immersible sensors extending downwardly into said chamber to differing extents with at least one of said sensors being of a fixed extent longer than the others thereof and terminating adjacent to the floor of said housing and being immersed in said fluid filling when the vehicle is in a given set position, said sensors automatically closing the said electrical circuit to set off the alarm when a shorter one of said sensors is electrically connected to said immersed sensor by the said fluid when the vehicle is tilted from said given set position, said housing being a cup-shaped vessel closed off at the top by a cover, said sensors depending from said cover and being formed as a plurality of groups of sensors with the sensors of each group having essentially the same length, said sensors in different groups extending downwardly into said chamber to different extents, and wherein said chamber is annular with a central axis and is divided into a plurality of chamber compartments by means of upright radial divider walls, said divider walls being immersed in said fluid filling and spaced from the housing floor so that the said chamber compartments are in fluid communication with each other, and each of the sensors of each said group thereof being located in a different one of said chamber compartments and equidistantly from said chamber axis.