Abstract:
A capture and control device adapted for mounting to the front end of a law enforcement vehicle so as to restrain a suspect vehicle from fleeing and including at least one hook adapted to fit into undercarriage areas of the suspect vehicle.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/123,096 filed Nov. 6, 2014 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/123,485 filed Nov. 18, 2014. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a modification and improvement over applicant&#39;s previous U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,759 issued Nov. 24, 1998, the specification of which is hereby incorporated herein by specific reference thereto. The capture device of that prior invention as well as the present invention involves the placing of hook portions mounted on the front of a capture vehicle, e.g., a police cruiser or other law enforcement vehicle, beneath rear portions of a vehicle that is fleeing or is likely to flee from the capture vehicle. 
     The device of applicant&#39;s prior patent, namely, U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,759 issued Nov. 24, 1998, generally involves engaging hook portions upwardly to the capture position when activated by contact between a front portion of the capture vehicle and the rear of the suspect vehicle. However, there are situations when actual contact and capture of the suspect vehicle are not warranted; and thus, the present invention mounts proximity sensors on the device to achieve greater flexibility by the operator, e.g., police officer, of the capture vehicle. 
     Thus with the use of proximity sensors on the hook tips and on the uprights, the capture device could come within a specified distance from hooking the suspect vehicle without physically touching the suspect vehicle with the hook tips positioned beneath portions of the rear end of the suspect vehicle as shown in  FIG. 1 . If the suspect vehicle violates a specified threshold away from the unit in an attempt to flee, the capture device of the present invention could react by automatically upwardly moving the hook tips to the capture position and thus capture the suspect vehicle. With the use of a key chain fob, the capture device of the instant invention could be operated remotely from outside of the police vehicle such as when the officer leaves his/her vehicle to question the suspect. 
     In addition, it may be advisable to equip the control vehicle with a brakes control mechanism that locks the brakes (either front or rear or both) so that the control vehicle will not roll should the suspect vehicle attempt to escape. Such brake control devices are commercially available, e.g., the Hurst Roll Control Kits at www.jegs.com. 
     Suitable proximity sensors include those presently utilized as backup warning sensors on many late model vehicles, e.g., the Wagan EL2436 Wireless Rear Backup Safety Sensor. 
     In addition, the device of the present invention sets forth an improved and more flexible hook and hook activation mechanism that is better suited to police situations when it is not certain that the suspect vehicle should be positively restrained and provides for hook actuation motor means that is unlikely to damage undercarriage portions such as the gas tank of the suspect vehicle. 
     It will thus be apparent that the features of the present invention will contribute to a desirable objective of reducing active law enforcement vehicle pursuits by intervention that safely controls suspect vehicles before an active pursuit begins. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a capture device mounted at the front end of said control vehicle for positively engaging portions of an undercarriage of a suspect vehicle positioned in front of and in close adjacent contact to said control vehicle, said capture device comprising means for attachment to the front end of the control vehicle and at least one movable arm having an inner end and a forward end and having an upwardly extending terminal hook portion at said forward end, said arm in turn mounted on said front end and movable from a storage position to an extended first operable position wherein said arm extends outwardly and forwardly from said control vehicle front end and beneath the undercarriage of the suspect vehicle and subsequently to a second operable position elevated from said first operable position wherein said hook portion is capable of entrapping portions of the undercarriage of the suspect vehicle, said hook portion having inner and outer surfaces and being open at said inner surface with said open inner surface oriented towards said control vehicle front end in the storage position and upwardly in said operable positions, and actuation means for moving said arm from said storage position to said first operable position and subsequently to said second operable position, wherein said at least one movable arm upon an assembly in turn attached to a frame in turn attached to the front end of the vehicle, said arm pivotally attached to said frame and said actuation means via linkage, and in addition first and second elongated stabilizing members operationally connected to said linkage and to said assembly, said first stabilizing member biased to an always extended first position and said second stabilizing member always biased to a retracted or compressed first position and both said stabilizing members free to move into a second position opposite to their respective first positions. 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention: 
         FIG. 1  shows a schematic side view of a suspect vehicle and a police vehicle in close proximity thereto with the capture device in the storage position; 
         FIG. 2  shows a schematic side view of a suspect vehicle and a police vehicle in close proximity thereto with the capture device in the use position with the hooks down; 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic side view of a suspect vehicle and a police vehicle in close proximity thereto with the capture device in the use position with the hooks up and in contact with undercarriage portions of the suspect vehicle or in close proximity thereto; 
         FIG. 4  is a left side perspective view on an enlarged scale of one of the hook assemblies of the capture device; 
         FIG. 5  is a right side perspective view of the capture device; 
         FIG. 6  is a right side section of  FIG. 4  with the motor removed; and 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of a shock absorber and block assembly removed from the capture device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawings and particularly  FIGS. 1-3 , the capture device  10  of the present invention is shown attached to the front end  12  of a standard vehicle  14  such as a police cruiser hereinafter referred to as the control vehicle. The capture device  10  preferably includes at least one and preferably a pair of laterally separated hook assemblies  20  each including an arm  22  terminating in an upwardly inwardly oriented hook  24 . The arm  22  is pivotally mounted on a frame  26  in turn fixedly attached to the front end  12  of the control vehicle  14 . 
     The frame further includes a housing  28  in which a linear motor  30  and a motor piston  32  is attached to linkage  34  in turn connected to the adjacent hook assembly  20  so as to pivot the hook assembly  20  around a shaft pin  36  from an upright storage position to an outwardly extended position and then to an active position beneath rear portions of the suspect vehicle  15 . 
     In order to stabilize the position of the arm  22  such that the weight of the arm on contact with the ground or portions of the controlled or suspect vehicle  15 , a pair of elongated stabilizing members  40  and  42  are positioned in the hook assembly  20 . The first stabilizing member  40  shown in the form of a gas piston  44  is attached at one end  46  thereof to the linkage  34  and to a block assembly  48  at the other end  50  thereof. The second stabilizing member  42  is pivotally attached at one end  52  thereof to the housing  28  and to the block assembly  48  at the other end  54 . 
     When activated by the linear motor  30 , the hook  24  moves approximately 90 degrees to the open position around pin  36 . The linkage  34  between the motor or other actuator  30  and the hook  24  provides such movement as through an electrical, pneumatic or hydraulic connection to the control vehicle depending upon the type of the motor. The gas piston may be of the type utilized in automotive vehicles to keep the hood and/or trunk lid up and in an open position. The gas piston  40  is inherently configured to be in an extended position but can be compressed. On the other hand or just the opposite, the gas piston  44  is inherently configured to be in a compressed position but can be extended. 
     Both of these gas pistons  40 ,  44  are held together with block assembly  48 . When the capture device  10  is activated, the motor shaft or piston  32  moves upward, e.g., approximately four inches, and pulls on the linkage  34  which causes the hook  24  to pivot to the open position. If there is no obstruction, the linkage  34  functions like a direct link between the motor shaft and the hook  24  without compression or extension of the gas pistons  40 ,  44 . If there is an obstruction, then the linkage  34  is designed to allow both the hook  24  and the motor  30  to be in any random position. Basically with this linkage design if the hook  24  is in the closed position, the operator can manually pull the hook down to the full open position. Alternatively if the hook  24  is in the full open position, the operator can manually push the hook  24  to the closed position. This linkage design creates a constant, consistent and predictable pressure at the tip of the hooks  24 . It should be noted that other tension or stabilizing devices such as springs, heavy bungee cords, a torsion bar or clutch may be substituted for the gas pistons  40 ,  44 . It should also be pointed out that the terms “extended” and “compressed” are intended to cover the equivalent operational characteristics of such other stabilizing devices set out above, e.g., twists in opposite directions for torsion bars, etc. 
     The motor  30  preferably has a built-in clutch in the event something prevents the motor piston  32  from moving the operational distance up or down, e.g., four inches, to ensure such event will not exert too much pressure or damage any component of the capture device  10 . 
     As previously indicated, proximity sensors  60  and  62  may be mounted on the hook assembly  20  so as to both gauge the distance between the rear of the suspect vehicle and the police or other law enforcement vehicle (sensor  60 ) as well as to gauge the distance between the hook end (sensor  62 ) and the undercarriage of the suspect vehicle. 
     While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying this invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.