Abstract:
An anti-intrusion device simulates the sound of a round being chambered in a pump shotgun using metal parts which strike one another. A striker carriage is movably disposed in a sound box for moving between first and second positions to engage metal striker plates and metal striker tabs against sound plates to simulate the chambering sound. A mangle drive assembly is mounted atop the sound box for moving the striker carriage between a forward position and a rearward position, powered by a stepper motor which is actuated to rotate a controlled axial displacement when a trigger mechanism is tripped. Preferably, the trigger mechanism is provided by a light mean sensor in which the light beam is broker by an intruder passing a selected entry point.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates in general to home security devices, and in particular to an entry activated alarm to ward off uninvited intruders. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior art alarm devices have been provided to sound alarms when intruders enter into buildings. Conventional type alarms will sound a siren or activate a horn to create a loud noise to alert those proximate to the building that an unwanted entry has occurred and to scare away intruders. Other security devices have included spring guns, which are aimed at an entry point and fired when an intruder is located proximate to the entry point and trips a trigger. Spring guns are currently outlawed in the United States due to serious injury caused by their use. Other types of security devices have included recorded sounds such as gunshots, cocking of weapons, and replicating the sound of a shotgun shell begin chambered. However, the recorded devices are not effective since they do not provide realistic sound. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An anti-intrusion device simulates the sound of a round being chambered in a pump shotgun using metal parts which are engaged together to simulate such sounds. A sound box is provided in which is moveably disposed a striker carriage. The striker carriage is moved within the sound box to engage metal striker plates and striker tabs against sound plates to simulate the chambering sound. Slide rails and guide rails engage the striker carriage during movement. A mangle drive assembly is mounted atop the sound box for moving the striker carriage between a forward position and a rearward position, powered by an electric drive motor. The drive motor, preferably a stepper motor, is actuated to rotate a controlled axial displacement to move the striker carriage between the forward and rearward positions when a trigger mechanism is tripped. Preferably, the trigger mechanism is provided by a light bean sensor in which the beam is broken by an intruder in passing a selected entry point. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which  FIGS. 1 through 14  show various aspects for anti-intrusion device for simulating gun cocking devices made according to the present invention, as set forth below: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an anti-intrusion device for simulating gun cocking according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a light actuated switch providing a trigger for the anti-intrusion device; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view looking downward on a sound box of the anti-intrusion device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a striker carriage to which striker plates and striker tabs are mounted for striking and sound plates mounted to a frame enclosure of the sound box of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are exploded views of the striker carriage from the sound box in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a piston body slidably mounted within the striker carriage; 
         FIGS. 8 and 9  are perspective sectional views of a piston body slidably mounted within the striker carriage; 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the mangle drive assembly and the striker carriage; 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of a mangle gear drive train used in the mangle drive assembly of  FIGS. 1 and 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view and  FIG. 13  is a top view of a gear rack for the mangle gear drivetrain of  FIGS. 1, 10 and 11 ; and 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a cover for the anti-intrusion device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an anti-intrusion device  12  having a chassis  14 . The chassis includes a base plate  16  and two support posts  18  and two spindles  20  which are mounted to vertically extend upward from the base plate  16 . A bracket  22  provides a yoke which is mounted atop the support posts  18  and the spindles  20 . A mangle drive assembly  24  is secured to the bracket  22 . The mangle drive  24  includes a motor mount  26  and an electric drive motor  28  mounted atop the bracket  22 , and a mangle gear drive train  30  mounted beneath the bracket  22 . A sound box  32  is located beneath the mangle gear drive train  30 . Two power supplies  34  and  36  are mounted to the base plate  16 , to one side of the sound box  32 . The two power supplies  34  and  36  are preferably batteries, but in some embodiments a combination of batteries and transformers may be used for adapting the device  12  for connecting to conventional building electric power. A circuit board  38  is mounted adjacent the sound box  32  and the power supply  36 , mounted directly to the base plate  16 . The circuit board  38  provides an electronic control unit for controlling operation of the anti-intrusion device  12 . A mount  40  is provided for mounting a second circuit board directly to the bracket  22 , rearward of the motor mount  26 . A control switch  42  is mounted at one end of the base plate  16 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a motion sensor  52  used as an actuation device for triggering operation of the anti-intrusion device  12 . Sensor unit  54  has a light output  56  and a light detector  58 . A reflector  60  is provided for spacing apart from the sensor unit  54  and reflecting light from the light output  56  back to the light detector  58 . When an intruder passes between the sensor unit  54  and the reflector  60 , the light output  56  to the reflector  60  and back to the light detector  58  is broken, indicating that an intruder has passed through an entry point and actuating or triggering the anti-intrusion device  12 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the sound box  32 , and  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a striker carriage  80  which is moveably disposed within the sound box  32 .  FIG. 4  also shows sound plates  70 - 76 , striker plates  84  and  86 , and striker tabs  88  and  90 . The striker plates  84 ,  86  and striker tabes  88 ,  90  are mounted to the striker carriage  80 , which is moved to strike the plates  84 ,  86  against respective ones of the sound plates  70  and  72 , and to strike the tabs  88 ,  90  against respective ones of the sound plates  74  and  76  in a preselected sequence for replicating the sound of a shotgun shell being chambered in a pump shotgun. The sound box  32  has a frame enclosure  64  with a recess  66  and recess  68 . The recess  68  is spaced apart from the recess  66 . The rearward sound plate  70  is mounted to a rearward end of the frame enclosure  64  of the sound box  32 , and a forward sound plate  72  is mounted to the forward end of the frame enclosure  64 . A first sound plate  74  is located in the first recess  66 , and a second sound plate  76  is located in the second recess  68 . 
     The striker carriage  80  is moveably mounted within the frame enclosure  64  for sliding on slide rails  96  and  98  and against a guide rail  100 . A mounting port  82 , preferably disposed with a threaded connection, is provided for securing the striker carriage  80  to a rack  190  of the mangle drive assembly  24  for moving therewith. The rearward striker plate  84  is mounted to the rearward end of the striker carriage  80  for striking the rearward sound plate  70  when the carriage  80  is moved into the rearward position. A forward striker plate  86  is mounted to the forward end of the carriage  80  striking the forward sound plate  72  when the carriage  80  is moved to the forward position. The first striker tab  88  is moveably extended from a first side of the carriage  80  for striking the first sound plate  74  when the striker carriage  80  is moved to a rearward position. The second striker tab  90  moveably extends to strike the second sound plate  76  when the striker carriage  80  is moved to the forward position. Rearward spacer  92  and a forward spacer  94  are provided as stops which engage the frame enclosure  64  of the sound box  32  when the striker carriage  80  is moved between the forward and rearward positions. 
       FIGS. 5 and 6  are exploded, perspective views of the striker carriage  80 , showing the internal components thereof. The striker carriage  80  has a main body  110  and a cover plate  114  which is secured to the main body  110  by threaded fasteners (not shown). Two slots  112  are provided by grooves which extend from the side of the striker carriage  80  which is disposed adjacent to the first sound plate  74  and the second sound plate  76  when disposed within the frame enclosure  64  of the sound box  32 . Slots  112  extend perpendicular, or transverse to the direction of travel of the striker carriage  80  within the sound box  32 . Two slide pistons  120  and  122  are slidably disposed within respective ones of the slots  112 . Bias springs  124  are disposed within respective ones of the slide pistons  120  and  122  for engaging the inward end of the slots  112  for biasing or pressing the slide pistons  120  and  122  into outward positions respective to the slots  112 . The springs  126  are disposed between the main body  110  of the striker carriage  80  and respective ones of forward striker plate  86  and the rearward striker plate  84 , with two springs disposed adjacent each of the striker plates  84 ,  86 . Mounting bolts  116  are provided for extending through recessed apertures  108  of respective ones of the rearward striker plate  84  and the forward striker plate  86 , and disposed within the center of respective ones of the springs  126 . Preferably threaded holes  118  are recessed in the main body  110  for receiving ends of the bolts  116  and securing the rearward striker plate  84  and the forward striker plate  86  to the main body  110 , spaced apart from the main body  110  by the bias springs  126 . The heads of the bolts  116  are preferably located within the recessed holes  108  in the striker plates  84  and  86 , so that only the outward end of the plates  84  and  86  will strike the sound plate  70  and  72  mounted to the frame enclosure  64  of the sound box  32 , and not the heads of the bolts  116 . The outward portions of the recesses holes  108  and  118  facing respective ones of the bias springs  126  have larger diameters than the portions for engaging the bolts  116 , such that opposed ends of the springs  126  are retained therein. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view and  FIGS. 8 and 9  are sectional views of body  128  which is used for the slide pistons  120  and  122 . Rearward end of the body  128  has a blind hole  130  for receiving respective ones of the springs  124 . Slots  132  extend along opposite sides of the body  128 , centrally disposed and aligned in parallel to the hole  130 . A pin  134  is provided for fitting within a pin aperture  136  for pivotally securing the striker tabs  88  and  90  within respective ones of the body  128 , utilized for respective ones of the pistons  120  and  122 . Triangular shaped end recess  138  is provided for receiving respective ones of the striker tabs  88  and  90 . During use, the bias springs  124  will urge the slide pistons  120  and  122  into outward positions, such that when the slide pistons  120  and  122  pass by a respective one of the recess  66  and  68 , the slide pistons  120  and  122  will extend outward and cause respective ones of the striker tabs  88  and  90  to strike respective ones of the sound plates  74  and  76 . 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the mangle drive assembly  24  which includes the mangle gear train  30 , the bracket  22 , the motor mount  26 , and the drive motor  28 , and which is connected to the striker carriage  80 . The motor mount  26  preferably has a mounting tube  146  and oppositely extending flanges  148  with mounting holes  150  for receiving threaded fasteners which secure to mounting holes  154  in the bracket  22 . A lock screw  152  is provided in the side of the mounting tube  146  for engaging the motor  28  to lock the motor  28  in a fixed position within the mounting tube  146 , preventing rotation. The mounting tube  146  is aligned with the bracket  22  and the mangle drive assembly  24  such that a motor drive shaft  162  fits through the drive shaft aperture  160  and engages within a locking collet  168  atop a drive shaft  170  about which the drive gear  172  is rotatably mounted. Mounting apertures  156  are also provided spaced apart on different flanges of the mounting bracket  22  for receiving upper ends of spindles  20  about which the compound gears  174  and  176  are rotatably mounted. Additionally, mounting tabs  158  are provided for engaging with support posts  18  shown in  FIG. 1 . The mounting tabs have apertures for receiving threaded fasteners which secure to respective ones of the support posts  18 . 
     The drive train  30  of the mangle drive assembly  24  has a central drive gear  172  which is disposed between and engaging the upper portions of two spaced apart, compound gears  174  and  176 . The compound gears  174  and  176  are mounted on respective ones of the spindles  20 . The compound gear  174  has an upper, first gear  178  which is mounted above in fixed relation to a first segmented gear  180 . The compound gear  176  has an upper, second gear  182  which is mounted in fixed relation to a second segmented gear  184 . Lock collets  186  are provided for securing the compound gears  174  and  176  to respective ones of the two spindles  20 . The first segmented gear  180  and the segmented gear  184  engage on opposite sides of gear rack  190 . Preferably, the drive gear  172 , and the compound gear  174  and  176 , and the rack  190  are spur gears. The rack  190  is slidably mounted to a guide rail  192 . Pin  200  is provided for securing the rack  190  in fixed relation to the striker carriage  80 , and is preferably threadably secured within the mounting port  82 , such that the striker carriage  80  is disposed in fixed relation to the rack  190 . 
       FIG. 11  is a top view of the mangle gear drive train  30 .  FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the rack  190 , and  FIG. 13  is a top view of the rack  190 . The rack  190  has apertures  194  and  196  for slidably receiving the guide rail  192 . The rack  190  preferably has a U-shaped longitudinal cross-section, with an enclosed lower end and an open upper end defining an open space  198 , which also extends between the respective bosses through which the apertures  194  and  196  are formed. Preferably, an aperture  202  is provided on the lower end of the rack  190  for receiving a fastener which extends into the mounting port  82  in the striker carriage  80 . The mangle gear drive train  30  operates in conventional fashion with rotation of the drive motor  28  in a single angular direction rotating the drive gear  172  in the same angular direction. The drive gear  172  engages the upper gears  178  and  182  to rotate the compound gears  174  and  176  in opposite angular directions, similarly rotating the segmented gears in respective opposite angular directions. The lower gears  180  and  184  of respective ones of the compound gears  174  and  176  will sequentially engage the rack  190 , causing the rack to reciprocate and move the striker carriage  80  between the rearward position shown in  FIG. 2  and the forward position disposed on an opposite end of the sound box  32 . Reciprocation of the striker carriage  80  engages the strikers  84 - 88  against respective ones of the sound plates  70 - 76  to simulate the desired round chambering sound. 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a cover  210  for the anti-intrusion device  12 . Cover  210  has a lower end which fits adjacent the periphery of the base plate  16  shown in  FIG. 1 . Indentations  212  are provided along the sides and the top of the cover  210 . The cover  210  preferably has an open bottom and enclosed top. Sound ports may be provided in respective portions of the cover  210 . Control switch  42  is mounted within an aperture  214  in one side of the cover  210 . 
     The present invention provides an anti-intrusion device which is automatically actuated when an intruder enters an enclosed space, or disturbs an actuation switch. The actuation of the device causes the drive motor  28  to rotate sufficiently to extend and move the striker carriage  80  from the rearward position to a forward position engaging the striker plate  86  against the forward sound plate  72 . In moving to the forward position, the striker tab  90  will engage the recess  68  and make a lighter clacking sound. The drive motor  28  will continue rotating in the same angular direction, another compound gear will engage the back causing the striker carriage  80  to return to a rearward position, which along the way causes the striker tab  88  to engage the first sound plate  74 , and then the rearward striker plate  84  will be slammed into the rearward sound plate  70 . This will cause a clack, click, clack and returning a second click and another clack simulating the chambering of a round within a pump shotgun. 
     The present invention provides a mechanical device in which mechanical metal parts engage one another to accurately simulate the sound of a round being chambered within a pump shotgun. Metal parts which strike other metal parts are disposed within the sound box. The frame enclosure of the sound box provides an echo chamber to enhance the sound of the metal parts engaging and being struck, to accurately reproduce the chambering sounds. 
     Although the preferred embodiment has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.