Antitheft device for articles having at least an arm element, in particular spectacles

The antitheft device (1) for articles having at least an arm element (2), in particular spectacles (3) comprises a pair of box-like bodies (4,5) which are pivoted to one another (at 6) adapted to clamp the arm element (2) therebetween. One of these bodies (5) is provided with an element 10, pivoted at (9) provided with a clawed lip (11), the other body (4) having a first window (12) therethrough the pivoted element can outward extend and a second window (12') therethrough the clawed lip (11) can inward extend, the device further comprising locking means (18) adapted to engage the clawed lip (11), as well as key means (14) operating on the locking means (18) so as to cause the clawed lip to be disengaged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an antitheft device for articles including 
at least an arm element, in particular spectacles. 
As is known, in big stores goods are usually arranged on counters which can 
be freely accessed by the buyers in order to ascertain the articles 
quality and size, and for allowing for a clerk to perform all of the 
required operations, the selected articles being sent to a payment desk to 
be paid by the buyers. 
Though such a buying system is rather practical, it has the drawback that 
ill intentioned persons can access the good exhibition tables and remove 
articles therefrom, such as spectacles which are put on so as to be not 
declared at the payment desk. 
Spectacles antitheft devices are already known which comprise parts which 
must be removed by a payment clerk by systems which generally provide for 
breaking these antitheft devices, which negatively affects the buying 
cost. 
The main object of the present invention is to provide such an antitheft 
device, in particular though not exclusively for spectacles, which is so 
designed and arranged as to be easily removed by a payment clerk, by means 
of simple key means and without any breaking or buckling of the antitheft 
device. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such an antitheft device 
which allows for spectacles to be exhibited either in an open arm or 
closed arm condition. 
These and yet other objects of the invention will become more apparent to 
those skilled in the art from the following disclosure. 
The antitheft device for articles having at least an arm element, in 
particular spectacles, is essentially characterized in that said device 
comprises a pair of pivoted bodies adapted to clamp said arm element 
therebetween, means associated with said bodies for locking them at a 
closed condition, as well as key means for allowing for an authorized 
person to unlock said bodies.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the above mentioned figures, the device, indicated 
overally at the reference number 1, is shown in FIG. 1 applied on an arm 
member 2, for example pertaining to a spectacles pair 3. 
The device 1, made of a plastic or the like material, comprises two 
box-like bodies 4, 5 which are mutually pivoted at 6, having on their 
opposite sides 4' and 5' bearing the hinge 6, facing slots 7, 7' adapted 
to allow for the arm member 2 to pass therethrough and thereat there are 
provided, inside said bodies 4 and 5, rubber bearing elements 8, the 
thickness of which can vary depending on that of the arm element 2. 
On the body 5, in opposition to the hinge 6, there is provided a further 
hinge 9 for an element 10 provided with a clawed arm 11, whereas through 
the body 4 there are provided two small windows 12 and 12' spaced from one 
another by a distance substantially equal to the length of the element 10. 
On the front face of the body 5 there is provided a keyhole 13 for a key 14 
(FIG. 5) provided with a handle 15, an abutment 16 and an axial bore 16'. 
Inside said body 5, betweend the keyhole 13 and hinge 6, there is provided 
an elongated element 18 which is fixed to the inner face of the body 5 by 
means of two small feet 19, said element 18 defining through said inner 
face of the body 5 an elongated slot 20. 
On the inner face of the body 4, near the bearing 8, there is provided a 
pin 21 adapted to be arranged, in the closed condition of the device 
(FIGS. 1 and 4) in line with the round hole of the keyhole 13 so as to 
engage in the hole 16' of the key 14 and properly guide said key. 
On the two opposite sides of the pin 21 there are provided two barrier 
elements 22 the function of which will be disclosed hereinafter. 
As shown in FIG. 1, for assemblying purposes the device is arranged, as it 
is in its open condition, (FIGS. 2, 3) on the arm element 2 so as to cause 
the latter to coincide with the slots 7, 7', the rubber bearings 8 having 
been proviously selected depending on the thickness of the arm element 2 
(with a greater thickness as an arm 2 made of a metal material is used and 
with a smaller thickness as a plastic material arm 2 is used): during this 
step the element 10 is introduced into the window 12 (FIG. 3). Then the 
body 4 is turned (as shown by the arrow F in FIG. 3), so as to cause the 
pivoted element 10 to be lowered (as shown by the arrow F') so as to 
introduce its clawed lip 11 into the window 12' and so as to fixedly 
engage said clawed lip 11 in the slot 20 underlaying the element 18. The 
mutual arrangement of the parts 11 and 18 has been so selected that, as 
the element 10 is fully lowered, the arm element will be locked-clamped 
between the bearings 8 so as to prevent the device 1 from disengaging from 
said arm. 
In order to open and remove the device 1, the payment clerk or cashier will 
introduce the key 14 into the keyhole 13, 17 and will turn it as shown by 
the arrow G (FIG. 1). In this way, the abutment portion 16 of the key will 
be introduced into the elongated slot 20, so as to engage with the clawed 
lip 11 and deflect said lip (FIG. 4), since it is made of a plastic 
material, thereby disengaging said lip from the elongated element 18, to 
cause the device 1 to be opened or released. 
The barrier elements 22 will operate to prevent a small screwdriver, or the 
like tool, from being introduced into the slots 7, 7' by an 
ill-intentioned person, in replacement of the key 14. 
On the outer face of the body 5 there are provided four openings 23 adapted 
to snap receive the pins of a label (not shown) for covering the keyhole 
13 and bearing information relating to the article to which the device is 
applied, said label being adapted to be removed-for introducting the key 
14 into the keyhole 13, 17-by introducing a tab 24 provided on the key 
into a suitable notch 25 formed on the body 5 and operating it as a lever. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the body 4 is provided with a lug 26 
provided for bearing, as the device 1 is applied, on the lens of the 
spectacles 3 so as to prevent the arm 2 from closing in order to make more 
difficult a not authorized removal of the spectacles. In this connection 
it should be apparent that the lug 26 will be omitted as the arm 2 must 
not be held in an open condition. 
The box-like shape of the two opposite bodies 4 and 5 affords the 
possibility of easily arranging inside the device 1 an electronic chip 
adapted to actuate an alarm as the article is moved through an electronic 
barrier without having removed the device 1.