Abstract:
A suspect restraining device is disclosed that includes a device for extending and retracting a plastic-covered cable from one end of a housing and inserting the end of the cable in another end of the housing to selectably releaseably retain that end in the housing. When the free end of the cable is retained in the housing, the opposing end of the cable is restrained in its movement to only allow retraction of the cable into the housing, thus snugly fitting the cable around the torso of a suspect to be detained. The housing may be mounted in vertical position on the wall of a building or on the inside of a police wagon or corrections vehicle or on the outside of a police squad car.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to devices for restraining human beings, and more particularly, to a device used by police officers or correctional officers to extend around the trunk of an individual being restrained.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Devices for restraining people generally have two types of uses, the first is for restraining patients in a hospital, usually on a bed or gurney. The second is restraining devices used by police officers or correctional officers to physically detain suspects or handcuff them.  
           [0003]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,587 issued to Weiss et al on Oct. 31, 1978 discloses a hold down device for securing a patient on an X-ray or other examination table, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,781 to Klaus issued Mar. 2, 1999 discloses a shoulder harness for use in positioning patients while lying on a table.  
           [0004]    With respect to restraining suspects or prisoners, U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,605 discloses a capture and restraining device that is meant to tie a suspect&#39;s arms and legs, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,962 discloses the use of a manacle by connecting that manacle to a stationary tubular device. The device also discloses a plastic ratchetable tie that operates to tighten in one direction but not loosen. These types of ties have been molded to form hand cuffs made of polytetrafluoroethylene or generally sold under the TEFLON brand.  
           [0005]    Generally, hand cuffs or manacles will prevent a suspect or a person being detained from using their hands, but not their other extremities. If a policeman or correctional officer needs to detain several individuals, there is nothing inherent in the hand cuffs to prevent the individual from moving, especially if the police officer or corrections officer turns their back on that individual. While the Power patent discloses a means of connecting an individual to an external member, it appears that it is only useful for connecting that individual to a tubular member that may or may not be in the general area in which the police officer or correctional officer is located.  
           [0006]    The Thompson et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,237 discloses an electrically power activated manacle that is mountable, as shown in the patent, on the roof of a police car and acts in an electronic manner similarly to older stocks or pillories used in Colonial times with the suspect&#39;s hands positioned through recesses in the unit, and then metal arms are electrically moved to close over the tops of the recesses and secure the suspect&#39;s wrists therein.  
           [0007]    A need has developed for a suspect restraining device that is capable of restraining an individual at a desired location or position while acting independently of but complementary of a pair of hand cuffs or manacles. Additionally, a need has developed for restraining a suspect or individual to a desired position or location that can be utilized both on police or correction vehicles, and also in police stations, correctional facilities or the like.  
           [0008]    It is, therefore, an object of the present invention generally stated, to provide an improved means for restraining a suspect by restraining movement of the torso of an individual.  
           [0009]    Another object of the present invention is a suspect torso restraining device that acts complementary to the use of hand cuffs or manacles.  
           [0010]    Another object of the present invention is the use of a torso restraining device that is mountable on mobile police or correction vehicles and is also mountable on the walls of police stations or correction facilities.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    The invention resides in a restraining device for use by law enforcement personnel to detain persons. The device comprises an elongate base having first and second opposed ends which is adapted for fixed mounting on an external object. A cover is mountable over the base, including first and second apertures therethrough, with each aperture positioned adjacent one of the first and second opposed ends of the elongate base. An elongate resilient rod-like member having first and second opposed ends is mounted on the frame for selectably releaseably withdrawing the resilient rod-like member through the first aperture on the cover. Selectably releasable securing means are mounted on the base adjacent the second aperture for receiving and retaining the first end of the resilient rod-like member thereon.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth in the attached claims. The invention may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts, and in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the restraining device, constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing same in a retracted position;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that shown in FIG. 1 of the restraining device shown in extended position;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 shows a fragmentary perspective view of the latching mechanism of the first embodiment of the restraining device;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the restraining device with the distal end of the restraining cable mounted in its receiver;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 shows a fragmentary detail perspective view of the reel and clutch of the second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 shows a fragmentary perspective detail view of the receiver for selectably releaseably retaining the free end of the restraining cable.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]    Referring to FIG. 1, a suspect restraining device, generally indicated at  10 , constructed in accordance with the present invention, includes a generally rectangular base  11  and a hollow five-sided rectangular cover  12 . Top cover  12  securely mounts over the side edges of base  11  to cover the inner mechanism of the restraining device, to be discussed in more detail below. Top cover  12  includes opposed long sides  13  and  14  (not shown) and opposed ends  15  and  16  (not shown). The top  17  of the cover is generally rectangular in shape and includes apertures  18  and  20  at opposing ends thereof along with a non-skid surface  21  extending between the apertures that hinders or prevents the rotation of a suspect&#39;s torso is captures in the restraining device. Elongate side  13  includes an aperture  22  adjacent its upper right hand corner that will be discussed in more detail below.  
         [0020]    Under the cover  12 , the base  11  preferably is a sturdy rectangular metal plate that includes mechanisms for allowing the a extension and retraction of a plastic tube covered cable, generally indicated at  25 , to extend around the torso of an individual to be restrained. Frame  11  includes a cable receiving and locking end  11   a  and an extension and retraction end  11   b.  In this first embodiment of the invention, the cable  25  extends within the cover  12  in a serpentine manner back and forth over the inside of the cover where it begins at a cable mounting  26 , positioned adjacent the receiving and retaining end of the base  11   a . In this embodiment, a pair of opposed shock absorbers,  27 ,  28 , are mounted on base  11  with their respective base housings  30  and  31  mounted adjacent the extending and retracting end at  32  and adjacent the cable receiving and retaining end at  33 , respectively. Actuator rods  34 ,  35 , respectively, extend and are biased outwardly of the respective shock absorber housings  30  and  31 . A pulley wheel  36 ,  37  is rotatably mounted on the distal end of each of the shock absorber actuator rods  34 ,  35 , respectively. A third pulley wheel  38  is rotatably mounted to the rectangular base at mounting  40  positioned adjacent the extending and receiving end  11   b  of base plate  11 .  
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 2, with the actuator rods  34 ,  35  withdrawn into their respective shock absorber housings  30 ,  31 , the cable  25  is fully extended in its serpentine path through pulleys  38  and  36  and  37 . With the cable in extended position and the pulleys  36  and  37  in their retracted positions, a cable brake mechanism consisting of a rotatable paul  41  rotatably mounted on a trunion device  42  affixed to base  11  by the stationary pulley mounting  40  securely mounts the rotatable paul  41  in position in the path of cable  25  between stationary pulley  38  and movable pulley  36 .  
         [0022]    A linkage  43  between the rotatable paul  41  and the receiver and retainer mechanism, generally indicated at  44 , moves the rotatable paul into cable engaging position when the receiving and retaining mechanism indicates the distal end  25   a  of the cable is not engaged in the receiving and retaining mechanism  44 . The engagement of the rotatable paul  41  on the cable  25  assures that the cable may be pulled outwardly of the cover  12  through aperture  18  to its fully extended position in one direction only, i.e., outwardly. If the cable  25  is released, the teeth of the rotatable paul  41  will engage the cable  25  and not allow it to retract into the mechanism. In an opposite manner, once the distal end  25   a  of cable  25  is secured on the receiving and retaining mechanism  44 , the rotatable paul  41  is moved clockwise in its trunion mount  42  to disengage from the cable  25  allowing it to retract, thus securing the cable around the torso of a suspect to be restrained by the mechanism of the present invention.  
         [0023]    Referring to FIG. 3, the receiving and retaining mechanism, generally indicated at  44 , mounted on the receiving and retaining end  11   a  of base  11  includes a cable receiving tube  45  mounted on base  11 . Tube  45  further includes a pair of latch receiving slots  46 ,  47  (FIG. 2), a pair of lock linking slots  48 ,  50  (FIG. 2) and a cable receiving tubular top opening  51 . The latch mechanism, generally indicated at  52  includes a mounting  53  and, in this embodiment, a spring-loaded (not shown) fork shaped latch  54  with opposed forks  55 - 55  that extend into and through the latch slots  46 ,  47 , respectively on tube  45 . The spring-loaded latch  54  slides through a housing  56  having a biasing spring (not shown) therein and ends in a ball shaped handle  57  in this embodiment, which is intended to extend outwardly of the aperture  22  in the long side  13  of cover  12 . It should be noted that for purposes of security, ball handle  57  may be omitted and a shorter latch  54  that does not extend outwardly of the aperture  22  may be fitted on its distal end. The end of that latch may be shaped to receive a removable handle or key type mechanism to operate the latch in a manner so that the persons detained or restrained cannot operate that mechanism.  
         [0024]    In operation, when the distal end  25   a  (FIG. 2) is inserted in the round opening  51  of tubular receiver  45  with the latch  54  in retracted position, after the fat portion of the distal end  25   a  moves downwardly past slots  46 ,  47 , the latch  54  may be inserted in those slots and closed over distal end  25   a  to prevent its removal from the tube  45 . With the distal end  25   a  inserted beyond slots  46  and  47 , that distal end  25   a  pushes the crank mechanism  58  to move link  43  and rotate paul  41  (FIG. 2) to release the paul from cable  25  so that the shock absorbers tend to extend their actuator arms  34 ,  35  and pulleys  36  and  37 , respectively, to retract the cable through aperture  18  in cover  12  and thus restrain a person around whose torso the cable  25  is extended. The teeth on the paul  41  allow the cable to be retracted but prevent the cable from extending.  
         [0025]    When the latch  54  is retracted from slots  46 ,  47 , notches  55   a ,  55   a  in the bottom of latch forks  55 - 55  catch a second bell crank mechanism  60  and also actuated link rod  43  to allow the cable  25  to be pulled outwardly of the aperture  18  in cover  12  while preventing it from retracting therethrough.  
         [0026]    Referring to FIG. 4, a second embodiment of the present invention, generally indicated at  70 , includes a generally rectangular base  71  having a cable mechanism, to be discussed in more detail below, mounted thereon and a hollow rectangular polyhedral cover, generally indicated at  72 , sized to fit over the edges of base  71  and be secured thereover. Cover  72  includes opposed long sides  73 ,  74  opposed ends  75 ,  76  and a rectangular cover  77  that includes an elongate cable aperture  78  adjacent a first end  75  of cover  72  and a circular cable receiving aperture  80  adjacent the end  76  of cover  72 . An elongate aperture  81  is positioned adjacent end  76  of long cover side  73  and will be discussed in more detail below. As in the first embodiment, an anti-skid surface  82  may be positioned on the top surface  77  of cover  72  to prevent a detainee or suspect from turning around while being restrained in the device of the second embodiment  70 .  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a ratchetable reel mechanism, generally indicated at  85  is mounted on trunions  86 ,  87  that are secured adjacent the reel end  71   a  on base  71 . The reel mechanism  85  includes a two-part drum that includes the cable winding reel  88  and coaxially thereadjacent a clutch receiving reel  90 , both axially mounted between the trunions  86  and  87  (on axle  91 ). As shown most clearly in FIG. 5, a wheel type clutch mechanism, generally indicated at  92  includes a trunion mounting  93  mounted on the base  71  adjacent the reel, and a clutch wheel  94  axially mounted on trunion  93  through axle  95  that includes a rubber annular outer layer  96  which engages the clutch reel  90  to slow the rotational operation of the reel  85 . It should be noted that the reel mechanism  85  is spring loaded in the interior thereof (not shown) to automatically retract the cable  97  when desired. Cable  97  is a plastic covered cable similar to cable  25  in the first embodiment and also includes a distal end  97   a  (FIG. 6) similar to the distal end  25   a  of the first embodiment.  
         [0028]    As with the first embodiment, a linking mechanism, generally indicated at  98 , extends between the reel mechanism and the cable receiving mechanism, generally indicated at  100  in FIGS. 4 and 6. As shown most clearly in FIG. 4, linking mechanism  98  is attached and cushioned by springs at its reel end by a lever  101  that is secured to a ratchet mechanism  102 . Ratchet mechanism  102  is a mechanism taken from the head of a ratchet for a set of socket hand tools. In this preferred embodiment, the ratchet head  102  includes a ½ inch male socket driving member (not shown) that is received along the rotational axis of the cable receiving end  88  of reel mechanism  85 . The bottom end of link  101  is secured at  103  to the direction changing control member for the head of ratchet  102 . Axially moving the link  98  pivotally moves the ratchet control lever  103  through link  101  to change the direction of the ratchet mechanism  102  from that of allowing the retraction of cable  97  onto reel  88 , to its opposite, allowing the extension of cable  97  from its reel  88 , and vice versa.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 6, the cable receiving mechanism, generally indicated at  100 , includes a cable receiving tube  104  having an open upper end  105  similarly to that of the first embodiment. However, in the second embodiment, only one bell crank lever  106  is disclosed. That bell crank lever  106  rotates around axle  107  and is connected by a link  108  to the link mechanism  98 . An upper extension  109  to link  108  is slidably pivotally mounted to a latch  110  that is slidably received in housing  111  which extends perpendicularly from the tubular receiver  104 .  
         [0030]    In operation, when the distal end  97   a  of cable  97  is pushed down through the open end  105  of tubular receiver  104 , it pushes down the bell crank  106  which causes lever  108  and its extension  109  to rotate around pivot  107  to both close the latch  110  over the top of the distal end  97   a  and move link mechanism  98  to reverse the ratcheting effect of the spring loaded reel  85 . This action retracts cable  97  onto the reel  88  and further restrains the suspect or detainee around whose torso the cable is positioned. The clutch mechanism  92  cushions the retraction of the cable onto reel  88 .  
         [0031]    In the present embodiment, a tool (not shown) may be inserted through aperture  81  in cover  72  to engage the slot  109   a  in lever extension  109  and move it to the left to release the cable  97  from its receiver  104 . In operation, the aperture  81  in cover  72  is facing downwardly when the base  71  is mounted vertically either on a wall inside a building or on a vertical surface in a police or corrections vehicle. If desired, a key or other mechanism may be fitted to operate the latch  110  and bell crank mechanism  106 - 109  in a secure manner. The ratcheting mechanism of the second embodiment operates somewhat similarly to the paul mechanism of the first embodiment in that it allows the cable  97  and the reel to be extended in one direction only when the cable is released from the receiver mechanism  100 , and once the distal end  97   a  is secured in the receiver  100 , the ratcheting mechanism only allows the cable  97  to be retracted or drawn up on reel  88 , thus closely moving the cable around the detainee&#39;s torso.  
         [0032]    The suspect detaining mechanism of the present invention may easily be mounted in a vertical manner on the wall of a building or correctional institution for assuring that detainees or suspects do not take advantage of a policeman or correctional officer when his or her back is turned to perform other actions within the scope of their duties. Also, the base of either detaining embodiment may be mounted on the outside of a police or corrections vehicle or may be mounted on the inside thereof to assure that detainees do not have freedom of movement around the inside of the vehicle.  
         [0033]    While two differing embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. It is the intent of the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.