Patent Publication Number: US-7908726-B2

Title: Wrench for tamper switch installation

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a wrench for installing systems for detecting unauthorized tampering with a device, and, more particularly, to wrenches used for installing systems for detecting unauthorized tampering with a device that is disposed within an enclosure. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many devices must be placed in locations where they may be exposed to unauthorized tampering or theft. Such devices include controllers for telephone systems, alarm systems, cable television systems, firearms, art work and other valuables, for example. In order to protect the devices from tampering and other forms of physical harm, they may be placed within security system enclosures in the form of boxes that are attached to fixed structures such as ceilings, walls, floors and posts. The boxes may have hinged covers for enabling authorized access to the devices within the boxes, and these doors may be locked shut. 
     The security system enclosures commonly employ tamper switches for detecting that the cover of the enclosure has been opened, or that the enclosure has been removed from the fixed structure to which it was attached. A typical tamper switch has a pair of contacts that may be opened or closed as a result of the enclosure door being opened, or as a result of the enclosure being removed from the fixed structure. A problem, however, is that separate switches must be used for detecting the opening of the door and the removal of the enclosure from the fixed structure. That is, one tamper switch may detect the opening of the door, and a separate tamper switch may be required to detect the removal of the enclosure from the wall. The use of two separate switches adds to the cost and increases the size of the tamper detection system. 
     An exemplary tamper switch arrangement that utilizes a single tamper switch to detect both the opening of a door of the security system enclosure and the removal of the enclosure from the fixed structure on which it is mounted is fully disclosed and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/065,191, filed Feb. 24, 2005, entitled TAMPER SWITCH ARRANGEMENT, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. During installation of the tamper switch arrangement, the mounting rail of the tamper switch must be secured to an inner surface of the security system enclosure. Generally, two screws or bolts may be used which are inserted through the surface of the enclosure and through two throughbores in the mounting rail, after which two nuts are threaded onto the screws or bolts to secure the mounting rail of the tamper switch to the surface of the security system enclosure. However, installers typically have difficulty in securely holding the two nuts and preventing them from turning while installing the two screws or bolts from outside the enclosure that hold the mounting rail of the tamper switch in place. Such difficulty occasionally arises because an installer must situate a wrench at a distance spaced apart from the cover of the security system enclosure and/or must work in a confined space within the enclosure. Once the mounting rail is installed, then the tamper switch is installed on the mounting rail. 
     What is needed in the art is a wrench for tamper switch mounting rail installation that prevents the securing nuts from turning while installing the two screws or bolts to secure the mounting rail to the security system enclosure. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a wrench for tamper switch installation for use with a tamper switch arrangement including an enclosure containing a tamper switch assembly having a mounting rail for assembling the tamper switch assembly to a security system enclosure. The wrench may be capable of holding two separate nuts and have cooperating mating structure to slidably mate with the mounting rail of the tamper switch arrangement. The nuts may be frictionally-fitted into the wrench, after which the wrench is slidably moved onto the mounting rail until the nuts line up with two throughbores in the mounting rail. Two screws or bolts are then inserted through a surface of the security system enclosure and traverse the throughbores in the mounting rail. The screws or bolts then threadably engage the two nuts disposed within the wrench and are threaded therethrough via rotation with a suitable instrument or tool, e.g., a screwdriver, located outside of the security system enclosure. The wrench prevents the two nuts from turning while an installer installs the two screws or bolts from outside the security system enclosure. 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, in combination, a system including a wrench for installing a rail in a security system enclosure with at least one securing element and at least one securable element including a wrench having a body portion; the body portion including at least one recess at a first end thereof, the at least one recess shaped to mate with the at least one securing element in a friction-fit engagement; and the body portion including rail mounting engagement structure; a security system enclosure having an inner surface and at least one aperture disposed in the inner surface to accept passage of the at least one securable element; and a rail including at least one throughbore and disposed on the inner surface of the enclosure, the at least one throughbore alignable with the at least one aperture disposed in the inner surface of the enclosure. 
     In another form, the invention comprises a wrench for installing a rail in a security system enclosure with at least one securing element, the rail including at least one throughbore and disposed on an inner surface of the enclosure, the enclosure including at least one aperture in the inner surface to accept passage of at least one securable element and alignable with the at least one throughbore, including a body portion; the body portion including at least one recess at a first end thereof, the at least one recess shaped to mate with the at least one securing element in a friction-fit engagement; and the body portion including a rail mounting engagement structure. 
     In yet another form, the invention comprises a method for installing a rail in a security system enclosure using a wrench, the wrench including at least one recess, the rail having at least one throughbore and disposed on an inner surface of the enclosure, the rail being securable to the enclosure with at least one securing element, the at least one recess shaped to mate with the at least one securing element, the enclosure including at least one aperture in the inner surface for accepting passage of at least one securable element therethrough, including the steps of placing the rail on the inner surface of the enclosure such that the at least one aperture in the inner surface of the enclosure is aligned with the at least one throughbore in the rail; placing the at least one securing element in the at least one recess of the wrench; sliding the wrench along the rail; aligning the at least one securing element with the at least one throughbore in the rail; inserting the at least one securable element through the at least one aperture and the at least one throughbore; engaging the at least one securable element with the at least one securing element; and removing the wrench from the rail. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that the wrench prevents the two nuts from turning while installing the two screws that hold the mounting rail of the tamper switch arrangement in place on a surface of the security system enclosure. 
     Another advantage is that an installer cannot accidentally leave the wrench on the mounting rail after installation because the wrench must be removed from the mounting rail prior to installing the tamper switch on the mounting rail. This requirement removes the possibility of detaching the mounting rail from outside the security system enclosure. 
     Another advantage is that the wrench eliminates the need for an installer to bring a separate wrench to the installation site. 
     Yet another advantage is that the wrench is sized to be inserted into a security system enclosure and is capable of securely holding two nuts at a location spaced from the cover of the enclosure. 
     Another advantage is that the wrench eliminates the need for an installer to tighten the nuts in a confined space defined by the security system enclosure. 
     Still another advantage is that the wrench of the present invention may be disposable after use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above mentioned and other features and objects of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a wrench according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the wrench of  FIG. 1 , further illustrating two nuts secured therein; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of a tamper switch arrangement including a mounting rail, and further illustrating the wrench of  FIG. 2  slidably disposed on the rail; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tamper switch arrangement of  FIG. 3 , further illustrating the wrench of  FIG. 2  completely slid onto the rail and two screws or bolts engaged with the two nuts; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective partial view of the tamper switch arrangement of  FIG. 3 , further illustrating the nuts secured to the screws or bolts and the wrench completely removed from slidable engagement with the rail; and 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the tamper switch arrangement of  FIG. 3 , further illustrating the complete security system enclosure. 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications set out herein illustrate the invention, in one form, the embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise form disclosed. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown wrench  10  including body portion  12  and handle  16  disposed at one end thereof. Body portion  12  includes at least one recess  14  and channel or groove  18 . Channel  18  is sized and shaped to substantially match the size and shape of rail  22  ( FIGS. 3-5 ). Recesses  14  are sized for frictional-fit engagement with hexagonal shaped nuts  34  ( FIG. 2 ). Recesses  14  may include any polygonal shape, such as a rectangular shape or a hexagonal shape, such as to mate with the shape of nuts  34 . Nuts  34  may also be in a polygonal shape, such as a square, rectangle, or hexagonal shape. Nuts  34  are sized slightly smaller than the opening of recesses  14  such that the friction-fit between recesses  14  and nuts  34  holds nuts  34  in place within wrench  10 , shown in  FIG. 2 , prior to engagement with screws or bolts  36  in tamper switch arrangement  20  ( FIGS. 3-5 ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 , tamper switch arrangement  20  includes enclosure  26  and rail  22 . In  FIGS. 3-5 , enclosure  26  is only partially shown and includes end wall  28  configured to substantially match a wall surface to which tamper switch arrangement  20  may be mounted and wall  30  including inner surface  32 . Although described throughout with end wall  28  configured to be attached to a wall and rail  22  attached to a bottom wall of enclosure  26 , rail  22  may be attached to any wall of enclosure  26  depending on what enclosure  26  is mounted to, e.g., a wall, a ceiling, or a floor surface. End wall  28  also includes an optional plug  29  which may be used for installing enclosure  26  to a wall. Inner surface  32  of wall  30  of enclosure  26  includes two apertures  33  ( FIG. 6 ) which align with throughbores  24  ( FIG. 3 ) in rail  22 . Rail  22  is disposed on inner surface  32  of enclosure  26 . Apertures  33  in wall  30  of enclosure  26  and throughbores  24  in rail  22  are sized to accept two screws or bolts  36  which extend therethrough. 
     In operation, wrench  10  is slidably engaged with rail  22  via the engagement of rail  22  with channel or groove  18 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . Wrench  10  is moved in the direction of Arrow A prior to inserting screws  36  through apertures  33  in wall  30  and throughbores  24 . Wrench  10  is slid along rail  22  until the apertures in nuts  34  align with throughbores  24  of rail  22  and apertures  33  in wall  30  of enclosure  26 . Screws  36  are then inserted through apertures  33  in wall  30  and through throughbores  24  of rails  22  and threaded into nuts  34  until completely tight via an instrument, e.g., a screwdriver, located outside enclosure  26 . The engagement of recesses  14  and nuts  34  in wrench  10  prevents rotational movement of nuts  34  while turning screws  36 . 
     Once nuts  34  are completely tightened onto screws  36 , thereby holding rail  22  securely to wall  30  of enclosure  26 , wrench  10  may be slid off rail  22  in the general direction of Arrow B, shown in  FIG. 5 , thereby leaving behind nuts  34  secured to screws or bolts  36 . Advantageously, an installer cannot accidentally leave wrench  10  on rail  22  after installation of rail  22  to enclosure  26  because the tamper switch to be installed on rail  22  occupies the same location as wrench  10 . The tamper switch to be installed on rail  22  is fully disclosed and described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/065,191, filed Feb. 24, 2005, entitled TAMPER SWITCH ARRANGEMENT, the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Wrench  10  must be removed from rail  22  prior to installing the tamper switch. Such requirement removes the possibility of detaching rail  22  from outside enclosure  26 . 
     Advantageously, wrench  10  eliminates the need for a user to bring a separate wrench to the installation site of tamper switch arrangement  20  and wrench  10  may be disposable after use. Furthermore, wrench  10  prevents nuts  34  from turning while a user installs screws or bolts  36  from outside the security system enclosure  26 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , enclosure  26  forms a rectangular-box structure including end wall  28 , wall  30 , and cover  27  which may be hingedly attached to the remainder of enclosure  26 . The structure of enclosure  26  permits limited accessibility at the point at which nuts  34  need to be tightened to secure rail  22  to enclosure  26 . Thus, wrench  10  is sized to slide within the box formed by enclosure  26  and advantageously allow an installer to securely hold both nuts  34  at a distance from cover  27  of enclosure  26 . Thus, an installer does not have to bring a separate tool to the jobsite to secure rail  22  to enclosure  26  and the installer can efficiently tighten both nuts  34  with a screwdriver or other suitable tool or instrument from outside of enclosure  26 . An installer is not required to maneuver within the small confines of the rectangular box formed by enclosure  26  to tighten nuts  34 . Wrench  10  eliminates the need to place any other tools within enclosure  26 , and, by securing nuts  34  to screws  36  with wrench  10 , screws  36  are not removable once wrench  10  is removed from rail  22 . 
     While this invention has been described as having an exemplary design, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles.