US3545237A - Power activated manacle - Google Patents

Description

1970 1 \(.;P. THOMPSON A v ,545, 7

POWER ACTIVATED MANACLE Filed Sept.. 26, 1968 I l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 l/ER/VE P. THOMPSON STEPHEN L. GARDELLA JR.

ARTE/MAS M. LARK/N INVENTORS United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 70-16 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A restraining device which retains the wrists of a person without direct manual assistance. A motor moves the restraining members, to hold the wrists and release them by remote control.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional handcuffs have shortcomings. It is sometimes dangerous and always inconvenient for an ofiicer to apply handcuffs and, concurrently, retain control of his weapon. This is especially true when more than one suspect is under surveillance. Some arrested persons are quite resourceful. They have been known to injure or kill other persons, escape, damage property and to even cut and bruise themselves to support a false claim of police brutality. At least two officers are often needed to help insure good police work.

With the use of our device these problems are practically eliminated. Furthermore, a single officer may now easily control several suspects with greatly reduced danger to himself and others.

To accomplish these desirable results we have eliminated the need for personal contact between officer and suspect in the restraining process. Except for pushing buttons to activate the device, both of the ofiicers hands remain free for weapon control. Also good surveillance distance between ofiicer and suspect may now be maintained at all times.

SUMMARY Instead of manually fastening conventional handcuffs, those persons taking prisoners may now open restraining bights simply by pushing a button; the bights may then be closed on the wrists of the prisoner simply by pushing another button. The bights automatically stop upon contact with the Wrists, exerting a preadjusted force thereon. Use of a key to release the wrists is not required. The arresting officer may, at all times, remain in an optimum position for controlling a suspect.

Our device may be anchored to a stationary object, as in a prison. It may also be anchored to the outside of a vehicle, or, of course, to the inside thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the drawings showing preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein like numerals represent like parts throughout,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device, in use, mounted on the outside of a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device.

FIG. 3 is the schematic diagram forelectrically wiring the device to a vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the device with a top cover removed and showing one of the two wrist restraints.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing forming a part hereof the numeral 1 of FIG. 1 shows the entire assembly retaining 'ice suspect I by his wrists. The assembly may be secured to vehicle 3, but its use is not limited thereto. Conventional buttons and switches 4 are associated therewith at any convenient location.

A base plate 12 with vertical support member or plate 5 together form a body portion. An auxiliary support member 11 may be integral therewith as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Two bilateral cradles of arcuate configuration are formed in items 5 and 11. These are a resting surface for the Wrists of the suspect.

Two identical oppositely directed curved clamping arms 6 with bight portions complete the wrist contacting areas.

By connection to pivot pins 31 through holes 7 aligned in member 5, the arms move in slot 10 in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 2.

A power means 9 activates the manacle. For power we prefer to use a small 12 volt electric motor with reversible directions, easily available on the open market. The motor is mounted on the base plate so that the axis of its armature is at right anbles to the'plane of the arch described by the arms.

Mechanical linkage operatively connects the motor and the arms. Various forms of linkage may be used. We prefer to use worm gear and clutch arrangements. Under gear housing 8 we have provided a drive shaft 25, connecting the motor to a drive worm gear 26. This gear meshes with a single drive Worm wheel 24. Afiixed to the wheel are dual linking shafts 22, extending in opposite directions. Usual bearings 23 support all shafts at desired places as shown. The shafts form a substantially T-shaped configuration with the drive shaft. Since all mechanisms connected to the drive worm wheel are in duplicate, those on only one side are shown in FIG. 4. Portions beyond point 16 are the same as those illustrated.

Each of two shafts 22 drive corresponding linkage worm gears 30 through dual intermediate clutch means. These linkage Worms each mate with a linkage worm Wheel 32 secured to parallel pivot pins 31 for unison movement with the arms.

A simple, adjustable clutching system is formed of circular disk plate 17 with a plurality (preferably four) of bowl-shaped indentures 18 on the contacting surface thereof. An equal number of balls 19 fit snuggly into such recess 18. The balls are freely retained in lengthwise orifices in boss 20. The boss is integral with the end of shaft 22 or it may be secured thereto by pin 33 for rotation in unison with the shaft. Slidably mounted at the opposite end of each orifice is pin 28 with a spiral spring 29 between the ball and pin. Each boss has nut 21 in threaded engagement therewith. An inwardly extending flange on each nut abuts each pin 28 at point 27 whereby manual movement of the nut on the threads varies the space between each pin 28 and each corresponding ball 19. The resultant force of spring 29 permits the operator to control the resistance to the unseating of the balls from the recesses. Since worm wheel 32 cannot turn worm gear 30, the threaded adjustment of nut 21 controls the force of arms 6 upon the wrists as the balls seat and unseat while in constant rotation.

Referring now to the schematic diagram of FIG. 3, usual vehicle battery 14 may energize the electric motor 9. Item 4 includes two conventional switches and buttons for starting and reversing the motor so the operator may move the arms 6 in either direction. When in use, the power remains on and the clutch slips as described. A safety switch 15 may be added to the circuit so that the manacle will only operate when the vehicle is stationary. This safety switch may be closed by placing the usual vehicle shift lever in the park position, for example, Other safety wiring arangements will be obvious to skilled persons.

A hold bar (not illustrated) may be provided near cradles 13. The suspect may then be ordered to manually grasp this expedient usage of the device.

Although a preferred embodiment is shown and described, it is to be understood that one skilled in the art may make obvious changes in our novel device which will fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a power activated manacle, the combination of:

(a) a base plate securable to a vehicle,

(b) a support member mounted thereon,

() dual bilateral arcuate cradles integral with the support member,

((1) dual bilateral arcuate clamping arms pivotally mounted on the support member being aligned with, oppositely disposed to, and associated with the cradles,

(e) a power source mounted on the base plate,

(f) mechanical means operatively connecting the power source and arms whereby the arms may be caused to move towards and away from the cradles, and

(g) a manually operated switch connected to the power source for activating the power source in reversible directions.

2. The claim according to claim 1 whereimthe power source comprises an electric motor; a drive shaft secured thereto; a drive worm wheel engaged therewith; two identical oppositely directed linking shafts, one end of each of which is secured to the drive worm wheel; two pivot pins each of which is parallel to the drive shaft and each of which is secured to a respective clamping arm; two linking worm wheels secured to the respective pivot pins; two linking worm gears engaged therewith, said gears being integral with dual secondary shafts and an adjustable clutching means operatively connecting the secondary shafts and their corresponding linking shafts.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,346,160 7/1920 Barlow 29488 2,676,052 4/1954 Mittry 29488 2,904,369 9/ 1959 Campbell 29488X 2,949,761 8/1960 Mitchell 16 3,007,331 11/1961 Irwin 7016X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner E. I. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner

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