WO1995035558A1

WO1995035558A1 - An assault alarm

Info

Publication number: WO1995035558A1
Application number: PCT/SE1995/000772
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gunnar Oskar Persson
Original assignee: Swedish Protection & Consulting Ab
Priority date: 1994-06-22
Filing date: 1995-06-22
Publication date: 1995-12-28
Also published as: SE9402214D0; AU2813095A

Abstract

An assault alarm comprising an operating unit (9) which includes a switch-on unit (11) that can be activated manually by a switch-on button (10), and a switch-off unit (15) which can be activated, preferably manually, by a switch-off button (14), wherein the operating unit (9) is connected to an alarm emitter (7), wherein a timer (12) is adapted to delay the release of alarm (13) for a predetermined period of time after activating the switch-on unit (11), wherein the switch-off unit (14) functions to reset the operating unit, preferably directly, to a normal state in which the switch-on unit (11) is inactive, and wherein the alarm is used in conjunction with monitoring the entry of persons to premises through a door equipped with a lock, preferably a remote control lock. According to the invention, the alarm includes detecting devices (40', 5, 6, 25, 26, 27; 26, 27, 28, 29, 40; 26, 27, 40') which function to detect that the door is opened and therewith activate the switch-on unit. The detecting devices are intended to activate the switch-off unit (15) as a result of the switch-on unit having first been activated by the operator and the door then closed.

Description

AN ASSAULT ALARM

The present invention relates to an assault alarm of the kind defined in the preamble of Claim 1.

The invention thus relates to an assault alarm system of the kind which comprises an operating unit that includes having a switch-on unit which is actuable, preferably manually, by means of an activating button, and also a switch-off unit which is actuable, preferably manually, by means of a deacti¬ vating button, wherein the operating unit is connected to an alarm generating device, and wherein a timer functions to delay triggering of an alarm for a preset period of time after having activated the switch-on unit, and wherein activation of the switch-off unit returns the operating unit, preferably immediately, to its normal inactive state.

There is a legitimate reason in connection with banks, post offices and like premises why people, goods, etc., should enter through a rear door for instance, during the opening times of the bank, post office, etc. It is known in this regard to use in such premises so-called delayed assault alarms of the kind defined in the introduction. These assault alarms are utilized after a typical burglar alarm system has been deactivated. Burglar alarms are triggered when one or more detectors sense movement within a guarded area. Such alarms must be switched-off during those parts of the day when people are legitimately present in the guarded area. The assault alarm is thus a complement to a burglar alarm and is intended for use during those periods in which the burglar alarm is switched-off.

Assaults, hold-ups, etc., perpetrated in post offices, banks, etc., are carried out not seldo ly by people who enter through a rear door, for instance. Naturally, there are a number of "legal" reasons why people should enter a premises through the rear door, or through any door. People working on the premises are able to take a closer look at a person wishing to enter the premises, for instance through the aforesaid rear door, either through a peephole or on a video screen,, or some like device. If the person concerned appears to be a bona fide person, the door may be opened to permit access, for instance by releasing a primary door lock by remote control, or in some other way. However, before opening the door, the assault alarm switch-on button is pressed, to activate the time-delay alarm so that the alarm will be triggered automatically after a preset time has lapsed. Should the person admitted through the rear door prove to be a robber or felon, nothing else needs to be done to trigger the alarm and all that remains is to await the passage of the preset time period. On the other hand, if the person admitted proves to be a bona fide person, the switch-off button on the operating unit may be switched off so as to reset/deactivate the assault alarm. A light-emitting diode on the operating unit panel lights-up when the alarm is activated. An alarm system may include a plurality of assault alarm panels which may be connected so that the light-emitting diodes on all panels will light-up when the switch-on unit of one assault alarm unit has been activated in the aforedescribed manner, such that the light-emitting diodes will draw the attention of other operators within the system to the fact that "something is wrong", these operators therewith becoming alert to the risk of a possible assault or robbery, etc. It will be understood that the aforesaid premises may be a shop, such as a jeweler's shop, where the visitor's entrance is guarded by personnel with regard to potential customers/or thieves.

The aforedescribed assault alarm system is well known to the art.

One example of such an assault alarm is BODYGUARD "Delayed Action Hold-Up Alarm", Hoyles Electronic Developments Ltd., St. Helens, Merseyside WA11 8LY, United Kingdom. We have found that an assault alarm, or hold-up alarm, of this kind provides insufficient protection in those situa¬ tions when, for instance, a post office employee enters the premises concerned at the beginning of a working day after the burglar alarm has been switched-off, or is the last person to leave the premises at the end of a working day, before the burglar alarm system has been activated. The last/first person locks/unlocks the door (with a secondary lock) .

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to supplement an assault alarm of the kind described in the introduction with simple means and installations which will deal with assaults, for instance such assaults as those that occur frequently at the beginning and at the end of a working day as the first person arrives at and when the last person leaves the premises.

This object is achieved with the alarm defined in Claim 1.

Embodiments of the inventive alarm are defined in the dependent Claims.

When the aforementioned known hold-up alarm is used to guard the entrance of persons through an outer door of a premises, the inventive alarm is characterized in that the door is adapted to activate the switch-off unit in the process of locking the door and to activate the switch-on unit in the process of opening the door. Opening of the door can be sensed with the aid of a conventional magnet contact which is actuated when the door is opened and moved out of the door frame.

Locking of the door can be assumed to be an indication of closing the door, and can be detected through the medium of a detector or sensor, such as a icroswitch, placed in the striking plate in the door frame, such as to detect the presence of the lock bolt of the door lockset. Alternatively, the lock mechanism of the door may include a detector which detects the locked state of the mechanism. The person skilled in this art will also realize that other alternative solu- tions are possible, of which one is described below with reference to one embodiment of the invention.

The aforedescribed problem is accentuated when several people are present on the premises. Each of these persons shall be able to leave the premises with the highest possible security, without needing the assistance of any other person on the premises. This requirement can be met by not resetting a triggered "primary alarm" before the door is closed. However, should a hold-up or an assault take place in the aforesaid situation, the assault alarm is triggered if the _doorlϋέrief±open, alternatively the door is closed and then reopened. It must be possible for the alarm to be triggered in all normal situations by opening the door, i.e. in situations in which personnel leave through the door without taking prior safety measures.

It is possible that the term "assault alarm" can be misinter¬ preted by the reader. This alarm is rather a protective device which can be referred to as a "primary alarm system" whose functional design will enable the system to be included in daily security routines so as to provide simple handling and effective protection in the environments concerned, for instance banks, post offices, pharmacies, and like premises.

The inventive solution to the aforesaid problems thus includes the possibility of each person leaving the premises being able to activate the alarm with a given time delay, by first activating the switch-on unit. Triggering of the alarm is inhibited by opening the door, exiting through the door opening, and closing the door within the duration of the set time delay. The alarm is triggered (after a given time delay) when the door is again opened (on the following morning). wherein triggering of the alarm can be prevented by activat¬ ing the switch-offunit, only the personnel being aware of the position of the unit on the premises.

The detecting devices defined in the characterizing clause of Claim 1 are adapted to first detect that the switch-on unit has been activated and that the door is then closed, wherein the detecting devices function to activate the switch-off unit in response to detecting these two events. Particular note will be made of the fact that an important feature of the invention is that the detecting devices are functional in detecting the event of closing (or opening) the door. It is not sufficient to be able to detect that the door is open or closed.

The inventive alarm utilizes time as an essential protection factor, and consequently the apparatus included by the system solution can be given a design which is simple to activate. Naturally, the inventive apparatus can be supplemented with different resetting functions of a more complex nature, for instance in the form of double commands for resetting the system, different system resetting signal functions, and so on. Alarm systems of the kind concerned may include several operating units, wherein a double command may mean that both units must be switched-off in order for the switch-on unit to be inactivated.

As before mentioned, an alternative switch-off possibility is one which involves closing the door and locking the secondary lock.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to a non-limiting exemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings.

Fig. 1 illustrates a room 8 provided with a door 2. A video camera 32 surveys the area outside the door 2 and the corresponding picture can be seen on a monitor 31 located within the room 8. The door 2 is fitted with a primary lock 21 whose bolt is received in a striking plate 22 in the door frame. The striking plate 22 can be opened by remote control, with the aid of an operating button 4 provided in the room 8. A visitor to the room can announce his arrival in a conventional way, with the aid of a bell or buzzer (not shown) to draw the attention of the operator.

If the operator decides to open the primary lock 21, 22 of the door 2, by activating the switch 4, the operator is able, at the same time, to activate a switch-on button 10 on an assault alarm 1 which includes an alarm delay. The alarm 1 includes an operating unit 9 which contains a delay timer 12. Activation of the switch-on button 10 results in activation of the timer input 11, therewith activating the timer. An alarm signal is delivered by the timer 12 on its output 13 when a preset time period has lapsed. The alarm signal may be applied to activate alarm equipment 7, such as sirens, police alarms, etc. The operating unit 9 also includes a switch-off button 14 which activates another input 15 on the timer 12, so as to switch-off (set to zero) the timer 12 immediately. The unit 9 may also include an indicator 16 which signals that the timer 12 is activated.

The operating unit 1 (9-16) may have the form of the known hold-up alarm "BODYGUARD" which has earlier been identified with regard to designation and manufacturer.

The door 2 also includes a secondary lock 23 which coacts with a striking plate 24, this striking plate being provided with a detecting device 25 which detects the presence/absence of the lock bolt of the secondary lock 23. The door 2 also includes a conventional sensor, such as a magnet contact 26, 27, which senses whether the door 2 is open or closed. The system also includes logic 40" which senses the detecting device 25 and the contacts 26, 27 and interprets their activation sequences, and also triggers the aforedescribed activities. The logic 40" can be said to include two activi- ties, 5 and 6 respectively.

The one logic unit, 5, is adapted to activate the timer input

11 via the signalling line 51, so as to activate the timer when the secondary lock 23, 24 is released and the door 2 opened.

The second logic unit, 6, is connected to the timer input 15 via a signalling line 61, so as to shut-off/reset the timer

12 when the unit 6 senses that the door is closed and that the secondary lock 23, 24 is in its locking mode.

By controlling the switch-on input and the switch-off input of the unit 9 in the aforedescribed manner with the aid of logic units 5, 6 which sense the opening/closing of the door and the locking/release of the secondary lock, there is achieved the effect whereby the assault alarm 1 will function when the last man in the room 8 leaves through the door and locks the door from the outside by means of the secondary lock. The assault alarm will thus be triggered unless the secondary lock is locked. Optionally, the logic may be designed so that the switch-on unit is activated by the operator through the medium of the button 10 prior to leaving through the door, the timer input 15 being activated on the closed door, which is then locked with the lock 23, 24.

A burglar alarm system is normally activated when the secondary lock is locked by the last man to leave the premises 8.

As the first man to arrive at the premises 8 opens the door 2, the operating unit 9 is activated by releasing (the primary lock) the secondary lock 23, 24 and opening the door 2 so that an alarm will be triggered within a predetermined time period unless this first person to enter the premises 8 switches-off the alarm by activating the switch-off button 14.

Fig. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the detecting devices and the logic which senses opening and closing of the door and activates the switch-on unit 11 and the switch-off unit 15 respectively.

It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the logic 40" of the Fig. l embodiment has been replaced with logic 40 and that the sensor 25 (microswitch coacting with the lock 23, 24) can now be omitted.

Instead, there is used an additional magnet contact 28, 29 between the door 2 and its frame, wherein the magnet contacts 26, 27 and 28, 29 are spaced at different distances from the door hinges. The magnet contacts will therefore be activated at different times when opening and closing the door, whereby it can be readily detected whether the door is open or closed. A simple logic unit 40 processes the signals from the magnet contacts and delivers signals through the signalling line 51 or the signalling line 61 in the manner described in more detail with reference to Fig. 1.

The logic 40 functions in the following manner:

a) As the door is opened, for instance at the beginning of a working day when the premises are unmanned, the fact that the door is opened is sensed and a signal is delivered on the signalling line 51 to activate the switch-on unit 11. Triggering of the alarm can be prevented, by the operator activating the reset button 14 in the premises prior to expiration of the preset time period. In this regard, the logic may be such that the inner magnet contact 26, 27 will have no effect. whereas the outer contact 28, 29 will deliver a signal to the line 51 as the door is opened.

b) While the premises are manned, i.e. in working hours, the logic 40 functions in the same manner as that described in a) above, and providing that the operator activates the switch-off unit after having opened the door, the door can be kept open for any desired length of time. Nothing will happen if the door 2 then closes. This is important and means that the switch-on unit will not be activated if the door is closed unintentionally or if blown shut.

c) The last person to leave the premises at the end of the working day presses the button 10 to activate the switch-on unit prior to opening the door, and then leaves through the door. The logic senses that the door is first opened and then closed, by virtue of the activation of the contacts 26, 27 and 28, 29 and the sequence in which they are activated, wherein the logic 40 delivers a signal to the switch-off unit 15 on the line 61 after the logic has first sensed that the switch-on unit has not been activated (by the last person to leave) and after the door has first been opened and then closed.

There is a certain amount of risk as the last person leaves the premises. This risk can be avoided, however, by the person concerned first assuring himself of the assault risks, by solely opening the door without activating the reset button 14, in accordance with point b) , and then activating the switch-on unit 10, etc., according to point c).

Naturally, the operator is able to trigger an alarm directly, by pressing twice on the activating button should something happen. This activating button 10 has priority over the resetting function of the door. One advantage afforded by the Fig. 2 embodiment in relation to the Fig. 1 embodiment is that the alarm is reset in conjunction with the last person leaving the premises (point c)), i.e. the reset unit 15 is activated automatically instead of needing to be initiated via a lock with the aid of a key.

Another important advantage afforded by the Fig. 2 embodiment is that the sensors are completely separate from and indepen- dent of other installations, such as door locks, etc.

As a result of the logic shown in Fig. 3, only one single contact 26, 27 is required to achieve the aforedescribed system control possibility. The logic shown in Fig. 3 includes a relay 21 which draws or pulls when the contact 26, 27 is closed. The relay RI also actuates two flip-flops Rll, R12 which are active between the two positions illustrated and are connected to rechargeable circuits Pll, P12, each of which includes a capacitor C, a resistor M and a diode D. The circuit Pll can be discharged via Rll to a relay 4 which when activated activates the switch-off unit 15. R12 permits PI2 to be discharged through a relay R3 which activates the switch-on unit 11. The capacitor in P12 is connected to the negative side of RI, whereas the capacitor in Pll is connect- ed to negative potential via a contact 21 which is closed when a relay R2 pulls and is opened when R2 releases.

When the contact 26, 27 is closed, i.e. when the door is closed, RI pulls so that the flip-flop Rll will connect Pll to the relay R4. RI also pulls the flip-flop R12 into contact with the positive potential, so as to charge P12.

Assume now that R2 is not activated.

The logic 40' shown in Fig. 3 will then operate in the following manner: a) As the door 2 is opened, i.e. the contact 26, 27 is opened, for instance at the beginning of a working day when the premises are unmanned, the relay RI will release so as to connect Rll to positive potential (whereas 21 will remain open) , wherein the charged circuit P12 is connected to and discharged through R3, which pulls and closes the contacts 31 and thereby activate the switch-on unit 11. If an attempt is made to close the door/the contact 26, 27 within the time span set on the timer 12, RI will pull and connect Pll to R4 which as RI is pulled will connect the contact 41 and therewith activate the switch-off unit 15 although Pll has not been able to discharge since R2 has not been pulled. Consequently, an alarm will be triggered unless an operator manually activates the switch-off button 14 within the time span set on the timer, the button contact activating the switch-off unit 15 (and also breaking the circuit through R2) .

b) While the premises are manned, i.e. during work time, the logic will operate in the same way as that described under a) above, and provided that the operator activates the manual switch-off button 14 after the door has been opened (the contact 26, 27), the door can be held open for as long as desired without an alarm being triggered. Nothing will happen if the door then closes. This is important and means that the switch-on unit will not be activated if the door is closed unintentionally or is blown shut.

c) When the last person leaves the premises at the end of a work period, he/she will press the manually operated switch-on button 10, whereby the switch 10' also momentarily connects positive potential to the relay R2 so that the relay pulls, wherewith the flip-flop 22 of the relay R2 will also connect the relay R2 to positive potential and retain this coupling state even when the switch 10' opens. R2 releases when its current supply circuit opens, for instance by activating R4 or the switch-off button 14. Thus, R2 will pull when the button 10. is activated, wherewith Pll is connected to minus potential via the switch 21, so that Pll can be charged when the door/contact 26, 27 is open. Activation of the button 10 results in activation of the switch-on unit 11 and charging of Pll as the door 2 is opened. When the door/contact 26, 27 is then closed, corresponding to the last person leaving the premises, RI pulls and Pll is discharged through R4 which activates the switch-off unit 15 with the contact 41, wherein R4 at the same time opens the circuit through R2 and R2 releases so that the switch 21 opens and the switch 22 disconnects plus potential from R2.

It will be obvious to one skilled in this art that the function achieved by the relay control shown in Fig. 3 can also be achieved with equivalent circuits including gates, transistors or the like.

One advantage afforded by the Fig. 3 embodiment is that the door need only then be equipped with one single contact 26, 27 which senses whether the door is open or closed. This facilitates installation of the inventive alarm.

Claims

1. An assault alarm comprising an operating unit (9) which includes a switch-on unit (11) that can be activated manually by a switch-on button (10), and a switch-off unit (15) which can be activated, preferably manually, by a switch-off button (14), wherein the operating unit (9) is connected to an alarm emitter (7), wherein a timer (12) is adapted to delay the release of alarm (13) for a predetermined period of time after activation of the switch-on unit (11), wherein the switch-off unit (14) functions to reset the operating unit, preferably directly, to a normal state in which the switch-on unit (11) is inactive, and wherein the alarm is used in conjunction with monitoring the entry of persons to premises through a door equipped with a lock, preferably a remote control lock, characterized in that the system includes detecting devices (40", 5, 6, 25, 26, 27; 26, 27, 28, 29, 40; 26, 27, 40') which function to detect that the door is opened and therewith activate the switch-on unit; and in that the detecting devices function to activate the switch-off unit (15) as a result of the switch-on unit having first been activated by the operator and the door then closed.

2. An assault alarm according to Claim 1, characterized in that the detecting devices include a sensor (25) which senses the locked state of a door lock (21, 22; 23, 24), and a sensing arrangement (26, 27) which senses whether the door is open or closed, wherein the sensor (25) and the sensing arrangement (26, 27) control logic (40", 5, 6) which func- tions to activate the switch-on unit (11) as the door is opened, and to activate the switch-off unit (15) after the switch-on unit has first been activated by an operator and the door has then been closed and locked.

3. An assault alarm according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sensors include two contacts, for instance magnet contacts (26, 27; 28, 29) which are disposed between the door and its door frame at mutually different distances from the door hinges, and a logic unit (40) which is connected to the contacts and which senses the activation sequence of the contacts and establishes therefrom whether the door is closed or open.

4. An assault alarm according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sensors (40', 26, 27, R1-R4) function to detect the activation (10) of the switch-on unit (11) by an operator and also, as an indication that the door is closed, that the door is closed after having been open after the time point for the operator activation of the switch-on unit (10, 11), so that only one single contact (26, 27) which detects whether the door is open or closed is required on the door (2) .

5. An assault alarm according to any one of Claims 1-4, characterized in that the detecting devices are constructed so that their ability to activate the switch-on unit when detecting that the door is open will be inhibited when the switch-off unit is activated directly by the operator after the door has been opened and within the preset delay time period, preferably until the operator has manually activated the switch-on unit (10, 11).

6. An assault alarm according to any one of Claims 1-5, characterized in that the detecting devices function to activate the switch-off unit (15) as a result of the switch- on unit (10, 11) having first been activated by the operator and the door has then been opened and then closed within the preset delay time period.