US3754565A

US3754565A - Anti-theft or use device for self propelled or stationary engines

Info

Publication number: US3754565A
Application number: US00117914A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Gennetten
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-02-23
Filing date: 1971-02-23
Publication date: 1973-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-28

Abstract

A series of switches are used to operate a series of electrically operated valves. Some of the valves are normally open and some are normally closed and if the incorrect switches are operated a valve will be moved to its opposite state and thus prevent the flow of fuel to the engine.

Description

United States Patent 1 [191 Gennetten ANTI-THEFT OR USE DEVICE FOR SELF PROPELLED OR STATIONARY ENGINES 221 Filed: Feb. 23, 1971 21 ApplrNo; 117,914

[52] US. Cl. 137/384.4, 335/268, 317/136, 317/137, 137/271, 137/552.5, 137/613 {51] Int. Cl. Fl6k 35/08 [58] Fleld 0! Search 137/351, 635, 384.4, 137/613,614, 271,269, 525.5;317/137, 139;

[ Aug. 28, 1973 1,208,480 12/1916 Casey 137/552.5 X 1,347,833 7/1920 3,174,502 3/ 1 965 3,512,553 5/1970 1,254,460 l/1918 1,661,190 3/1928 3,190,608 6/1965 3,311,795 3/1967 3,529,173 9/1970 Primary Examiner-J-lenry T. Klinksiek Attorney-Karl W. Flocks [57] ABSTRACT A series of switches are used to operate a series of electrically operated valves. Some of the valves are normally open and some are normally closed and if'the in correct switches are operated a valve will be moved to I its opposite state and thus prevent the flow of fuel to 6 Clllms, 6 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,356 2/1952 McPherlon 137/613 2,695,685 11/1954 .lamilon 180/114 X the engine. 2,751,933 6/1956 Urteaga 137/613 X 2,891,577 6/1959 Stewart 137/613 X 1 I T 23 I 22 1H1 i L Q I A Y mimtnmzams 3754.565

' sum 1 m 3 I 24 BYJ HQL LQJ LOQKS DELBERT GENNET TEN ATTORNEY r PATENTEUmcze ms 7 sum 3 or 3 5| ZCZLZUH A. ill

S mmm m W 0 man u m Nam w L k H T 5 5 A m m L R l c RP my, 3 w R W m 18.250 23m A -NTI 'DH ()Ri USE DEVlCE EORl SELF PROPELILED QR SmA-TIONA R Y ENGINES BACKGROUNINGF T l-IE INVENTION DESCRIPTION QF THE PREFERRED" EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. l"whe"rein' isshown of'the valve Thepresentinventiomwasdesigneditmbe'usediaseani 5 tWO mainparts comprising-thepresenbinvention, ther bypass therdevicesiori'to brealskits=1cod1b;

AR car aequipped'iwith' ztheisdev-iee'i of the'ipresent iinven tion :can :be; started in the 'usual 'nranner: but it 'will run fortonly=-aashorttimexuntil thescarburetor is emptied of fuel; Nthiefsattemptingqto restart ahertcar-at rthis time by tryingtrdifferent code i'combinations will run the battery down: after several-i trialsr since: with the carburetorempty, considerablecrankinggiisnecessary just to refi'll itbefore -thc::enginevwill start lfitlfexrigh't combin'ation is mot found' withimithexfirstrfewitrails; .theibatt'erywill soon bet-too lowrto. crankatheliengine Thus'th'e-Eunauthorizediuse-of 'the. engine; on of 'the sautomobile; .will be" prevented SUMMARM OH THE'INVENTION 'The rde'vicerofith'erpresentiinventionticomprises a se= rieswof 1 electrically operated inormallya open iandnor mallyaclosed lvalves wh'ich maywbemssem'bled infan y ac:

siredtorder-and 'onlyathe normallyclosed alves"maytbe operatedbymeans of th'econtrolswitches to ane -me flow ofsfuel =to --th'e engine i An: object :of the present inventi'oni'is :-to--i'p revent.the theft ionuseaot self 'propelled: or stationary engines by obstructing theaflow:of fuel totheaengine witbacontrol thatsiis simple itooperate t yet Idifficult for-an unauthorized user to: circumvent:

' it is a-further object 'of thepresent invention to combiner-a control" assembly :and awalve tiassembly wherein disassembly-of. the-control assemblyzwill not reve alathe coderthat:mustnbeaused-to operatexonly-thrcorrectly predetermined. valves tot allowethe flow of-fuel to -the engine.

BRlEFi DESCRl-P'Il0N'-OF THE DRAWINGS Additional v objects and advantages of-the invention will become.'apparentwuponr t'ull consideration of the following detailedtdescription and accompanying ,drawings in-rwhichz FIG l is'an*elevationxzview of the :overall *device partially insection l FlGLLZLis-a perspectiveview of -the:valve assembly v portion (of 1 the tdevice of' FIG. 1;

-FlG. 3is an enlarged partiallysectioned-view :of a normallyclosedcvalve -shown'in place in FlGs 1;

FIG; 4 =ais=an enlarged a partially 'sectioned view of a normally open;valveswshown in place ainwFlfi. l

FIG. .5 *is' a ;side elevations] :viewofthe-valve of either FIG. 3 'or FIG. 4;=*and lG. 6 isan electricallzschematic diagram of the con trol assembly portion of the deviceof-FIG. l

is shown'acontrol assembly lllcorlnected'by cableor' wiring h'amess lrro the valve'assembly20; The'conti'ol assembly: 10in th'ep'refe'rred embodiment is composed v of a'series'of push"buttons l2 withcnepush button 1'2 0 for each-of-the valves 21' in valve assembly 20 Operation of the correct push button 12 will by electrical connection through cable or wirin'gharn'ess'l l activate solenoid coil 22 mounted above valves 21'' and allow fuel to flowtlfroll'ghTuel line 23: Aresevh'old switch 13 is included onthe control panel to be used to hold the control voltages so th'atthe valves do not have to be reset aftefitheignition' has been turned arr: This'isdbne so *tli'at a 'ca'r can b'eleft in a parking lot and still operated' withoutlinowingjthe code as "to which push but ton"should beoperated and in" what order these pushbuttons' should be operated; A" light l t is" provided to remind'a person whenthe reset-hold switch" 13 is"in the hold position since-anyone ca'rr'dr'ive' the caraway'when it is-in this-position"or canoperatethe stationary en gine', asth'ecase may' be.

FIG.- 2 sh'ows thevalve assembflylo in "a' perspective view thereof as-it "might look when the assemhlyi -for example; in'fan automob'ile. On"op'p0site' side's' offth'e'assembly of valves -21 are located blocks 24which] are useda' at each"end= 'of' the* valve assembly 20' to bolt the valve body-21 together "and serve-as the interconnectin'gilinlr' between the fuel line- 23 "and thevalve bodies 213 A cover l9 is placed over and covers the solenoid" coils -22:

Thevalve-assembly'iscomposed'of a series of"normallyopen valves such'as valve 25 "and normally closed valves suchas valve 2 6 To normally open; fire] rand thorughdines 23," all of the norm'allyclosed valves 26 mustbe' open'edand allof the normally open valves2S" must be left open. If one normally closed valve 26 is left closed or one normally open valve-25 is closed, th'efu'el will beblocked and the engine will stop. The totalnurriber and sequence of these 'valves determines the code for the device of the present invention. Assume for instance'that there are two normally open valves ZSand three normally closed valv'es'26 in the valve assembly.Assume also that theyare in the following-order: No. '1 normally closed, No. 2 normally open, No. 3 hormally*-open,-No.4 normally closed," No. 5 normally closed; To operate the engine and thusoperatetheautomobile in which the engine is installed; control buttonsl," 4'and 5must be pushed, and only l,- 4*and SITo make it-more difficultfor an unauthorized person; the

.control inay be wired'to require that push 'button's gl 4' and 5'be pushed in the following sequence 4;"5: I; To operate the engine and the automobile in which the e'n} gine is installed; one would therefore have to push but} tons l,- 4;and 5 and push them in proper sequence of 4:5 and 1. Any other combination or sequence would fail to operate the engine.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show enlarged views of theass'e'mbly of single valves.

FIGS; 3 and 4 show the assembly of a normally closed,

valve and a normally open valve. respectively and FIG: 5 shows a side elevational view of either of the valves since the valves are notdistinguishablefrom each other by their outward appearance.

The assembly of a single valve consists of a valve body 30 which is the same whether used with the normally closed valve 26 of FIG. 3 or the normally open valve 25 of FIG. 4. Thus the side elevation view of valve body 30 as shown in FIG. is applicable to both FIGS.

. 3 and 4. Mounted on valve body 30 is solenoid coil 22 with solenoid shell 31 passing through its center. The bottom portion 32 of solenoid shell 31 fits into the top opening in valve body 30. A plug 33 closes a similar shaped opening on the bottom of valve body 30.

Valve body 30 is constructed so as to accept either a normally closed or a normally open valve. The normally closed valve with valve stem 34 and head 35 is installed from the top end before insertion of solenoid shell 31. In the normally open valve the valve stem 36 with head 37 is installed from the bottom after which plug 33 is inserted in the opening in valve body 30. With the valve stem and head in place the solenoid shell 31 and the plug 33 are press fitted, or otherwise assembled, into the top and bottom of the valve body 30 respectively. The solenoid coil 22 is then fitted over solenoid shell 31. When bolting the single valve assemblies together, they are arranged so that the fuel flows into the upper chamber on the normally closed valve 26 and into the lower chamber on the normally open valve 25 as designated by arrows in the Figures. Energizing a solenoid coil 22 will close a normally open valve 25 or open a normally closed valve 26.

in the valve body 30 passageway 38 from upper chamber 39 slopes downward from chamber 39 and passageway 41 from lower chamber 42 slopes upward from chamber 42. Both passageways 38 and4l have the center lines of their openings on the surface of valve body 30 on the same center line through valve body 30 in order to fit to the adjacent valve body which is placed in a 180 rotated position (or alternatively an inverted position) from the adjacent valve body as shown in the cutaway of

valves

25 and 26 of FIG. 1.

Any number of single valve assemblies may be bolted together for a complete assembly. The combination of normally open and normally closed valvesmay be var ied to give as many different codes as possible.

The device of the present invention has been illustrated in FIG. 1 with eight push buttons 12 on control assembly for the eight valves in valve assembly 20.

The schematic diagram of FIG. 6 has been drawn to show a control assembly for eight valves. The schematic is then basically divided into eight identical sections, except for the hold-reset switch SW1, hold light PL10, and the steering diodes SDI to SD4. Circuit description will be given for one of these sections to describe the operation of one individual solenoid valve.

When the cars ignition switch is turned on, battery voltage is applied to one end of the solenoid coil L101. The valve does not operate, however, and the control rectifier CR101 must be turned on to complete the circuit. Control rectifier CR101 is turned on by pushing pushbutton P8101. This applies a voltage to the gate of control rectifier CR101 through voltage dividing resistors R101, R102, and R103. The voltage on the gate of control rectifier CR101 turns it on completing the circuit through coil L101 and diode D101 operating solenoid valve number one. The control rectifier needs only a momentary voltage applied to its gate to turn it on and it then stays on until the anode voltage is removed. This is done by turning the ignition off. in normal operation all control ,rectifiers are turned off when the ignition is turned off. This means that each time the ignition is turned on to start the car the code for the present device must be set into the control.

Provision has been made so that the code may be held in the control independent of the position of the ignition switch. To do this, the ignition switch is turned on and the proper code set. The hold-reset switch SW1 is flipped to the hold position. The ignition can now be turned off and on without operating the device. A hold light PL10 will burn continually when switch SW1 is in the hold position to warn the driver that the car is not protected by the device.

Turning switch SW1 to the hold position applies a voltage to the anode of CR101 through diode D10 and resistor R104. This keeps a voltage on the anode of CR101 when the ignition is turned off preventing control rectifier CR101 from turning off. Resistor R104 is a current limiting resistor allowing only enough current to flow through control rectifier CR101 to keep it or and prevent excessive drain on the battery. Diode D10 prevents current flowing from the ignition switch through L101, D102, and lighting hold light PL10 when hold-reset switch SW1 is open. Diode D102 prevents excessive voltage being developed across L101 when ignition is turned off.

Steering diodes SDI to SD4 are used to set in switching sequence of the push button control. An example of operation is as follows. Connecting the cathode of diode SD4 to the anode of control rectifier CR801 and the anode of SD4 to the common point of R603 and R602 makes it impossible to turn on CR601 after CR801 has been turned on. Turning on CR801 first shorts any current from the common point of R603 and R602 through CR801, thus preventing any voltage from being applied to the gate of CR601. This makes it necessary to turn on CR601 before turning on CR801. The steering diodes can be wired in to accomplish any desired sequence of operation desired.

- Push buttons 12 are spring loaded so that they will always return to their normal position when released. This is done so that they will in no way reveal the code which is used to operate the appropriate valvesuThe code must bereset into the control when the ignition switch is again turned on and the above sequence of operations described in connection with FIG. 6 again takes place.

Further advantages of the device of the present invention lie in the use of the solid state circuitry wherein it is quite difficult to determine the sequence of the normally open and normally closed valvesand in addition once the valves have been assembled it is very difficult to determine which are normally open and which are normally closed since all valve bodies have the same exterior appearance. i

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes will be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification.

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cutoff device comprising a plurality of serially connected valves including at least one normally closed valve, and g at least one normally open valve,

each of said at least one normally closed valve and each of said at least one normally open valve having menns to operate said valve including a solenoid coil mounted on said valve to move said valve from its normal position;

a switching means operated from a control panel and connected electrically to said solenoid,

a voltage divider in series with said switching means,

a control rectifier with a gate electrode connected to an intermediate point on said voltage divider and its anode connected to said solenoid;

power supply means connectedto the anode of said control rectifier through said switching means;

and ignition switch means connected to said power supply means in series with each of said switching means.

2. The fuel cutoff device of claim 1, further characterized by there being at least two. normally closed valves, and

at least one diode having its cathode connected to said anode of said control rectifier of one of said operating means of said normally closed valves and its anode connected to another intermediate point on said voltage divider of another one of said operating means of another of said normally closed valves whereby a sequence of operation is determined.

3. The fuel cutoff device of claim 1' further characterized by a holding switch means to retain switching means settings when said ignition switch means is shut ofi,

said holding switch means connected to said power supply. means in parallel with said ignition switch means.

4. A full cutoff device comprising y a plurality of serially connected valves including at least one normally closed valve, and at least'one normally open valve,

both said normally closed valve and said normally open valve. presenting similar outer appearances,

each of said at least one normally closed valve and each of said at least one normally open valve having means to operate each said valve including solenoid means positioned to move each of said valves individually from its normal position, a switching means operated from a control panel and connected to said solenoid means,

said plurality of valves having a continuous open passage through all of said plurality of valves upon operation of said switching means to operate said solenoid means only to each of said at least one normally closed valve,

power supply means and ignition switch means connected in series with each of said switching means.

5. The fuel cutoff device of claim 4, further characterizedby each of said valves having a similar shaped valve body, I

said valve body having an upper chamber and a lower 'chamber connected to each other,

a downward sloping passageway connecting to said lower chamber-from one side of said valve body,

' an upward sloping passageway connecting to 'said upper chamber from the other side of said valve body,

said passageways having openings to the opposite sides of said valve'body on the same center line through said body. 6. The fuel cutoff device of claim 5, further characterized by a valve head positioned in said upperchamber of said normally open valve, and a valve head positioned in said lower chamber of said normally open valve. I t i

Claims

1. A fuel cutoff device comprising a plurality of serially connected valves including at least one normally closed valve, and at least one normally open valve, each of said at least one normally closed valve and each of said at least one normally open valve having menns to operate said valve including a solenoid coil mounted on said valve to move said valve from its normal position; a switching means operated from a control panel and connected electrically to said solenoid, a voltage divider in series with said switching means, a control rectifier with a gate electrode connected to an intermediate point on said voltage divider and its anode connected to said solenoid; power supply means connected to the anode of said control rectifier through said switching means; and ignition switch means connected to said power supply means in series with each of said switching means.

2. The fuel cutoff device of claim 1, further characterized by there being at least two normally closed valves, and at least one diode having its cathode connected to said anode of said control rectifier of one of said operating means of said normally closed valves and its anode connected to another intermediate point on said voltage divider of another one of said operating means of another of said normally closed valves whereby a sequence of operation is determined.

3. The fuel cutoff device of claim 1, further characterized by a holding switch means to retain switching means settings when said ignition switch means is shut off, said holding switch means connected to said power supply means in parallel with said ignition switch means.

4. A full cutoff device comprising a plurality of serially connected valves including at least one normally closed valve, and at least one normally open valve, both said normally closed valve and said normally open valve presenting similar outer appearances, each of said at least one normally closed valve and each of said at least one normally open valve having means to operate each said valve including solenoid means positioned to move each of said valves individually from its normal position, a switching means operated from a control panel and connected to said solenoid means, said plurality of valves having a continuous open passage through all of said plurality of valves upon operation of said switching means to operate said solenoid means only to each of said at least one normally closed valve, power supply means and ignition switch means connected in series with each of said switching means.

5. The fuel cutoff device of claim 4, further characterized by each of said valves having a similar shaped valve body, said valve body having an upper chamber and a lower chamber connected to each other, a downward sloping passageway connecting to said lower chamber from one side of said valve body, an upward sloping passageway connecting to said upper chamber from the other side of said valve body, said passageways having openings to the opposite sides of said valve body on the same center line through said body.

6. The fuel cutoff device of claim 5, further characterized by a valve head positioned in said upper chamber of said normally open valve, and a valve head positioned in said lower chamber of said normally open valve.