Security clamp

Abstract

A security clamp for electronic calculators or other such devices which is provided with a base having securement means for securing the base to an underlying support surface, an upper retention arm pivotally mounted on said base adapted to overlap and retain one end of the electronic calculator positioned on the base, lock receiving means associated with the security clamp adjacent one end thereof, lock means associated with the security clamp and positioned in cooperative relationship with the lock receiving means to permit the locking engagement of the lock means with the lock receiving means and lockingly engage the retention arm in retention position with respect to a device positioned thereon, and a lower retention bridge carried on the base adjacent the opposed end, the lower retention bridge being adapted to arrest the opposed end of the device positioned on the base such that an electronic calculator or other such device may be arrested and lockingly engaged between the lower retention bridge and the upper retention arm.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The progress of electronic technology has permitted the development and extensive use of devices such as electronic calculators and other such devices which are generally of a pocket size rectilinear configuration. The proliferation of such devices has permitted the extensive use of these devices in industry, office environments, schools, and the like.

One of the problems which has now surfaced in connection with such devices is the extensive losses and thefts of such devices from offices, industrial areas, and schools which employ such devices for the benefit of employees and/or students. In many applications, an institution such as an industrial concern office concern, or school, purchases a number of such electronic calculators for the use of its employees and/or students, the obvious intention being that such devices remain on the premises for the use of those utilizing such devices. However, it has been found that losses have occurred through negligence as well as from actual theft from the premises. In order to obviate these problems, it has been necessary that the institution employ security personnel who distribute such devices at the commencement of the business day and collect these at the end of the business day in order to account for such devices and to prevent the loss through either negligence or theft. In other applications, some institutions have provided these electronic calculators with bolted chain assemblies for chaining the devices to a wall or underlying support surface such that they can only be moved for the distance of the chain and cannot be physically removed from the premises.

Insofar as the collection sustem has been employed, it has been found very expensive and time consuming to employ personnel to distribute and collect these devices at the beginning and end of each business day. With regard to the provision of a bolted chain assembly, it has been found that this assembly does not actually discourage theft as the chain can be easily snapped or broken. Hence, the inability to provide a simple security clamp for retaining and lockingly engaging electronic calculators in place in the area where such devices are utilized has had a stifling influence on the further proliferation of these devices.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a security clamp which is both convenient as well as tamper-proof, thereby to permit the positioning of electronic calculators in the area where these devices are to be used while at the same time obviating the problem of loss through either negligence or theft.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified security clamp which includes a base which is, in turn, provided with securement means for securing the base to an underlying support surface. The base further having an upper retention arm pivotally mounted thereon for opening and closing the device, thereby to permit the insertion and removal of an electronic calculator on the base, lock receiving means and lock means associated with the base for permitting the locking engagement of the upper retention arm in locked posture when a device has been positioned thereon, and a lower retention bridge carried on the bas, adjacent the opposed end thereof, such that an electronic calculator positioned on the base may be held in locked position between the lower retention bridge and the upper retention arm whereafter the upper retention arm may then be locked in position such that the electronic calculator cannot be removed therefrom, without the activation of the lock assembly.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of this invention to provide a security clamp of the type described wherein the lock receiving means and the lock means are carried on the base and upper retention arm respectively such that the upper retention arm may be lockingly engaged with respect to the base once an electronic calculator has been positioned thereon.

Still in connection with the foregoing objects, it is yet another object of the invention to provide a security clamp of the type described wherein the lower retention bridge is provided with a rear wall, opposed side walls and a top wall, such that the lower retention bridge presents a substantially closed assembly with only the front portion being open such that lower portion of an electronic calculator may be inserted within the bridge and thereafter permitting the pivotal closing of the upper retention arm over the upper portion of the electronic calculator after which the lock means may be actuated to lockingly engage the upper retention arm in the closed posture, thereby lockingly engaging the electronic calculator as between the lower retention bridge and the upper retention arm.

Still a further object in connection with the foregoing objects is to provide a security clamp of the type described wherein the base presents a level lower surface for seatment on an underlying support surface while the upper surface of the base is inclined from the upper portion of the security clamp to the lower portion thereof, whereby an electronic calculator positioned and lockingly engaged within the security clamp is angularly inclined toward the view of the user thereof to permit ease of operation.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a security clamp including a base and a lockingly engagable upper retention arm, wherein the lower retention bridge may be variably adjustable along the length of the portion of the base to accommodate the locking positioning of a wide variety of electronic calculators which may vary in length.

In connection with the foregoing object, it is another object of the invention to provide a security clamp of the type described wherein the base is provided with a pair of opposed slots, each of the slots provided with a rail having a plurality of linearly spaced teeth thereon, and the lower retention bridge is provided with a pair of lock bars for insertion through the slots in the base, each lock bar having an upstanding flange for coaction with the linearly spaced teeth such that the lower retention bridge, in order to be adjusted, must be pivoted downwardly toward the base to engage or disengage the upstanding flanges from the linearly spaced teeth such that the adjustment means is simplified while at the same time preventing unauthorized removal of either the lower retention bridge or an electronic calculator once positioned thereon.

Further features of the invention pertain to particular arrangements of the elements and parts whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of the security clamp of the present invention, including an angularly inclined base, pivotally mounted upper retention arm, and lower retention bridge;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the security clamp of the present invention showing the relative positioning of the lower retention bridge and upper retention arm and securement means for securing the base to an underlying support surface;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing the arrangement of the base, upper retention arm and lower retention bridge and the securement means of the security clamp when in position on an underlying support surface;

FIG. 4 is a top view of still another embodiment of the security clamp as contemplated by the present invention, wherein the lower retention bridge is shown to be variably adjustable along the length of the base;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the manner in which the lower retention bridge may be variably adjustable along the length of the base, and the manner in which the upper retention arm is pivotally secured to the base;

FIG. 6 is a top cross-sectional view showing the details of the adjustment means provided in the base for the lower retention bridge and the lock assembly provided for lockingly engaging the upper retention arm in position; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational and cross-sectional view showing the structure of the lower retention bridge and the base for accomplishing the variable adjustment of the lower retention bridge with respect to the base.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention provides a security clamp especially designed for the wide variety of electronic calculators presently available which includes a base provided with apertures to accommodate the insertion of threaded screws therethrough for threadedly screwing the base to an underlying surface such as a desk top, an upper retention arm pivotally mounted on the base and provided with a lock assembly, the base having an archway to accommodate the slidable insertion therethrough of a lock bolt formed as part of the lock assembly associated with the upper retention arm, such that the upper retention arm may be lockingly engaged once in the closed position with respect to the base, and a lower retention bridge which functions to surround and arrest the lower portion of an electronic calculator inserted therein, such that once the electronic calculator is positioned on the base, with the lower end surrounded and arrested by the lower retention bridge, the upper retention arm may then be pivotally moved into the closed position and locked by slidably inserting the lock bolt through the archway such as by mechanical means, thereby positioning and arresting the electronic calculator in position as between the upper retention arm and lower retention bridge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the security clamp generally referred to by the numeral 10, is shown to be formed by a base 12, having a lower level surface 14, and an upper inclined surface 16. The base is also provided with a plurality of apertures 18, four of which are shown to be included in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings. The apertures 18 accommodate the insertion of threaded screws 20 therethrough for securely mounting the base 12 to an underlying support surface.

The upper portion of the base 12 is provided with an upper retention arm 22 pivotally mounted to the base 12. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the base 12 is provided with a pair of hinge collars 26 upstanding from the upper portion therefrom and spaced apart for a distance to accommodate therebetween the arm collar 28. The hinge collars 26 and arm collar 28 are held in horizontal alignment and in pivotal relationship by means of a pivotal pin 29.

The upper retention arm 22 is shown to be formed of opposed side walls 31, a rear wall 32, and a top wall 33. The front portion of the upper retention arm 22 is open in order to permit the insertion of an electronic calculator therein. It will also be noted that extending rearwardly from the rear wall 32 is a lock housing 34 having a lock assembly 36 mounted thereon, which in the embodiment as depicted is key operated. The lock housing 34 is completely enclosed by means of a top wall 37, opposed side walls 38 and a bottom wall 39. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, the upper retention arm 22 and lock housing 34 are all formed as an integral assembly such that in this embodiment, the lock assembly 36 is carried by the upper retention arm 22.

Insofar as the lock assembly is concerned, it will be noted that the base is further provided with an archway 40, while the lock assembly 36 is provided with a lock bolt 42. Manipulation of the key 35 will cause the lock bolt 42 to be slid within the archway 40 as depicted by the dotted lines in FIG. 2, such that the upper retention arm 22 may be locked to the base 12 when the arm 22 is in the closed position.

The lower portion of the base 12 is provided with a lower retention bridge 44, mounted on the base 12 adjacent the lower end thereof. The lower retention bridge 44 is formed by a pair of opposing side walls 46, a rear wall 48 and a top wall 49. Hence, the lower retraction bridge 44 is shown to be completely enclosed with the exception of the front portion such that the lower end of an electronic calculator positioned therein may be slid into the interior of the bridge 48 and completely surrounded by the opposed side walls 46, rear wall 48 and top wall 49 thereof.

As shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, an electronic calculator may be easily positioned within the security clamp 10 and this is accomplished by first pivoting the upper retention arm 22 into an open position in order to permit the positioning of an electronic calculator therein. The electronic calculator is positioned on the base 12, by sliding the lower end of the calculator into the open portion of the lower retention bridge 48 and then laid to rest on the upper inclined surface 16 of the base 12. The upper retention arm 22 is then pivotally moved downwardly until the upper portion of the calculator is surrounded by the opposed side walls 31, rear wall 32 and top wall 33 of the upper retention arm 22. Since the lower portion of the upper retention arm 22 is also completely open, the arm 22 may easily be pivoted down over the electronic calculator thereafter to assume the closed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Once the arm 22 is properly lowered in position, the operator need only actuate the lock assembly 26 by turning the key 35 thereby to slide the lock bolt 42 through the archway 40. Hence the archway 40 is fixedly secured to the base 12 and the slide bolt 42 is formed as part of the lock assembly 36 which, in turn, is carried by the upper retention arm 22, the locking engagement of the slide bolt 32 through the archway 40 causes the locking of arm 22 with respect to the base 12.

Since the security clamp 10 is secured to an underlying support surface by means of the threaded screws 20 inserted through the apertures 18 provided in the base 12, the electronic calculator contained therein is securely held to the support surface by the security clamp 10.

The above-described coaction of the elements is further facilitated with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings by the configuration of the inclined surface 16 of the base 12. For example, it will be noted that the upper inclined surface 16 of the base 12 turns to level at a point 50, the point of level 50 being at the point at which the rear wall 32 of the upper arm 22 meets the upper surface 16 of the base 12. The provision of this angle in the upper inclined surface 16 of the base 12 prevents the interior surface of the rear wall 32 of arm 22 from striking the calculator when the arm 22 is pivoted into and out of the retention position as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings. There is shown a security clamp 60 formed by a base 62, having a lower level surface 64 and an upper inclined surface 66. The base 62 is once again provided with apertures 68 to accommodate the insertion therethrough of threaded screws (not shown) in order to permit securement of the clamp 60 to an underlying support surface.

The upper retention arm 70 is shown to be hinged to the base 12 by means of base hinge collars 71 and arm hinge collars 72. As shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, the base hinge collars 71 and arm hinge collars 72 interfit and are held in pivotal relationship by means of a pivotal pin 73. Once again, the upper retention arm 70 is formed by a pair of opposed side walls 74, a rear wall 75 and a top wall 76, leaving the front and lower portions of the retention arm 70 open. The pivotal relationship of the arm 70 with respect to the base 62 is shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings by the phantom lines indicating the position of the upper retention arm 70 when in the open position. It is apparent from a view of FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, that the upper retention arm 70 operates in the same manner as the equivalent upper retention arm 22 as shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings.

It will further be noted that the upper portion of the base 62 is provided with a pair of opposed parallel slots 78, positioned adjacent the side edges thereof. The upper retention arm 70 is provided with a pair of opposed lock slots 79, the lock slots 79 being insertable within the slots 78 as the upper retention arm 70 is pivoted into the closed position. The base 62 is further provided with a lock assembly 81 (FIG. 6), the lock assembly 81 including a pair of lock bars 82. As is illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the lock assembly 81 and lock bars 82 associated therewith are formed as part of the base 62 while the lock slots 79 are formed as part of the upper retention arm 70. Hence, once the lock slots 79 are inserted through the slots 78 in the base 62, as the arm 70 is pivoted into the closed position, the arm 70 may be locked in the closed position by manually manipulating the lock bars 82 causing the bars 82 to slide through the lock slots 79. The aforementioned actuation may easily be accomplished by utilizing a key (not shown) inserted through an appropriate key slot provided in the lock assembly 81.

The lower portion of the base 62 is shown to be provided with a lower retention bridge 84 formed by opposed side walls 85, a rear wall 86, and a top wall 87. In addition, it will be noted that the base 62 is provided with a pair of opposed parallel bridge slots 88, positioned adjacent the side edges of the base 62 and along the lower portion thereof. As shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings, the lower retention bridge 84 is movably adjustable along the length of the base 62, the bridge 84 being provided with appropriate structures, as will be more fully defined hereinafter, for permitting movement of the bridge 84, along the bridge slots 88.

The details of construction of the lower retention bridge 84 and the bridge slots 88 is more fully shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings. It will be noted that interiorly of each of the bridge slots 88 is mounted a rail 90, provided with a plurality of linearly spaced teeth 92. The teeth 92 extend downwardly for a short distance and are fixedly secured to the undersurface of the base 62 such that the same can be contacted through the bridge slots 88. As is more fully shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the lower retention bridge 84 includes a pair of downwardly and inwardly depending legs 94, each leg having an upstanding flange 95, mounted at the terminal end thereof. In order to complete the assembly and to further ensure that the lower retention bridge 84 cannot be removed from the security clamp 60, the opposed bridge legs 94 are interconnected by a cross bar 96, depicted by a dotted line in FIG. 6.

It will be apparent from FIG. 7 of the drawings that the only manner in which the lower retention bridge 84 can be moved is by tilting the same forwardly and downwardly as illustrated by the dotted lines in FIG. 7 such that the end terminal upstanding flange 95 moves out of engagement with the corresponding teeth 92 of the rail 90. It will further be apparent that the only way in which the lower retention bridge 84 can be moved forwardly and downwardly is when no electronic calculator is positioned therein. Hence, in order to adjust the positioning of the lower retention bridge 84, this adjustment can only be accomplished when the security clamp 60 is free of any electronic calculator positioned therein. The cross bar 96 provides a means to ensure that the lower retention 84 cannot be removed from the base 62, since the crossbar 96 rides under the upper inclined surface 66 of the base 62. Furthermore, the crossbar 96 also provides a convenient riding rail for the lower retention bridge 84 as the same is variously adjusted along the bridge slots 88.

It now becomes apparent that in order to mount an electronic calculator within the embodiment of the security clamp 60 in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings, one first adjusts the lower retention bridge 84 to the desired position by tilting the same forwardly and downwardly such that the bridge legs 94 disengage from the teeth 92, permitting the sliding movement of the bridge 84 along the slots 88. Once the appropriate length is determined, the retention bridge 84 may then be tilted upwardly until the terminal upstanding flange 95 engages a corresponding tooth 94, adjusting the distance between the lower retention bridge and the upper retention arm 70. The arm 70 is the moved into the open position as depicted in FIG. 5 of the drawings (dotted lines) and the calculator may then be inserted into the clamp by positioning the lower end of the calculator into the lower retention bridge 84. The upper retention arm is then pivotally moved into the closed position as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, until the lock slots 79 move into the slots 78. Once in the position, the operator need only actuate the lock assembly 81 by a key or other suitable means, until the lock bars 82 are moved into locking engagement through the lock slots 79 of the arm 70. Since the base 62 is fixedly secured to the underlying support surface such as a desk or the like, it will be apparent that the electronic calculator is securely held in position and cannott be removed unless and until the operator once again actuates the lock assembly 81 to open the retention arm 70 and permit removal of the calculator.

While a variety of materials may suffice for forming the subject security clamp, it is obviously preferable to form such a device from tempered steel or other hard material. Generally, any type of plastic can be cut or burned, and hence, unauthorized removal is more readily accomplished when the clamp is formed of such materials. However, it is to be understood that the particular materials, utilized for the formation of the subject security clamp are not particularly relevant to the concept of the present invention, but rather, the selection of materials is deemed to be arbitrary with the manufacturer thereof.

Insofar as the lock assembly is concerned, it will also be appreciated that any form of lock assembly may be utilized including a key actuated type lock, as well as a combination type lock. The principal requirement of the lock assembly in connection with the present invention is to ensure that the upper retention arm is fixedly secured to the base when in the closed position ad for this reason it is irrelevant as to whether the lock assembly is included as part of the arm or as part of the base. It is apparent from the differences between the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 of the drawings, and those shown in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings, that the security clamp 10 shown in FIG. 1 has the lock assembly 36 formed as a part of the upper retention arm, 22, while the archway 40 is formed as part of the base 12, while on the other hand the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings includes the lock assembly 81 as part of the base 62, while the lock slots 79 are formed as part of the upper retention arm 70.

It will further be appreciated that there are various possible modifications in order to achieve a movable lower retention bridge 84 of the type shown in FIGS. 4 through 7 of the drawings. The particular structure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings is selected only for the purpose of illustrating the economically efficient manner of accomplishing the concept of movability or adjustability of the lower retention bridge 84 with respect to the base 62. Obviously, any means chosen to accomplish this adjustable feature must be done on the basis of ultimate cost in terms of manufacturing economy. It is clearly intended to cover within the appended claims all such modifications of the means for achieving adjustability of the lower retention bridge 84. It will now be apparent that the present invention provides a novel security clamp especially useful for securing electronic calculators in place, especialy designed for use in industrial, commercial and school environments. The security clamp as described herein further permits the usage of such a device regardless of the size of a particular electronic calculator to be utilized, since the present invention introduces features of adjustability in connection with the sizing of the calculator. Furthermore, insertion and removal of the calculator is rendered efficient since the device operates with some form of lock assembly such as a key operated tumbler assembly, and hence, the electronic calculator, once lockingly engaged in the security claim, may easily be removed. On the other hand, it is apparent that once the elctronic calculator has been fixedly locked in the security clamp, and the security clamp fixedly secured to an underlying support surface, the clamp cannot be removed short of complete destruction of not only the claim, but also the electronic calculator, since the threaded screws for holding the security clamp in place are hidden from view when the calculator is in position.

It will be apparent that from the foregoing description all of the objects and advantages as previously set forth have been provided by virture of the present invention. While there has been described what at present is considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A security clamp for lockingly engaging and retaining an electronic calculator and other such devices having an overall substantially rectilinear configuration, comprising in combination,

a base having securement means for securing said base to an underlying support surface,

lock receiving means associated with said security clamp adjacent one end thereof,

an upper retention arm pivotally mounted on said base for overlapping and retaining one end of the device positioned on said base,

lock means associated with said security clamp and positioned in cooperative relationship with said lock receiving means, thereby to permit locking engagement of said lock means with said lock receiving means and lockingly engage said arm in retention position with respect to the device positioned thereon,

a lower retention bridge carried on said base adjacent the opposed end thereof,

said base including arrest means positioned adjacent the end thereof opposed to the positioning of said upper retention arm and including a plurality of arrest positions,

said lower retention bridge including engagement means positioned for corporative co-action with said arrest means thereby to permit variable adjustment of said lower retention bridge along said base by positioning said engagement means in engaged relation with respect to one of said arrest positions of said arrest means and permit varying the distance between said lower retention bridge and said upper retention arm,

whereby said base may be fixedly secured to an underlying support surface by way of said securement means, and said lower retention bridge may then be adjustably varied to accommodate the length of the device to be positioned therein, and said upper retention arm pivotally moved to an open position, permitting the positioning of an electronic calculator, or other such device on said base, such that one end of the device is arrested by said lower retention bridge and thereafter said retention arm is lowered into the retention position about the opposed end of the device, and the lock means then activated to coact with said lock receiving means and lockingly engage said retention arm in the closed position to securely lock the device in position within said security clamp.

2. The security clamp as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said base includes a pair of opposed slots adjacent the lower portion thereof, said slots being in parallel and opposed orientation along the length of said base,

each of said slots being provided with a rail having a plurality of linearly arranged teeth extending downwardly for a short distance therefrom,

and said lower retention bridge being provided with a pair of opposed lock bars, each of said lock bars extending downwardly and inwardly through said opposed pair of slots, and each of said lock bars having an end flange extending upwardly therefrom,

whereby said upstanding flanges on said lock bars cooperate with said pair of opposed rails having depending teeth to permit the variable adjustment of said lower retention bridge with respect to said base.

3. The security clamp as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein said lower retention bridge is further provided with a cross bar extending between said opposed pair of bridge legs and positioned to ride below the upper surface of said base, thereby to prevent the lower retention bridge from being separable from said security clamp while at the same time providing a riding rail for said lower retention bridge to permit ease of variable adjustment along the length of said base.

4. The security clamp as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said base is further provided with a pair of opposed slots adjacent the upper portion thereof and adjacent to the pivotal mounting of said upper retention arm,

and said upper retention arm is provided with a pair of opposed lock slots along the lower edges thereof which coact with and are insertable through said opposed slots provided in said base,

and said base is provided with a lock assembly including a lock bar, whereby said upper retention arm, when pivoted into closed position inserts said lock slots into said slots provided in said base and said lock assembly may be mechanically actuated to slide said lock bar into locking engagement with said lock slots, thereby to lockingly engage said upper retention arm into the enclosed and locked position.

5. The security clamp as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein said lock receiving means comprises an archway and said lock means comprises a manually operated lock assembly including a lock bolt which is disengagably slidable through said archway to lockingly engage said elements.