Abstract: A system for deterring theft is made up of a clamp for attaching to a small item of merchandise such as a wallet, check book wallet or pocketbook and a spreading tool for attaching the clamp to and removing it from the item. The clamp is a generally U-shaped clamp having two clamping arms with a relatively strong biasing force between them. Padding is provided on the inside surfaces of the clamping arms. At least one of the clamping arms is provided with teeth which, when the clamp is attached to the item, will cut into the surface of the item if an attempt is made to slide the clamp relative to the item. The spreading tool opens the clamping arms against the biasing force to allow the clamp to be attached to or removed from the item. The preferred tool has biasing springs which tend to keep the jaws in a nearly closed equilibrim position. In a second embodiment a sliding retainer keeps the clamp in place relative to the spreading tool while the clamp is being attached to the item.

Abstract: A back-up battery system for a switching equipment load in a telephone central office wherein the back-up battery system includes one or more rechargeable batteries having cells floated at a given float voltage and of a number such that when the batteries are switched in circuit across the load, the voltage of the batteries exceeds a minimum load voltage for a preselected period, and further being of a number such that the float voltage of the batteries exceeds a maximum load voltage.