Abstract: An improved attachment mechanism for a reusable theft deterrent tag of the type that includes a tack assembly as part of the attachment mechanism. The provided attachment mechanism includes a tack assembly having an elongated tack body connected to a tack head. A retaining member is attachable to the tack head and forms a loop to provide a variety of additional attachment positions for attachment to various articles to be protected and/or identified. The tack head includes at least one recessed area under the tack head on the side adjacent the tack body to receive at least one end of the retaining member. When the tack body is inserted into a theft deterrent tag, the tack head rests relatively flush against the tag body, capturing the retaining member end in the recessed area.

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 pin-and-clutch theft-deterrent device that enables instantaneous detection of separation-force tampering with the theft-deterrent device. The device includes a pin in one component and a clutch assembly in a second component for attaching the device to an article to be protected by grasping the pin with the clutch to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart; a force-sensitive switch assembly for detecting application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force applied in opposition to the predetermined retaining force; and a transponder coupled to the switch assembly for responding to an irradiated interrogation signal by radiating an alarm signal when the switch assembly detects application to the two components of at least the predetermined threshold separation force.

Abstract: A clamp includes a U-shaped member having a pair of legs, with each leg having a cavity in the side of the leg facing the other leg; and a clutch for receiving and restraining the legs of the U-shaped member. Pads are attached to the insides of the legs for clamping an article between the legs to deter the theft of such article. The clutch includes a housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for respectively receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a chamber between the channels, with the chamber being open to the channels; two bails disposed for movement within the chamber; a highly magnetically attractive plunger disposed within and at one end of the chamber; and a spring for biasing the plunger to move into such contact with the balls as to force the balls against respective inclined surfaces disposed at the other end of the chamber for respectively guiding the balls toward different channels.

Abstract: A clamp for use as a theft deterrent device includes a U-shaped member having first and second legs, with each leg including a shelf disposed on the inside edge of the member and extending laterally toward the opposite leg; a housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a slot extending between the longitudinal channels; a pair of overlapping plates disposed for separate movement within the slot into and away from different ones of the longitudinal channels, with each plate including a row of teeth disposed on a longitudinal edge of the one plate that moves into one channel for engaging the shelf on one leg of the U-shaped member received by said one channel to prevent removal of the one leg from the channel.

Abstract: In a device for deterring theft of a protected article, including a pin and clutch respectively embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of the protected article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, the pin-containing component contains two fragile elongated glass vials that fracture when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with the vials containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if such substance were to be released from the vial; and the head of the pin includes a breaker element having a wedge-shaped surface of a fiber-loaded-reinforced thermoplastic, (which does not scratch glass), for applying more than the predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force, to thereby completely fracture the vials by inducing a high bending stress

Abstract: A device for deterring theft of a protected article, including a pin and clutch for attaching the device to the article, with the pin and clutch being embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of the protected article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article. The pin has a head that is anchored within one component; and the clutch in the other component grasps the pin to provide a predetermined retaining force for resisting separation of the components by prying or pulling the components apart.

Abstract: In a device for deterring theft of a protected article, including a pin and clutch respectively embodied in two components that are adapted to be locked together on opposite sides of a portion of the protected article to prevent unauthorized removal of the device from the article, the pin-containing component contains two fragile elongated glass vials that fracture when at least a predetermined pressure is applied thereto, with the vials containing a detrimental substance that would damage an article attached to the device if such substance were to be released from the vial; and the head of the pin includes a breaker element having a wedge-shaped surface of a fiber-loaded-reinforced thermoplastic, (which does not scratch glass), for applying more than the predetermined pressure against the vial in response to the pinhead being moved in response to application to the two components of at least a predetermined threshold separation force, to thereby completely fracture the vials by inducing a high bending stress