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MECHANICALLY ACTUATED SWITCHES FOR BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEMS - LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS PROGRAM

NCJ Number
13384
Author(s)
G N STENBAKKEN
Date Published
1973
Length
30 pages
Annotation
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR MECHANICALLY-ACTUATED ELECTRICAL SWITCHES INTENDED FOR USE IN PROTECTIVE INTRUSION ALARM CIRCUITS TO MONITOR THE POSITIONS OF DOORS AND WINDOWS.
Abstract
THESE DEVICES CAUSE THE INITIATION OF AN ALARM SIGNAL TO A POLICE PANEL, CENTRAL STATION, OR LOCAL AUDIBLE ALARM DEVICE. THE DOCUMENT COVERS SWITCHES INTENDED FOR BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE AS WELL AS THOSE HAVING TAMPER RESISTANCE FEATURES. INCLUDED ARE REQUIREMENTS AND TEST METHODS FOR PERFORMANCE, ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES, AND MATERIALS. THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS ADDRESSED ARE THOSE THAT AFFECT THE RELIABILITY OF THE DEVICE, WITH EMPHASIS ON THOSE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH AFFECT ITS FALSE ALARM SUSCEPTIBILITY. THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS WHICH MUST BE CONTROLLED IN ORDER TO LIMIT FALSE ALARMS FROM MECHANICAL SWITCHES USED IN BURGLAR ALARMS INCLUDE COMPONENT MATERIAL, OPERATION FORCE, ENDURANCE, HIGH TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE, LOW TEMPERATURE PERFORMANCE, CORROSION, SHOCK, VIBRATION, DIELECTRIC STRENGTH, RAIN, AND DUST. THIS STANDARD DOES NOT PROVIDE PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR THE ABILITY OF THESE DEVICES TO RESIST ATTEMPTS TO DEFEAT THEM PHYSICAL OR SURREPTITIOUS ATTACK. THE USE OF THIS STANDARD IN THE PROCUREMENT OF MECHANICAL SWITCHES FOR BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEMS WILL ENSURE THAT THE SWITCHES HAVE A LOW PROBABILITY OF GENERATING FALSE ALARMS IN MOST LOCATIONS OF USE. (SNI ABSTRACT)