GB2218150A

GB2218150A - A safe

Info

Publication number: GB2218150A
Application number: GB8910049A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Patrick Sarsfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-05-04
Filing date: 1989-05-03
Publication date: 1989-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 2009-05-03
Also published as: GB8910049D0; GB2218150B

Abstract

A safe comprises a housing having an opening in communication with a chamber (19) of a member (18). The chamber (19) can only rotate if a bag is maintained in an open condition by a ram (25). With the bag in the open condition, the door of the safe cannot be opened. The ram (25) may be actuated by pneumatic means so as to close the bag which has means for self locking. When closed by the ram (25), the door (22) can be opened to remove the bag. The safe is primarily for use on buses or the like for the safe storage of money or tokens. <IMAGE>

Description

A SAFE This invention relates to a safe. In particular it relates to a safe for use on driver only operated buses and various types of security transport which can carry money or other valuables. The safe may also be used in a non-mobile installation.

In the operation of driver only buses (as distinct from a bus having a driver and a conductor, the latter having the task of collecting and accounting for fares), the driver has the additional responsibility of collecting fares from the passengers. It is known for driver only buses to incorporate a safe for the storage of money collected in fares from the passengers.

However, known safes have been found to have inadequate security. For example, in the case of a bus operating throughout the day, several drivers may be assigned to the bus at different periods of the day. At the end of the day, the last driver may have the task of emptying the safe and lodging the money with an authorised bus company official. The known safes do not provide sufficient tamperproof security to ensure that only authorised personnel can open the safe and securely transfer the money to an authorised lodgement site.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these problems.

The invention therefore provides a safe which comprises a housing; a security conscious opening in the housing for the receipt of money, tokens, other valuable articles or the like; means for removably mounting a receptacle within the housing which receptacle is adapted for receipt of the money; actuating means mounted in the housing for selectively opening or closing the receptacle; access means to the housing for the insertion or removal of the receptacle which access means has a first locking means; closure means operatively associated with the receptacle which prevents the money from passing into the housing except when the receptacle is present; and means operatively associated with the receptacle which locks the first locking means when the receptacle is in the open condition.

Preferably, the receptacle includes a locking means such that when closed by the actuating means, the receptacle is automatically locked and can only be opened by the insertion of an appropriate key.

Preferably, the access means comprises a second locking means actuatable by a key.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a safe according to the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the safe of Figure 1 of the drawings showing part of the interior thereof; Figure 3 is the safe of Figure 2 showing the interior thereof; Figures 4 and 5 is the safe of Figure 2 with a receptacle in position; Figures 6 and 7 are a perspective views of a receptacle for use with the safe of Figures 1-5 of the drawings; and Figure 8 is a detail of the receptacle of Figure 6 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a safe 10 according to the invention which comprise a housing 11 having a base 12; a straight back wall 13; a shaped front wall 14 integral with the back wall 13; and side walls 15, 16. The front wall has an opening 17 in the form of a slot. Rotatably mounted within the housing 11 is a cylindrically shaped member 18 having a chamber 19 therein. A knob 20 enables the member 18 to rotate through about 1800 wherein the chamber 19 is in register with the opening 17 or the chamber 19 is pointing directly towards the base 12. The side wall 15 has an access 21 closed by a door 22 supported by hinges 22a.

The door 22 supports a first lock 23 and a second lock 24.

Mounted in the housing 11 is a pneumatic ram 25 connected to a cylinder 26. The cylinder 26 is of the type which requires a positive air or fluid pressure to move the ram 25 into or out of the cylinder 26. Hence the cylinder 26 has two hydraulic fluid ports 27 and 28.

The cylinder 26 is supported by a bracket 29 attached to the front wall 14. Attached to the ram 25 is a support 30. The free end of the support 30 is attached to a bracket 31 having a first longitudinal slide rail 32 thereon. The end 33 of the bracket 31 supports a pip or projection 34. The side wall 15 supports a second longitudinal slide rail 35.

The back wall 13 supports a lever 36 at a pivot point 37. One end of the lever 36 terminates in a L-shaped end 38; the other end 39 is straight.

A receptacle or bag 40 is used with the safe 10. The bag 40 is essentially L-shaped being constructed of a leather or other suitably strong material. Each of the edges or lips of the open end of the bag 40 terminates in a respective metal element 41, 42. The metal element 41 essentially comprises a plate 43 terminating in a slide rail 44. The plate 43 also supports a pair of metal bars 45, 46 and a lock 47. In the plate 43 are two holes 48.

The metal element 42 essentially comprises a plate 49 terminating in a slide rail 50. The plate 49 also supports two pointed elements 57 and interengaging means (not shown) for the lock 47. The elements 57 are adapted for interengagement with the holes 48.

With particular reference to Figure 8 of the drawings, the metal bar 43 is attached to the bag 40 by means of rivets 52. The top 53 of the bag 40 is folded over so as to provide a tubular shaped recess 54 into which is inserted a metal rod 55. The rivets 52 are driven through the bag material via the fold 56 and the top 53 into the plate 43. The plate 49 is attached to the bag 40 in a similar manner.

With particular reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, the member 18 has projection 62 adapted for engagement with the lever 36. Two stop members 64 and 65 are provided on the back wall 13. Located below the member 18 and mounted between the side walls 15, 16 is a funnel shaped element 63. The base of the funnel shaped element 63 supports the second longitudinal slide rail 35.

The safe 10 operates as follows. The safe 10 can be used in a bus of the driver only type. The driver is responsible for the collection of the bus fares or tokens. Holes (not shown) in the housing 11 enable pneumatic air pipes connect the ports 27, 28 to the pneumatic system (not shown) of the bus. The flow of air through the pneumatic fluid pipes is controlled by a key switch (not shown) mounted in a suitable location in the bus. The driver of the bus would not be able to operate the key switch.

A more senior official of the bus company, for example, a bus inspector would initially operate the ram 25 to place it in the condition shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The inspector would also have a key for the second lock 24 and the lock 47 of the bag 40. The door 22 would be in the open condition. The bag 40, in the open condition is inserted into the housing so that the slide rail 32 engages with the slide rail 44 of the bag 40 and the slide rail 35 engages with the slide rail 50 of the bag 40. The bag 40 is inserted by slidable interengagement of the slide rails 32, 44 and 35, 50. As the bag 40 is inserted, the plate 49 or a projection (not shown) mounted thereon engages with the end 38 and moves the lever 36 so as to disengage the other end 39 of the lever 36 from the projection 62.

Having inserted the bag 40 (see Figure 4), the door 22 is closed and locked by the second lock 24. The door 22 is also held in a closed condition by the first lock 23 having a spring loaded catch 23a which engages with the wall of the access 21. The arrangement is such that even if a suitable key is inserted into the second lock 24, the door 22 cannot be opened.

Because the lever 36 has been disengaged from the projection 62, it is possible to rotate the member 18 by means of the knob 20 until the projection 62 engages with the stop member 65. The limit of rotation of the member 18 in an anti-clockwise direction is determined by the location of the stop member 64 which is adapted to engage with the projection 62.

The driver places money or tokens in the chamber 19 via the slot 17. The knob is then rotated clockwise (as viewed in the drawings) so as to rotate the member 18 through 1800. Further rotation of the member 18 is prevented by a stop means (not shown). The money or tokens fall from the chamber 19 into the bag 40 via the funnel shaped element 63. The knob 19 is now rotated anti-clockwise so as to place the chamber 19 in the upwardly facing condition for the receipt of further money or tokens.

At the end of a driver's shift or the end of the day, whichever is appropriate, an inspector removes the bag 40 from the safe 10. The removal of the bag 40 is carried out as follows.

The ram 25 is actuated by the insertion of the key into the appropriate lock which controls the flow of air through the ports 27, 28 mounted in the bus.

The ram 25 moves to the right (as viewed in the drawing) thereby pushing the metal element 41 towards the stationary metal element 42 of the bag 40. The elements 57 engage with the holes 48 which act as guides for enabling the lock 47 to lock the bag 40. With the ram 25 in the condition shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the position of the pip or projection 34 will be noted. This should correspond with the catch 23a of the first lock 23. The pip or projection 34 pushes the catch 23a down so as to release it from the wall 15 of the access 21.

The door 22 may now be opened by the use of a key inserted into the second lock 24. The locked bag 40 may now be slidably removed from the housing 11. Removal of the bag 40 causes the lever 36 to rotate so that the top 39 thereof engages with the projection 62. Accordingly, in the absence of a bag 40 even though the door 22 can be closed, the member 18 cannot be rotated. Accordingly, the safe 10 cannot be used in the absence of a bag 40.

The locked bag 40 is taken by the inspector and placed in a strongroom drop safe (not shown) which is mounted on a wall in the bus service area. The money is subsequently checked by the Bus Companies Accounts Department.

The ram 25 is now placed in the condition shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, an empty open bag 40 placed in the housing 11 and the door 22 is closed and locked.

The safe 10 is now ready for use again.

If desired, the ram 25 may be operated hydraulically or by a solenoid (not shown) or manually if desired.

It will be appreciated that the safe 10 can be used in locations other than a bus. In addition, it will be appreciated that the number and type of personnel having access to the various keys used with the safe can be assigned as required. In addition, tokens or other valuable articles may be stored in the safe 10.

The invention is not limited by or to the specific embodiment described which can undergo considerable variation without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A safe which comprises a housing; a security conscious opening in the housing for the receipt of money, tokens, other valuable articles or the like hereinafter referred to as money; means for removably mounting a receptacle within the housing which receptacle is adapted for receipt of the money; actuating means mounted in the housing for selectively opening or closing the receptacle; access means to the housing for the insertion or removal of the receptacle which access means has a first locking means; closure means operatively associated with the receptacle which prevents the money from passing into the housing except when the receptacle is present; and means operatively associated with the receptacle which locks the first locking means when the receptacle is in the open condition.

2. A safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receptacle includes a locking means such that when closed by the actuating means, the receptacle is automatically locked and can only be opened by the insertion of an appropriate key.

3. A safe as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the access means comprises a second locking means actuatable by a key.

4. A safe as claimed in any of claims 1-3 wherein the closure means comprises a chamber having a mouth; and means for rotating the chamber from a first position of use, wherein the mouth is in register with the opening, to a second position of use, wherein the mouth is in register with the receptacle.

5. A safe as claimed in claim 4 wherein means is provided for preventing rotation of the chamber from the first position of use to the second position of use in the absence of a receptacle in the housing.

6. A safe as claimed in claim 5 wherein the means comprises a lever means mounted in the housing incorporating a biasing means for urging the lever into engagement with the chamber and the means for moving the lever out of engagement with the chamber comprises the bag.

7. A safe as claimed in any of claims 1-6 wherein the actuating means comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement, the piston of which is connected to a first mounting means for one lip of the receptacle; the safe further comprising a second mounting means for the other lip of the receptacle; and wherein when in a first condition of use, the first mounting means is positioned remote from the second mounting means so that the receptacle is in an open condition and wherein in a second condition of use, the first mounting means is positioned closely adjacent to the second mounting means so that the receptacle is in a closed condition.

8. A safe as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first mounting means and the second mounting means each comprises a slide rail means; and wherein the lips of the receptacle each comprises a respective slide rail means adapted for slideable interengagement with the slide rail means of the first and second mounting means.

9. A safe as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement is operable by an electrically operated solenoid means.

10. A safe as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement is operable by hydraulic means.

11. A safe as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement is operable by pneumatic means.

12. A safe as claimed in any of claim 7-11 wherein the access means comprises a door and the first locking means comprises a catch including a biasing means for urging the catch into engagement with the housing so as to prevent the opening of the door and wherein the first mounting means comprises a catch engaging means so that when the first mounting means is in the second condition of use, the catch engaging means releases the catch out of engagement with the housing thereby permitting the opening of the door.

13. A safe substantially as hereinbefore described with references to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.