U.S. patent application number 10/060721 was filed with the patent office on 2003-07-31 for fire-resistant gun cabinet.
Invention is credited to Cleveland, Terri Peartree, Nichol, Douglas O., Pallo, R. David, Rhinewald, Richard J., Wildman, Kelvin H..
Application Number | 20030141794 10/060721 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27610073 |
Filed Date | 2003-07-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030141794 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cleveland, Terri Peartree ;
et al. |
July 31, 2003 |
Fire-resistant gun cabinet
Abstract
A fire-resistant container for use as a safe. The container is
formed of steel and is lined on its inner surface with
fire-resistant materials. The preferred fire-resistant materials
include mineral-filled paper-faced sheet material, commonly known
as "sheetrock," "gypsum board," or "drywall." The sheet material is
provided in various thicknesses depending upon the location within
the container. An air space is also provided between the
fire-resistant materials and the wall. A front wall of the
container is formed with an offset jamb for receiving a safe door
having a conventional combination lock controlling a plurality of
livebolts which are engaged behind a flange formed in the jamb. The
door is fitted with fire resistant materials in similar fashion to
the container walls, preferably magnesium board, and the jamb is
gasketed in intumescent material. A fire-resistant container in
accordance with the invention meets Sentry Self-Test 1 and is
suitable for storage of paper documents, firearms, and other
valuables.
Inventors: |
Cleveland, Terri Peartree;
(Holley, NY) ; Wildman, Kelvin H.; (Honeoye Falls,
NY) ; Pallo, R. David; (Fairport, NY) ;
Rhinewald, Richard J.; (Macedon, NY) ; Nichol,
Douglas O.; (Walsworth, NY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JAECKLE FLEISCHMANN & MUGEL, LLP
39 STATE STREET
ROCHESTER
NY
146141310
|
Family ID: |
27610073 |
Appl. No.: |
10/060721 |
Filed: |
January 30, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/409 ;
312/400 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05Y 2900/20 20130101;
E05G 1/024 20130101; A47B 81/005 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
312/409 ;
312/400 |
International
Class: |
A47B 096/04 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A fire-resistant cabinet, comprising: a) a rectilinear metal box
having walls and having an opening in a wall thereof and a jamb
surrounding said opening; b) a metal door pivotably disposed by at
least one hinge on said box and having an edge for matably engaging
said jamb for closure of said opening; c) insulative means disposed
within said box along at least one of said walls; and d)
intumescent means disposed along at least one of said door edge and
said jamb within said opening.
2. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 further comprising locking
means for securing said door to said jamb.
3. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 further comprising
insulative means disposed within said box along said door.
4. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 further comprising means
for spacing said insulative means from said walls to form an
insulative air space therebetween.
5. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insulative
means comprises a mineral-filled paper-faced sheet material.
6. A cabinet in accordance with claim 5 wherein said mineral-filled
paper-faced sheet material is gypsum sheetrock.
7. A cabinet in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means for
spacing includes magnesium board.
8. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 wherein said intumescent
material comprises hydrated sodium silicate.
9. A cabinet in accordance with claim 1 wherein said insulative
material and said intumescent material are configured and disposed
such that said cabinet meets the performance test conditions of
Sentry Self-Test 1.
10. A fire-resistant cabinet, comprising: a) a rectilinear metal
box having walls and having an opening in a wall thereof and a jamb
surrounding said opening; b) a metal door pivotably disposed by a
pair of hinges on said box and having an edge for matably engaging
said jamb for closure of said opening; c) locking means for
securing said door to said jamb; d) insulative means disposed
within said box along said walls and said door; e) intumescent
means disposed along at least one of said jamb and said door edge
within said opening; and f) means for spacing said insulative means
from said walls to form an insulative air space therebetween.
11. A cabinet in accordance with claim 10 further comprising vent
means extending through at least one of said walls of said box
between the interior and the exterior of said cabinet.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to fire-resistant containers;
more particularly, to fire-resistant safes or cabinets; and most
particularly, to a fire-resistant safe or cabinet comprising both
insulative and intumescent materials.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Containers for temporarily protecting their contents from
damage from external heat is sources such as fire are well known.
Such containers are said in the art to be "fire-resistant" and
typically are rated for integrity over a specific exposure
temperature and/or time. Lockable fire-resistant containers are
known as fire-resistant "safes" and are widely used for storage of
documents, firearms, or other valuables which may be damaged or
destroyed by exposure to high temperatures. For example, various
models of fire-resistant safes are available from Sentry Group,
Rochester, N.Y. 14625 USA.
[0003] A stringent fire endurance test is found in Underwriters
Laboratories Standard 72, part 1, which requires a container to
maintain an internal temperature of less than 350.degree. F. while
the container is thermally ramped up a prescribed time-temperature
curve from room temperature to 1550.degree. F. over 30 minutes.
Some prior art fire-resistant safes achieve such resistance to fire
by having relatively thick walls and large mass. Such a safe is
expensive to manufacture, costly to purchase, and cumbersome to
transport.
[0004] A less stringent but highly useful fire endurance test
(referred to herein as "Sentry Self-Test 1") is identical in all
respects to UL Standard 72, part 1, except for requiring a maximum
exterior temperature of only 1200.degree. F.
[0005] What is needed is a fire-resistant safe or cabinet which is
inexpensive to manufacture, easy to transport, and meets the
requirements of Sentry Self-Test 1.
[0006] It is the primary object of the invention to provide an
improved fire-resistant safe or cabinet for storage of documents,
firearms, or other valuables which is inexpensive to manufacture,
easy to transport, and meets the requirements of Sentry Self-Test
1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention is directed to a fire-resistant container for
use as a safe. The container is formed of steel and is lined on its
inner surface with fire-resistant materials. The preferred
fire-resistant materials include mineral-filled paper-faced sheet
material, commonly known as "sheetrock," "gypsum board," or
"drywall." Preferably, the sheet material is provided in various
standard thicknesses depending upon the location within the
container. Preferably, an air space is also provided between the
fire-resistant materials and the wall. A front wall of the
container is formed with an offset jamb for receiving a safe door
having a conventional combination lock controlling a plurality of
livebolts which are received behind a flange formed in the jamb.
The door is fitted with fire-resistant materials in similar fashion
to the container walls, and the locking mechanism has an inner
cover formed preferably of magnesium board, and the jamb is
gasketed in intumescent material. A fire-resistant container in
accordance with the invention meets Sentry Self-Test 1 and is
suitable for storage of paper documents, firearms, and other
valuables.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of
the invention, as well as presently preferred embodiments thereof,
will become more apparent from a reading of the following
description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is an isometric view from the front of a
fire-resistant container in accordance with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is an isometric view from the right side and rear of
the container shown in FIG. 1, showing the location of a vent hole
in the container back;
[0011] FIG. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of a section
formed by plane 3-3 in FIG. 1;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an equatorial cross-sectional view of a section
formed by plane 4-4 in FIG. 1; and
[0013] FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the jamb and door arrangement
shown in circle 5 in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 5, a fire-resistant container
10 in accordance with the invention comprises a rectilinear box 12
closed by a door 14 pivotably attached to box 12 by external hinges
16. Box 12 defines an outer wall of the container and is preferably
formed of sheet steel, preferably about 3 mm thick. Door 14 is also
preferably formed of sheet steel about 3 mm thick. Door 14 is
received in an offset jamb 18 formed around the opening of box 12,
the jamb being offset to prevent direct ingress of implements to
the interior of the box. Door 14 is provided with a conventional
combination lock 20 operationally connected to a conventional
livebolt array 22 controlled by a central handle 24. Upon rotation
of handle 24, livebolts 22 are received conventionally behind, or
withdrawn from, a flange 25 formed around jamb 18 (FIG. 5). Door 14
is provided with an inner cover 28 for covering the locking and
livebolt mechanisms.
[0015] Box 12 comprises a top wall 30, back wall 32, side walls 34,
and bottom 36. All walls and the door are lined along their inner
surfaces with a fire-resistant composition 38, preferably a
mineral-filled paper-faced sheet material, commonly known as
"sheetrock," "gypsum board," or "drywall." Preferably, the
fire-resistant composition 38 is off-spaced from the inner surfaces
of the walls by incombustible spacers 44 formed of, for example, 9
mm magnesium oxide board, to provide an insulative air space 46
therebetween. Preferably, the sheet material 38a lining the top 30,
back wall 32, side walls 34, and bottom 36 is 0.625 inches
thick.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 5, a currently preferred configuration 52
is shown in the jamb region of the container. Side wall 34, front
wall 54, jamb 18, and flange 25 cooperate to form a structural cove
56 that frames the doorway. Preferably, cove 56 is filled with
combinations of composition 38 having thicknesses of 0.375 inches
(38b), 0.500 inches (38c), and 0.625 inches (38a). Door 14 is
insulated similarly to the walls; however, inner cover 28
preferably is formed of magnesium oxide board similar to the
material employed in spacers 44. Door 14 is further provided with
an edge 62 formed to conform with jamb 18 which defines a
labyrinthine space 64 therebetween. Door gasket 66 disposed on and
surrounding the entire edge of door 14 is formed preferably of a
sodium silicate intumescent material, for example, PALUSOL P or
PALUSOL PM, available from ODICE S.A. Fire Protection. This
material can expand, upon dehydration by heat, to at least five
times its original thickness, rapidly filling space 64 with a
rigid, non-combustible foam with a high level of thermal insulation
and thereafter preventing ingress of flame and smoke into box 12.
Alternatively, gasket 66 may be disposed on jamb 18 instead of door
edge 62 to equal effect.
[0017] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the intumescent material gives
off significant amounts of water vapor or steam during intumescence
which requires venting to the exterior of the box. Therefore, at
least one vent hole 68 preferably is provided in bottom 36
extending from the exterior of the box to the interior 49.
Additionally, one or more vent holes 68a may be provided, extending
from the exterior of the box through preferably back wall 32 into
air space 46, to prevent thermal distortion of the box as the air
expands, which holes may be surrounded on the inner surface of back
wall 32 by a mineral paper patch (not shown) to help prevent
plugging of the hole during exposure to fire.
[0018] In operation, when container 10 is exposed to high external
temperature, heat conducted through the walls of box 12 is
initially absorbed in the outer surface of fire-resistant
composition 38. Transmission of heat thereto is retarded by air
space 46. Heat transmitted through the outer surface is initially
abosrbed by the core portion of composition 38. Heat penetrating
along labyrinthine space 64 is initially absorbed by intumescent
gasket 66 which rapidly swells to close space 64, thereby sealing
completely the perimeter of door 14 against jamb 18.
[0019] Although a fire-resistant container in accordance with the
invention may be incapable of meeting the highly-rigorous
conditions of UL Standard 72, part 1, the combination of sheetrock
insulation, preferably off-spaced by an insulative captive air
space, and an intumescent door gasket does permit such a container
to meet the less-demanding conditions of Sentry Self-Test 1. Such a
container, therefore, can be highly useful in providing
inexpensive, light-weight, fire-resistant storage of firearms,
documents, and other valuable items susceptible to damage by
fire.
[0020] The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the
invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration and
description. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor is it intended
to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that the disclosed embodiments
may be modified in light of the above teachings. The embodiments
described are chosen to provide an illustration of principles of
the invention and its practical application to enable thereby one
of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various
embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the
particular use contemplated. Therefore, the foregoing description
is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true
scope of the invention is that described in the following
claims.
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