U.S. patent application number 15/784665 was filed with the patent office on 2018-04-26 for firearm cabinet.
The applicant listed for this patent is Hornady Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Matthew Mack.
Application Number | 20180110331 15/784665 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 61971595 |
Filed Date | 2018-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180110331 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mack; Matthew |
April 26, 2018 |
FIREARM CABINET
Abstract
A firearm cabinet for storing firearms is provided. The firearm
cabinet is comprised of an interior compartment which is defined by
a top panel, a plurality of side panels, a back panel, a front
panel, and a bottom panel. The front panel includes a framework
opening for display of the contents therein. Along the edge of each
side panel and front panel is an open hem to allow ease in
assembly. The side panels and front panel slidably cooperate with
each other for assembly. Along the edge of the top and bottom
panels, a lip extends about the periphery thereof. The lip includes
openings that cooperate with corresponding openings along the side
panels, back panel, and front panel. The openings are sized to
allow a fastener having a round head to be inserted therein and
affixed. The rounded head fastener prevents tampering from the
exterior of the firearm cabinet.
Inventors: |
Mack; Matthew; (Grand
Island, NE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hornady Manufacturing Company |
Grand Island |
NE |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
61971595 |
Appl. No.: |
15/784665 |
Filed: |
October 16, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62412597 |
Oct 25, 2016 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B 47/0075 20130101;
A47B 81/005 20130101; A47B 47/025 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47B 81/00 20060101
A47B081/00; A47B 47/00 20060101 A47B047/00 |
Claims
1. A firearm cabinet comprising: a top panel having first lip
extending from a marginal edge portion thereof; a bottom panel
having a second lip extending from a marginal edge portion thereof;
a pair of side panels having a first flange along a rear side edge
of a first main panel portion and a second flange along a front
side edge of the first main panel portion, said first and second
flanges forming generally U-shaped front and rear channels opening
toward one another; a back panel having a second main panel portion
having first and second attachment members each extending along a
respective opposite side edge thereof, each attached to a
respective said first flange, said first lip and second lip each
being attached to the side panels and back panel with mechanical
fasteners; and a door assembly including a hinge along one side
edge of a door and a latch assembly configured to selectively lock
the door in a closed position.
2. The cabinet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second
channels extend along the length of the side panels, and wherein
the back panel having a second main panel portion and the first and
second attachment members extending along the length of the back
panel and inwardly from the second main panel portion, said first
and second attachment members each forming a second channel opening
toward the second main panel portion, each said second channel
being in interlocking engagement with a respective said side panel
rear channel, securing the side panels to the back panel.
3. The cabinet of claim 1 wherein the back panel attachment members
each including a third flange extending along the length of and
inwardly from the second main panel portion and being generally
perpendicular thereto, said second flanges each having a plurality
of through apertures, said first flanges each including a first
bight and a first leg, said first legs each including a plurality
of through first apertures aligned with a plurality of through
third apertures in each said third flange and including a plurality
of mechanical fasteners each extending through a pair of aligned
first and third apertures securing the back panel to said side
panels.
4. The cabinet of claim 3 wherein the second flange having a second
bight and a second leg, said second leg being generally
perpendicular to its respective first main panel portion, said
hinge having a first leaf attached to the second leg with a
plurality of mechanical fasteners.
5. The cabinet of claim 4 wherein the second flanges each including
an arm extending from a respective said second leg toward the
opposite said second flange forming door stops.
6. The cabinet of claim 5 wherein the top and bottom panels being
of substantially identical construction.
7. The cabinet of claim 6 wherein the top and bottom panels each
having a fourth flange along the front edge thereof, wherein the
fourth flanges each having a fourth bight, a fourth leg and a
fourth arm, said fourth arms each extending from a respective said
fourth leg toward the opposite said fourth flange forming door
stops.
8. The cabinet of claim 7 wherein the latch assembly including a
pair of bolts each having a portion positioned internally of an
inside surface of a respective said fourth arm when the latch
assembly is in a door locking position.
9. The cabinet of claim 3 wherein the mechanical fasteners securing
the back panel to the side panels having a head and a shank, at
least a portion of the shank being threaded and a portion having an
outer shape configured to fit in a respective said through aperture
to resist rotation of the mechanical fastener in the through
aperture.
10. The cabinet of claim 9 wherein the mechanical fasteners
including carriage bolts and castle nuts.
11. The cabinet of claim 9 wherein the mechanical fastener heads
being positioned between the first leg and the first main panel.
Description
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0001] In accordance with 37 C.F.R. 1.76, a claim of priority is
included in an Application Data Sheet filed concurrently herewith.
Accordingly, the present invention claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 62/412,597, entitled "FIREARM
CABINET", filed Oct. 25, 2016. The contents of the above referenced
application are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a device for storing guns
and, in particular, a lightweight storage cabinet that breaks down
for easy transport and assembly to provide secure storage in places
where it is not normally available.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Owning and collecting firearms are popular hobbies of many
around the world. Many owners and collectors of weapons, rifles,
shotguns, handguns, knives, and the like, are interested in
showcasing their collections; thus, many do so by storing the
weapons in a firearm rack. A firearm rack is typically comprised of
a framework with rails, bars, hooks, or pegs for holding or storing
firearms in a horizontal position. The firearms are mounted on the
firearm rack, and showcased for the pleasure of viewing, as well as
being accessible to the owner at any time. Some racks display the
firearms in a vertical orientation, particularly long guns.
[0004] Firearm racks are effective at storing weapons; however,
they are not secure or theft resistant. Firearms are relatively
expensive, and a modest firearm collection can be worth a
significant amount of money. Thus, the mere presence of a firearm
rack may alert others that firearms are present within a household,
and could possibly lead to theft of firearms, as well as other
contents within the home. Furthermore, while firearm racks are
useful, they are sometimes not particularly attractive furniture
pieces. Therefore, many firearm racks are located within garages,
basements, or other less conspicuous areas, which tend to make the
contained firearms not readily available should quick access be
required. Thus, there remains a need for an attractive firearm
storing and showcasing unit at an affordable price. High quality
safes are available, but can weigh a thousand pounds or more, are
difficult to move, and can highly load a supporting floor.
[0005] Another problem with firearm racks is that, although a
firearm is readily accessible from the rack to an owner, it is also
readily accessible to small children. The lack of an encasing or
safety locks makes for a potential attractive nuisance to young
children. Additionally, there exists a need for a way to safely and
securely store firearms and other weapons without the disadvantages
described above.
[0006] A firearm cabinet is a secure and protective storage
container for one or more firearms and/or ammunition for those
firearms. Firearm cabinets are primarily used to prevent access to
unauthorized or unqualified persons, for burglary protection, and
to protect the contents from damage during a flood, fire, or
natural disaster. Firearm cabinets were traditionally made of fine
high quality wood with etched glass fronts for display, so as not
to become an eyesore in many firearm collectors' homes. A firearm
cabinet for the secure storage of firearms provides many benefits.
However, in order to encourage the use of firearm cabinets, it
should be attractive in appearance, allow quick access to the
firearm in the event of an emergency, and preferably, should be
capable of being located in a variety of settings.
[0007] Currently, there are a number of commercially available
firearm cabinets and storage cabinets designed for residential
settings. However, these firearm cabinets and safes are typically
large and heavy for shipping purposes, as they are shipped as a
single assembled unit. Many people travel for work, school, and
extended vacations. These people often desire to take at least a
portion of their firearm collection with them for recreation and
protection. However, the large heavy nature of firearm cabinets
makes shipment and set up of the devices impractical for short
terms. Storage cabinets that are not specifically manufactured for
firearm storage uses are too easily broken into to make a suitable
storage device. A simple screwdriver provides access to the
contents of these devices, as the panels do not suitably interlock
or overlap. Many contain bolts that are easily disassembled from
the exterior of the cabinet, and thus depart from the intention of
the firearm cabinet, which is to provide secure storage void from
tampering. Accordingly, there exists a need for a firearm storage
device that is compact and light weight for storage and transport,
easily assembled and securely stores firearms while allowing easy
access to the interior of the cabinet to the owner, and provides
protection against unintended access to the firearms to others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A firearm cabinet for storing firearms and/or other items is
provided. The firearm cabinet is comprised of a fully enclosable
interior compartment which is defined by a bottom wall, a top wall,
a pair of side walls, a back wall, and a door assembly. It is
packaged as a kit for assembly by a purchaser.
[0009] In one form, the walls are constructed as independent panels
with connectors that extend along the edges of the panels for
connection to adjacently positioned panels to create a secure
assembly that extends along the entire edge of each panel. In
particular, each side panel, back panel, and front door frame are
provided with an open hem extending along the edges of the panel.
The open hem type panel connectors are constructed to allow the
panels to be shipped in an unassembled condition, and easily
assembled on a desired site to provide an overlapping interlocking
connection between the panels. The use of hems allows assembly by
relative longitudinal movement between adjacent panels. This
construction provides a lightweight storage cabinet that can be
easily transported and set up on a desired site. The overlapping
interlocking connectors on the panel edges provide security against
prying instruments to protect objects stored within the firearm
cabinet from unintended users or handlers of the stored firearms.
The front panel includes an opening sized to cooperate with the
door assembly for access and display of the contents contained
within the firearm cabinet. A lip extends about the periphery of
the edge of the door frame for cooperation with the door assembly.
Apertures are provided, and in predetermined spacing through the
open hems to accept carriage bolt type fasteners with lock nuts on
the inside of the cabinet. In this manner, only the round head
surface of the carriage bolts are visible to anyone viewing the
cabinet from the outside. Placing fasteners through the interlocked
hems reinforces the overlapping structure and further prevents an
intruder from opening the cabinet at the seams to take items from
inside the cabinet. The door assembly may be provided with any
suitable lock arrangement, including, but not limited to, radio
frequency identification, lock and hasp, biometrics, combination,
etc., that is suitable for restricting access to the interior of
the cabinet.
[0010] In a second embodiment, the independent panels have
interconnectable edge margins configured to be joined by mechanical
fasteners. The top panel and bottom panel are also configured for
joining with mechanical fasteners. All the panels are relatively
thin and planar for compact packaging.
[0011] Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention
provide a firearm cabinet that provides secure storage while
allowing for cost-effective shipping and transport, and ease in
assembly.
[0012] It is another objective of the present invention to provide
a firearm cabinet that is compact, and which securely stores
firearms while allowing easy access to the firearms.
[0013] Still another objective of the present invention is to
provide a firearm cabinet that improves the utilization of space
within the confines of the cabinet by incorporating the fasteners
along the edges of the panels to maximize the interior space of the
cabinet.
[0014] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a firearm cabinet that provides suitable firearm security against
theft or improper usage and does not require excessive effort
and/or time to store and retrieve firearms from the secure
cabinet.
[0015] It is still yet another objective of the present invention
to provide a firearm cabinet that is aesthetically pleasing to look
at without detracting from the safeguarding purposes thereof.
[0016] An even further objective of the present invention is to
provide a firearm cabinet comprised of panels that are
substantially planar so that they can be more easily shipped or
stored in a compact configuration by a manufacturer.
[0017] Still another objective of the present invention is to
provide a firearm cabinet including panels having cooperating open
hem assemblies for ease in assembly from a kit by the owner.
[0018] Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide
a firearm cabinet having fasteners that interact with the side
panels and back panel to prevent unwanted access to the interior of
the cabinet.
[0019] Still yet another objective of the present invention is to
provide a firearm cabinet which is constructed to provide fire
protection for a limited time.
[0020] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
locking firearm cabinet. Which may include a transparent
polycarbonate front panel or panel portion and/or transparent side
panels or panel portions.
[0021] Other objects and advantages of this invention will become
apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with
any accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of
illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention.
Any drawings contained herein constitute a part of this
specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present
invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGS.
[0022] FIG. 1 is an assembled view of the firearm cabinet;
[0023] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the firearm cabinet;
[0024] FIG. 3 is a top view of the firearm cabinet without the top
and bottom panels;
[0025] FIG. 4 is a detailed representation of the open hem and
fastener assembly of the firearm cabinet;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a top view of the open hem and fastener assembly
of the firearm cabinet;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a side view of the lip along the top and bottom
panels of the firearm cabinet;
[0028] FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a second
embodiment of a gun cabinet;
[0029] FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective back side view of a
cabinet door;
[0030] FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the cabinet taken along line
9-9 of FIG. 7;
[0031] FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the cabinet taken along line
10-10 of FIG. 7; and
[0032] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view of a cabinet side
panel and back panel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in
Various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter
be described a presently preferred, albeit not limiting, embodiment
with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be
considered an exemplification of the present invention and is not
intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments
illustrated.
[0034] Referring now to a first form of the invention, illustrated
in FIGS. 1-6, a firearm cabinet 1 for storing firearms is provided.
It is to be understood that while a preferred use is for firearm
storage, the cabinet can be used to store other items like jewelry,
bows, knives, fishing equipment, tools and the like, alone or in
any combination. However, it will be referred to as a firearm
cabinet herein. The firearm cabinet 1 is comprised of an interior
compartment 3, which is defined by a plurality of wall panels,
including a top panel 10, a plurality of side panels 20, a door
assembly 30 forming a front, a back panel 40, and a bottom panel
50. The panels 10, 20, 40, and 50, and door assembly 30, can be
constructed of powder-coated steel, which provides a level of fire
protection. However, an alternative embodiment may include wall
panels that are constricted of polycarbonate material, which may be
layered and adhered together in a stacked arrangement. The panels
10, 20, 40, and 50, and door assembly 30, have main panels that are
substantially planar so as to facilitate ease and compactness in
packaging, shipping and storage. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
door assembly 30 includes a frame opening structure 32 for
cooperation with portions of the door assembly. The door assembly
30 can be similar to the door assembly 130 (FIG. 8), but has the
frame opening 32. The door assembly 30 is preferably steel with a
lockable latch assembly 134; however, in at least one embodiment,
other material selections are considered, such as, but not limited
to, polycarbonate or the like, The latch assembly 134 can include a
key lock and/or combination lock 204, separately or in combination
with radio frequency identification, lock and hasp, biometrics,
etc., to secure the latch assembly in a closed condition and effect
opening mechanically by a user or electronically. The polycarbonate
may be layered and glued together to create a laminate structure
that is extremely resistant to penetration, While still providing a
clear view to the contents of the cabinet. Like the steel door
assembly, the polycarbonate door assembly may also include a latch
assembly 134 of various varieties that are suitable for keeping
unwanted persons from accessing the contents of the cabinet.
[0035] In the preferred embodiment, there is a pair of side panels
20, each having a front and rear open hem 24 along the edge 22 of
each side panel 20 for use in assembly. The side panels 20 are
preferably the same, and can be used as either a left-side panel or
a right-side panel. Additionally, along he edge 34 of the frame
opening structure 32 and edge 42 of the back panel 40 is an open
hem, 36 and 44, respectively, for assembly. The hems 24, 36 and 44
are attachment members utilized to join the panels 20, 30, 40
together by sliding one into the other with longitudinal movement
between the panels. The side panels 20, back panel 40, and door
assembly 30 slidably cooperate with each other by interlocking the
open hems, 24, 44, 36, respectively, as shown FIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The
door assembly 30, back panel 40, and pair of side panels 20 provide
a parallelepiped shaped interior compartment 3 and have main panel
portions 31, 41 and 21 respectively. As shown in FIG. 3, the side
panels 20 have an open hem 24 facing outwardly, and the open hem 36
and back panel open hem 44 are bent at 90 degree angles and face
inwardly. The pair of side panels 20 can be used on either side of
the firearm cabinet 1 during assembly. The door assembly 30 is
distinct from the back panel 40 because of the frame opening
structure 32 and door assembly 30, The open hems 24, 44, 36 on the
pair of side panels 20, back panel 40, and door assembly 30 slide
together for assembly as shown in FIG. 5.
[0036] The top panel 10 and bottom panel 50 can be of substantially
identical construction and thus interchangeable. As showy FIG. 2, a
lip 14 and 54 extends along the periphery 12 and 52 of the top
panel 10 and bottom panel 50. The lips 14, 54 include holes 16, 56
that cooperate with corresponding holes 26, 38 and 46 along the
side panels 20, door assembly 30, and back panel 40. On the top
panel 10 and bottom panel 50, the holes 16, 56 are located on the
corners thereof, shown in FIGS. 2 and 6. The holes 16, 26, 38, 46,
and 56 are sized to allow a fastener 60 having a round head 62 to
be inserted therein and affixed, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The
rounded or domed head fastener 60 prevents tampering from the
exterior of the firearm cabinet 1. On the side panels 20, back
panel 40, and door assembly 30, the holes 26, 46, 38 are located on
the top and bottom edge and intersect the open hems 24, 44, 36. The
interlocking open hems 24, 44 and 24, 34, combined with the
fasteners 60 extending through the interlocking hems, prevent easy
entrance to the contents of the cabinet with a prying instrument
The hems 24 open inwardly and the hems 36, 44 open outwardly and
form open sided channels. In a preferred embodiment, the holes 16,
26, 38, 46, and 56 have a square shape to accept the square
shoulder 64 of the fastener 60. Preferred fasteners 60 are carriage
bolts. The fasteners 60 are preferably comprised of high strength
carriage bolts 61 and locking flange nuts or castle nuts 68. The
carriage bolt 61 includes a rounded head 62 and a shank with a
square shoulder 64 and threaded end 66. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6,
the square shoulder 64 cooperates with the square hole 56 on the
bottom panel 50 to prevent relative rotation. As shown in FIG. 5,
the rounded head 62 prevents tampering from the exterior of the
firearm cabinet 1, and the threaded end 66 extends past the last
square hole into the interior 3 of the firearm cabinet, which is
the hole 26 on the side panel open hem 24 (not shown, but also
occurs on all the remaining side panel holes), and accepts a
threaded nut 68 for assembly of the firearm cabinet 1. Beads,
ridges or the like may be added to any of the panels to increase
rigidity of the panel(s).
[0037] Referring now to a second embodiment of the invention,
illustrated in FIGS. 7-11, a firearm cabinet 101 for storing
firearms is provided. The firearm cabinet 101 is comprised of an
interior compartment 103, which is defined by a plurality of wall
panels including a top panel 110, a plurality of side panels 120, a
door assembly 130, a back panel 140, and a bottom panel 150. The
panels 110, 120, 140, 150, and door panel assembly 130, can be
constructed of powder-coated steel which provides a level of fire
protection. However, an alternative embodiment may include wall
panels and door components that are constructed of polycarbonate
material, which may be layered and adhered together in a laminated
arrangement as described above. The panels 110, 120, 130, 140, and
150 are substantially planar so as to facilitate ease and
compactness in packaging, shipping and storage. As shown in FIG. 8,
the door assembly 130 includes a hinge 131 adapted for mounting to
a side panel 120 for hinged movement of a door 132 to selectively
close a cabinet opening 133. The door assembly 130 is preferably
steel; however, in at least one embodiment other material
selections are considered, such as, but not limited to, a
transparent material such as polycarbonate or the like. The
polycarbonate may be layered and glued together to create a
laminate structure that is extremely resistant to penetration while
still providing a clear view to the contents of the cabinet. Like
the steel door assembly, a polycarbonate door assembly may also
include a latch assembly of various varieties that are suitable for
keeping unwanted persons from accessing the contents of the cabinet
101. The door assembly can be a combination of materials, e.g.,
steel with a transparent polycarbonate insert. The side panels 120
can also be polycarbonate or the like as described for the door
assembly 130 or have polycarbonate inserts. The door assembly 130
can be symmetrical about its top to bottom center, to allow it to
be mounted for either a left-hand hinge or a right-hand hinge.
[0038] The door assembly 130 is provided with a lockable latch
assembly 134. The latch assembly 134 is operable to selectively
secure the door 132 in a locked condition, selectively closing the
opening 133. The latch assembly 134 is described below.
[0039] Preferably, the side panels 120 are of the same construction
and can be used as either a left-side panel or a right-side panel.
The side panels 120 have means along marginal edge portions
configured to attach one to the hinge 131 and both to the back
panel 140. As shown in FIGS. 7, 11, the side panel 120 has a main
panel portion 121 with a flange 122 at the back marginal edge
portion 123, and a flange 124 at the front marginal edge 125. The
flanges 122, 124 form open-sided generally U-shaped front and rear
channels opening toward one another. The bottom and top edges of
the panel are open to allow nesting of one panel 120 within the
other side panel 120 for packaging as a kit. The flange 122 is
generally L-shaped and has a bight 118 generally perpendicular to
the panel portion 121 and a leg 126 generally parallel to the panel
portion 121, and is spaced therefrom. The flange 124 includes a leg
127 generally spaced from and generally parallel to the panel
portion 121, and an arm 128 extending from the leg 127 and
preferably generally perpendicular to the leg 127. A bight 129
connects the leg 127 to the panel portion 121 and is generally
perpendicular to the panel portion 121. The arm 128 forms a door
stop, extending into the opening 133 behind the door assembly 130.
The arm 128 thus prevents a prying tool from getting behind the
door assembly 130 to force it open. The flange 122 is used to
connect a side panel 120 to an attachment member, such as flange
141 of the back panel 140. The flanges 141 are generally
perpendicular to a main panel portion 142 of the back panel 140 and
extend inwardly therefrom, The door assembly 130, back panel 140,
and pair of side panels 120 provide a parallelepiped or generally
rectangular solid shaped interior compartment 103. The pair of side
panels 120 can be used on either side of the firearm cabinet 101
during assembly. The flanges 122, 124 preferably extend the full
length or height of the panel 120 and are uniform in cross section
along their length. The flange leg 126 is perforated to effect
joining of the side panels 120 to the back panel 140 with
mechanical fasteners as described below. Either the leg 127 or
bight 129 could be perforated with through holes to allow mounting
of a leaf 148 of the hinge 131 thereto. The perforations can have a
square shape to accomodate the use of a carriage type bolt as a
portion of a mechanical fastener. The flanges 122, 124 and 141
extend along substantially the entire length of the side panels 120
and back panel 140 on opposite side edges thereof.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 7, lips 112 and 152 extend along the
periphery 111 of the top panel 110 and the periphery 151 of the
bottom panel 150 respectively. The top and bottom panels can be of
substantially identical construction and size, and thus be
interchangeable. The lips 112, 152 each include a plurality of
holes 113, 153 that cooperate with corresponding holes 158 and 149
along the side panels 120 and back panel 140. The holes 113, 153,
158 and 149 are sized to allow a fastener 160 to be inserted
therein and affixed, as shown in FIG. 7. The flanges 122, 124 can
also be provided with holes 159 to effect joinder of the panels 120
with the panels 110, 140 and 150 with fasteners 160. The heads of
the fasteners 160 are preferably inside the firearm cabinet 101,
and if not, are preferably rounded to resist tampering. The
fasteners 160 are preferably comprised of high strength carriage
bolts 161 and locking flange nuts 168. Castle nuts could also be
used. The carriage bolt 161 includes a rounded head, square
shoulder, and threaded end as described above. The fasteners 160
are as described above for the fasteners 60.
[0041] The cabinet, 1 or 101, can be provided with gun holders 180,
such as foam blocks with U-shaped notches suitably secured to the
panels 120, 140. Adhesive securement, fasteners, or the like, can
be used to hold the gun holders in place. One or more shelves 185
can also be suitably mounted inside either safe, preferably in the
upper portion of the interiors 3, 103.
[0042] The top and bottom panels 110, 150 can be of substantially
the same construction and interchangeable. As seen in FIG. 7, the
bottom panel 150, and hence the top panel 110, respectively, can
each be provided with a flange 190 similar to the flange 124 having
an arm 191 forming a door stop like arm 128, see FIG. 7. The arm
191 on the top panel 110 and the arm 191 on the bottom panel 150
extend toward one another, and the arms 128 on the opposite side
panels 120 extend toward one another. Opposite ends of the flange
190 form a notch 209 to accommodate receipt of opposite ends of the
flanges 124 therein. The top and bottom panels 110, 150 can be of
substantially identical construction, and thus interchangeable.
[0043] The latch assembly 134 can be of similar design, and the
latch assembly 134 will be described. The latch assembly 134, FIG.
8, includes a pair of elongate bolts 201 mounted to a rotatable
handle 203. The handle 203 is rotatably mounted to the panel 130,
and has a lock 204 operably associated therewith and accessible
from the exterior of the cabinet 101. The bolts 201 have distal end
portions 205, each selectively engageable with a portion of the
cabinet to releasably retain the panel 130 in a closed position. As
seen in the cabinet 101, the distal end portions 205 are held in
place by retainers 210 (such as illustrated in FIG. 10), one
adjacent the top panel 110 and one adjacent the bottom panel 150
and secured to the upper and lower portion of the door assembly
130. The bolts 201 can engage an interior surface of the respective
lips 112 and 152 when in an extended position, making their mounted
positions noncritical and allowing for right and left hinged
opening of the door assembly 130, When the bolts 201 are moved to a
retracted position, the door assembly 130 can be moved to an open
position.
[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the width of the back panel 140
is sufficient to allow the panels 120 to fit between the flanges
141 for nesting in a kit package.
[0045] It is to be understood that while a certain form of the
invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific
form or arrangement herein described and shown, It will be apparent
to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made
without departing from the scope of the invention, and the
invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and
described in the specification and any drawings/figures included
herein,
[0046] One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the
present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and
obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent
therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques
described herein are presently representative of the preferred
embodiments, are intended to be exemplary, and are not intended as
limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur
to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit
of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended
claims. Although the invention has been described in connection
with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that
the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such
specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the
described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to
those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *