U.S. patent number 3,738,134 [Application Number 05/111,287] was granted by the patent office on 1973-06-12 for lock box construction.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Monarch Tool & Manufacturing Company. Invention is credited to Mitchell A. Hall.
United States Patent |
3,738,134 |
Hall |
June 12, 1973 |
LOCK BOX CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
The lock box comprises a money receptacle upon which is
detachably mounted a separate lockable face member carrying
suitable bolt-work whereby the lock box may be secured within a
vault opening or the like. The lockable face member is made as a
universal part which is receptive of various kinds or styles of
locks to control the bolt-work, and provision is made for changing
or substituting locks without removing the money receptacle from
the lockable face member; and further, the bolt-work is made to
very simply avoid rattle or looseness of the lock box in the vault
opening.
Inventors: |
Hall; Mitchell A. (Ft. Thomas,
KY) |
Assignee: |
Monarch Tool & Manufacturing
Company (Covington, KY)
|
Family
ID: |
22337623 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/111,287 |
Filed: |
February 1, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
70/86; 70/370;
70/417 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E05B
65/46 (20130101); Y10T 70/7655 (20150401); Y10T
70/7921 (20150401); Y10T 70/5133 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
E05B
65/46 (20060101); E05B 65/44 (20060101); E05b
015/16 (); E05b 065/46 () |
Field of
Search: |
;70/63,85-88,224,370,381,417,451,452,461 ;312/107.5,333
;109/50,52 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Wolfe; Robert L.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A lock box mountable in an aperture of a cabinet wall, and
comprising in combination; an open-topped coin receptacle
dimensioned for passage through said aperture, said receptacle
having a front upright wall, side walls and a back wall, said front
wall having inner and outer faces, said front wall having an
opening therethrough, a transversely bored forward face member
having a rear surface and peripheral edges; means for mounting said
face member upon the receptacle in substantial covering relation
with said outer face of said receptacle front wall; a lock normally
supported within the transverse bore of the face member, said lock
including an elongate cylinder having at one end an enlarged head,
and at the other end a shaft rotatable by means accessible at the
head end of the lock cylinder, the other end of the shaft extending
through the front wall and into the receptacle, a seat within said
bore providing an abutment for the lock cylinder head, to limit
projection of the cylinder inwardly through said bore; bolt means
carried by said face member, including at least one bolt movable to
extended and retracted position relative to a peripheral edge of
the face member, to engage a marginal portion of the cabinet wall
aperture incident to extension of the bolt means; connecting means
adjacent the opening in the inner face of the front wall and
detachably mounted upon the lock shaft for moving said bolt means
incident to rotation of said shaft; the connecting means being of a
dimension slightly smaller than the opening but still substantially
cover the same, a displaceable lock cylinder anchor means adjacent
the opening for normally holding the lock cylinder head stationary
relative to the seat aforesaid; the lock cylinder being bodily
withdrawable forwardly from said bore upon displacement of said
anchor means and said connecting means inwardly into said
receptacle, leaving intact the coin receptacle mounted on the face
member.
2. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the face member
is formed as a metallic casting of substantial mass and thickness
such that transverse bores of different sizes may be formed therein
to receive locks having differing length or diametral
dimensions.
3. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the face member
is formed as a metallic casting of substantial mass and thickness
such that the lock cylinder head seat may be formed therein at
selected distances from the rear surface of the face member.
4. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the enlarged head
of the lock cylinder is recessed in the bore of the face
member.
5. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein said connecting
means mounted upon the lock shaft extends laterally from said shaft
and describes a circle arc while rotating with said shaft; and the
opening is dimensioned to encompass said circle arc.
6. The combination as defined by claim 5, wherein the face member
is formed as a casting of substantial mass and thickness such that
the lock cylinder head seat may be formed therein at selected
distances from the rear surface of the face member.
7. The combination as defined by claim 6, wherein the enlarged head
of the lock cylinder is recessed in the bore of the face
member.
8. The combination as defined by claim 2, wherein is embedded in
the mass of the metallic casting one or more hardened metal inserts
highly resistant to penetration by cutting tools.
9. The combination as defined by claim 8, wherein the hardened
insert or inserts are embedded in the mass flanking the transverse
bore of the face member.
10. A lock box mountable in an aperture of a cabinet wall, and
comprising in combination: an open-topped coin receptacle
dimensioned for passage through said aperture, said receptacle
having a front upright wall, side walls and a back wall, said front
wall having inner and outer faces, said front wall having an
opening therethrough, a transversely bored forward face member
having a rear surface and peripheral edges; removable fastening
means displaceably mounting said face member upon the receptacle in
substantial covering relation with said outer face of said
receptacle front wall; a lock normally supported within the
transverse bore of the face member, said lock including an elongate
cylinder having at one end an enlarged head, and at the other end a
shaft rotatable by means accessible at the head end of the lock
cylinder, the other end of the shaft extending through the front
wall and into the receptacle, bolt means carried by said face
member, including at least one bolt movable to extended and
retracted positions relative to a peripheral edge of of the face
member, to engage a portion of the cabinet wall incident to
extension of the bolt means; connecting means adjacent the opening
in the inner face of the front wall and detachably mounted upon the
lock shaft for moving said bolt means incident to rotation of said
shaft; the connecting means being of a dimension slightly smaller
than the opening but still substantially cover the same, a lock
cylinder anchor means adjacent the opening for normally holding the
lock cylinder head stationary within the bore aforesaid: the
dimension of the opening in relation to the size of the connecting
means being such as to allow passage of the connecting means
through the opening upon removing the fastening means mounting the
frame member to the front wall of the receptacle.
11. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the extendable
and retractable bolt is formed initially of flat sheet metal, and a
portion thereof is bent laterally from the normal plane thereof to
cam against said engageable portion of the cabinet wall when the
bolt is extended.
12. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein the face member
is formed as a casting of substantial mass and thickness such that
transverse bores of different sizes may be formed therein to
receive locks having differing dimensions of length or
diameter.
13. The combination as defined by claim 12, wherein the enlarged
head of the lock cylinder is recessed in the bore of the face
member.
14. The combination as defined by claim 12, wherein is embedded in
the mass of the casting one or more hardened metal inserts highly
resistant to penetration by cutting tools, said inserts being in
flanking relationship to the transverse bore of the face
member.
15. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the extendable
and retractable bolt is formed initially of flat sheet metal, said
bolt having an outer cam portion bent laterally from the normal
plane thereof to wipe and bear against said engageable portion of
the cabinet wall as the bolt is extended.
16. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the extendable
and retractable bolt is formed initially of flat sheet metal, and a
portion thereof is bent laterally from the normal plane thereof to
cam against said engageable portion of the cabinet wall when the
bolt is extended.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art is well represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,835,
issued Oct. 4, 1966, to M. A. Hall, wherein is disclosed a money
receptacle upon which is demountably supported a separate lockable
face member carrying bolts extendable by turning a key in the lock
carried by the face member. The device of the patent emphasizes
quick detachability of the face member from the receptacle, whereas
in the device of the present invention, detachment of the face
member is an incidental feature of little consequence or
importance.
In the prior art devices, any necessary or desirable replacement of
locks involves substantial disassembly of the lock box, including
removal of the money receptacle from the lockable face member, and
the skilful disassembly and reassembly of the boltwork mechanism.
In fact, lock replacement cannot be achieved in the prior art
devices, without first disassociating the face member from the
money receptacle. This limitation is particularly undesirable in
structures wherein the face member is secured to the money
receptacle using a plurality of fasteners, some of which may be
quite inaccessible.
In the issued Hall patent, bolts actuated by the key lock engage
behind a flange of a vault opening, to preclude withdrawal of the
money box. Although the bolts project from all sides of the lock
plate or face member of the box, no provision is made for
preventing noisy vibration or rattle of the box within the vault
opening when the vault is subjected to vibration such as may occur
when a motor-driven dispenser or the like is operating within or
upon the vault structure.
In the effort to eliminate noise from vibration it has been common
practice to cushion the money box or the face member with rubber
gaskets or rubber pimples insulating these parts from the vault
structure. Such cushioning means is expensive to apply due to the
labor involved; and in time the rubber parts deteriorated or became
detached, so that servicing was a continuing item of expense and
annoyance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the provision of a face member
or lock plate for money boxes, designed to facilitate and expedite
the changing or substitution of locks, and moreover, to accommodate
different kinds and sizes of locks currently in use upon lock
boxes. Otherwise stated, the improved face member or lock plate is
practically universal in character, so that it may be supplied at
low cost to users or fabricators of various types of money boxes
and locks therefor.
In addition to the foregoing objective, it is an object of the
present invention to provide for expediting and facilitating very
materially the substitution of locks, and to accomplish this
without disassembling the boltwork and without detaching the face
member from the money receptacle of the lock box assembly. This
results in substantial savings of time and labor, and eliminates
the possibility of reassembly errors on the part of the serviceman
resulting in malfunction of the lock box contituents.
Another object of the invention is to provide simple, durable and
inexpensive means for precluding vibration and accompanying noise
or rattle of the lock box structure while supported upon a
motor-driven machine, such as a coin-controlled dispenser of goods
or services. Such means is designed to require no servicing or
replacement of parts, and is very simply incorporated in the
boltwork of the face member without the use of rubber gaskets,
bumpers, or the like.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, the face member
may be a die casting of metal properly armored against cutting or
drilling, yet easily machineable when necessary to support locks of
different types or sizes. The boltwork is case hardened and treated
to resist corrosion, and has a 30 to 1 ratio of movement with the
locking key, to ensure ease of boltwork manipulation without risk
of key damage. The money receptacle is formed of high-impact
plastic, and will not therefore induce electrolysis with coins
deposited therein.
Another objective achieved by the present invention involves
eliminating a security ring at the lock face, by recessing the lock
barrel in the outer surface of the face member. The face member
being a casting, it can advantageously be made thick enough and
cored to permit recessing of the longest as well as the shortest of
lock barrels currently in use for money box purposes.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by the
means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying
drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved lock box of the
present invention, showing its relationship to a vault or casing
carrying a coin slide which delivers coins to the open top of the
coin receptacle of the lock box.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken through the lock and receptacle of
FIG. 1, on a horizontal plane.
FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sections similar to FIG. 2, showing the
incorporation of locks having short and long cylinders.
FIGS. 5 and 6 are fragmentary cross-sections of the face member as
formed to accommodate the different kinds and sizes of lock
cylinders shown by FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.
FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 2, with the
boltwork shown projected.
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the lock box
construction.
FIG. 9 is a fragmental sectional view of the vault front panel
supporting a lock box, the boltwork thereof being shown
conventionally in locking relationship with marginal surfaces of
the front panel opening.
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing one of the locking
bolts sprung to one side of its normal operating plane, to cam
resiliently against the vault opening margin for the purpose of
eliminating play and rattle.
In the drawings is represented generally, at 12, a lock box
embodying the present invention, and at 14 is indicated a vault,
machine cabinet, or other enclosure having an upright wall or panel
16 in which is formed an opening 18 loosely receptive of the lock
box. The cabinet 14 may be furnished with a coin slide 20 above
opening 18, adapted to deliver coins into the lock box from time to
time. The coil slide may be in control of a dispensing machine or
the like, for dispensing goods or services in accordance with
common practice.
The lock box comprises a coin receptacle 22 formed preferably of a
high impact moldable plastic, and a forward lockable face member or
face plate 24 which is fabricated as a relatively thick metal
casting, such as a die casting, which is dimensioned to cover the
entire outer face of the forward wall 26 of receptacle 22.
Receptacle 22 of course has a rear wall, side walls, a bottom wall,
and an open top.
The forward wall 26 of receptacle 22 may be apertured at various
marginal locations to receive screws or other fasteners 28 adapted
to enter tapped holes in the back of face member 24, whereby the
receptacle may be rigidly mounted upon the face member, subject to
demounting if desired. The screws are accessible only when the lock
box assembly is displaced from cabinet opening 18. Receptacle 22 is
provided also with a central enlarged aperture 30, later referred
to.
Face member 24 is preferably a metal casting of substantial mass,
which is quite thick at its central portion and may taper outwardly
to a thinner peripheral edge 32. The mass of metal at the central
portion of the casting is sufficient in amount to permit the
formation of a transverse bore or passageway 34 therein, which bore
or passageway may be larger or smaller in diameter or effective
length, to accommodate different sizes and makes of lock cylinders
36. In this connection, a comparison of lock cylinder sizes is
evident by referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.
When casting the face member 24, any one of several cores may be
incorporated in the die to establish the size of bore 34 to be
formed, this being determined by the size and type of lock to be
installed. At present, there are three or four major forms of locks
to be considered for incorporation into the face member. One lock
has a very long cylinder (FIG. 4), one a very short cylinder (FIG.
3), and one other has a cylinder of intermediate length, FIG. 2.
The several lock cylinders may or may not be standardized as to
diametral dimension, but in any event the die core to be used in
casting of the face member will complement the lock cylinder to be
installed. In this way, the face member may be formed in a single
die common to all face members generally required, so that the face
member produced in the common die may be considered a universal
product, and as such it is manufacturable at low cost.
The cylinder bore 34, in the light of the foregoing explanation,
may be short or long to accommodate any of the several forms of
locks, and will usually include an annular internal seat 38
providing an abutment determining the extent to which the lock
cylinder may be advanced into the bore from the front of the face
member. Seat 38 preferably is recessed in the bore as shown, to
ensure a recessed protected condition of the lock cylinder head 40
at all times, thereby eliminating the need for the customary
security ring.
The outer end of bore 34 may be outwardly flared as at 42. In some
instances, it may be desirable to interpose a spacer ring 44 (FIG.
2) between head 40 and seat 38.
The lock head 40 may have the usual keyhole to receive a key 46
which when properly inserted therein may be rotated, for imparting
rotation to a lock shaft 48 projecting from the inner end of the
lock cylinder. The cylinder and said shaft may be provided with
diametral flats as suggested by FIG. 8. The cylinder is provided
with external screw threads 50, and screw threads 52 are provided
on the free end portion of lock shaft 48.
A nut 54, preferably one of the 12-point variety with a long body,
is adapted to be screw-threaded onto the threads 50 of the lock
cylinder, to draw the cylinder head 40 tightly against seat 38. The
nut will be seen to include a serrated flange 56 (FIG. 8) to be
gripped in rotating the nut onto and off the cylinder threads.
The smooth shank of nut 54 adjacent to flange 56, supports for
rotation thereon a centrally apertured cam plate or disc 58, which
has a pair of spiral slots 60, 60 disposed between the disc
periphery and central aperture 62 thereof. Each of the slots 60 is
adapted to slidingly accommodate a cam follower 64 which may be in
the form of a laterally extended lug that projects through an
opening 66 formed in a back plate 68. Back plate 68, as best shown
in FIGS. 2 and 9, may be a protective hard steel plate secured
against the rear surface of face member 24 in any suitable manner,
as by means of screws 70, 70.
Each cam follower 64 may be a lug integrally formed on a lock bolt
72, FIG. 7, wherein it is explained that the bolt 72 at the top of
FIG. 7 is L-shaped, having one arm which is horizontal, and a
second arm 73 depending therefrom along the left side of FIG. 7.
The lower end of the depending arm is pivoted upon part 24 at the
approximate axis of that screw 28 which appears at the lower left
corner of FIG. 7. Accordingly, a counterclockwise rocking of bolt
72 upon its axis, as in FIG. 7, results in an outward projection of
outer marginal portions of said bolt arms beyond the peripheral
edges of the face member; and conversely, a clockwise rocking of
said bolt about its pivot results in an inward retraction of the
bolt arms within the limits of the face member periphery.
The foregoing description is applicable to both of the L-shaped
bolts 72, 72. The cam follower lug 64 of each bolt reposes in one
spiral cam slot 60 of the cam disc. Accordingly, rotation of the
cam disc or plate 58 enforces displacement of the follower lugs and
their bolt arms toward or from the axis of shaft 48, depending upon
the direction of rotation imparted to plate 58 by the lock shaft
under the control of key 46.
Rotation of the lock shaft may be imparted to cam plate 56 through
the agency of a connecting means in the form of a drive plate or
disc 74 fixed in driving relation upon the lock shaft. Part 74 may
be notched at 76 to receive a tongue 78 on plate 58, whereby the
parts are caused to move in unison. A central opening 80 in plate
74 is adapted to receive the free end of shaft 48, and includes a
flat cooperating with the flat of the shaft whereby said plate is
keyed for rotation with the shaft. A nut 82 and accompanying lock
washer are applied to the threaded end of shaft 48, for detachably
mounting the plate 74 thereon.
For any further detailed explanation of the boltwork, reference may
be had to the aforesaid Hall U.S. Pat. No. 3,276,835.
It may here be pointed out that the enlarged aperture 30 of
receptacle wall 26 is of a size such as to encompass the cam plate
58, and to permit passage of the cam plate and the connecting plate
or driver 74 therethrough, in the event that screws 28 are removed
to demount the coin receptacle from face member 24. In practice,
however, demounting of the coin receptacle is not ordinarily
resorted to. But the enlarged aperture 30 serves another purpose,
as explained below.
Assuming that the lock 36 of FIG. 2 requires replacement with
another lock of the same type, the serviceman will merely remove
nut 82 and drive plate 74, thereby gaining access to cylinder jamb
nut 54. Removal of nut 54 takes with it the cam plate 58 which is
loose thereon, and releases lock cylinder 36 for bodily withdrawal
of the cylinder forwardly through the central bore of face member
24, leaving intact the boltwork confined by back plate 68 and
requiring no demounting of coil receptacle 12. Quite obviously, the
installation of a substitute or replacement lock involves merely a
reversal of the procedure.
The aforesaid reassembly of the lock box structure is accomplished
with a minimum of time and labor, and affords the servicemen no
opportunity to improperly reassemble the structure and thereby
cause malfunction.
In each of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the reference numerals 84 indicate
hard metal inserts placed or embedded in the cast material of the
face member at its rear surface. If desired, the inserts may be
deposited in pockets preformed in the face member incident to the
casting operation. In any event, the inserts are highly resistant
to penetration by cutting tools, and are strategically located to
protect vital elements of the bolting and locking elements. The
inserts may flank the central bore of the face member, to preclude
use of a hole saw in the effort to isolate the lock and
disassociate it from the face member. Protection is afforded also
by the hard metal back plate 68.
In FIG. 7, the reference numerals 86 indicate wire or leaf springs
acting constantly to urge the bolts 72, 72 outwardly to an
operative bolting position, thereby ensuring a bolted condition of
the lock box even though the bolt extending and retracting
mechanism may be destroyed or rendered inoperative.
As will be understood, according to FIG. 1, the lock box structure
comprising the elements 12 and 24, may be inserted into the opening
of wall 16 with bolts 72, 72 retracted by means of key 46. After
the bolts pass beyond wall 16, the peripheral edge 32 will limit
insertion of the face member into the wall opening, whereupon key
46 may be manipulated to extend the bolts 72, 72 to locked position
behind marginal portions of wall opening 18.
If bolts 72, 72 do not bear firmly upon the inner surface of wall
16 when extended (see FIG. 9), the box structure may vibrate and
rattle in the opening 18 particularly if cabinet or vault 14
supports motor-driven equipment.
To eliminate rattle and noise resulting from circumstances such as
are mentioned above, the initially flat metal bolts are subjected
to lateral bending out of their normal initial plane, along the
outer margins thereof as at 88, FIG. 10, in order to endow the
bolts with a camming or wedging action against the inner surface of
wall 16. Because the bolts are formed of a material such as steel
sheet, they have a degree of inherent resiliency which assists in
maintaining a firm though somewhat yielding contact of the bolt
outer margins against the inner face of wall 16, thereby to
eliminate or at least minimize any tendency of the assembly to
rattle or produce noise when subjected to vibration.
The elimination of noise and rattle in accordance with the
foregoing teaching, can be achieved almost instantly, on the job,
and at no expense. Once the bolts have been deformed slightly as
taught, to achieve the advantage stated, they will never require
future servicing such as is always necessary when rubber bumpers or
resilient gaskets are used in dampening noise or vibration.
The above described treatment may be applied to one or more bolts
of the lock box structure, as may be required. It is possible to
apply the bending treatment to both arms of both bolts shown in
FIG. 7, if that be necessary, or adopted as a regular practice.
* * * * *