Flexible Walled Security Container

Abstract

A flexible walled security container having an opening provided with slide fastener means along the edges of the opening and locking means carried by the container in position to releasably retain the slider of the slide fastener means in position closing the container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The area of the instant invention is broadly that of seucrity devices for slide fasteners, and is especially concerned with flexible walled security containers, such as those presently employed by banks, and other institutions for carrying valuables. The device of the present invention is of the general type disclosed in prior U. S. Pat. No. 1,950,415. While the device of said patent has well served its intended function for many years, there are now proposed certain improvements thereover to enhance convenience and ease of use, while increasing the security afforded to the contents of a container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a security device of the type described which facilitates the ease and rapidity with which a user may engage a slider into and remove the slider from its container closing position.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a slider receiver having increased accessibility, so that a slider may more surely be placed in the receiver for positive locking therein, and may more easily be removed from the receiver during proper opening procedure, all without detracting from security of the container.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a security device of the type described for use in conjunction with a flexible walled container, wherein a unique configuration and relationship of parts serves to effectively preclude any possible probe or other instrument for entering the container or in any way tampering with the contents of the container.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a security device having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is of simplified construction, so as to effect savings in materials and other manufacturing costs.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparaent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view illustrating a locking means of the present invention, in a locked condition, apart from the remainder of the security device.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the locking means in an open or unlocked condition.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view showing the locking means of FIGS. 1 and 2 incorporated in a flexible walled container or bag in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, and illustrated in a bag locking condition.

FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the assembly of FIG. 3, as viewed generally along the line 4--4, and partially broken away to illustrate the cooperating relationship between parts.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal elevational view similar to FIG. 3, but illustrating the container in an unlocked condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the locking means is there generally designated 10, and includes a block-like body 11 having a generally rounded outer end surface 12, and a relatively square or flat inner end surface 13. The upper end 14 of the body 11 may be provided with an outer extension, flange or ledge 15 projecting beyond the rounded body surface 12. Fastener receiving openings 16 may be provided in the body 11 adjacent to and spaced below the upper body end 14, for a purpose appearing presently.

Adjacent to and spaced below the upper body end 14, projecting from and generally normal to the inner body end wall 13, is a jaw or receiver 20. In practice, the jaw or receiver 20 is advantageously integrally formed with the body 11, as by die casting or other suitable manufacturing procedure.

The upper or outer surface 21 of the jaw or receiver 20 is formed with an upwardly opening or facing recess 22. The recess 22 is generally of a horseshoe shaped outline configuration, being defined within an arcuate bounding wall 23 facing generally away from the body 11 and communicating through the end surface 24 of jaw 20 by means of a reduced or necked down recess portion or passageway 25. The receiver recess 22 is best seen in plan in FIGS. 4 and 5. It will there be seen that a slider 28 of a slide fastener is generally conformably seatable in the receiver recess 22. That is, the generally tapering configuration of the slider 28 is conformably engageable in the recess 22, which tapers or reduces to the passageway or opening 25, which latter receives the reduced or narrower region of the slider. However, this is not a close fit of slider 28 in the recess 22. Rather, the recess 22 is elongated in the direction normal to the body wall 13, so as to be substantially greater than the length of the slider 28. The slider may then be engaged in the recess 22 without criticality as to slider position, for speed, convenience and ease in operation.

Additionally, the receiver or jaw 20 is provided on its upper surface with a pair of laterally spaced, upstanding projections or lugs 30, being on opposite sides of the reduced passageway 25, and providing effective barriers to removal of a slider from the recess 22 without raising the slider above the level of the lugs. The lugs 30 have their inner or adjacent surfaces flush with the adjacent side edges of the recess 22 and passageway 25.

The jaw 20 may advantageously be of generally rectangular outline configuration when viewd in plan, say as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, the jaw 20 extends laterally substantially beyond the recess 22, so as to define a pair of laterally outstanding wings 31, for purposes appearing more fully hereinafter.

Associated with the body 11 is a retainer 32, which includes a downwardly facing jaw or plate 33 overlying the jaw or receiver 20, and movable toward and away from the latter. More specifically, the retainer 32 includes a shank or slide 34 slidably engageable in the body 11 and shiftable therein between an extended position with the retainer plate 33 spaced away from the jaw 20, and a position with the retainer plate shifted toward the jaw.

The body 11 is provided interiorly with suitable mechanism for releasably securing the retainer 32 in its position of movement toward the jaw 20. For example, a rotary lock plug 35 is mounted in the body 11, having an upwardly facing keyway 36 operatively connected in conventional manner to the retainer 32 for key actuated release of the retainer.

Thus, the retainer plate 33 may be resiliently yieldably depressed downwardly toward the receiver 20 for snap engagement into a locking position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and may be key operated through rotation of plug 35 to release the retainer 32 to its open, elevated position of FIGS. 2 and 6.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the retainer plate 33 extends generally normal to the body wall 13, in parallelism with and over the jaw 20, but terminates at its outer end 37 short of the outer end 24 of the jaw 20. Also, the retainer plate 33 may taper or have its side edges 38 convergent in the outward direction to the end edge 37. This tapered, relatively short configuration of retainer plate 33 serves to afford greater and more convenient access to the receiver recess 22, as when engaging the slider 28 into and removing the slider from the recess. Additionally, the retainer plate configuration and size serves to reduce costs, all without sacrificing security.

In the assembly of locking means 10 with a flexible walled container, say as shown in FIG. 3, a container is there generally designated 40, and may include a pair of facing spaced flexible walls, as of fabric, or the like, joined together, as at 42, about the rounded or curved wall 12 of locking body 11. Further, the flexible walls 41 include an extension 43 doubled inwardly upon the remainder of the flexible walls and in embracing engagement with the body 11 about the rounded body surface 12. Securing the wall extension 43 in embracing engagement with the body 11 is a generally U-shaped strap or clamp 44 which is positively secured to the body 11, clamping therebetween the flexible flap 43, as by fasteners 45 secured in hole 16.

A reinforcement covering or patch 46, as of leather, may be secured exteriorly of the flexible walls 41 about the locking means 10, if desired.

The flexible side walls 41 of container 40 terminate at their upper edge regions 47, where they are provided with respective slide fastener tapes 48. That is, the upper edge regions 47 of the flexible side walls 41 define therebetween a container opening when the slide fastener tapes are separated or open. The slide fastener tapes 48, and slider 28 may combine to define a slide fastener generally designated 50. The slide fastener thus serves to close the container opening upon shifting movement of the slider 28 into a received position within the receiver recess 22. In this received, closed position, the slider tab 51 may extend outward beyond the retainer plate 33, providing a grasping element during movement of the slider into position within the receiver 22, and upon removal of the slider from the receiver.

It will now be appreciated that the receiver or jaw 20 extends from the body 11 along the container opening between the edges 47 of walls 41, and its recess 22 faces outwardly through the opening. Conversely, the retainer plate 33 extends along the opening between the edges 47 of container walls 41 and faces inwardly therethrough toward the jaw 20 and its recess. The jaw 20 and retainer plate 33 thereby cooperate to releasably retain the slider 28 and its gripping tab 51 in a positively held closed position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this closed position, see FIG. 4, it will be apparent that the slide fastener tapes 48 are covered by the overlying retainer plate 33, so that it is impossible to cause a tool or probe to enter beneath a tape. Further, the wings 31 of jaw 20 extend laterally outwardly to distend the covering regions of tapes 48, and effectively preclude the passage of even a very slender and flexible tool alongside of the jaw or body 11.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides a security device for a flexible walled container which enhances convenience, speed and ease with which the container may be opened and closed, and also enhances security of the device against unauthorized tampering, and otherwise fully accomplishes its intended objects.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A security device comprising a flexible walled container having an opening, fastener means including a slider shiftable along the wall edge margins bounding said opening to open and close said opening, and locking means carried by said container releasably retaining said slider in a position closing said opening, said locking means comprising a body fixed interiorly of said container adjacent to said opening, a jaw extending from said body along said opening and facing outwardly through said opening, said jaw being formed on its face with a recess for receiving said slider in said position, a retainer shiftably carried by said body extending along said opening and having one side facing inwardly through said opening toward said jaw recess, said retainer beng shiftable toward and away from said jaw while facing said recess to releasably retain said slider in said recess with said edge margin beneath said retainer, and a pair of lateral wings extending oppositely outwardly from said jaw to a lateral extent considerably beyond said slider to approximate that of said body, to underlie and distend said edge margins for precluding the insertion of a tool past one of said edge margins along said body.

2. A security device according to claim 1, said retainer extending along said opening and terminating short of said jaw to afford convenient access to said recess for insertion and withdrawal of said slider with less shifting of said retainer.

3. A security device according to claim 2, said recess being of a dimension in the direction of said opening greater than the corresponding dimension of said slider for quick and easy slider engagement in said recess with said retainer in position away from and facing toward said recess.