GB2340538A

GB2340538A - Secure container with concealed hinge

Info

Publication number: GB2340538A
Application number: GB9817876A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Malcolm Dickinson
Original assignee: STAIRWAY DISTRIBUTION Ltd
Current assignee: STAIRWAY DISTRIBUTION Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-18
Filing date: 1998-08-18
Publication date: 2000-02-23
Also published as: GB9817876D0

Abstract

A secure container suitable for storing valuables comprises an outer case 1 and door 6. The container can be mounted on a solid object. The door is centred within the aperture of the outer case by unit 12 located on a pivot 5. The door is secured by a lock 2 which operates an additional lock striker plate 8 which locates behind a vertical stanchion 9. The vertical stanchion 9 and horizontal reinforcement bars 11 prevent the inward collapse of the door when it is subjected to force and an outside stanchion (3, figure 1) protects the pivot from attempts to prise open the door.

Description

2340538 SECURE CONTAINER This invention relates to a secure container.

It has been found that occupiers of dwellings, whether owner occupiers or tenants, who have valuables including j ewelry, spare cheque books, storelcredit cards, deeds, insurance policies, purses, wallets, surplus cash money, computer disks, and sentimental items like photographs, are liable to have some or all of these items stolen, pilfered or damaged, because unless these items are under lock and key in a metal box, they are easily accessible to would be snatch thief s, pilferers or vandals. In attempting to prevent such stealing; pilfering or vandalism, it is not generally practicable to provide each dwelling with a commercial safe in which the above can be deposited as conventional safes are bulky, heavy and expensive, and require building into a wall requiring Building Regulation approval or fixing to a concrete base. Conventional security boxes suffer from the disadvantage that when attacked, the hinge and door locks are not of sufficient design or strength to withstand an attack using a club hammer for example, resulting in the hinge or lock, or both, breakin& and the door opening, allowing the contents to be removed.

An object of this invention is to provide a secure box wherin the door pivot, lock internal and external vertical stanchions and internal horizontal reinforcement bars all work in unison and strengthen the unit and provide additional resistance to attack.

According to the present invention there is provided a secure container comprising of a reinforced outer case which has means of securing the case in a fixed position for use, a door with means of securing the door to a pivot mechanism and the outer case, the pivot mechanism being adapted to centre the door in the aperture of the outer frame and form an integral part of the frame, the door being adapted to carry a lock which has means of engaging an additional locking mechanism. An attack with a heavy object causes all the parts to strengthen the unit in unison, and distortion and forced entry is kept to a minimum.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 shows in perspective the secure container with the door closed; Figure 2 illustrates the secure container with the door open and the locking and pivot methods shown.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1, the secure container comprises of an outer case 1 and a door 6 which form a box container which is secured to a wall or other immovable object by, for example, bolts or similar means (not shown). On the door, locks 2,7 & 8, and a pivot mechanism 5 & 12, are provided to centralise and provide a turning method for the door within the outer case, and add to the overall strength of the secure container and resistance to attack.

In order to operate the secure container, the items to be kept secure are deposited in the container, the door is closed and it abuts against the inside vertical stanchion 9 and horizontal 2 reinforcement bars 11 shown in Fig 2. The key is turned in the lock 2 and this turns the lock lever 8 and the linked striker plate 7. The striker plate 7 locates behind the inside stanchion stopping the door from being opened. The keys are removed from the lock and hidden or kept on the owners' person.

To avoid attempts to prise the door open at the pivot side, an outside stanchion 3 is secured over the gap between the case side and the door in Fig 1 and is of sufficient strength and construction to add to the structural integrity of the secure container.

The pivot has means 12 to centralise the door within the aperture formed by the outer case and lubrication of the pivot is provided by two holes shown in Fig 2.

To open the secure container and remove the items deposited, the steps described above are carried out in the reverse order.

An attack with a heavy object would be met by considerable resistance as all the components of the door and case would pull and push against each other in spite of on the angle of the blow being struck, thereby distortion and forced entry is minimised, as the noise of repeated blows would attract attention from third parties.

1.

Claims

CLAINIS

1 According to the present invention there is provided a secure container comprising of a reinforced outer case which has means of securing the case in a fixed position for use, a door with means of securing the door to a pivot mechanism and the outer case, the pivot mechanism being adapted to centre the door in the aperture of the outer frame and form an integral part of the frame, the door being adapted to carry a lock which has means of engaging an additional locking mechanism. An attack with a heavy object causes all the parts to strengthen the unit in unison, and distortion and forced entry is kept to a minimum.

2 A secure container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the door pivot means are provided on the door and the case to control the door turning circle.

3 A secure container as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the centring of the door within the aperture means is provided on the pivot.

4 A secure container as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the locking means is adapted to co-operate with the additional locking means in order to stop the opening of the door once the key has been turned and removed from the lock.

A secure container as claimed in any preceding claims with a means of avoiding attempts to attack or prise open the door from the pivot side wherein an outside stanchion is placed over the gap between the case and the door.

6 A secure container as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the pivot means can be mounted in the horizontal or vertical positions.

7 A secure container as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the pivot means is lubricated by at least one aperture in the pivot sleeve.

8 A secure container as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the pivot means forms an integral part of the case, pivot and door.

9 A secure container as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 2 of the accompanying drawings.