AU2001287749B2 - Safety money box for public telephones - Google Patents

Description

SECURITY CASHBOX FOR PUBLIC TELEPHONES

DESCRIPTION

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cashbox for public telephones that has been specially designed and structured in order to avoid the fraudulent extraction of the collection of the telephone, both by violation of the cashbox itself and by improper operation of its means of locking.

The invention is of application in the field of public telephony, specifically within the ambit of devices for the collection of coins, tokens or any other means of payment that is defined.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the public telephones that accept coins as means of payment, there is an internal cashbox wherein the collection is deposited until it is recovered by the personnel authorized for this purpose.

This cashbox is frequently subjected to fraudulent actions by drills, blowtorches or any other means of perforation. This is the reason why this type of device is usually manufactured with high-strength materials and equipped with a security lock.

However the use of the mentioned materials, besides making the cashbox significantly more expensive, does not signify an adequate degree of protection since the perforation operations are merely hindered and their occurrence is not prevented, since as it is a matter of a rigid element, this can finally be perforated by a drill, blowtorch or any other means of those commonly used for such an end. In like manner security locks can also be forced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The cashbox that the invention proposes resolves in a fully satisfactory manner the problem outlined above and for this its characteristics are based on the use, for the cashbox body, of a dual casing defined by an internal enclosure and another external, between which a chamber is established that allows the interposing of different types of elements such as metal bands, rods, balls, bars or any other means that is considered opportune to prevent the violation of the cashbox and subsequent removal of the collection deposited therein.

On the other hand the system for opening the enclosure of the cashbox basically comprises a bolt operated by means of a key of those termed ball keys", and a system for blocking said bolt, with the special particularity that this blocking system is inside the enclosure of the cashbox and is therefore inaccessible, it being impossible to open the door of the cashbox no matter how much the key of the bolt is manipulated.

This system of blocking the bolt is achieved by means of a motor or any other means of operation that is considered opportune, a pawl and a worm screw, operatively coupled. Preferably, the operation of the blocking system will be activated after the validation of an access code via the telephone keypad. Notwithstanding, such operation can be implemented by rany other means that is considered opportune, since it is simply a question of sending a certain electric signal to the electro-mechanism.

O The type of blocking key employed permits that when the bolt is blocked and it is attempted to actuate the key, the "loose" turning of said key occurs when the maximum force for opening is surpassed.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided a 00 oO security cashbox for public telephones, wherein a body thereof is constituted by Smeans of two casings, one internal and the other external, between which a cavity is S 10 established, wherein said cavity includes interposed elements or means for enhancing the degree of resistance of a double wall of said cashbox against different methods of perforation DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complete the description that is being made and for the purpose of assisting in a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical embodiment thereof, as an integral part of said description, the same is accompanied with a set of drawings in which by way of illustration and not restrictively, the following has been represented: Figure 1 shows a schematic representation in front elevation of the enclosure of a security cashbox for public telephones implemented in accordance with the object of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a profile in cross-section of the cashbox represented in the preceding figure.

Figure 3 shows a cross-section in plan view of the same cashbox, according to the cut along line A-B of figure 1.

Figure 4 shows, finally, another cross-section in plan view of the cashbox, in this case according to the 04/07/06,sw13283 p3 claims.3 cut along line C-D of figure i.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In the light of the figures mentioned it can be seen how the cashbox proposed is constituted by means of an internal casing and an external casing enclosing the first one, that define between each other a cavity wherein are housed the elements that are considered appropriate for establishing a certain level of protection against perforation of the cashbox and subsequent removal of the collection deposited in its interior. In this sense and as has already been mentioned, in said cavity metal bands, rods, balls, bars, abrasive elements or any other means can be included that are considered opportune for preventing the action of conventional means of perforation.

Thanks to this double wall of the cashbox an effective protection is achieved against perforation of the enclosure as well as a reduction in the technical requirements of the material that constitutes each of the two cases for a same level of protection.

Complementarily and from the point of view of opening the cashbox incorporates a central key that acts simultaneously on two guides opposite each other, provided with respective racks being associated to each of these guides a pair of bolts for blocking the door of the cashbox over the mouth of the body thereof, in correspondence with four points relatively close to its corners.

With the bolts an electro-mechanism (9) collaborates which, through a blocking element immobilizes the bolts in the closed position, so that in said position the withdrawal of said bolts proves impossible no matter how much it is attempted to actuate the central key since on surpassing a level of force in the operation thereof and as is habitual, the latter disengages from the guides through a system of balls rotating loosely" without transmitting any movement.

With the electro-mechanism a lateral key (11) collaborates that also acts to block the bolts (7) operable through the main key Having an electromechanical device that works the blocking system of the bolt makes it possible for the removal of the collection contained in the cashbox to be controlled or be initiated from the element that collects the coins, tokens or similar means of payment, with the increased security that this implies. Thus, any authorization mechanism validated from this collector element, like an access code or similar procedures for example, will imply the actuation of the blocking mechanism of the bolt.

Once the blocking is withdrawn and by means of a purpose-designed handle, the collection personnel will operate the key of the door of the cashbox, after which it will be possible to remove said door leaving it suspended by a single hinge particularly visible in figure 4, as a supporting element.

In the event that the access code introduced were not validated, the motor that works the blocking system would receive no power supply and the final result would be that the blocking pins (16) would remain in the initial position, impeding the movement of the bolts (7) In this situation and as already mentioned, when operating the key the maximum force allowed for this type of ball key would be surpassed, and the turning of said key would be loose" rendering impossible the withdrawal of the bolt.

Since the blocking system is internal to the enclosure of the cashbox and is therefore inaccessible, it will not be possible to open the door of the casing no matter how much one manipulates the key of the bolt or any other element.

Claims (7)

1. Security cashbox for public telephones, wherein a body thereof is n constituted by means of two casings, one internal and the other external, between O which a cavity is established, wherein said cavity includes interposed elements or means for enhancing the degree of resistance of a double wall of said cashbox against different methods of perforation. 00

2. The security cashbox according to claim 1, wherein said cashbox further Sincludes bolts for blocking a door to said internal casing in the closed position, which N, are operable by means of a central key, are assisted by a motor-driven blocking system, included in an electro-mechanism that activates in turn in a pin or any other mechanism of blocking said bolts in the closed position.

3. The security cashbox according to claim 2, wherein said key for operating said bolts is a ball lock so that, when a force is applied thereto that surpasses a predetermined value with said bolts in the blocked position, said key disengages from said bolts and turns "loosely" rendering impossible the transmission of force.

4. The security cashbox according to claim 3, wherein said door is connected with said internal casing through a hinge from which said door is suspended when the withdrawal of said bolts takes place.

The security cashbox according to any one of claims 2 to 4, while said opening key is of external access, said electro-mechanism is disposed entirely inside said internal casing.

6. The security cashbox according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein operation of the electro-mechanism for unblocking said bolts takes place through an internal mechanism of validation, either by validation of an access code or any other validation system. 04/07/06,sw13283 p3 caims,7

7. A security cashbox for public telephones, substantially as described herein Swith reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 4 th day of July, 2006 SIEMENS S.A. By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE 00 04/07106.sw 3283 p3 claims,8