CA1112980A - Vaults and strongrooms - Google Patents

Vaults and strongrooms

Info

Publication number
CA1112980A
CA1112980A CA320,616A CA320616A CA1112980A CA 1112980 A CA1112980 A CA 1112980A CA 320616 A CA320616 A CA 320616A CA 1112980 A CA1112980 A CA 1112980A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
enclosure
atmosphere
oxygen
vault
carbon dioxide
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA320,616A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Raymond L. Sands
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Gunnebo UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Chubb and Sons Lock and Safe Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Chubb and Sons Lock and Safe Co Ltd filed Critical Chubb and Sons Lock and Safe Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1112980A publication Critical patent/CA1112980A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A62LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
    • A62BDEVICES, APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR LIFE-SAVING
    • A62B11/00Devices for reconditioning breathing air in sealed rooms
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E05LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
    • E05GSAFES OR STRONG-ROOMS FOR VALUABLES; BANK PROTECTION DEVICES; SAFETY TRANSACTION PARTITIONS
    • E05G1/00Safes or strong-rooms for valuables

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Pulmonology (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Emergency Management (AREA)
  • Storage Of Fruits Or Vegetables (AREA)
  • Gas Separation By Absorption (AREA)
  • Respiratory Apparatuses And Protective Means (AREA)

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure A vault or strongroom includes unitary and self-contained equipment for providing life-support within the sealed vault-enclosure. The carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere within the enclosure is monitored and a pump is operated if the monitored value exceeds a predetermined value, typically 1% or 2%.
Operation of the pump pumps air of the atmosphere through material that absorbs carbon dioxide and this, together with operation of a fan to circulate air in the enclosure is continued until the monitored content has been reduced, typically to 0.5%. Oxygen (or air) is released from cylinders for replacing the absorbed carbon dioxide and maintaining an oxygen level of about 18% or 19% in the enclosure. Release of oxygen is regulated by a valve device to maintain a variable - pressure (or oxygen level) - of the atmosphere within the enclosure substantially constant or within predetermined limits. The pump is operated concurrently with release of the oxygen.

Description

This invention relates to vaults and strongrooms.
Banks and other institutions are commonly provided with a vault or strongroom - which terms are embraced collectively hereafter, and in the claims, by the term "vault" alone - for the safekeeping of money and other valuables. It has long been recognized that there is danger if one or more persons become locked within the vault, and in this respect it is not un-common for ventilators or other devices to be provided through which air, and possibly also sustenance, may be passed to anybody trapped inside. However it must be recognized that the provision of ventilation or other access to the enclosure of the vault provides a potential avenue for attack on its physical security.
In particular, ventilators may readily enable entry of explosives.
In order to provide maximum assurance of physical security of a vault and avoid compromising its integrity under attack, it is desirable that the enclosure be completely sealed. There is then the distinct danger that any person locked inside will suffocate before release comes or relief can be provided. The danger is intensified significantly where a time lock is used on the vault door, and although safety procedures can be adopted to minimize the likelihood of anybody being trapped accidentally, the danger cannot be entirely eliminated. In the latter respect furthermore, there is always the possibility that where a robbery is committed, staff or others may be locked in the vault in order to delay
- 2 the raising of alarm and pursuit of the miscreants. If a large number of persons were forceably entrapped in this way, death could easily result unless release, or action to breach the door or wall to provide vent-ilation, is undertaken from the outside immediately, andis quickly achieved.
It is one of the objects of the present invention to make provision for life support within a vault that will enable the above-mentioned danger to be signifi-cantly reduced without compromising physical security.It is another of the objects of the present invention to provide a method for life support within a vault.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided in a vault having impermeable walls defining an enclosure and a door to seal said enclosure air-tight, a monitor device communicating with the atmosphere within the sealed enclosure of the vault to monitor a first of two variables of said atmosphere, said first variable being the carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere within said sealed enclosure, first means in said sealed enclosure coupled with said monitor device for responding to the condition in which the monitored carbon-dioxide content exceeds a predetermined value to remove carbon dioxide from said atmosphere, and second means in said sealed enclosure for maintaining the second of said two variables of said atmosphere within pre-determined limits, said second means including gas-storage means for supplying oxygen to said sealed enclosure by release from said gas-storage means, and means for regulating supply of said oxygen from said gas-storage means to said sealed enclosure to maintain the .. ~

f3 said second variable within said limits.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of life support in a vault, comprising the steps of monitoring a first of two varia-bles of the atmosphere within the enclosure of the vault,said first variable being the carbon-dioxide content of said atmosphere, responding to the condition in which the monitored carbon-dioxide content exceeds a predetermined value to remove carbon dioxide from said atmosphere, said step of removing carbon-dioxide including passing air of said atmosphere through material (for example, soda li~e or lithium hydroxide) for absorbing carbon-dioxide, introducing gas-storage means containing oxygen into the vault and admitting oxygen to the said enclosure by release of gas from said gas-storage means to maintain the second of said two variables within predetermined limits.
The controlled admission of oxygen in accordance with either of the above aspects of the invention may be 20 made such as to maintain the atmospheric pressure within the enclosure substantially constant or at least within predetermined limits. Some other variable of the atmos-phere, for example oxygen content, may however be used as the criterion foradmission instead of, or as well as, pressure.
The oxygen may be admitted to the enclosure alone or in combination with other gases - as air for example -from high-pressure cylinders. It may be via one or more valves that are pre-set so that when opened its rate of of admission is appropriate to replacement of the carbon-dioxide removed from the atmosphere of the enclosure.
The monitor device and the said first and secondmeans may be provided together with means for emergency illumination, as one unitary and self-contained piece of equipment within the vault.
A vault equipped in accordance with the present invention, together with a method of life support therein, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows the vault and its incorporated life-support facilities in schematic form.
Referring to the drawing, the enclosure 1 of the vault is sealed by a door 2 and contains life-support equipment 3 of unitary and self-contained form. The equipment 3 incorporates one or more cylindrical vessels 4 that contain soda lime or other material for removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of the enclosure 1 by absorption, together with one or more oxygen cylinders 5. A unit 6, which includes a device 7 for monitoring the carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere, controls operation of a suction pump 8 for drawing air of the enclosure 1 through the one or more vessels 4. The device 7 may be a device of a known, commercially-available kind that periodically samples the atmosphere and compares two parts of each sample with one another after one of these parts has been passed through carbon-dioxide absorbing material.
The unit 6 responds to the condition in which the monitor device 7 detects that the carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere has risen to a pre-set value, typically 1% or 2%, to operate the pump 8. A fan 9 is also operated from the unit 6 at this time to circulate air in the enclosure 1, and operation of both devices 8 and 9 is continued from the unit 6 for a predetermined interval of time or until the monitored carbon-dioxide content has been reduced to some pre-set lower value, typically 0.5%.
An electrically-operated valve-device 10 is provided for regulating admission of oxygen to the atmosphere of the enclosure 1 from the one or more cylinders 5. The valve device 10 is operated from the monitor unit 6 to release oxygen for replacing the absorbed carbon dioxide and maintaining a suitable oxygen level, for example, of about 18% or 19%, in the enclosure 1. More especially, the valve device 10 is operated to maintain a variable of the atmosphere other than the carbon-dioxide content as monitored by the monitor device 7, substantially constant at a pre-set, normal value, or alternatively to maintain it within some predetermined limits. This other variable may be ambient atmospheric pressure, and to this end the device 10 might be arranged to release oxygen at a rate dependent on atmospheric pressure as sensed within the enclosure 1 by a pressure-sensitive monitor device (not shown) provided within the unit 6.
On the other hand, the device 10 may be arranged to release oxygen at a rate that is regulated in accord-ance with the rate of carbon-dioxide absorption or, more simply, may be pre-set to release oxygen at a rate in accordance with the rate of carbon-dioxide absorption expected. The pump 8 is operated con-currently with the release of the oxygen; this is of advantage in that it ensures that there is carbon-dioxide removal even if the monitor device 7 fails.
The devices 7, 8, 9 and 10 are operated electric-ally via the unit 6, electrical supply being drawn via a switch 11 from a rechargeable battery 12 provided in the equipment 3. The switch 11 is mounted in a pro-minent position and is required to be switched from its normal OFF position to its ON position to activate the equipment 3 in its life-supporting function. Some clear indication of the location of the switch 11 and instruction for its operation are provided; in this respect continuous illumination of the switch 11 and - 15 an instruction panel (not shown) are provided in order to ensure that any trapped occupant can readily activate the equipment 3. One or more electrical lamps 13 powered from the battery 12 via the switch 11, provide more general illumination.
The equipment 3 may include facilities for enabling communication to be established to the outside of the vault, together with a tape player to provide pre-recorded messages; such messages may be simply by way of reassurance or may be more general and include instructions for operation of the equipment and survival or other procedures.
Although the equipment 3 described incorporates one or more oxygen cylinders 5, these may be replaced by cylinders of compressed air. However use of oxygen is preferred, more especially because fewer cylinders are generally needed to meet any specific survival requirement. Such requirement might typically be for survival for 100 person-hours over and beyond that provided by the initial fresh-air atmosphere of the enclosure. This can normally be met using two small oxygen cylinders, whereas seven cylinders of comparable size would be required if compressed air were to be used.
The carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere within the enclosure 1 is desirably maintained below
3% and the oxygen content substantially within the range of 17 to 19%.

Claims (10)

1. In a vault having impermeable walls defining an enclosure and a door to seal said enclosure air-tight, a monitor device communicating with the atmosphere within the sealed enclosure of the vault to monitor a first of two variables of said atmos-phere, said first variable being the carbon-dioxide content of the atmosphere within said sealed enclosure, first means in said sealed enclosure coupled with said monitor device for responding to the condition in which the monitored carbon-dioxide content exceeds a predetermined value to remove carbon dioxide from said atmosphere, and second means in said sealed enclosure for maintaining the second of said two variables of said atmosphere within predetermined limits, said second means including gas-storage means for supplying oxygen to said sealed enclosure by release from said gas-storage means, and means for regulating supply of said oxygen from said gas-storage means to said sealed enclosure to maintain the said second variable within said limits.
2. A vault according to Claim 1, wherein said second variable is the atmospheric pressure within said enclosure, and said second means includes at least one pre-set valve that is operable to admit oxygen to said enclosure from said gas-storage means.
3. A vault according to Claim 1, wherein said first means includes material for absorbing carbon dioxide, and a pump operable to pump air of the said atmos-phere through the said material.
4. A vault according to Claim 3, including means coupled to said monitor device and responsive to said condition to activate said pump to pump air of the said atmosphere through the said material, said pump-activating means being operative in response to each occurrence of said condition to continue to activate said pump until said monitored carbon-dioxide content has been reduced to a value substantially lower than said predetermined value.
5. A vault according to Claim 1, including means res-ponsive to said supply of oxygen to said enclosure to operate said first means to remove carbon dioxide from said atmosphere concurrently with the said supply of oxygen to the enclosure.
6. A vault according to Claim 1, 2 or 5 including a fan operable to circulate air in the enclosure, and means for operating said fan during removal of carbon dioxide from said atmosphere by said first means.
7. A method of life support in a vault, comprising the steps of monitoring a first of two variables of the atmosphere within the enclosure of the vault, said first variable being the carbon-dioxide content of said atmosphere, responding to the condition in which the monitored carbon-dioxide content exceeds a pre-determined value to remove carbon dioxide from said atmosphere, said step of removing carbon dioxide including passing air of said atmosphere through material for absorbing carbon dioxide, introducing gas-storage means containing oxygen into the vault and admitting oxygen to the said enclosure by release of gas from said gas-storage means to maintain the second of said two variables within predetermined limits.
8. A method according to Claim 7, wherein said second variable is the atmospheric pressure within the said enclosure.
9. A method according to Claim 7 or 8, including the step of removing carbon dioxide from the said atmosphere concurrently with the said admission of oxygen.
10. A method according to Claim 7 or 8, wherein the oxygen content of said atmosphere is maintained substantially within the range of 17 to 19%.
CA320,616A 1978-02-01 1979-01-31 Vaults and strongrooms Expired CA1112980A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB406778 1978-02-01
GB4067/78 1978-02-01
GB259/79 1979-01-04
GB7900259 1979-01-04

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1112980A true CA1112980A (en) 1981-11-24

Family

ID=26238837

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA320,616A Expired CA1112980A (en) 1978-02-01 1979-01-31 Vaults and strongrooms

Country Status (7)

Country Link
AU (1) AU522274B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1112980A (en)
CH (1) CH632081A5 (en)
DE (1) DE2902722A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2026151B (en)
IT (1) IT1114051B (en)
SE (1) SE421229B (en)

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5606495A (en) * 1994-03-03 1997-02-25 Jaidka; Sandeep Device for controlling air pollution
GB2361307A (en) * 2000-04-14 2001-10-17 Dominic Adam Simler Air conditioning systems
GB2419533A (en) * 2004-10-29 2006-05-03 Molecular Products Ltd Carbon dioxide absorbing clothing device
CN107362472A (en) * 2017-08-31 2017-11-21 合肥康东福双信息科技有限公司 A kind of skyscraper security protection survival capsule carbon dioxide control system

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2026151B (en) 1982-06-30
IT1114051B (en) 1986-01-27
SE7900836L (en) 1979-08-02
SE421229B (en) 1981-12-07
GB2026151A (en) 1980-01-30
AU4376879A (en) 1979-08-09
AU522274B2 (en) 1982-05-27
IT7947839A0 (en) 1979-01-31
CH632081A5 (en) 1982-09-15
DE2902722A1 (en) 1979-08-02

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