EP0163578A1 - Method and device for permanently fixing a movable part on to a frame, especially a safe door to a safe - Google Patents

Abstract

Device comprising a support frame (2) and a member (1), movable therein, as well as means for locking said member on said support frame. These include means (6) arranged in said movable member (1) and sensitive to an external attack or break-in action, a pyrotechnic assembly (7, 8) for firing, urged by said means (6 ) in the event of an external action on them and acting by explosion on at least one external part (10) of said member, which deforms under the effect of the explosion, the part of the support frame (2) located in vis-à-vis this external part (10) being arranged (9) to allow the embedding of the latter in the support frame (2), once it has been deformed by the explosion. Application to safes and vaults.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of security and the fight against theft, -aggression or burglary. It relates to a method and a device for the automatic or permanent locking or blocking of a movable member in a support frame, said device being triggered in the event of a break-in or attack. The invention mainly finds application in safes or vaults.

In what follows, the invention will mainly be illustrated by setting out the problem to be solved in the case of its preferred application, namely the resetting of safes or vaults during an attempted break-in.

The doors of safes or vaults are generally shielded on the inside and outside, using steel sheets of several millimeters. The volume between these two sheets can be filled with steel elements of various shapes embedded in concrete. Such an assembly constitutes an effective protection against the fire of a cutting torch, or against an attack with a jackhammer or with a rotary perforator.

To protect against attacks, automatic locking systems have already been provided which block, using means, such as cleats, all the locking bolts. The cleats are driven by a complicated and expensive mechanical control system. For example, for a small chest with a volume of 500 cm ³ , one can find four bolts on each vertical post, and two bolts on each horizontal line. The locking system may comprise two sliding tabs cooperating respectively with the two pairs of vertical bolts, and a cleat acting on the pair of upper horizontal bolts, as well as another cleat acting on the pair of lower horizontal bolts.

The solution to the problem of locking is not, so far, satisfactory, because the mechanical control systems are complicated and expensive.

We have already used in the technique of safes means called "informers" which, when the trunk is attacked, are capable of actuating a movable element which locks the trunk in the closed position by acting for example on the lock mechanism.

This is how we already know informing means constituted by a simple wire connected to a finger biased by a spring and which, when it is broken under the effect of aggression, releases the finger which, thus, locks the trunk.

However, these informing means are not always satisfactory insofar as burglars can not only cut the lock bolts of the trunk, but also the movable finger of the informer, so that, finally, the current re-blocking systems in the event of aggression do not really allow a permanent blocking of the trunk in the closed state.

US-A 1,850,337 describes a security device applicable to a safe door. In the event of an attempted violation, a gas trigger system actuates lugs allowing the door to be embedded. The gas is preferably the same as that used conventionally with incapacitating effects. This old patent (1930) describes a penile closure system, operating under the action of a pressurized gas and mechanically controlled. Such a system only provides reinforcement provisionally, because it is still possible to return the bolt (s) to the initial position. The patent US-A 1,850,337 does not provide a permanent and permanent blocking. In addition, the detection means are not suitable for ensuring control other than mechanical of the system.

The object of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks noted in the prior art, by proposing definitive and simple closing and locking means, which ensure permanent and permanent locking and which, in particular, make it practically impossible to open the door. '' a safe undergoing any attack.

In its general form, the invention relates to a method for the automatic locking of a movable member in a support frame, said method being characterized in that there are in said member means sensitive to an external action, in that 'said means are brought into contact with a pyrotechnic firing assembly acting by explosion on at least one external part of said member, which deforms under the effect of the explosion, and in that the part of the frame is arranged -support located opposite this external part to allow the embedding of the latter in the support frame once it has been deformed by the explosion.

The invention also relates to a device for implementing the aforementioned method, said device comprising a support frame and a movable member therein, as well as means for locking said member on said support frame, said device being characterized in that said locking means comprise means arranged in said movable member and sensitive to an external action, a pyrotechnic assembly for fire acted upon by said means in the event of an external action thereon and acting by explosion on at least one external part of said member, which breaks out under the effect of the explosion, the part of the support frame located opposite vis-à-vis this external part being arranged to allow the embedding of the latter in the mount-support once it has been deformed by the explosion.

In the foregoing, it has been indicated that according to one of the essential characteristics of the invention, the deformation, obtained by explosion, of the part of the movable member, ensured permanent and permanent embedding and blocking of this organ in the frame. It will be noted that this deformation can go as far as the rupture of the zone concerned of the movable member. Furthermore, also falls within the scope of the invention, a reciprocal arrangement according to which it is the frame which is deformed (or broken at least partially) to block the movable member.

Alternatively, also, the means sensitive to an external action can be provided on the frame as well as on the movable member.

As mentioned above, the preferred embodiment of the invention consists in its application to locking and closing for armored doors of safes or vaults. The invention can however be used for locking any movable member in a support frame, provided that this movable member and this support frame have opposite parts capable of being deformed so permanent under the effect of an explosion. This is particularly the case for all closure systems with thick walls bounded by deformed steel sheets explosion bombs.

The invention replaces the mechanical means of the prior art by means calling upon pyrotechnic assemblies capable of producing an explosion. In the case of a safe or a strong room, a final closing of the door is thus carried out, so that even the holder of the key and of the encrypted combination can no longer open it. The only solution then remains the break-in, but this is then greatly delayed.

The means sensitive to an external action, with which the movable member is provided, in particular the door to the safe or vault, can be produced in any way, provided that it fulfills a double function, namely detection a break-in, that is to say an involuntary action on the movable member, and secondly, to act on the pyrotechnic firing assembly capable of triggering the desired explosion. For the purposes of the present invention, it is preferred to use pyrotechnic means, for example a flammable and / or explosive product, sensitive to the impact and / or friction of an attack tool or to the flame of a torch. Such a layer can advantageously be produced in the form of a .plane sheet embedded inside the frame and / or of the movable member, for example interposed between the two layers of concrete of the wall constituting the safe door. or vault.

Although such pyrotechnic means are preferred, it is also possible to use other means sensitive to an external burglary action. It will be noted that the pyrotechnic means constitute the best energy accumulator, which makes it possible to get rid of an external energy source as would be the case with detection means using electrical energy. However, other types of accumulators could be used, for example a vacuum or pressure tank, which, in the event of piercing, causes a mechanical initiation of the detonator triggering the explosion. Another example would be a spring held under tension by a glass plate or by a wire.

According to the invention, there is provided in cooperation with said means sensitive to an external action, a pyrotechnic firing assembly capable of causing an explosion. Such an assembly comprises, in known manner, by way of illustration, at least one detonator and detonating cord. Under the effect of the explosion, at least one external part of the movable member or the frame deforms. The explosion causes an extension or a rupture of the wall constituting the movable member or the frame, for example of the steel sheet of the armored door of a safe or a strong room.

To achieve the desired blocking effect, the support frame surrounding the movable member is shaped so that the external part thus deformed can be embedded, in order to achieve final locking. In the case of a framing of a safe or vault door, it may have a groove in which is embedded the steel wall of the door. In the latter case, a continuous blocking of the door is thus carried out in its frame, which makes it unassailable other than with a torch.

We already know in the prior art, the general technique of expansion which involves the deformation of a tube by explosion to fix it in from neighboring walls. The present invention preferably involves a combination of pyro-.technical means of detection and explosion to produce a security system. No such teaching can be found in general documents or patent literature relating to expansion.

The invention, in its preferred application relates to a method for re-locking a safe or the like, characterized in that, when this safe is subjected to attack, at least part of the door of the safe is automatically deformed and turned back, or vice versa, thereby creating at least one artificial bolt preventing or considerably delaying the opening of this chest.

According to another characteristic of this process, the aforementioned artificial bolt enters a housing formed in the wall opposite that giving rise to said bolt.

As previously mentioned, the deformation and the backflow of material producing the aforementioned artificial bolt, are caused by a small explosion or suitable pyrotechnic means.

A device for implementing the above method, of the type comprising an informing means associated with a safe and capable of operating under the effect of an attack to re-lock the safe, is characterized in that said means informant is constituted by a small mass of explosive housed in at least a part of the trunk door, preferably in the vicinity of the edge of this door.

This device is further characterized by at least one recess formed opposite the small mass of explosive, in the wall of the trunk opposite from the edge of the door.

According to a particular embodiment, the small mass of explosive is housed in an insert which is internally integral with the door or the lock mechanism, and is preferably located in a hollow part formed in a plate or the like forming part of said part.

The aforementioned informant means can be supplemented by another small mass of explosive associated with the palate and / or at least one of the bolts of the lock of the trunk.

The invention also relates to a safe or a strong enclosure of any type, equipped with a device meeting one or the other of the above-mentioned characteristics.

• - Fig. 1 montre schématiquement et en coupe une paroi de coffre-fort ou de chambre forte, munie d'une porte et équipée de moyens de verrouillage conformés selon l'invention.
• - Fig. 2 est une vue partielle en coupe horizontale d'un coffre-fort équipé d'un dispositif conforme à l'invention.
• . - Fig. 3 est une vue partielle en coupe et à grande échelle de l'une des parois du coffre et de la porte associée à cette paroi, ladite vue illustrant un fonctionnement particulier du dispositif selon l'invention, et
• - Fig. 4 est une vue partielle et en coupe d'une pièce rapportée sur la porte du coffre-fort et contenant une petite masse d''xplosif.

The invention will now be illustrated without being in any way limited, by the description below made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• - Fig. 1 shows schematically and in section a wall of a safe or vault, provided with a door and equipped with locking means shaped according to the invention.
• - Fig. 2 is a partial view in horizontal section of a safe equipped with a device according to the invention.
• . - Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view on a large scale of one of the walls of the trunk and of the door associated with this wall, said view illustrating a particular operation of the device according to the invention, and
• - Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view of an insert on the door of the safe and containing a small mass of explosive.

Fig. 1 represents a door 1 of a trunk strong mobile in a frame 2 by means of a hinge 3, The interior of the vault or the safe is on the side of the hinge 3 and the outside on the opposite side, that is to say say at the bottom of Fig. 1. In known manner, the door 1 schematically comprises steel sheets 4, inside of which is placed concrete 5.

According to the invention, there is provided inside the door 1, embedded between the concrete layers, a pyrotechnic layer 6 for burglary detection. By way of example, there may be mentioned a layer of flammable product a few tenths of a mm thick consisting of black powder or equivalent, sensitive to heating (for example at temperatures of 200 ° C. or more). One can also use one or more layers of flammable and / or explosive type sensitive to shocks, for example an explosive paint based on penthrite or the friction of a tool or even the flame of a blowtorch. In some cases, it may be advantageous to use multiple layers of different pyrotechnic products, that is to say capable of responding to different external actions. For example, a layer of penthrite can be combined with a layer of flammable powder known as retarding powder, such as a minium-silicon layer. The function common to all these means is to be sensitive to an external breaking-in action.

Layer 6 cooperates with a pyrotechnic ignition assembly acting by explosion. In the example chosen and shown in FIG. 1 attached, we see a detonator 7 which can be constituted by a few decigrams of penthrite primed with 1 dcg of lead azide. This detonator is in connection with layer 6 on the one hand, and with detonating cords 8 on the other hand. The cords 8 are embedded in the vicinity of the exterior steel sheet of the door. These cords are, for example, cords loaded with penthrite at a rate of 20 g / m.

Opposite the cords 8, but on the side of the wrapping 2, there are grooves 9.

During a break-in at any point whatsoever of the protected wall, the layer 6 is put into action and the ignition is propagated via the detonator 7 to the detonating cords 8. The ease of fire is done almost instantly. The detonation of the cords δ has the effect of inflating the steel wall 10 of the door 1, which is embedded in the groove 9 provided in the frame 2. This produces a blocking of the door 1 in the frame 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, a device for re-blocking a safe according to the invention essentially consists of a small mass of explosive or any pyrotechnic means 11 housed in the door 12 of the safe and preferably located in the vicinity of the section 13 of this door.

In the wall 14 facing the edge 13 of the door 12, a housing 15 is provided facing the small mass of explosive 11.

Thus, during an attempted break-in, the explosive 11 which will detect the attack directly or indirectly, will produce a deflagration locally deforming and driving back the edge 13 of the door 12 towards the housing 15, as shown in 16, so as to re-lock the safe. Although not shown in FIG. 2, any means connected to the explosive 11 can be provided to cause the ignition of this explosive.

We can perfectly, without leaving the framework of the invention, provide a reverse arrangement to that shown in FIG. 2, that is to say that the explosive-11 would be housed in the wall 14 and that the housing 15 would be formed in the section.13 of the door 12. It is also possible to provide several masses of explosive such as 11 , distributed inside and around the periphery of door 12, as well as several housings, such as 15, in correspondence with all these explosives and formed in the walls of the trunk at the level of their parts adjacent to the circumference of door 12. The deformation of the edge 13 of the door can result in a convexity of this edge, as shown in 16, or else in a deformation and tearing of this edge, as shown in 17 on the Fig. 3. In the latter case, it can be seen that the torn part 17 enters the housing 15 so as to produce one or more sharp edges which block the door 12 on opening.

The housing (s) 15 can be omitted in the case where the door 12 forms with the walls 14 of the safe a rebate 18 in the form of a baffle, as can be seen in FIG / 2. In fact, if the explosive is placed at one in one of the interior angles of the door 12, this explosive may deform the edge 13 of the door, as shown below, and, although it there is no housing vis-à-vis the explosive lla in the wall 14, this will be enough to prevent the pivoting of the door 12 according to arrow F.

In addition to the explosive 11 and / or 11a, another small mass of explosive llb can be provided at the level of the plate 19 of the door 12 which supports the lock mechanism not shown and housed in space 20. Thus, the action of the explosive llb will cause a local deformation of the plate 19, as we showed it in 16b. This deformation 16b may, for example, block the rear part of a bolt P of the lock, which bolt cannot therefore be erased from the wall 14. It would also be possible, without departing from the scope of the invention, to provide a small mass of explosive inside at least one bolt such as P, which explosive, under the effect of an assault, may deform or tear the bolt in its strike, thereby strengthening the blocking of the safe closed position.

According to the variant visible in FIG. 4, the explosive 11 is housed in an attached piece 21 and secured to the section 13 of the door 12, inside said door. More specifically, the explosive 11 is located in a recess 22 formed in a plate or a sheet 23 integral with the part 21. Thus, the explosive 11 may cause the visible deformation at 24 and forming as before an artificial bolt penetrating the inside the housing 15 formed in the box of the safe, materialized here by the wall 14.

Thus, according to the invention, a system for re-blocking a safe was made using a simple delivery of material which can be located either at the door of the safe, or at the level of the body or walls of this safe, one even at the locksmith.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described and illustrated which have been given only by way of example.

It is thus perfectly possible to provide a means other than an explosive or a pyrotechnic system for carrying out the deformation and the repression of material.

Claims (16)

1. Method for permanent blocking, in the event of aggression or break-in, of a movable member in a support frame, said method being characterized in that there are available in said member and / or said frame, means sensitive to an external action, in that said means are brought into contact with a pyrotechnic firing assembly acting by explosion on at least one external part of said member or frame, which deforms under the effect of the explosion, and in that one arranges the part located opposite this external part to allow the embedding of the latter once it has been deformed by the explosion. 2. Method for re-blocking a safe or the like, characterized in that, when this safe is subjected to attack, at least part of the door of the safe is automatically deformed and pushed back towards an adjacent wall, or vice versa, thus creating at least one artificial bolt preventing or delaying the opening of this chest. 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the artificial bolt enters a housing formed in the wall opposite that giving rise to said bolt. 4. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the deformation and the discharge of material producing the artificial bolt are caused by an explosion. 5. Device for implementing the method according to claim 1, said device comprising a support frame (2) and a member (1), movable therein, as well as means for locking said member on said frame. support, said device being characterized in that said locking means comprise means (6) arranged in said movable member (1) and / or said frame (2) and sensitive to an external action, a pyrotechnic assembly (7,8) for firing, urged by said means (6) in the event of external action on those -this and acting by explosion on at least one external part (10) of said member (1) or frame (2), which deforms under the effect of the explosion, the part located opposite this part external (10) being arranged (9) to allow the embedding of the latter, once it has been deformed by the explosion. 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the movable member (1) is a door. 7. Device according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the movable member (1) is an armored door of a safe or vault. 8. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the means (6) sensitive to an external action and integral with the movable member (1) are pyrotechnic means (6) such as or several layers of flammable and / or explosive product. 9. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the pyrotechnic firing assembly capable of causing an explosion, and in connection with said means (6) sensitive to an external action, comprises at least a detonator (7) and detonating cord (8). 10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the detonating cord (8) causes an extension or a rupture of the wall (10) constituting the movable member (1), in particular of the steel sheet of the door armored safe or from the vault. 11. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 10, characterized in that the support frame (2) is a door frame which has a groove (9) in which is fitted the outer wall (10) of the door deformed during the explosion. 12. Device for implementing the method according to claim 2, of the type comprising an informing means associated with a safe and capable of operating under the effect of an attack to re-lock the safe, characterized in that said means informer is constituted by a small mass of explosive housed in at least part of the trunk door, preferably in the vicinity of the edge of this door. 13. Device according to claim 12, characterized by at least one housing formed vis-à-vis the small mass of explosive, in the wall of the trunk facing the edge of the door. 14. Device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the small mass of explosive is housed in an insert internally secured to the door or the lock mechanism and is preferably located in a hollow formed in a plate. or the like forming part of this part. - 15. Device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the delator means further comprises a small mass of explosive associated with the palaster and / or at least one of the bolts of the boot lock , 16. Safes and vaults applying the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4 or the device according to any one of claims 5 to 15.

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