EP0545436A1

EP0545436A1 - Wall Safe

Info

Publication number: EP0545436A1
Application number: EP92120748A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Deo Errani
Original assignee: Industrie Metalmeccaniche Perugia Imp SpA
Current assignee: Industrie Metalmeccaniche Perugia Imp SpA
Priority date: 1991-12-05
Filing date: 1992-12-04
Publication date: 1993-06-09
Also published as: ITBO910227U1; ITBO910227V0; IT224851Z2

Abstract

Wall safe comprising a box-like body (1) which defines the safe containment compartment and is structured so that it can be walled and anchored in a wall; the box-like body is provided with means (21-28) for the removable fixing of a frame (18) to which the door (20) which closes the front opening of the safe and includes the lock (36) is articulated; these means can be accessed only through the front opening.

Description

The present invention relates to a wall safe.
As is known, wall safes meant to be walled into a niche defined in a wall are currently commercially available.
Known safes have the disadvantage that during installation they may easily become soiled with water and mortar and thus undergo a depreciation which is not only aesthetic but also functional if water and mortar penetrate the mechanism of the lock.
Known safes furthermore have the problem that they do not allow easy replacement of the lock if the owner suspects that the actuation key has become available to unauthorized individuals.
The technical aim of the present invention is now to provide a safe which can obviate the problems described above.
This aim is achieved with a wall safe comprising a box-like body which defines the safe containment compartment including a door closing the front opening of the safe and a related lock and is structured so that it can be walled and anchored in a wall, characterized in that said box-like body is provided with means for the removable fixing of a frame to which said door is articulated, said means being accessible only through said front opening.
Further features will become apparent from the following description illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a sectional view of the safe, taken along a horizontal plane;
figure 2 is a sectional view of the box-like body alone, taken along a horizontal plane;
figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the vertical plane III-III of figure 1.

With reference to the above figures, the safe comprises a box-like body 1 which is shaped like a parallelepiped and is preferably manufactured by molding plastic material.
The reference numeral 2 designates the rectangular backwall of the box-like body, from the sides of which the two sidewalls 3 and 4, the upper wall 5 and the lower wall 6 extend.
Two ridges 7 and 8 are projecting from the sidewalls 3 and 4 and constitute lateral rests for a horizontal projection 9, the front edge whereof remains inside the box-like body with respect to the edge of the walls 5 and 6 and of the sidewalls 3 and 4. The projection 9 horizontally divides in half the containment compartment 10 defined by the box-like body 1 and, together with the lower wall 6, acts as a surface for storing objects inside the safe.
A metallic framework 11 extends around the sidewalls 3 and 4 and around the walls 5 and 6, proximate to their front region. Tubular protrusions 12 are provided along the rear edge of the framework 11 by a bending operation, whereas the front edge is bent outward and provides a peripheral lip 13 which is interrupted only at the four corners.
The tubular protrusions 12 act as engagement element for the anchoring of the box-like body in the wall niche provided for its installation. In a similar way, in order to ensure firmer anchoring and provide coupling points for the support of the safe door, elements hereinafter termed mushrooms and generally designated by 14 are fixed outside the framework 11; threaded blind holes 15 are provided in said mushrooms and are aligned with respective holes 16 provided in the walls and sides of the box-like body 2.
As shown by figure 3, two pairs 14a, 14b and 14c, 14d of said mushrooms are provided along each one of the sidewalls of the framework, whereas a single mushroom, respectively 14e and 14f, is provided on the upper and lower walls.
The peripheral lip 13 defines a seat 17 in which a rectangular frame 18 is inserted; said frame surrounds the opening 19 for access to the compartment 10, which is controlled by the door 20.
The frame 18 is secured to the framework 11 by means of brackets 21, 22 and 23. More precisely, a counter-frame 24 is spot-welded to the internal face of the frame 18; said counter-frame extends along three sides and is shaped so as to define recesses in which the brackets 21 and 22 can engage with their terminal portions 25, which are bent at right angles. Slots are defined in the brackets 21 and 22 at the end opposite to the terminal portions 25, and screws 26 are driven through them; said screws, by engaging the holes 15 of the mushrooms 14c, 14d, rigidly couple the frame 18 to the framework 11.
The bracket 23, differently from the brackets 21 and 22, extends over a substantial length of the sidewalls and is fixed to the frame 18 by welding a portion 27, which is folded at right angles, to the internal face of the frame 18. The bracket 23 is fixed to the framework 11 by means of screws 28 screwed in the mushrooms 14a and 14b.
The bracket 23 is provided, at its opposite ends, with two respective flaps 29 and 30 which protrude horizontally and in which the door 20 is hinged by means of pivots 31 and 32 which are driven in bushes 40 and 41 which are rigidly coupled to the internal face of the door.
The articulation of the door is protected against effractions (breaking or forcing) by a shaped element 42 which extends between the flaps 29 and 30.
The element 42 is made of a metal plate which is folded so as to define a portion 43 which is welded at right angles to the internal face of the door and from which a second portion 44 extends parallel to said face, covering the bushes 40 and 41, and is welded to said bushes through slots 45 defined in it. A third portion 46 extends from the portion 44 and encloses an obtuse angle together with the portion 44, so that when the door 20 is in closed position the edge of the portion 46 rests on the portion 27 of the bracket 23.
When the door is in closed position, it abuts on a selvage 33 formed of a metal plate which is folded so as to have a flap which is suitable to be secured between the brackets 21 and 22 and the sidewall 4 of the box-like body 1.
The selvage 33 protrudes into the opening 19 so as to act as abutment for the door 20 and has a face which is perpendicular to the frame 18 and in which two openings are defined; said openings are meant to receive a pair of bolts 34 and 35 which are controlled by a lock 36. The lock 36 is accommodated in an interspace defined by a lid 37 at the rear of the door 20.
As can be seen, the described invention perfectly achieves the intended aim.
In particular, it is stressed that the box-like body 1 can be walled into the intended niche of the wall and can be temporarily closed by means of a panel 38 (see figure 2) which is fixed by screws which are suitable to screw into the interspace 39 which remains delimited at the four corners of the safe between the framework and the box-like body.
The door is applied, after removing the panel 38, by inserting the frame 18 in the seat 17 of the framework and by screwing the screws 26 through the brackets 21, 22 and 23 into the mushrooms 14. Access to the screws 26 occurs, when the door is open, through the opening 19 of the frame 18.
A peculiarity of the present invention is the possibility of replacing the front part of the safe without having to remove the part which is anchored in the wall.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

Wall safe comprising a box-like body (1) which defines the safe containment compartment including a door (20) closing the front opening of the safe and a related lock (36) and is structured so that it can be walled and anchored in a wall, characterized in that said box-like body is provided with means (21-28) for the removable fixing of a frame (18) to which said door (20) is articulated, said means being accessible only through said front opening.
Safe according to claim 1, characterized in that said box-like body (1) has a front portion which is peripherally surrounded by a metallic framework (11) whose edge (13) defines a seat (17) for accommodating said frame (18), said framework (11) being externally provided with means (14) for anchoring into the wall.
Safe according to claim 2, characterized in that said anchoring means comprise tubular portions (12) and mushroom-like elements (14a-14f) which protrude externally from said framework (11).
Safe according to claims 1 and 3, characterized in that said mushroom-like elements (14a-14f) are provided with threaded holes (15) for the engagement of fixing screws (26, 28) which pass through brackets (21, 22, 23) which are rigidly coupled to said frame (18) and protrude inside the containment compartment adjacent to said framework (11).
Safe according to claim 4, characterized in that one (23) of said brackets has supporting lugs (29, 30) for pins (31, 32) for the articulation of said door (20).
Safe according to claim 5, characterized in that the articulation of the door is protected by a metal plate (42) which is rigidly coupled thereto.
Safe according to claim 4, characterized in that the screws (26) for securing the brackets (21, 22) furthermore secure, on the abutment side of the door (20), a selvage (33) for the engagement of the bolts (34, 35) actuated by the lock (36).
Safe according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said box-like body (1) is made of molded plastic material.
Safe according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a panel (38) for temporary closing said containment compartment.