GB2120723A - Housing for coin-collecting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A housing comprises a one- piece upper housing (1) and a box- shaped lower housing (2) with a sliding coin-drawer (3), spigots (5) on the lower edge of the upper housing (1) passing through apertures (7) in the upper surface of the lower housing (2), and locking rods (9) being pushed through apertures (8) in the ends of the spigots (2) to prevent the upper housing (1) being detached from the lower housing (2). When the drawer (3) is inserted in the lower housing (2), a face (11) of the drawer pushes stops (10) on the locking rods (9) fully home, and the upper and lower housings cannot be separated until the drawer (3) has been opened. A single key operable lock (4) may be provided on the drawer to prevent access to either housing. In an alternative embodiment, the drawer is omitted and a hinged cover plate is provided instead. The upper housing (1) may hold electronic circuitry such as printed circuit boards. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus housings The present invention relates to apparatus housings and more particularly, but not exclusively to such housings for use with coin collecting apparatus.

In our copending patent application number 8126371 a coin collection mechanism for insertion in a telephone line in a semi-secure location is disclosed. In common with many such mechanisms there is a requirement for the housing to encase both the electronic circuitry and the coin receptacle.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a housing.

According to the present invention in a twopart apparatus housing having a plurality of compartments, a first compartment is provided in an enclosed box which forms a first part of the housing and which has an openable cover in a first side and an aperture in a secod side which is angularly displaced with respect to said first side, a second compartment is provided in an open-sided box which forms the second part of the housing and which has a spigot extending at an angle to the open side, said spigot is arranged on assembly of the housing to pass through said aperture, said spigot having a respective aperture therein and, in use, a slideably removable locking member is fitted to extend through the aperture in said spigot which locking member is held in position by said cover when said cover is closed such that separation of the two parts of the housing is prevented until the cover in said first part of the housing has been opened.

Preferably said openable cover is removable from the first part of the housing and the cover may be integral with a drawer which is fitted in and slideably removable from the first compartment.

A plurality of spigots may be provided on two opposing sides of the second compartment, corresponding apertures being provided in the second side of the first compartment and two locking members are used, said cover being arranged in the closed position to hold both of the locking members in position.

The cover may be arranged in transition from an open position to a closed position to co-operate with the locking member(s) so as to drive the locking member(s) fully home and the apertures in the spigot(s) may be ovate and the locking member(s) correspondingly shaped such that once such a locking member is fully home it may be rotated slightly to increase frictional interference between the member and the spigot(s) so as to prevent accidental removal of the member when the cover in the first part of the housing is removed.

Said cover may be provided with a locking mechanism which may be a key-operable locking mechanism to prevent unauthorised access to either of the compartments.

One example of an apparatus housing in accordance with invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompany drawings of which: Figure 1 is a three dimensional view of the housing; Figure 2 is a section through the housing of Fig. 1 on the line ll-ll; Figure 3 is a section through the housing on the line Ill-Ill; and Figure 4 is a front elevation of the housing with the cash drawer removed.

Referring to Fig. 1, the housing has an upper compartment 1 and a base compartment 2. A sliding drawer 3 is arranged for insertion into the base compartment 2 in which it is retained by a tumbler lock 4.

The upper compartment 1 which is formed from a box of a plastics material is hollow and, referring also to Fig. 3 has a pair of strengthening ribs 5 extending down each side and beyond the base thereof. The upper compartment 1 has an open base so that the compartment may pass over electronic circuits (not shown) which it is designed to protect.

The base compartment 2 is formed by a rectangular box which may be of plastics material and has an open front through which the sliding drawer 3 which is for use as a case tray may be fitted.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3 and 4 the upper plate of the base compartment 2 is provided with a pair of apertures 7 on each side correspondingly positioned to receive the extensions of the ribs 5 when the upper compartment 1 is fitted. Each of the ribs 5 has a respective aperture 8 through which a locking bar 9 may be inserted.

The locking bars 9 which may be of steel are bent at a right angle at one end to provide an insertion stop 10 which also provides a greater area for contact with the side of the drawer 3 when it is inserted. The sides of the drawer 3 extend vertically almost to the top of the front panel for a short distance at the front of the drawer and then drop below the level of the extension of the ribs 5. This provides a face 11 which contacts the insertion stop 10 when the drawer is inserted firstly to ensure that the rods 9 are fully pushed home in the apertures 8 of the ribs 5 and secondly to prevent the upper compartment 1 being detached from the base compartment 2 until the draw 3 has been removed.

Thus access to either of the compartments 1 and 2 requires the use of a single key in the lock 4. It will also be appreciated that, if the housing is picked up and shaken for example, the rods 9 will not move. Accordingly access to the upper compartment 1 is prevented.

If additional security of the upper compartment is required the apertures 8 may be ovate and the rods 9 similarly shaped so that after insertion the rods 9 may be turned to provide an additional friction grip between the rods and the ribs 5.

It will be realised that the sliding drawer 3 may be replaced by a cover plate (not shown) which may be hinged to the unit. In such a case the cover plate will be of sufficient thickness to provide contact with the insertion stop 10 or may be provided with a thickened contact section.

The three components 1, 2 and 3 of the housing are suitable for forming by vacuum moulding for example and the upper face 6 of the base compartment 2 may have supports (not shown) integral therewith for holding printed circuit boards and the like.

Claims (8)

1. A two-part apparatus housing having a plurality of compartments wherein a first csm- partment is provided in an enclosed box which forms a first part of the housing and which has an openable cover in a first side and an aperture in a second side which is angularly displaced with respect to said first side, a second compartment is provided in an open sided box which forms the second part of the housing and which has a spigot extend ing at an angle to the open side, said spigot is arranged on assembly of the housing to ex tend from the second compartment into the first compartment through said aperture, said spigot having a respective aperture therein and, in use, a slideably removeable locking member is fitted to extend through the aper ture in said spigot which locking member is held in position by said cover when said cover -is closed such that separation of the two parts of the housing is prevented until the cover in said first part has been opened.

2. A two-part apparatus housing as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said openable cover is removeable from said first part.

3. A two-part apparatus housing as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which said cover is integral with a drawer which is fitted in and slideably removeable from the first compartment.

4. A two-part housing as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which a first plurality of spigots having the apertures therein axially aligned are provided extending at a first posi tion from said second compartment and a second plurality of spigots having the respec tive apertures therein axially aligned are pro vided extending at a second position from said second compartment, the second position being spaced apart from the first position, a respective aperture is provided in said second side of said first part of the housing and respective locking members are fitted to each of the plurality of spigots, each of said locking members being held in position by said cover when closed.

5. A two-part apparatus housing as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cover is arranged in transition from the open to the closed position to co-operate with the locking member(s) so as to push the locking member(s) fully home in the aperture(s) in the spigot(s).

6. A two-part apparatus housing as claimed in any preceding claim in which the aperture(s) in the spigot(s) are substantially ovate and the locking member(s) are correspondingly shaped such that once such a locking member is fully home within the aperture(s) in the spigots it may be rotated to increase frictional interference between the member and the spigot(s) so as to prevent the accidental removal of the member when the cover in the first part of the housing is opened.

7. A hvo-part apparatus housing as claimed in any preceding claim in which the cover is fitted with a key operable locking device so as to prevent unauthorised access to either of the compartments.

8. A two-part apparatus housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.