GB2142083A - Safes - Google Patents

Abstract

A safe 10 comprises a door 18 which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge 20 positioned within the safe. The arrangement of the hinge 20 permits the door 18 to be opened without obstruction from the plaster surface, by moving the door a distance away from the plane of the safe opening. A door-concealing facia 34 secured to the door 18 comprises a marginal portion 40 which overlaps the door and is spaced from a front surface 14 of the safe. When installed in a wall cavity, or similarly elsewhere, with the front surface 14 flush with the surface 16 of brickwork, a plaster covering 42 over the brickwork is extended to cover the front surface 14 of the sale around the door 18, the marginal portion 40 of the facia abutting the plaster surface and the sale so being completely hidden. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Safes It is an object of this invention to provide an improved construction of safe which enables a door of the safe to be well disguised when the safe is installed in a wall cavity, or similarly elsewhere.

According to the invention a safe comprises a door which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge positioned within the safe, the arrangement of the door relative to the hinge being such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the safe opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe.

Such an arrangement enables an outer panel of the door, or a facia secured to the door, to lie flush against a surface to conceal the safe when the door is closed.

One such safe is shown installed in a wall cavity in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, the safe being described hereinafter with reference to the drawing to illustrate the invention byway of example.

The safe 10 is installed in a cavity in a wall 12, a generally flat front surface 14 of a front wall ofthe safe being flush with the flat surface 16 of brickwork of the wall.

The safe comprises a door 18 which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge 20 positioned within the safe, a bracket 22 connecting the door 18 to the hinge. When in a closed position the door 18 occupies an opening 24 in the front wall of the safe.

Also when the door is in its closed position, an arm 26 projecting from the bracket 22 adjacent to the hinge 20 engages a switch 28 secured within the safe; the switch 28 can serve any of various possible purposes, including controlling lighting and/or alarm circuits, the arm 26 moving out of engagement with the switch upon opening the door. A lock mechanism 30 is secured to an inside surface of the door, to be operated by means of a key introduced through an aperture 32 in the door from outside the safe.

A wooden door-concealing facia 34 is secured by means of screws 36 to an outside surface 38 of the safe door 18. The facia 34 overlaps the door 18 by a substantial margin 40 all around its periphery. The outside surface 38 of the door is spaced outwardiy from the front surface 14 of the safe by a distance equal to the thickness of a plaster covering 42 on the surface 16 of the wall 12. The plaster covering can thus be extended to cover a portion of the front surface 14 of the safe, terminating at a plaster ring 44 positioned between the marginal portion 40 of the facia 34 and the front surface 14 of the safe. The facia 34 thus appears from the outside to be simply a wooden board secured flush against the plaster covering 42 of the wall 12, there being no visible sign of the presence of the safe 10 behind the facia.

An aperture 46 in the facia 34 is positioned uniformly with the positions of the screws 36 securing the facia. The aperture 46 and the apertures for the screws 36 are all closed by screw caps 48, to be undistinguishable by appearance. The aperture 46 is aligned with the aperture 32 in the door 18 to permit insertion of a key through the facia for operation of the lock mechanism 30.

The facia 34 may be used to mount an electric clock, for example, and for that purpose an electric cable 50 may be led through the facia from behind.

The arrangement of the safe door 18 (and the facia 34, effectively forming an extension to the door) relative to the hinge 20 is such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe. The whole of the door 18 and the facia 34 lie at a distance to the left (as seen in the drawing) of a line extending through the hinge 20 perpendicular to the plane of the safe opening 24; upon opening the door, the door and the facia move away from the plane of the safe opening and, most importantly, that portion of the margin 40 of the facia 34 nearest to the hinge 20 moves away from the outer surface of the plaster covering 42, as indicated by arrow A.

The invention enables an installed safe to be particularly well disguised. Clearly the facia 34 is only illustrative of what could be mounted on the safe door to conceal the safe.

1. A safe comprising a door which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge positioned within the safe, the arrangement of the door relative to the hinge being such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the safe opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe.

2. A safe according to claim 1 in which an outer panel of the door, or a facia secured to the door, comprises an overlapping marginal portion which is spaced outwardly from a front wall of the safe, whereby upon the safe being installed in a cavity in a wall a plaster covering on the surface of the wall can be extended to a position between said marginal portion and the front wall of the safe in order that there shall be no visible sign of the presence of the safe behind the outer panel or facia.

3. A safe according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which a bracket connects the door to the hinge and an arm projecting from the bracket engages a lighting and/or alarm switch when the door is closed.

4. A safe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Safes It is an object of this invention to provide an improved construction of safe which enables a door of the safe to be well disguised when the safe is installed in a wall cavity, or similarly elsewhere. According to the invention a safe comprises a door which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge positioned within the safe, the arrangement of the door relative to the hinge being such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the safe opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe. Such an arrangement enables an outer panel of the door, or a facia secured to the door, to lie flush against a surface to conceal the safe when the door is closed. One such safe is shown installed in a wall cavity in the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, the safe being described hereinafter with reference to the drawing to illustrate the invention byway of example. The safe 10 is installed in a cavity in a wall 12, a generally flat front surface 14 of a front wall ofthe safe being flush with the flat surface 16 of brickwork of the wall. The safe comprises a door 18 which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge 20 positioned within the safe, a bracket 22 connecting the door 18 to the hinge. When in a closed position the door 18 occupies an opening 24 in the front wall of the safe. Also when the door is in its closed position, an arm 26 projecting from the bracket 22 adjacent to the hinge 20 engages a switch 28 secured within the safe; the switch 28 can serve any of various possible purposes, including controlling lighting and/or alarm circuits, the arm 26 moving out of engagement with the switch upon opening the door. A lock mechanism 30 is secured to an inside surface of the door, to be operated by means of a key introduced through an aperture 32 in the door from outside the safe. A wooden door-concealing facia 34 is secured by means of screws 36 to an outside surface 38 of the safe door 18. The facia 34 overlaps the door 18 by a substantial margin 40 all around its periphery. The outside surface 38 of the door is spaced outwardiy from the front surface 14 of the safe by a distance equal to the thickness of a plaster covering 42 on the surface 16 of the wall 12. The plaster covering can thus be extended to cover a portion of the front surface 14 of the safe, terminating at a plaster ring 44 positioned between the marginal portion 40 of the facia 34 and the front surface 14 of the safe. The facia 34 thus appears from the outside to be simply a wooden board secured flush against the plaster covering 42 of the wall 12, there being no visible sign of the presence of the safe 10 behind the facia. An aperture 46 in the facia 34 is positioned uniformly with the positions of the screws 36 securing the facia. The aperture 46 and the apertures for the screws 36 are all closed by screw caps 48, to be undistinguishable by appearance. The aperture 46 is aligned with the aperture 32 in the door 18 to permit insertion of a key through the facia for operation of the lock mechanism 30. The facia 34 may be used to mount an electric clock, for example, and for that purpose an electric cable 50 may be led through the facia from behind. The arrangement of the safe door 18 (and the facia 34, effectively forming an extension to the door) relative to the hinge 20 is such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe. The whole of the door 18 and the facia 34 lie at a distance to the left (as seen in the drawing) of a line extending through the hinge 20 perpendicular to the plane of the safe opening 24; upon opening the door, the door and the facia move away from the plane of the safe opening and, most importantly, that portion of the margin 40 of the facia 34 nearest to the hinge 20 moves away from the outer surface of the plaster covering 42, as indicated by arrow A. The invention enables an installed safe to be particularly well disguised. Clearly the facia 34 is only illustrative of what could be mounted on the safe door to conceal the safe. CLAIMS

1. A safe comprising a door which is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge positioned within the safe, the arrangement of the door relative to the hinge being such that the whole of the door becomes moved a distance away from the plane of the safe opening in opening the door to a position in which access can be gained to the interior of the safe.

2. A safe according to claim 1 in which an outer panel of the door, or a facia secured to the door, comprises an overlapping marginal portion which is spaced outwardly from a front wall of the safe, whereby upon the safe being installed in a cavity in a wall a plaster covering on the surface of the wall can be extended to a position between said marginal portion and the front wall of the safe in order that there shall be no visible sign of the presence of the safe behind the outer panel or facia.

3. A safe according to either of claims 1 and 2 in which a bracket connects the door to the hinge and an arm projecting from the bracket engages a lighting and/or alarm switch when the door is closed.

4. A safe substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.