GB2146383A - Security cabinet for automatic money handler - Google Patents

Abstract

The cabinet 12, for an automatic money handling machine which has at least one bill handling module and at least one coin handling module comprises an apertured cover 34, a lockable door 14, and locating/ securing means for the modules. The modules can only be removed by releasing the securing means via the door 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fixed Cabinet for Automatic Money Handler The present invention relates to a cabinet for an automatic money handling device. Byway of example of such money handling devices, reference may be made to British Patent Specifications 2088609A, 2088610A and 2088611A.

In order that such a money handling device shall be secure if left in place, it is desired that a cabinet is provided which allows removal of the handler by those authorised, but which can be locked so as to prevent the unauthorised from removing or tampering with it.

Accordingly, the invention provides a cabinet for an automatic money handling device with a plurality of modules which require to be accessible at the top of the cabinet, comprising a bottom and three rigid side walls, a fourth side wall having a lockable door, and cover means forming a sixth wall including apertures matched to modules of the handling device and allowing access thereto, wherein abutment means within the cabinet serve to locate and secure the modules so that they cannot be removed except by releasing the securement via the lockable door.

The automatic money handler is a modular structure formed of one or more assemblies of money receiving and dispensing belts and a coin receiving, dispensing and, in some cases, delivering apparatus. In one version of the invention each of these modules are held in place within the cabinet by a plurality of precisely spaced slats which both support the modules and properly space them.

The cabinet while not necessarily being either fire proof or burglar proof may be either or both. In one embodiment which is neither fire nor burglar proof, the cabinet is made from a thin but sturdy shell of steel. The cabinet is able to be securely locked.

Access to the cabinet is provided for both electrical power and electronic data transmission through a novel channel arrangement which does not allow access to the inside of the cabinet by an unauthorized person who is neither willing nor able to physically damage the cabinet. The cabinet covers similarly are held in place by a novel arrangement which is not accessible to an unauthorized outsider.

As a result of these inventive features the present inventive cabinet is not readily subject to interference from or by unauthorized persons. As a result the contents of the cabinet which are intended to be money handling devices are relatively secure from misuse by unauthorized people.

In order that the invention shall be clearly understood, an exemplary embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a top perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show top and side views, respectively of the cabinet shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 shows a side view partially broken away and in section of the cabinet having four automatic bill handlers and an automatic coin handling system.

Figure 5 shows a top view of the base plate on which the bill handiers and coin handling system are mounted.

Figure 6 shows a side view of a bill handler module.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the top cover into which the upper portion of the bill handler module and the coin handling system are fitted.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention. An automatic money handler and cabinet are shown generally by 10. The cabinet 12 has a door 14 with a lock 24 and hinges 26. The cabinet 12 has sides 16, a rear panel 18 and a floor 20.

The upper portion of the cabinet 12 has a cover 34 which has three sections. The first section 28 supports a keyboard 38. The second section 30 has one or more cavities into which can be placed bill handling belts and one or more cavities 42 into which can be placed coin deposit and delivery devices. The third section 32 has one or more cavities 44 for receiving bill display window portions of the bill handling belts and one or more cavities 36 which can contain a coin receiving bucket 46.

Cover 34 can be made of a variety of materials including many synthetics such as moulded plastic.

For certain purposes, a non-conducting material is optimum. One such purpose which will be discussed more fully in a later related application is when the automatic money handler is combined with an automatic operator identification and recognition system which itself requires the electronic transmission of information.

The cabinet in this embodiment has external physical dimensions of about 66 cms by about 56 cms by about 81 cms in width, depth and height.

The money handler in this configuration weighs about 59 kgs. The external dimensions of the cabinet are about 5 cms greater in width and depth than that of the money handler. The cabinet stands about 81 cms high from the floor and places the keyboard of the money handler at about 86 cms from the floor.

Figures 2 and 3 show side and top views of the cabinet shown in Figure 1, at the section planes 3-3 and 2-2 respectively, as shown in Figure 1. Figures 2 and 3 show the cabinet 12 with a part of the base support section 200 removed. The base support section 200 is shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Cabinet 12 as seen from the top shows the top of sides 16 and rear wall 18. Support ledges 142 are shown extending horizontally outwardly from each side wall 16. Ledges 142 are securely fastened to side walls 16 by being welded thereto.

Figure 3 shows in detail the structure for holding down the cover 34 to the main body 12 of the cabinet. A plurality of "eye" members 138 having apertures 136 formed therein are fixed connected to cover 34. A "J" shaped both member 132 having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of aperture 136 has a hook 134 on one end and threads 144 formed on the other end.

The hook end 134 of the "J" member 132 is fitted through eye 136 and through a bore 140 formed in shelf 142. A nut 146 is then threaded onto member 132 pulling cover 34 down tightly against the top of the web side plates 320 toward shelf 142.

Figures 2 and 3 show a border or trim section 160 which may be formed of a moulded non-conducting material surrounding the cover member 34. The trim section 160 is shown in Figure 3 held in place by a structure similar to that for holding cover 34 in place. An "eye" ring 162 is fixed to the trim section 160. A "J" bolt 166 has a laterally extending portion 168 fitting through aperture 164formed in ring 162.

The longitudinally extending portion 176 of bolt 166 fits through bore 174 formed in shelf 142. The end of bolt 166 hasathreaded portion 172 which is fitted to member 130 for holding bolt 166 in place which in turn holds trim member 160 in place relative to cover 34 and cabinet 12.

The lower left hand corner of Figure 3 shows the construction of one embodiment of the novel structure for feeding power and data electronically to and from the device. Porthole 22 is formed in either or both sides 16 of the cabinet 12. A conduit is formed using the inside of front 14 and the inside of bottom 20 and a shield member 105 formed into three sections, 102, 104 and 106. Shield 105 is firmly connected to the sides 16 and bottom 20 of the cabinet 12 and may extend the entire length inside of the front 14 of the cabinet 12. An outlet port 110 is formed in part of shield member, preferably near the middle of the cabinet 12 to enable the power and data connections to be made to the automatic money handler.

The structure described in the preceding paragraph permits power and information to enter and leave the cabinet without opening the cabinet to unauthorized persons. No unauthorized person can gain access to the inside of the cabinet through the electrical inlet to the device without destroying the cabinet in some significant way.

Figures 4 and 5 show the construction of one embodiment of the device for holding the automatic money handler in place within the cabinet. Figure 6 shows an automatic money handler module 300.

The module 300 is six sided figure which is substantially regular except for the slope of the upper surface.

The module 300 has sides 320, and upper surface 309 front surface 312. A cable makes connection to an electrical connector 310 which brings power to the module 300 and information to and from the module. Other electrical cables with appropriate connectors bring the power and information to a circuit board, not shown, and from there to the proper interconnections to make the device operative.

The top surface of the bill handler module 300 has a bill receiving and dispensing surface 316 on the upper surface of the bill handling module 300.

Retention bars 315 mounted between the sides 320 provide a surface for being engaged by threaded hooks 317 for connecting the modules 300 to base 210.

Figure 4 shows on the right-hand side a side-view of the coin handler module 400 showing a coin storage tube 410, a motor412 used to power the coin dispensers, not shown, and at the top of the drawing a part of the coin receiving bucket 420.

Figures 4 and 5 show the details of construction of the retaining shelf 200. Shelf 200 has one or more "U" shaped base members 210. The base members 210 are fastened to the shelf 200 by any convenient device such as screws 214. An aperture 212 is formed in the base members 210 to allow an electrical cable and connector to fit into or through it to connect to a distribution panel (not shown) mounted at the bottom of the housing. The "U" shaped members 210 have upwardly extending portions 216 running along the length of the sides of the member.

The inside distance separating the legs 216 of the base member 210 is just slightly larger than the distance separating the outside walls 320 of the module 300. As a result the legs 216 tightly grip the walls 320 of the module 300 and hold the module in its proper place. In addition the upper part of the module 300 is held in place by the cavity 44 which contains the viewing windows 307. The bill module 300 is held in place above by the cover 34 and below by the "J" bolts 317. This mounting structure facilitates the easy removal of a module for service or replacement. Similarly the coin module is held in place within the upright legs 226 of "U" shaped base plate 220 and the upper cavity 246 of cover 34.

Plate 220 is held in place on the shelf 200 by screws 222. When the cover 34 is removed either or both coin module 400 or bill module 300 can be easily replaced.

Although the present invention has been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, variations may be made from these by those skilled in the art which are within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (12)

1. A cabinet for an automatic money handling device with a plurality of modules which require to be accessible at the top of the cabinet, comprising a bottom and three rigid side walls, a fourth sidewall having a lockable door, and cover means forming a sixth wall including apertures matched to modules of the handling device and allowing access thereto, wherein abutment means within the cabinet serve to locate and secure the modules so that they cannot be removed except by releasing the securementvia the lockable door.

2. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1, comprising a shelf means spanning between the sides thereof, with one or more generally "U" shaped base members fixedly connected to the shelf means, the "U" shaped base member and an aperture in the cover means co-operating to hold in place a money handling module.

3. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1 or 2, including passage means for electrical cable having a first port on one side of the cabinet and a second port within the cabinet.

4. A cabinet as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the cover member has fixed thereto one or more "eye" members, and one or more "J" shaped members engage the one or more "eye" members and engage the abutment means for holding the cover member in place.

5. A cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, having a trim member adapted to fit tightly about said cover means, one or more "eye" members fixedly connected to said trim member, and one or more "J" bolt members fitted through said "eye" members and engaging said abutment means for holding said trim member in proper position.

6. An automatic money handling device comprising in combination a housing means; a cover means; a shelf means; the housing means having four rigid sides and a bottom; one of the sides having a door like opening; the cover means formed of a rigid material having one or more apertures formed therein; one or more money handling device modules contained within said cover and said housing; the number of apertures in said cover means being at least equal to the number of money handling modules; shelf means formed between at least two sides of said housing; said shelf means having fixed thereto one or more "U" shaped base members for holding said money handling modules; the number of "U" shaped base members being at least equal to the number of money handling modules; said money handling modules fitting between the legs of said "U" shaped members.

7. The device claimed in claim 6 wherein said cover means comprises a first cavity means for receiving one or more windows, a second cavity means for receiving one or more bill or coin handling means and a third cavity means for receiving a keyboard device.

8. In a cash receiving and dispensing apparatus for placement within or alongside a counter the combination comprising: a housing means, a cover means, one or more bill and coin handling means contained within the housing; said bill handling means having a transparent conveying means for moving bills into and out of the housing means; said bill handling means having an input-output means; said cover means having a viewing window means which viewing window cannot be nondestructively removed from said housing and so that said input-output means is accessible by users of the device; said housing means having an electrical conduit means formed therein which permit entry and exit of electrical power and data from said device but does not allow non-destructive entry to the housing means.

9. The device claimed in claim 9 including further a shelf means contained within the housing means; said shelf means having one or more "U" shaped base members for holding said bill handling means in position in co-operation with said first cavity means.

10. The device claimed in claim 8 including further a trim means adapted to be fitted around said cover means; said cover means and said trim means fastened to said shelf means by one or more "eye" bolt members fixed to said cover means and said trim means in which "J" bolt members interconnect said "eye" bolt members to said shelf means.

11. A cabinet for an automatic money handling device substantially as herein described.

12. As an independent invention, the additional feature of any of claims 2 to 5 and 7 to 10.