GB2190137A

GB2190137A - Storage arrangement for delivered goods

Info

Publication number: GB2190137A
Application number: GB08709139A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eugene Mcsweeney
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-04-19
Filing date: 1987-04-15
Publication date: 1987-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2007-04-15
Also published as: GB8709139D0; GB2190137B; EP0265474A1; GB8609637D0; WO1987006298A1

Abstract

The arrangement is for delivered goods, particularly to a household to avoid the necessity of the householder being at home. It comprises a hatch or enclosure (1) defined or fitted within an opening (2) through a wall of a building to which goods are to be delivered, said hatch or enclosure having an exterior door (4) with a lock (6), such as a combination lock which is lockable by the roundsman after delivery and an interior door (10) opening into the building which can be locked from within the building and through which the delivered goods can be extracted. The lock (6) of the exterior door may be self-locking after use by the roundsman, in which case, it could be unlocked from within the building prior to the next delivery. The hatch or enclosure may be divided into compartments (9) each with its own exterior door (4), and lock (6), in which case at least one compartment may have a chilling and/or refrigerating mechanism associated therewith for perishable and/or frozen goods.

Description

SPECIFICATION Security and temporary storage arrangement for -delivered goods This invention relates to a security and temporary storage arrangementfordelivered goods, particularly for households.

A particular problem faced by delivery roundsmen is that the households to which they are to deliver are often empty. A problem is also faced by the householder when goods are to be delivered, due to the fact that a precise or even approximate time of delivery can not normally be given by the roundsman. Thus, the householder cannot plan the day and must often stay indoors many hours before delivery is finally made.

Where the goods are inexpensive, e.g. milk, eggs etc they are often left at the door of the householder.

Even then, in hot weather, such goods can be severly impaired if left for long. In the case of expensive goods,such asacontainerorgroceries,these obviously cannot be left outside and if the groceries include frozen foods it is imperative that they are immediately attended to upon delivery.

The object of my invention is to provide a security and temporary storage arrangement for delivered goods which can be readily used by a roundsman, even ifthe householder is away.

According to this invention, such an arrangement for delivered goods comprises a hatch or enclosure defined orfitted within an opening through a wall of a buildingtowhich goodsareto be delivered (e.g. in the wall of a house adjacent the front door), said hatch or enclosure having an exteriordoorwhich is lockable by the roundsman after delivery and an interior door opening into the building which can be locked from within the building and through which the delivered goods can be extracted.

In a first application, the exterior door could be provided with a self-locking lock that can, however, be unlocked from inside by the householder. Thus, the exterior door could be opened by the roundsman when he calls, but it would automatically lock after the roundsman has opened the door, delivered the goods, and closed the dooragain. In this case, the householderwould extract the delivered goods after returning home through the interior door and reset the lock to its open position from inside. To caterfor a number of separate deliveries, the hatch or enclosure could be divided into compartments with a common exterior door and lock, or each with its own exterior door and lock.

In a second application, the exterior door could be fitted with a combination lock, in which case a regular roundsman, such as a milkman, would know the combination, whereas, for an infrequent delivery e.g. from a shop, the householderwould advise the shop of the combination numberwhenordering.

Advantageously, a combination lock could be used ofthetypewherethecombination numbers can be changed at will, so that the householder, with prior notification to the roundsman could change the numberfrom timeto time, or it could be changed for a special delivery.

It will be appreciated that, with either of the above described applications, at least one compartment could be chilled, e.g. bya suitable refrigerating compressor, for use for perishable goods such as milk or eggs.

In a third application, the hatch or enclosure could be divided into compartments of a unit size, which size would preferably be standardised for use by roundsmen, so that each compartment could accept a standard storage container sent out by a shop, etc with the goods already stored therein. In this application, preferably a common exterior door and lock would still be provided for normally closing the compartments, but in addition, a one-way locking device would be provided for each compartment, which could act between a wall of the compartment, e.g. the floor, and a corresponding wall ofthe storage container so that, once delivered into a compartment, the locking device would prevent the container from being removed through the exterior door, butwould permit it to be removed through the interior door.

In orderthatthe invention may be readily understood, one embodiment, constructed in accordance with thethird application discussed above, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is an exterior elevation of a security hatch, let into a wall of a house, Figure2 is a section through the hatch, Figure 3 is an interior elevation of the hatch, and, Figure4isan enlargeddetailAofFigure2.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the front of the security enclosure 1 is formed as an opening 2 extending through a brick wall which is faced with wood and has a sill 3. The opening is normally closed by an exterior door 4 with a handle 5, the door being lockable by a press-button combination lock 6. The enclosure extends inwardly and comprises a casing structure 7 with a series of shelves 8 dividing the enclosure into a number of compartments 9.

Internally, the enclosure is normally closed, in this embodiment by a pair of lockable hinging doors 10, which take on the appearanceofacloakcupboard within the house, the lower part 1 Oa of which can be used for general storage. As discussed hereinbefore, each compartment 9 is of a standardised unitsizeso that, if desired, goods can be delivered already packed into a standardised storage container 11. To prevent withdrawal of such a container when fitted into a compartment, a one-way lock is used, see Figure 4. The lock comprises a spring bar 12 upstanding from the floor 13 of each compartment and inclined towards the interior of the house. The bottom of each standard container is provided with an inclined cooperating recess 14.Thus, when the container is pushed into the compartment, its undersurface presses the spring bar to the floor and this latterthen springs backintothe recess when the container is fully located in the compartment.

Although withdrawal of the container 11 is prevented through the exterior door, it will be appreciated thatthe container can be readily pulled outthroughtheinteriordoors 10. In this embodiment, instead of providing a refrigerated compartment, some of the standard sized storage containers could be in the form of insulated cold boxes.

It will be appreciated that, in this embodiment, although the compartments are designed to receive goods already packed into standardised storage containers 11, they could also be used directly to receive unpacked goods.

It will also be appreciated that the arrangement could be made more secure by using it in conjunction with a two-way phone and/or a camera system so that the householdercancommunicate with the roundsman. As a furtherfeature, a time clock could be installed alongside the exterior door, or within the enclosure, to enable the roundsman to record the time of delivery.

Claims

1. A security and temporary storage arrangement for delivered goods, characterised in that it comprises a hatch or enclosure defined or fitted within an opening through a wall of a building to which goods are to be delivered, said hatch or enclosure having an exterior door with a lockwhich is lockable by the roundsman after delivery and an interior door opening into the building which can be locked from within the building and through which the delivered goods can be extracted.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised inthatthe lock ofthe exterior door is self-locking after use by the roundsman, but can be unlocked from within the building.

3. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in thatthe lock is a combination lock of a type with combination numbers that can be changed at will.

4. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the hatch or enclosure is divided into compartments each with its own exterior door, and lock.

5. An arrangement according to Claim 4, characterised in that at least one compartment has a chilling and/or refrigerating mechanism associated therewithforperishableand/orfrozen goods.

6. An arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterised in that the hatch or enclosure is divided into compartments of a standard unit size adapted to receive a storage container of corresponding standard size.

7. An arrangement according to claim 6, wherein a one-way locking device is provided for each compartment adapted to act between a wall of the compartment and a corresponding wall of a storage containerthereforsothat, once delivered into its compartment, the container cannot be removed from the outside.

8. An arrangement according to any one ofthe preceding claims, characterised in that it includes two/way phone and/or a camera installation.

9. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a time clock is provided to record the time of delivery.

10. Asecurityand temporary storage arrangement, constructed and adapted for use substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.