GB2201459A - Farebox security device - - Google Patents

Abstract

A farebox has two chambers separated by a security plate or dividing wall (26) except for a communicating passageway (28) between the chambers, a fare receiving and detecting module (22) being located in the upper chamber for receiving deposited fares, detecting the deposited value, and, transporting the fare to the communicating passageway, and a removable cashbox (32) for storing deposited fares being located in the lower chamber and having a deposit opening (34) communicating with the passageway (28) for receiving deposited fares from the fare receiving module. Both the fare receiving module and the cashbox are removably locked in their respective chambers, and a device for unlocking the fare receiving module is associated with a security shutter (40) which is movable between a position closing and locking the communicating passageway and a position in which the communicating passageway is unblocked. Unlocking of the fare receiving module automatically moves the security shutter into a position blocking the communicating passageway. <IMAGE>

Description

FAREBOX SECURITY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a security device for a farebox or cash acceptance receptacle for automatically securing a cash storage area when the receptacle is opened for maintenance purposes. The invention is particularly intended for use with a farebox of the type in which a fare accepting module of a farebox is removable for maintenance purposes by maintenance personnel having a key for releasing the module. Such a farebox is described., for example, in copending application Serial No. 750,534 filea June 28, 1985 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

Fareboxes or cash acceptance receptacles, for example of the type used to collect fares from transit passengers automatically, typically comprise axn outer receptacle in which a secure cashbox is located, and have some means for detecting the deposit of coins and/or bills and registering the appropriate payment. A suitable coin and/or bill deposit section is provided in the receptacle and guides deposited cash into the cashbox. The cashbox has openings which are automatically closed and locked when the receptacle is opened to allow the cashbox to be removed and replaced when full. These openings are open to allow the deposit of cash from the deposit section when the cashbox is securely locked within the farebox. Thus there is a security problem if anyone gains access to the interior of the deposit section of the farebox while the cashbox is in place.

One prior art farebox is shown, for example, in Re No.

28,307 of Dominick et al. In this case deposited fares are visible to a driver who determines whether the correct payment is made. The driver operates a trip bar to allow fares to fall into a cashbox. A blocking plate is shifted into a si position blocking an opening allowing passage of fares from the fare deposit area to the cashbox area Qn opening of an access door to the cashbox area. Other fareboxes of this general type are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,741,464 of Verbecke and U.S. Patent No.

3,974,961 of Dominick et al showing a cashbox having deposit openings which are automatically closed and locked by sliding baffle plates on removal of the cashbox from an outer receptacle such as a farebox or vault.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention a farebox is provided which has two separate chambers with at least one connecting passageway between the chambers and a security shutter movable between a position blocking the passageway and a position in which the passageway is unblocked and open. At least one fare receiving module is located in a first one of the chambers for receiving fares deposited in an associated aperture in the housing, and includes an apparatus or device for detecting the value of a deposited fare and. a transport mechanism for transporting the deposited fare through the module to the connecting passageway. The fare receiving module is associated with a locking device for releasably locking the module in the chamber.The locking device is associated with the security shutter such that unlocking of the fare receiving module to remove the module from the housing automatically moves the shutter into the position blocking the passageway and locks it in that position until the module is again replaced and locked in the housing.

A cash box is located in the second chamber with at least one fare receiving opening communicating with the connecting passageway between the chambers to receive fares from the fare receing module and to store accumulated fare deposits. The cash box is removably locked in the chamber and itself has a security shutter or blocking plate which automatically closes and locks any fare receiving opening when the cashbox is released trom the chamber.

Thus the farebox is doubly secure, since not only is the cash box automatically closed and locked prior to its removal from the housing for emptying, for example, but a connecting passageway which connects a fare receiving and detecting module to the cash box is also automatically closed and locked if the module has to be removed, for example for maintenance purposes. Thus unauthorized access or entry to the cashbox chamber is prevented, reducing the risk of theft0 Preferably, the locking device comprises a key member rotatably mounted on the fare receiving module and a lock device in the chamber for engagement by the key when the module is correctly positioned in the chamber.The shutter device is linked to the lock device so that rotation of the key in a first direction acts both to lock the key member in the lock device and therefore the fare receiving module in the chamber and also to move the shutter out of the passageway to allow fares to be deposited in the cashbox.

Rotation of the key in an opposite, unlocking direction acts to release the key and module trom the lock and to move the shutter in the opposite direction into a position blocking the passageway, where it will be locked in place until the key is again inserted and rotated in the first direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TEE DRAWINGS The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a - preferred embodiment, taken in con3'unction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a farebox according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing the farebox housing in broken line outline to reveal components of the tarebox within the housing; Figure 2 is a cutaway view of one side of the tarebox showing a fare receiving module for receiving fares at an entry opening in the housing and feeding them to a cash box while detecting the value of the received fares;; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the fare receiving module, locking device and security shutter of the farebox, showing the parts of the locking device separated; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the locking device and security shutter, showing the shutter in a closed and locked position; and Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing a first position of the security shutter and locking device in solid outline and a second position of the security-shutter and locking device in dotted outline.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 of the drawings shows a farebox incorporating a security shutter and locking device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The farebox is preferably of the type generally described in copending U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 750,534 entitled "MULTIFARE MEDIA FAREBOX", filed June 28, 1985 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

The farebox is designed for use, for example, on a bus or other transit vehicle in an urban mass transportation system for receiving fares in the form of cash, tokens, or magnetically encoded farecards from passengers as they enter the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle controls and monitors operation of the farebox.

The farebox includes processing devices for monitoring the value of deposited fares, determining if the amount tendered is sufficient to pay the fare, and acknowledging and recording fare payment. These processing devices are described in detail in copending application Serial No.

750,534 and do not form a part of the present invention.

They will therefore not be described in any detail in this application, which is specifically concerned with a security device for such a farebox.

As shown in Figure 1, a farebox 10 basically comprises an outer housing 12 including upper and lower separate chambers 14 and 16. The upper chamber has an aperture 18 for receiving strip-like fare media such as bills, farecards or tickets, and a coin aperture 20 for receiving coins or tokens. Mounted within the upper chamber is a bill receiving module 22 for receiving bills, cards or tickets deposited in aperture 18, and a coin receiving module 24 for receiving coins or tokens deposited in aperture 20. Also mounted on the housing is a magnetic card reader 25 for reading magnetically encoded farecards. This does not form a part of the present invention and may be omitted in alternative embodiments.

A security plate or dividing wall 26 separates the upper chamber 14 from the lower chamber 16. The dividing wall has one or more connecting passageways or openings 28, 30 (see Figures 2, 3 and 4) which provide communication from the bill module 22 and the coin module 24, respectively, to the lower chamber. A cashbox 32 is removably secured in the lower chamber 16 as indicated in Figure 1, and has upper bill and coin openings respectively, one of which, 34, is shown in Figure 2. The openings in the cashbox are in alignment with the passageways 28 and 30 for receiving and storing fares deposited in the respective modules. The cashbox is normally locked in the lower chamber and released by rotating cashbox door handle 38, which simultaneously slides a shutter 40 across cashbox openings 34 and 36 in the manner described in more detail in co-pending Application Serial No. 750,534.When the cashbox is positioned in the lower chamber and the door handle is rotated in the opposite direction, the shutter slides back away from the openings so that coins and bills can fall from the coin and bill modules, respectively, through the passageways or apertures 28 and 30 and into the cashbox. At the same time, a locking tang is activated to lock the cash box in the chamber. The handle 38 can only be rotated to unblock the openings 34 when the cashbox engages a magnetic key pin 41 at the rear of the chamber, ensuring that the openings can only be uncovered when the cashbox is securely locked with the chamber. The cash box security system does not form a specific part of the present invention and it will therefore not be described in any further detail.

Secure cashbox systems of this general type are known, one such system being described in U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 742,295, filed June 7, 1985 and assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Other types of lockable cashboxes with suitable apertures 34 may alternatively -be used in the lower chamber, the cashboxes being of the type which are automatically locked on removal of the cashbox from the lower chamber.

The structure of the bill and coin receiving modules will now be described in more detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The bill receiving module is arranged to receive any United States currency note in circulation. It may alternatively be arranged to receive foreign currency notes for fareboxes used in transit systems in countries outside the United States. In addition to currency-notes, the module will receive purchased farecards or tickets, for example preprinted cardboard tickets with lengths corresponding to the prepaid fare value and different from the length of currency notes. Thus the module 22 will receive any strip-like fare media.

The bill, card or ticket is entered through the bill accepting aperture 18 on the upper part of the housing 12 in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1. From here it is picked up by a transport mechanism 22 which transports it along a predetermined path through the module to an exit nozzle or opening 44 at the lower end of the housing.

Located along the path through the module are various detection devices such as pairs of opposed optical sensors 46 and 48.

The transport mechanism and detection devices of the bill receiving module are described in detail in co-pending Application Serial No. 750,534 and will therefore not be described in any further detail in this application. The bill receiving module need not be of the specific type shown in the drawings, and may comprise any suitable module for receiving deposited bills, detecting their value, and transporting them to an exit opening for deposit in a cashbox.

Coins and/or tokens deposited in aperture 20 are fed through the coin module to a coin escrow window (not shown) that is visible to a bus driver. From here coins are directed via coin chute 88 which is in alignment with coin aperture 20 into the cashbox via the aligned cashbox coin deposit opening (not shown). The coin module preferably also includes a coin discriminator (not shown) through which coins are fed one by one. The discriminator detects the value of the coins and communicates them to a suitable fare processing device, as described in more detail in copending Application Serial No. 750,534 referred to above.

Thus in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a farebox upper chamber 14 contains at least two modules, one comprising a module for depositing strip-like- fare media such as bills and tickets and the other comprising a module for receiving coin-like fare media such as coins and tokens. Bowever, it will be understood that a single fare receiving module may be provided in alternative embodiments, for receiving coins and/or bills, and that any suitable fare value detection devices may be used in the modules, including devices allowing visual inspection by a vehicle driver. Although the bill receiving module is shown in the preferred embodiment as including a moving belt transport mechanism and photosensor detection devices, it may in alternative embodiments comprise any suitable transporting and value detecting devices.

The security locking device of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with specific reference to Figures 2 to 5. The device is particularly intended for use with a fare receiving module which is removable from a farebox for maintenance purpose, such as, for example, the bill receiving module described in Co- pending Application Serial No. 750,534. Such a device could also be used with any other removable modules in a farebox.

The security locking device is indicated generally by the reference numeral 52 and, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4, comprises a first part or key member 54 rotatably mounted on the fare receiving module 22 and a second part or lock member 56 mounted on the dividing wall 26 at the base of the upper chamber 14. The lock member 56 is linked via a cam arm or linkage 58 to a security shutter or plate 60 slidable between a first, locking position shown in solid-outline in Figure 4 in which it blocks or covers the connecting passageways or apertures 28 and 30 in the divining wall 26, and a second, retracted position shown in Figure 3 and in dotted outline in Figure 4 in which it is withdrawn to uncover or open the connecting passageways.

The key member comprises a key shaft 62 which extends rotatably through suitable aligned openings 64 in support members 66 on the module 22. An external crank 68 is provided at the upper end of the shaft 62, and a key 70 is provided at the lower end of the shaft 62 for locking engagement in a corresponding keyhole 72 in lock member 56.

The majority of the keyshaft may be enclosed within module 22 apart from crank 68 at the upper end of the module and key 70 projecting from the lower end of the module.

The lock member 56 comprises a conventional lock mechanism within outer housing 74, with the bolt or latch-of the lock mechanism replaced by the cam or linkage 58. This is best illustrated in Figure 5. The key 70 is slotted to engage barrel 90 when inserted in the keyholder 72. The barrel is linked to the cam 58, so that rotation of key 70 in lock member 56 will rotate the cam between the two positions shown in solid and dotted outlines in Figure 5.

A guide pin 76 projects upwardly from lock housing 74 for engaging a corresponding hole 78 (see Figure 3) in a lower support member or wall of the module 22, to guide the key into the keyhole.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, cam or linkage member 58 has an elongate slot 80 at its free end into which a trunnion or pin 82 attached to the shutter 60 projects. The shutter 60 is guided for sliding movement between its locking and retracted positions by means of suitable guides 84 mounted on dividing wall 26 and engaging its opposite side edges, and a guide bar 86 extending over the shutter 60 between the opposite guides 84. The guides 84 may alternatively comprise slide channels or rails into which the opposite side edges of shutter 60 project.

Operation of the security locking device will now be described in more detail. In order to replace or position a fare receiving module into the farebox, the key 70 which projects from the lower end of the module 22 must first be inserted in keyhole 72. Guidepin 76 aids in guiding the key into keyhole 72.

At this point the shutter 60 will be positioned as shown in Figure 4 in solid outline, blocking the connecting passageways 30 and 28 and preventing deposit of fares into the cashbox. In order for the farebox to be operational, the crank 68 at the upper end of keyshaft 62 must be rotated, rotating key 70 and thus cam 58 in an anticlockwise direction.

Rotation of cam 58 will cause trunnion 82 to slide inwardly along slot 80, pulling the shutter 60 back with the cam to the retracted, dotted line position shown in Figure 4. At this point the connecting passageways are-unblocked, and at the same time key 70 is locked in lock member 56 to secure the module 22 in the chamber.

If the module 22 is to be removed for maintenance, servicing or replacement, the crank 68 must be rotated in the opposite direction to release the key from the lock member 56 and at the same time rotate the cam 58 back towards the solid line position, forcing trunnion 82 back towards the outer end of the slot and sliding the shutter back into the locking or passageway blocking position.

Thus when the module is removed, allowing access to the interior of the upper chamber 14 of the farebox, the shutter is automatically moved into a position blocking the connecting passageways to the lower chamber 16 and is securely locked in this position until the module is replaced and locked in position. Thus unauthorized access to the cashbox chamber via openings 28 and 30 is restricted at all times, even when module 22 is removed, substantially reducing the risk of theft or tampering.

Without such a security device it is possible that a module 22 could be removed when an open cashbox is in lower chamber 16, allowing easy access to collected revenues in the cashbox via openings 28 and 30.

Thus, by replacing a standard lock bolt with cam 58 arranged such that the locking position of cam and shutter 60 correspond to the unlocking of key from lock 56, and vice versa, a reliable farebox security device for securing openings between separate chambers of a farebox is provided.

This security assembly or device could clearly be adapted for use in any farebox having removable modules. Although the security shutter is shown in the preferred embodiment as closing two connecting openings in its locked position, it may be arranged to close one opening only where there is only one removable fare receiving module, for example, or a greater number of openings where several separate fare deposit paths are provided within the farebox. If there is more than one removable module, for example, if coin module 24 is separately removable from the housing for servicing or repair, a similar locking device may be associated with the other module to slide the same shutter or an additional shutter into a blocking position when the module is unlocked from the chamber prior to removal.

However, in the illustrated embodiment the coin module may also be associated with an additional security device.

This comprises a security coin chute 88 mounted on the dividing wall between and in alignment with coin chute 50 and coin opening 30. The security chute 88 has a conventional Wanti-fisb funnel construction with a pair of oppositely directed ramped surfaces (not shown) to prevent a person reaching through the coin opening 30 should the coin module 24 be removed for any reason.

Thus, if the bill module 22 is removed the bill and coin openings 28 and 30 are automatically blocked by shutter 60, and if the coin module 24 is removed the coin opening 30 is blocked by security chute 88. In view of the security chute 88 the shutter 60-may be arranged to cover only the bill opening 28, but increased security and prevention of fishing is provided when shutter 60 covers both openings.

The security device described above therefore prevents anyone reaching through any otherwise uncovered opening when a module is removed from a farebox, and thus provides significant additional protection against theft.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above by way of example, it will be understood by those skilled in the field that modifications may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. A farebox comprising: a housing having two separate chambers with at least one a connecting passageway communicating between the two chambers; a fare receiving module located in a first one of the chambers and having means for receiving fares deposited in the housing, and means for transporting deposited fares to the connecting passageway; a locking device associated with the fare receiving module for releasably locking the module in the first chamber; a security shutter in the housing movable between a first position blocking the connecting passageway and a second position in which the passageway is unblocked; a cashbox located in the other chamber and having at least one deposit opening communicating with the connecting passageway for receiving fares deposited in the passageway by the fare receiving module; and linkage means linking said security shutter to said locking device for moving said security shutter into said first position in response to unlocking of said locking device to release the fare receiving module from the housing and moving said security shutter into said second position in response to locking of said locking device to secure said module in said housing.

2. The farebox as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a key member rotatably mounted on the fare receiving module, and a lock mechanism mounted in the first chamber for engagement with the key member when the module is correctly positioned in the chamber, the key member being rotatable when engaged in the lock mechanism between a locked position in which it is retained in said lock mechanism and a released position in which it is -removable from said lock mechanism, and said linkage means comprises cam means connecting said shutter to said lock mechanism and means for moving said cam means in opposite directions in response to rotation of said key member in locking and unlocking directions in said lock mechanism.

3. The farebox as claimed in Claim 2, including guide means for guiding said key member into engagement with said lock mechanism.

4. The farebox as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said cam means comprises an arm rotatably connected at one end to said lock mechanism for operative engagement by said key member when engaged in said lock mechanism, and means linking the other end of said arm to said shutter.

5. The farebox as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said arm has a slot, said shutter having a projecting trunnion extending into said slot for movement in opposite directions along said slot as said arm is rotated by rotation of said key member in said lock mechanism to move said shutter between said two positions.

6. The shutter as claimed in Claim 1, further including guide means for guiding said shutter for sliding movement back and forth between said two positions.