GB2204914A

GB2204914A - A deposit apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2204914A
Application number: GB08712071A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Albert Thoni
Original assignee: VIWA Ltd
Current assignee: VIWA Ltd
Priority date: 1987-05-21
Filing date: 1987-05-21
Publication date: 1988-11-23
Also published as: GB8712071D0

Abstract

Deposit apparatus 1 comprises a deposit drawer 2 slidably mounted in a drawer housing 3 which is mounted on top of and forms an extension of a safe 4. A dividing wall 12 divides the drawer 2 into a front portion 10 and a rear portion 11 in which a deposit bin 15 having a top opening 18 is mounted. The bin 15 is rotatably mounted on bearings 20 which carry locating pins 25. When the drawer 2 is pushed in the pins 25 engage side tracks 26 to move the bin 15 from an open position in which the opening 18 is uppermost for receiving valuables to a delivery position in which valuables are delivered from the bin 15 to the safe 4. <IMAGE>

Description

A DEPOSIT APPARATUS The invention relates to a deposit apparatus, and in particular to a deposit apparatus for use with a deposit safe or night safe.

According to the invention there is provided a deposit apparatus comprising a deposit drawer having a deposit bin for receiving valuables, and delivery means for moving the bin from a receiving position when the drawer is open to a delivery position when the drawer is closed.

In one embodiment of the invention the drawer is slidably mounted in a drawer housing having a delivery aperture through which valuables are passed by the bin when the drawer is closed.

Preferably the bin is rotatably mounted in the drawer.

Typically the delivery means comprises an actuator on the bin which rides on a guide means on the drawer housing to rotate the bin from the receiving position to the delivery position.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the guide means comprises a guide bar engaged by an actuator pin provided on the bin. Preferably the guide bar is shaped to move the pin and hence the bin on operation of the drawer.

Preferably the guide bar is inclined upwardly from a lower receiving position adjacent the front opening of the drawer housing to an upper delivery position adjacent he delivery aperture in the drawer housing.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the bin is rotatably mounted in bearings provided on opposed side walls of the drawer. Typically the actuating pin is offset mounted on a flange provided on the bearings.

In one embodiment of the invention the drawer includes access prevention means to prevent access to the bin when the drawer is partially opened. Typically the access prevention means comprises a plate which extends upwardly from the base of the drawer to shield the bin.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective, partially exploded view of a deposit apparatus according to the invention, Fig. 2 Is a side, partially cross-sectional view of the deposit apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front, partially cross-sectional view of the apparatus; and Fig. 4 is a side, partially cross-sectional view of the apparatus in another arrangement.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 1 to 3 thereof, there is illustrated a deposit apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 comprises a deposit drawer 2 which is slidably mounted in a drawer housing 3 which is mounted on top of and forms an extension of a conventional safe 4.

The drawer 2 is of substantially rectangular shape in plan, and comprises a front wall 5, a pair of opposed side walls 6,7, a rear wall 8 and a base 9. The drawer 2 is divided into a forward portion 10 and a rearward portion 11 by a dividing wall 12 of stepped construction which extends the full depth of the drawer. Housed within the rearward portion 11 of the drawer 2 is a deposit bin 15 having a base 16 and four upstanding side walls 17 which terminate in a top opening 18 through which valuables are introduced into the bin when the drawer is in the open or receiving position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The deposit bin 15 is rotatably mounted on bearings 20 which extend through the side walls 6,7 of the drawer 2. Delivery means for moving the bin 15 from the receiving position illustrated on the left hand side of Fig. 2 to a delivery position illustrated on the righthand side of Fig. 2, is in this case provided by a pair of locating pins 25, one for each bearing 20, which engage on respective guide tracks 26 which are provided on the inside of the respective drawer housing side walls.

The guide tracks 26 are wedge-shaped and inclined upwardly so that as the drawer is pushed inwardly in the direction of the arrows A in Figs. 1 and 2, the pins 25 ride on the guide tracks 26 which turn the pins 25 and hence rotate the bin 15 from the receiving position with the opening 18 uppermost (when the drawer is pulled out) to a delivery position in which the bin 15 is turned through substantially 1800 so that the opening 18 is lowermost and delivers any valuables deposited in the bin into the safe 4 through a safe inlet opening 30.

It will be noted that the dividing wall 12 prevents access to the safe inlet opening 30 when the drawer is in a partially closed position.

In use, the drawer 2 would normally be locked in the closed position and the operator would be supplied with a key to open the drawer allowing it to be pulled out into the open position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

When the drawer is in the open position the opening 18 of the bin 15 is uppermost and valuables are deposited into the bin through the opening 18. The drawer is then closed, and as the pins 25 ride on their respective guide tracks 26 the bin 15 is rotated through 180O to deliver the valuables into the safe 4. As the drawer is being pulled out the pins 25 ride down the guide tracks 26 rotating the bin 15 back into the receiving position.

The safe to which the deposit bin delivers the valuables will normally be of conventional construction and fitted with a time lock so that, once deposited, access to the valuables can only be gained through the front door of the safe when the lock is deactivated.

It is particularly envisaged that the apparatus described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 may be used particularly in banks and supermarkets where money is collected over a period of time. At appropriate intervals during the day a teller may make deposits into the safe 4 through the drawer 2 without having to open the safe.

Referring to Fig. 4, the appratus according to the invention is in this case arranged to form a night safe mounted in a wall 40. In this case when the drawer is pushed in the deposit bin 15 delivers valuables into an inner safe 41 through a chute 42.

It will be appreciated that while the actuating pin and guide track construction is relatively simple, tamperproof and maintenance free, any suitable delivery means may be employed for moving the deposit bin between the receiving and delivering positions.

It will be appreciated that while for balanced operation there are preferably two actuating pins and two guide tracks, this is not essential, a single guide track and a single bin may be sufficient.

Claims

1. A deposit apparatus comprising a deposit drawer having a deposit bin for receiving valuables, and delivery means for moving the bin from a receiving position when the drawer is open to a delivery position when the drawer is closed.

2. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drawer is slidably mounted in a drawer housing having a delivery aperture through which valuables are passed by the bin when the drawer is closed.

3. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the bin is rotatably mounted in the drawer.

4. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claims 2 or 3 wherein the delivery means comprises an actuator on the bin which rides on a guide means on the drawer housing to rotate the bin from the receiving position to the delivery position.

5. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the guide means comprises a guide bar engaged by an actuator pin provided on the bin.

6. A deposit apparatus as claimed In claim 5 wherein the guide bar is shaped to move the pin and hence the bin on operation of the drawer.

7. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the guide bar is inclined upwardly from a lower receiving position adjacent the front opening of the drawer housing to an upper delivery position adjacent the delive-ry aperture in the drawer housing.

8. A deposit apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 7 wherein the bin is rotatably mounted in bearings provided on opposed side walls of the drawer.

9. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the actuating pin is offset mounted on a flange provided on the bearings.

10. A deposit apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the drawer includes access prevention means to prevent access to the bin when the drawer is partially opened.

11. A deposit apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the access prevention means comprises a plate which extends upwardly from the base of the drawer to shield the bin.

12. A deposit apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.