GB2258692A

GB2258692A - Storage system

Info

Publication number: GB2258692A
Application number: GB9216097A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Viney; John Mcgill
Original assignee: Surelock McGill Ltd
Current assignee: Surelock McGill Ltd
Priority date: 1991-07-29
Filing date: 1992-07-29
Publication date: 1993-02-17
Anticipated expiration: 2012-07-29
Also published as: GB9216097D0; GB2258692B

Abstract

A storage system comprises an array of compartments each lockable by a door bolt 1 engaging a hasp 2. Movable bars 3, 4 comprise formations 5, 6 which are selectively movable in their alignment with respect to door bolts located at positions C1 to C5 either allow or bar unlocking movement of each door bolt. The arrangement is such that at any instant when the alignment is correct for allowing unlocking movement of any one or more of said door bolts, unlocking movement of at least one other door bolt, and preferably each other door bolt, 13 barred. Another arrangement is disclosed, where a frame supports a number of compartments and is pivotally mounted inside a cage. The cage has a single opening, and the pivotal mounting of the frame and its compartments is such that it can be locked in discrete positions so that individual compartments are accessible through the said single opening. (Figs. 4, 5, not shown). This particular arrangement can be mounted on or part of a vehicle, the cage forming part of the bodywork. The compartment assembly is preferably armoured. <IMAGE>

Description

STORAGE SYSTEM This invention relates to a storage system comprising an array of compartments each lockable by a door bolt which engages a hasp.

The invention has particular reference to the security of such a storage system against unauthorised access to the contents of such compartments. The term "storage" is used herein in a broad sense, and it includes the temporary storage of materials during transport from one location to another. Indeed, the invention, in some of its preferred aspects, was specifically developed with the aim of affording protection to valuables during transport, though the invention may also be embodied for location at a fixed site.

It is an object of this invention to provide a storage system which hinders simultaneous access io the contents of all such compartments.

According to the invention, there is provided a storage system comprising an array of companments each lockable by a door bolt engaging a hasp characterised in that there is provided movable bar means which comprises formations thereon which are selectively movable in their alignment with respect to said door bolts thereby either to allow or to bar unlocking movement of each said door bolt, the arrangement being such that at any instant when the alignment is correct for allowing unlocking movement of any one or more of said door bolts, unlocking movement of at least one other door bolt is barred.

The invention may be embodied in various environments. A system according to the invention may be incorporated in a secure transport vehicle, for example for the transport of cash or other valuables. Such a system may alternatively be located at a depot where such vehicles are loaded or unloaded, or at any other location where it is desired to hinder simultaneous access to the contents of each compartment.

Advantageously, a storage system according to the invention incorporates one or more of the following features: said bar means and said door bolts are so arranged so that at any instant, the alignment is correct for allowing unlocking movement of only one of said door bolts.

there is associated with each compartment door a detent which, on opening of its associated compartment door, is arranged to move into engagement with said bar means to prevent movement thereof while such door is open.

such detent engages said bar means before the door bolt associated with that compartment door clears its aligned formation of said bar means on opening of that door.

said bar means comprises a set of bars which are ganged together for simultaneous movement.

such system comprises a rectangular array of compartments and there are two such sets of bars which are independently movable whereby unlocking movement of any door bolt is barred unless it is in correct alignment with respect to a said formation on a bar of both said sets.

the bars of a said set are linked by a rack and pinion arrangement.

said system incorporates a deadlock operable to prevent movement of said bar means.

said deadlock is arranged to lock said bar means in any of a plurality of positions.

said deadlock is electrically controlled.

In some preferred embodiments of the invention, said storage compartments are mounted in a rotatable storage module located within a cage which module comprises a frame having side walls joined together by a web to define spaces for said storage compartments, and means for locking the storage module against rotation in a plurality of positions respectively for presenting each storage compartment carried by the frame, and at least one side wall of the frame, to an opening of said cage.

Such embodiments preferably also incorporates one or more of the following optional features: said side walls and web of the frame are of armour; said cage has a single opening giving access to said storage compartments; the side walls and web of said frame form an H in plan view to define spaces for storage compartments which are accessible from opposite side of the storage module; said means for locking the storage module against rotation is constituted as an electrically operable rotation lock.

Electric control circuitry for said deadlock and/or said rotation lock preferably incorporates a timer circuit switchable to allow movement for a first predetermined period and then to lock against movement for at least a second predetermined period.

Advantageously, electric control circuitry for said deadlock and/or said rotation lock incorporates a radio circuit for remote release and/or engagement of such lock.

An installation according to the invention may be mounted on a motor vehicle.

When mounted in a motor vehicle, it is preferred that control circuitry for such locking means is linked to an ignition system of such motor vehicle whereby such locking means is only disengageable when such ignition system is switched off; also that said cage (when present) is constituted at least in part by bodywork of the vehicle.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a detail side view of a door bolt, hasp and bar means selectively allowing unlocking of the door bolt, Figure 2 is a front view of the arrangement of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating an arrangement of two sets of bars each set of bars being ganged together for movement independently of the other set.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a rotatable storage module housed in a cage, and Figure 5 is a front elevation of such a storage module.

In Figures 1 and 2, a door bolt 1 is slidably secured to a door of a compartment which is not shown. The door bolt 1 is engageable with a hasp 2 secured to a frame, also not shown, which fronts the body of the compartment.

A pair of interlocking bars 3, 4 leads over the door bolt in order selectively to bar unlocking movement of that bolt. Such unlocking movement is physically prevented unless a pair of formations shown as notches 5, 6 are aligned with one another and with the door bolt 1 so that the door bolt 1 can rise into the notches and clear the hasp 2 to allow the door to be opened.

Control of the movement of the interlocking bars 3, 4 will be apparent from Figure 3 which shows a system arranged for a rectangular array of four rows of compartments arranged in five columns. Pairs of interlocking bars 3, 4 running along these rows are designated R1 to R4, and the locations of the door bolts 1 of each of the five columns of compartments lie along the respective lines C1 to C5. One set of interlocking bars, whose various integers bear odd reference numerals is arranged for preventing or allowing the opening of any given row of compartments, while the other set, whose various integers bear even reference numerals is arranged to prevent or allow the opening of any given column of compartments.

Thus, the notches 5 in the bars 3, which notches are spaced apart by distances which are equal to the spacing of the centre-lines C1 to C5 of the door bolts 1 in the respective rows R1 to R4, are shown as being aligned with the door bolt centre-lines of all the compartments in row R1. The notches S in the bars 3 associated with the bars R2 to R4 are offset from the centre-lines C1 to C5 of the door bolts of the compartments in those rows by successively greater amounts.

The bars 3 of the "row set" are formed with racks 7 (Fig. 2) which engage pinions 9, themselves also engaging racks 11 provided on a common, vertical, row-control bar 13, so that those bars 3 are all ganged together for simultaneous movement. Downward movement of the row-control bar 13 will cause rightward movement of all the notched bars 3, successively barring unlocking of all the compartments in one row and aligning notches 5 with the door bolts 1 of the next row.

A second, generally similar set of bars is arranged selectively to bar unlocking movement of door bolts as between columns of compartments.

In the arrangement illustrated, which is for a 4 by 5 array of compartments each of the same size, the notches 6 in successive bars 4 associated with any given column of compartments are always in register, but the spacing of those notches is an increment shorter than the distance between successive door bolts.

Thus in the arrangement shown, notches 6 are aligned with the centre-line C5 of all the door bolts in the right-hand column, while other notches 6 are arranged in columns which are out of alignment with the centre-lines of the door bolts of the other columns of compartments. Thus there is a set of notches 6 offset from door bolt centre-line C4 by one length increment, a set of notches offset from door bolt centre-line C3 by two increments, and so on. The "column set" of bars 4 is, like the "row set" provided with racks now indicated at 8, co-operating with pinions 10 and racks 12 on a vertical, column-control bar 14, so that they are all ganged together for simultaneous movement, but independently of the movement of the "row set".Leftward movement of the bars 4 effected by upward movement of the column control bar 14 successively takes notches 6 out of alignment with one column of door bolts and brings the next column of notches into line with the next column of door bolts.

Thus in the position of the bars 3 and 4 shown in Figure 3, unlocking movement of door bolts is barred for all compartments in rows R2, R3 and R4, and also for all compartments in columns C1, C2, C3 and C4, with the result that the only compartment whose door bolt can be unlocked is that in row R1, column r C5.

Movement of the sets of bars 3 and 4 is suitably effected by turning dials connected to pinions which act on racks of the corresponding vertical control bar 13 or 14. Such a dial may have a "click-stop" detent, and it may be associated with markings to give an indication of which particular row or column is not barred from opening.

As shown, the system incorporates a deadlock 15 which engages with slots 16 in the vertical control bars in order to lock the system against movement.

In an alternative embodiment, the deadlock 15 is arranged to engage the teeth of racks on those control bars: that enables the system to be locked in any position.

It will be appreciated that other arrangements are also possible. For example such a deadlock could be arranged to engage a pair of pinions 9, 10 in order to lock the system.

The deadlock 15 may be controlled electrically, e.g. using a solenoid.

Such an electrical control system is preferably arranged as "fail-safe" so that the system is locked when current to the solenoid is cut off. If desired a key operated manual override may be provided. If so, the user may prefer to keep the key at a remote location, or if the system is to be mounted on a vehicle, at a depot, in order to provide increased security.

The electrical circuitry for controlling such a deadlock may incorporate a timer circuit. The arrangement might be such that pressing a button, or turning a key, to release the deadlock initiated the timer circuit to hold the deadlock open for a short period, for example 15 seconds, in order that the interlocking bars 3, 4 could be appropriately positioned for opening the next compartment selected.

The timer circuit could then be arranged to engage the deadlock, and disallow subsequent disengagement until a further period, for example of several minutes or even hours, had elapsed since the last compartment was selected.

A radio circuit could also be installed for remote release and/or engagement of such a deadlock. For example the arrangement could be such that a new compartment could only be selected for opening after a remote operator had checked the installation via a television monitor to ensure that no unauthorised persons were present, and/or such an operator could lock the entire system if any such unauthorised person were observed to be present.

In a variant, the bars 3 and 4 could be provided with further notches arranged not for alignment with the door bolts, but rather so that when the notches 5, 6 are aligned for the opening of a door of a particular compartment, such notches are also aligned for engagement by a detent which is caused to enter such notches when the door of that compartment is opened. This would also lock the system, and it would prevent the bars 3 and 4 from being moved for selection of another compartment until the previous compartment's door had been closed. Such a detent could be mounted within the frame of the compartment door and spring-biassed to enter a pair of such further notches when the door was opened before the raised door bolt 1 had cleared its pair of notches 5, 6.

In embodiments incorporating an electrically controlled deadlock 15 which are to be mounted on a vehicle, the deadlock control circuitry may be interconnected with a vehicle ignition system whereby the deadlock may only be disengaged when the vehicle's ignition system is switched off.

In Figures 4 and 5, a storage module 21 is rotatably mounted within a cage 22 on a slew ring 3 mounted on a floor 24. The base of the storage module 21 carries a ring member 25 formed with a series of slots S1, S2, S3, S7, S8 and S9 which are selectively engageable by a locking plunger 26 which may be actuated by a solenoid 27 to lock the storage module 21 against rotation. In fact in practice the arrangement may be just the reverse - the plunger will be spring biassed to enter a slot on the ring 25 and withdrawn by actuation of the solenoid.

The storage module comprises side walls 28 and 29 which are joined by a web 30. Such walls and web are preferably of armour, and they may be made as heavy as is desired. If the installation is to be mounted on a vehicle, considerations of the weight of the installation will have a limiting effect on the heaviness of the armour which may be used. The side walls and web of the frame form an H in plan view to define spaces for storage compartments which are accessible from opposite side of the storage module. Doors Di to D6 of six such storage compartments are shown in Figure 5, and doors D7 to D9 accessible from the opposite side of the module 21 are also shown in Figure 1.

When slot S1 of locking ring 25 is engaged by the plunger 26, then the storage module 21 is in the position shown in Figure 4, and doors D1 and D4 of two of the compartments are presented to a single opening 31 in the cage 22.

Access to the other compartment doors is at the least inhibited by the cage 22.

Such access may be further inhibited by locating a fixed part-cylindrical inner cage (not shown) within the cage 22 as a close fit around the locus of the corners of the storage module as it rotates. In fact such an inner cage could simply consist of two cylindrical sectors located adjacent the opening 31 in the cage 22.

Further slots S2, S3, S7, S8 and S9 are provided for locking the module 21 into positions where correspondingly numbered compartment doors D2, D3, D7, D8 and D9 are presented to the opening 31.

The locking ring is also provided with two further pairs of slots respectively designated S10 and Sli. When either of the slots of the pair S10 is engaged by the plunger 26, the storage module 21 is in a position rotated through 90" from that shown in Figure 4. In that position, either the frame side wall 28 or the frame side wall 29 will be presented obliquely to the opening 31, and access to any of the storage compartments will be inhibited. When either of slots S11 is engaged by the plunger 26, then one of the side walls 28, 29 will be presented square-on to the opening 31, again inhibiting access to any of the storage compartments.

As mentioned, the plunger 26 may be controlled electrically, e.g. using a solenoid. Such an electrical control system is preferably arranged as "fail-safe" so that the system is locked when current to the solenoid is cut off. If desired a key operated manual override may be provided. If so, the user may prefer to keep the key at a remote location, or if the system is to be mounted on a vehicle, at a depot, in order to provide increased security.

A radio circuit could also be installed for remote release and/or engagement of such a plunger. For example the arrangement could be such that a remote operator only could lock or unlock the system in response to a signal from the installation site.

In a variant, the solenoid could be linked to a vehicle control system, for example so that the storage module could only be rotated when the vehicle was stationary with the ignition switched off.

The array of storage compartments having doors DI to D6, and a corresponding array on the opposite side of the storage module, each form a storage system which makes use of a variant embodiment of the security system described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In each such variant there are provided two pairs of interlocking bars 3, 4, each provided with three notches 5, 6 respectively.

The principal purpose of the installation is to delay access to the contents of the compartments of the storage module by outside attackers. Figure 4 may be considered as representing the rear part of such a vehicle, the cage 22 being constituted by the bodywork of the vehicle.

Distortion of the structure of the vehicle and cage whether by a road traffic accident or by deliberate attack will most probably prevent the storage module from being rotated even if the plunger 26 is disengaged from the locking ring 25. If the storage module is locked so that one of its frame side walls 28, 29 is presented squarely to the opening 31, then with an attack from the rear, even if the thieves managed to breach the external bodywork of the vehicle, they would immediately encounter a second wall e.g. of armour, namely the other respective frame side wall, and this too would have to be breached to gain access to the contents of the storage compartments of the module 21.

Overlap of an H-frame of armour, and of the cage wall portions which lies to either side of the opening 31, which may also be armoured, also affords a measure of ballistic protection to the occupants of the vehicle in the event of armed attack.

The system is thus effective to increase the amount of time required for any loss to be incurred as a result of such an attack and to reduce loss in the event of attack.

The system also concentrates armour around the rotatable storage compartments and may thus reduce the requirement for heavily armoured vehicle bodywork around that area.

Claims

I. A storage system comprising an array of compartments each lockable by a door bolt engaging a hasp characterised in that there is provided movable bar means which comprises formations thereon which are selectively movable in their alignment with respect to said door bolts thereby either to allow or to bar unlocking movement of each said door bolt, the arrangement being such that at any instant when the alignment is correct for allowing unlocking movement of any one or more of said door bolts, unlocking movement of at least one other door bolt is barred.
2. A storage system according to claim 1, wherein said bar means and said door bolts are so arranged so that at any instant, the alignment is correct for allowing unlocking movement of only one of said door bolts.
3. A storage system according to claim I or 2, wherein there is associated with each compartment door a detent which, on opening of its associated compartment door, is arranged to move into engagement with said bar means to prevent movement thereof while such door is open.
4. A storage system according to claim 3, wherein such detent engages said bar means before the door bolt associated with that compartment door dears its aligned formation of said bar means on opening of that door.
5. A storage system according to any preceding claim, wherein said bar means comprises a set of bars which are ganged together for simultaneous movement.
6. A storage system according to claim 5, wherein such system comprises a rectangular array of compartments and there are two such sets of bars which are independently movable whereby unlocking movement of any door bolt is barred unless it is in correct alignment with respect to a said formation on a bar of each said set.
7. A storage system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the bars of a said set are linked by a rack and pinion arrangement.
8. A storage system according to any preceding claim, wherein said system incorporates a deadlock operable to prevent movement of said bar means.
9. A storage system according to claim 8, wherein said deadlock is arranged to lock said bar means in any of a plurality of positions.
10. A storage system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said deadlock is electrically controlled.
11. A storage system according to any preceding claim, wherein said storage compartments are mounted in a rotatable storage module located within a cage which module comprises a frame having side walls joined together by a web to define spaces for said storage compartments, and means for locking the storage module against rotation in a plurality of positions respectively for presenting each storage compartment carried by the frame, and at least one side wall of the frame, to an opening of said cage.
12. A storage system according to claim 11, wherein said side walls and web of the frame are of armour.
13. A storage system according to claim 11 or 12, wherein said cage has a single opening giving access to said storage compartments.
14. A storage system according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the side walls and web of said frame form an H in plan view to define spaces for storage compartments which are accessible from opposite side of the storage module.
15. A storage system according to any of claims 13 and 14, wherein the opening in the cage is of such a size that it does not allow simultaneous access to all storage compartments at one side of the storage module.
16. A storage system according to any of claims 11 to 15, wherein said means for locking the storage module against rotation is constituted as an electrically operable rotation lock.
17. A storage system according to claim 10 or claim 16, wherein electric control circuitry for said deadlock and/or said rotation lock incorporates a timer circuit switchable to allow movement for a first predetermined period and then to lock against movement for at least a second predetermined period.
18. A storage system according to any of claims 10, 16 and 17, wherein electric control circuitry for said deadlock and/or said rotation lock incorporates a radio circuit for remote release and/or engagement of such lock.
19. A storage system according to any preceding claim, wherein such installation is mounted on a motor vehicle.
20. A storage system according to claim 19 and either of claims 17 and 18, wherein such electric control circuitry is linked to an ignition system of such motor vehicle whereby such locking means is only disengageable when such ignition system is switched off.
21. A storage system according to any of claims 11 to 16 and to claim 19 or X, wherein said cage is constituted at least in part by bodywork of the vehicle.