GB2271505A

GB2271505A - Security cabinets

Info

Publication number: GB2271505A
Application number: GB9221839A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Leonard Edward Orrick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-17
Filing date: 1992-10-17
Publication date: 1994-04-20
Anticipated expiration: 2012-10-17
Also published as: GB2271505B; GB9221839D0

Abstract

A security cabinet 10 for computer or other electronic equipment comprises a housing 14 mounted on a stand 12. The stand 12 includes a working surface 24. The working surface 24 extends beneath the housing 14 and defines with the housing 14 an interior area for storage of the equipment. The housing 14 includes a door 44 for the area which is movable from a first, retracted position, to give access to the interior area, to a second closed position, whereby the working surface 24 is divided into two portions, one portion being disposed outside the housing 14 and the other portion being disposed inside the housing 14 and whereby access to the interior area is prevented or restricted. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY CABINETS The invention relates to security cabinets particularly but not exclusively for computers or other electronic equipment.

Computer equipment is an attractive target for burglars, being relatively compact, often unidentifiable and quite valuable. Establishments with a lot of computer equipment, e.g. schools, require a secure storage area for that equipment in order to reduce the risk of theft.

An object of the invention is to provide a security cabinet which can be used to store computer equipment or other electronic equipment.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a security cabinet for computer or other electronic equipment comprising a housing mounted on a stand, the stand including a working surface and the housing comprising side, back and top walls and a door defining at least part of a front wall, the working surface extending beneath the housing and defining, with the walls, an interior area for storage of the equipment, the door being movable from a first, retracted position, to give access to the interior area to a second, closed position, whereby the working surface is divided into two portions, one portion being disposed outside the housing and the other portion being disposed inside the housing body and whereby access to the interior area is prevented or restricted.

In that way computer or other electronic equipment can be stored in the interior area and the door closed, thereby providing a secure area for the computer, while part of the working surface of the stand remains available for use.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a security cabinet for computer or other electronic equipment comprising a housing for use on a stand, the stand including a working surface and the housing comprising side, back and top walls and a door defining at least part of a front wall, the working surface extending, in use, beneath the housing and defining with the walls an interior area for storage of the equipment, the door being movable from a first, retracted position, to give access to the interior arear to a second, closed position, whereby in use the working surface is divided into two portions, one portion being disposed outside the housing and the other portion being disposed inside the housing and whereby access to the interior area is prevented or restricted.

The cabinet may also include a shelf in the housing, the shelf may be formed as part of the stand or as part of the housing. The housing may include means to support a shelf.

The door preferably defines substantially the whole front wall.

The door may be slidably movable and is preferably substantially completely received into the interior area when in the first retracted position. In the most preferred embodiment the door is a roller shutter door, preferably a metal roller shutter door. The door may be lockable in the closed and/or retracted position.

The stand may be provided with ground engageable wheels. In that way movement of the cabinet is facilitated.

Outside faces of the housing may be provided with means for mounting display equipment e.g. pin boards, dry-wipe boards etc.

Aspects of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet in accordance with one aspect of the invention, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the cabinet of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of another cabinet in accordance with the invention, Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a stand for use with the cabinet of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the cabinet of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the stand of Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a further cabinet in accordance with the invention, Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a stand for use with the cabinet of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the cabinet of Fig. 7 and Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the stand of Fig. 8.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a cabinet indicated generally at 10 comprises a rectangular stand 12 on which a rectangular housing 14 is mounted. The stand 12 includes four upright legs 16, five horizontal support members 18, 20, 22, and a working surface 24 on top of the legs. The legs 16 have wheels 26 at their lower ends. The support members 18, extend between the legs 16 at the sides of the stand 12 and the support member 22 extends perpendicularly between the two support members 18, from near the mid-point of each. The support members 20 extend between the legs 16 at the front and rear of the stand 12 at the top of the legs 16. The working surface 24 is substantially rectangular and lies inside the tops of the legs 16 and the support members 20 being fixed or held by joggled brackets. The working surface 24 includes apparatus for equipment cables.A basket 27 for paper is suspended below the working surface 24 from brackets 28 to one side of the stand 12. The working surface 24 includes slots to allow print paper feed from the basket 27. A plate 30 is provided just beneath the working surface, between the legs 16 on the same side of the stand 12 as the basket 27.

Mounted on the plate 30 near the basket 27 is a four gang plug socket 34 which is earth loaded.

The housing 14 is fixed to the rear support member 20 along the back so that the working surface 24 acts as a base wall or floor for the housing 14. The housing 14 includes side walls 36, 38 which are arranged parallel to the sides of the stand 12, a back wall 40 extending between the side walls 36, 38 and a top wall 42 which is arranged parallel to and spaced from the working surface 24. The housing 14 also includes a door 44. The door 44 is of the roller shutter type and is arranged such that when it is fully retracted, i.e. open, it is substantially completely located within the housing 14, adjacent the top wall 42. When the door 44 is closed it is disposed parallel to and spaced from the back wall 40 and acts as a front wall for the housing 14. The housing 14 also includes a shelf 46 mounted on shelf brackets 48. The shelf 46 extends over the full width and depth of the housing 14.The shelf has apertures for equipment cables and slots for print paper feed. The housing 14 is the same width as the stand 12 but is not as deep. The back wall 40 of the housing 14 is co-planar with the back of the stand 12 so that a part of the working surface 24 is disposed outside the housing 14.

Locking brackets 50 are arranged on the front edges of the side walls at each front corner of the housing 14.

These brackets 50 co-operate with door locking brackets 52 arranged on opposite sides of the lower edge of the door 44. The door 44 can thereby be locked, by use of padlocks through apertures 54 in the brackets 50, 52, into either the open or closed positions.

In use, computer or other electronic equipment is located in the housing 14. The shelf 46 provides a split level so that other equipment can be placed on the shelf 46 e.g. a computer monitor. The equipment can be connected to the mains via the four gang plug socket 34 and printer paper can, if required, be placed in the basket 27.

When the equipment is in use the door 44 is pushed up, into the retracted position, such that it is substantially completely located within the housing 14, adjacent the top wall 42. The door 44 may be locked in this open position by means of a padlock through the apertures 54 of the locking brackets 50, 52.

When the equipment is not in use, e.g., overnight, the door 44 can be pulled down into the closed position.

When the door 44 is in this closed position, access to the interior of the housing 14, and thus the equipment, is restricted. The door 44 may again be locked in the closed position by means of a padlock through the apertures 54 in the locking brackets 50, 52.

The wheels 26 facilitate movement of the cabinet from one area to another e.g., from room to room in a school.

Figs. 3 to 6 show a cabinet in accordance with another aspect of the invention which is similar in many respects to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and parts corresponding to parts in Figs. 1 and 2 carry the same reference numerals.

The cabinet of Figs. 3 to 6 comprises a separate housing 14 for use on a separate stand 12. The housing 14 is the same as the housing 14 of the first embodiment except that it is not attached to the stand 12 which is in turn the same as the stand 12 of the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, housing 14 can be mounted on the stand 12 and fixed thereto if so required. The housing 14 of this embodiment may be used with any suitable existing stand if desired.

Figs. 7 to 10 show another embodiment of the invention which is similar in many respects to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 6 and parts corresponding to parts shown in Figs. 1 to 6 carry the same reference numerals.

The cabinet of Figs. 7 to 10 comprises a separate housing 14 for use on a separate stand 12 (see Figs.

8, 10). In this embodiment the housing 14 is similar to the housing of the previous embodiments comprising side walls 36, 38 a back wall 40, a top wall 42 and a door 44 substantially defining a front wall when in its closed position. The housing 14, however, does not contain a shelf 46. The stand 12 is again substantially similar comprising legs 16 and support members 18, 20, 22. A working surface 24 is provided and wheels 26 are disposed at the lower ends of the legs 16. A basket 27 is suspended beneath the working surface 24 from brackets 28.

Four shelf support legs 54 extend from the working surface 24, parallel to and away from the legs 16. A horizontal shelf 56 is supported on joggled brackets on the support legs 54 and is arranged substantially parallel with the working surface 24. The shelf 56 and legs 54 are arranged so that, when the housing 14 is mounted on the stand 12, the shelf 56 and legs 54 are completely enclosed by the housing 14.

The housing 14 can be fixed to the stand 12, thereby providing a security cabinet, with a shelf 56 therein for secure storage of computer and other electronic equipment.

A low safety rail can be provided around the back and sides of the shelf 56.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A security cabinet for computer or other electronic equipment comprising a housing mounted on a stand, the stand including a working surface and the housing comprising side, back and top walls and a door defining at least part of a front wall, the working surface extending beneath the housing and defining, with the walls, an interior area for storage of the equipment, the door being movable from a first, retracted position, to give access to the interior area to a second, closed position, whereby the working surface is divided into two portions, one portion being disposed outside the housing and the other portion being disposed inside the housing body and whereby access to the interior area is prevented or restricted.
2. A security cabinet for computer or other electronic equipment comprising a housing for use on a stand, the stand including a working surface and the housing comprising side, back and top walls and a door defining at least part of a front wall, the working surface extending, in use, beneath the housing and defining with the walls an interior area for storage of the equipment, the door being movable from a first, retracted position, to give access to the interior area, to a second, closed position, whereby in use the working surface is divided into two portions, one portion being disposed outside the housing and the other portion being disposed inside the housing and whereby access to the interior area is prevented or restricted.
3. A security cabinet as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cabinet also includes a shelf in the housing.
4. A security cabinet as claimed in claim 3, wherein the shelf is formed as part of the stand or as part of the housing.
5. A security cabinet as claimed in claim 4, wherein the housing includes means to support a shelf.
6. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door defines substantially the whole front wall.
7. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is slidably movable.
8. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is substantially completely received into the interior area when in the first, retracted position.
9. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is a roller shutter door.
10. A security cabinet as claimed in claim 9, wherein the door is a metal roller shutter door.
11. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the door is lockable in the closed and/or retracted position.
12. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the stand is provided with ground engageable wheels.
13. A security cabinet as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein outside faces of the housing are provided with means for mounting display equipment.
14. A security cabinet substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or 3 to 6, or 7 to 10 of the accompanying drawings.