GB2302911A

GB2302911A - Apparatus for holding cash boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2302911A
Application number: GB9513264A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Edward Rutter
Original assignee: FOX THOMAS CO Ltd
Current assignee: FOX THOMAS CO Ltd
Priority date: 1995-06-29
Filing date: 1995-06-29
Publication date: 1997-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-29
Also published as: GB9513264D0; GB2302911B

Abstract

Apparatus (2) for holding cash boxes (4), comprising a housing (6), a plurality of compartments (8) which are each for receiving a cash box (4), and locking means (10) for locking the cash boxes (4) in position in the compartments (8). The apparatus (2) is constructed and adapted to be located in a safe such that the cash boxes (4) can be inserted into the compartments (8) and removed from the compartments (8) when the apparatus (2) is in the safe.

Description

APPARATUS FOR HOLDING CASH BOXES This invention relates to apparatus for holding cash boxes.

Business establishments such for example as Post Offices and banks often temporarily store money in cash boxes. Usually each cash box will contain paper money of a predetermined denomination. The cash boxes are often randomly stacked in a safe. It often happens that the safe is left open for one reason or another and the cash boxes are then vulnerable to being stolen. Since a cash box may contain up to 90,000 in 20 note denominations, it will be apparent that leaving cash boxes lying in open safes presents an unacceptable capital risk, in addition to presenting an undesirable temptation to persons in the vicinity of the safe.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided apparatus for holding cash boxes, which apparatus comprises a housing, a plurality of compartments which are each for receiving a cash box, and locking means for locking the cash boxes in position in the compartments, and the apparatus being constructed and adapted to be located in a safe such that the cash boxes can be inserted into the compartments and removed from the compartments when the apparatus is in the safe.

Preferably, the apparatus is one in which the compartments open at a front face of the housing, thereby to enable the cash boxes to be inserted into the compartments and removed from the compartments when the apparatus is in a safe having a side opening door.

Other constructions may be employed if desired so that, for example, the apparatus may be one in which the compartments open at a top face of the housing, thereby to enable the cash boxes to be accessible when the apparatus is located in a safe having a top opening door, for example a chest safe.

The compartments are preferably narrow compartments for receiving cash boxes in the form of cassette-shaped cash boxes.

The housing may have a plurality of internal walls for forming the compartments.

The apparatus may be one in which the locking means comprises at least one pivotable flap which is pivotable between closed and open positions, and a lock for locking the pivotable flap in its closed position.

The pivotable flap is preferably such that it is able to close and open two of the compartments, the two compartments being adjacent each other. If desired, the pivotable flap may be such that it open and closes only one of the compartments, or if desired three or more of the compartments.

Preferably, the lock is a key-operated lock. If desired, the lock may be a combination lock.

The apparatus may be manufacturered and sold with or without the cash boxes. Thus the apparatus of the invention may include the cash boxes.

When the apparatus of the invention includes the cash boxes, then the cash boxes may each have a handle for use in pulling the cash boxes from the compartments.

The handle is preferably a pivotable handle which is pivotable to a position in which it lies alongside the cash box when the handle is not in use. The pivotable handle may be a D-shaped handle. Other shapes of handle may be employed. The handle may also be a fixed handle or a recessed handle.

The cash boxes may have holder means for receiving a marker giving the denomination of the money in the cash boxes. The holder means may be constructed for receiving a flat marker which is able to slide into the holder means.

The present invention also extends to a safe when provided with the apparatus for holding cash boxes.

Preferably, the safe is one in which the apparatus is secured in the safe so that the apparatus cannot normally be removed from the safe.

The apparatus may be secured in the safe by side retaining bars which locate to the inside faces of the safe adjacent sides of the housing when the apparatus has been installed in the safe. Instead of side retaining bars, screws may be employed which screw into the inside faces of the safe adjacent the sides of the housing and thus act to stop the housing being pulled out of the safe.

The apparatus will usually be made of metal. Any suitable and appropriate metals may be employed.

The apparatus can be made in any suitable and appropriate sizes. Usually, the apparatus will be of such a size that it is a close fit in a chosen safe.

This then facilitates securing the apparatus within the safe, for example by the above mentioned side retaining bars or screws.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a perspective view of apparatus for holding cash boxes.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown apparatus 2 for holding cash boxes 4. The apparatus 2 comprises a housing 6, a plurality of compartments 8 which are each for receiving a cash box 4, and locking means 10 for locking the cash box 4 in position in the compartments 8. The apparatus 2 is constructed and adapted for being located in a safe (not shown) such that the cash boxes 4 can be inserted into the compartments 8 and removed from the compartments 8 when the apparatus 2 is in the safe.

This is effected as shown in the drawing by having the compartments 8 open at a front face 12 of the housing 6, thereby to enable the cash boxes 4 to be inserted into the compartments 8 and removed from the compartments 8 when the apparatus 2 is in a safe having a side opening door.

The compartments 8 are narrow compartments. The cash boxes 10 in the form of cassette-shaped cash boxes.

The housing 6 has a plurality of internal walls 14 for forming the compartments 8. As can be seen from the drawing, the internal walls 14 each have a recessed portion 16. Adjacent recessed portions 16 enable the cash box 4 to be gripped by its sides 18 if desired.

The locking means 10 comprises three pivotable flaps 20. Each pivotable flap 20 is pivotable between closed and open positions. In the drawing, the two outside pivotable flaps 20 are shown in their closed positions, and the central pivotable flap 20 is shown in its open position. As can be seen from the drawing, each pivotable flap 20 is able to close and open two adjacent compartments 8.

The locking means 10 also comprises a key-operated lock 22 for each pivotable flap 20. The lock 22 is able to lock its pivotable flap 20 in the closed position.

The cash boxes 4 each have a handle 24 which is pivotable to a position in which it lies alongside the cash box 4 when the handle 24 is not in use. This position is shown in the drawing. As also shown in the drawing, the handle 24 is a D-shaped handle.

The cash boxes 4 each have holder means 26 for receiving a flat marker 28 which slides into the holder means 26 and which shows the denomination of the paper money in the particular cash box 4. As shown in the drawing, the illustrated cash box 4 contains paper money of 20 note denomination.

When the apparatus 2 is installed in a safe, it is preferably secured in the safe by side retaining bars (not shown) or other fixing means so that the apparatus 2 cannot easily be removed from the safe.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the apparatus 2 shown in the drawing is 384mm high, 689mm wide and 457mm deep. However, the apparatus 2 may be made in any suitable and appropriate sizes.

Claims

1. Apparatus for holding cash boxes, which apparatus comprises a housing, a plurality of compartments which are each for receiving a cash box, and locking means for locking the cash boxes in position in the compartments, and the apparatus being constructed and adapted to be located in a safe such that the cash boxes can be inserted into the compartments and removed from the compartments when the apparatus is in the safe.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the compartments open at a front face of the housing, thereby to enable the cash boxes to be inserted into the compartments and removed from the compartments when the apparatus is in a safe having a side opening door.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the compartments are narrow compartments for receiving cash boxes in the form of cassette-shaped cash boxes.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the housing has a plurality of internal walls for forming the compartments.

5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims in which the locking means comprises at least one pivotable flap which is pivotable between closed and open positions, and a lock for locking the pivotable flap in its closed position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which the pivotable flap is such that it is able to close and open two of the compartments, the two compartments being adjacent each other.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or claim 6 in which the lock is a key-operated lock.

8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims and including the cash boxes.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the cash boxes each have a handle for use in pulling the cash boxes from the compartments.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the handle is a pivotable handle which is pivotable to a position in which it lies alongside the cash box when the handle is not in use.

11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 8 - 10 in which the cash boxes have holder means for receiving a marker giving the denomination of the money in the cash boxes.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the holder means is constructed for receiving a flat marker which is able to slide into the holder means.

13. Apparatus for holding cash boxes, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A safe when provided with apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

15. A safe according to claim 14 in which the apparatus is secured in the safe by side retaining bars which locate to the inside faces of the safe adjacent sides of the housing.