GB2342626A - Security vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A security vehicle having a security body for housing valuables, the security body having an access entrance 26 through which personnel enter and leave the security body, the access entrance including a corridor 32 along which a person passes, a first door 24 which closes off one end of the corridor and a second door 26 which closes off the opposite end of the corridor, sensor controlled actuation means 51 for controlling opening and closing of the first and second doors and sensing means 40 for sensing the presence of more than one person in said corridor, the sensing means when sensing the presence of more than one person in the corridor serving to actuate said actuation means in order to prevent access into the interior of the security body. The portion of the corridor 30 is such as to only accommodate one person and if a person is sensed elsewhere in the corridor, the door 24 will not open. Sensors are preferably infra-red.

Description

The present invention relates to a security vehicle.

Security vehicles are commonly used for transporting valuables between secure sites. The valuables may for example be money, jewels etc.

Security vehicles usually have restricted access for security personnel and usually have armoured bodies to prevent forced access into the interior of the vehicle.

Accordingly whilst security personnel are located inside the vehicle, the valuables are normally safe.

A problem arises when the vehicle is located at a site for delivery or collection of valuables. In order to collect/deliver valuables, it is usual for a security person to leave the vehicle to enter the site and then return to the vehicle.

Whilst the security person is outside the vehicle, he is vulnerable to attack by a thief.

In this respect, a thief may threaten the security person in order to gain access into the interior of the vehicle by accompanying the security person through the access entrance to the vehicle.

A general aim of the present invention is to provide a security vehicle which overcomes the above problem. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a security vehicle having a security body for housing valuables, the security body having an access entrance through which personnel enter and leave the security body, the access entrance including a corridor along which a person passes, a first door which closes off one end of the corridor and a second door which closes off the opposite end of the corridor, sensor controlled actuation means for controlling opening and closing of the first and second doors and sensing means for sensing the presence of more than one person in said corridor, the sensing means when sensing the presence of more than one person in the corridor serving to actuate said actuation means in order to prevent access into the interior of the security body.

Preferably the corridor includes a restricted region adjacent to one of the doors in which only one person can be accommodated.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a security vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the vehicle shown in Figure 1 taken along line II-II ; Figures 3a to 3d are diagrammatic illustrations illustrating control of access into/out of the vehicle.

Referring initially to Figure 1 and 2 there is shown a security vehicle 10 having a security body 11.

The body 11 is preferably divided by internal wall 14 into a secure area 15 in which valuables may be stored and a driving area 16 in which personnel are located whilst travelling in the vehicle 10.

Preferably the driving area 16 includes a pair of doors 19 which are normally secured and are only intended to be used in the event of an emergency to provide the personnel with an emergency escape route.

Normally entry into and exit out of the vehicle for the personnel is via a controlled access entrance 20.

In accordance with the invention, the access entrance 20 is arranged so as to only permit one person at a time to gain access into the interior of the vehicle. This provides an important security feature in that it prevents a security person and a thief from gaining access into the interior of the vehicle whilst trying to pass through the entrance 20 together.

Preferably the entrance 20 includes a corridor or passageway 22 having a first door 24 at one end and a second door 26 at its opposite end.

Electronically controlled actuation means (not shown) are preferably provided in order to control opening and closing of the first and second doors 24,26.

The actuation means preferably control a door lock (not shown) on each door 24,26 such that each door 24,26 cannot be opened until its associated door lock is released by the actuation means.

Movement of a door from its open position to its closed position, and vice versa, may be a manual operation or may be a powered operation.

Preferably door 24 is hingedly mounted and door 26 is preferably slidably mounted.

Control of the actuation means is preferably achieved by determining whether or not there is more than one person in the corridor 22. If there is more than one person in the corridor 22 when attempting to enter the vehicle, then the actuation means controlling release of the door lock for door 24 remains inactive and so maintains door 24 in a locked, closed condition thereby preventing access into the interior of the body 11.

Preferably in order to determine whether or not there is more than one person in corridor 22, the corridor 22 is preferably shaped to define a restricted area 30 located adjacent to the first door 24 and an entrance area 32 located adjacent to the second door 26. The restricted area 30 is constructed so as to be of a size which is just able to accommodate a single person.

Typically, the restricted area has a length of about 350mm and a width of about380rnm.

Preferably the entrance area 32 of the corridor 22 is wider and longer than restricted area 30 in order to enable a security person to easily enter and exit the corridor 22 via the second door 26.

Preferably sensors 40, such as infra-red sensors, are provided which scan the entrance area 32 to detect the presence or absence of a person. Due to the shape of the corridor and location of the sensors 40, a person located in area 30 is not sensed. If a person is sensed as being present within the entrance area 32, then the sensors 40 function to inactivate the actuation means controlling the first door 24. Preferably, the sensors 40 produce an electronic signal which is used by an electronic controller to inactivate the actuation means. Since the restricted area 30 is only able to accommodate one person, it is impossible for 2 persons to be located within the corridor 22 without one of these persons being located in the entrance area 32.

Accordingly one person cannot stand in the entrance area 32 whilst a second person is in restricted area 30 without being sensed.

A preferred operating sequence is illustrated in Figures 3a to 3d.

In Figure 3a, a security person 50 is about to exit the vehicle body 11 through the entrance 22.

Initially, the person 50 activates a door lock release means 51 located in the interior of the body 11 adjacent to the second door 26. The door lock release means 51 electrically operates the actuation means of the first door 24 to unlock the first door 24 provided that the second door 26 is closed and locked. This arrangement is preferred as it prevents both doors 24, 26 being open at the same time.

In Figure 3b, person 50 has now passed through first door 24 and is positioned within corridor 22. Whilst standing in restricted area 30 (and with area 32 being clear) person 50 closes door 24 and operates the lock control means 58 to lock door 24. Preferably locking of door 24 is achieved automatically by the actuation means associated with door 24.

Once door 24 has been locked, it is possible for door 26 to be opened.

This is preferably achieved by person 50 operating a door lock release means 53 located within corridor 22. The positioning of door lock release means 53 is not critical, ie. it may be located at any convenient location within restricted area 30 or entrance area 32.

On operating the door lock release means 53, door 26 can be opened provided that door 24 is closed and locked. The person 50 is now able to exit the entrance 22 (Figure 3c). Preferably opening of door 26 is achieved by a drive means (not shown) such as a pneumatic or electric motor.

Once outside the vehicle, person 50 preferably closes and locks door 26.

In order to gain access into the interior of body 11, the following sequence is required.

If closed, door 26 is opened to enable person 50 to enter the entrance area 32. Once in entrance area 32, person 50 must pass into restricted area 30 in order to operate door closure for door 26. If sensors 40 sense the presence of a second person 150 (Figure 3d) in the entrance area 32, then preferably closure of door 26 is prevented. Whilst door 26 remains in its open position, lock release means 58 for door 24 remain in-operative.

Accordingly it is not possible to open door 24 until only one person is located within corridor 22. Alternatively, if door 26 is arranged to close whilst a second person is in area 32, then the sensors 40 are arranged to inactivate the actuation means for door 24 such that door 24 remains closed and locked whilst the presence of the second person is sensed.

With door 26 closed, and on the assumption that only person 50 is located in corridor 22 and is positioned within area 30, then person 50 is able to operate a door lock/release means 60 which preferably functions to lock door 26 and unlock door 24 (provided that door 26 is closed). Preferably the door release means 60 is further protected by an identification system such as a security operated release means, for example a keypad requiring a security code.

Thus in the event that a person alone gains access into corridor 22, he is still unable to pass through door 24 without successfully operating the door release means 60.

The above arrangement enables a single operative to drive the vehicle 10 and leave the vehicle to collect/deliver valuables to a site in a secure manner.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1. A security vehicle having a security body for housing valuables, the security body having an access entrance through which personnel enter and leave the security body, the access entrance including a corridor along which a person passes, a first door which closes off one end of the corridor and a second door which closes off the opposite end of the corridor, sensor controlled actuation means for controlling opening and closing of the first and second doors and sensing means for sensing the presence of more than one person in said corridor, the sensing means when sensing the presence of more than one person in the corridor serving to actuate said actuation means in order to prevent access into the interior of the security body.
2. 2. A security vehicle according to Claim 1 wherein the corridor includes a restricted region adjacent to one of the doors in which only one person can be accommodated.
3. 3. A security vehicle according to Claim 2 wherein said sensing means are arranged to sense the presence of a person in the corridor but not the presence of a person in said restricted region.
4. 4. A security vehicle according to any preceding claim wherein each door is provided with a door lock which is arranged to be actuated by said actuation means.
5. 5. A security vehicle according to Claim 4 wherein said first door is arranged to permit direct access into security body from said corridor and said second door is arranged to permit access into said corridor from outside said security body, the sensor means being arranged to prevent closure of said second door whilst the presence of more than one person is sensed in said corridor.
6. 6. A security vehicle according to Claim 5 wherein door lock release means are provided which are accessible from said restricted region to enable a person located in said restricted region to operate closure of said second door.
7. 7. A security vehicle according to Claim 6 wherein said actuation means are arranged to maintain the lock means of the first door in a locked condition whilst said second door remains open.
8. 8. A security vehicle substantially as herein defined with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.