GB2343484A

GB2343484A - Reinforced vending or dispensing cabinet

Info

Publication number: GB2343484A
Application number: GB9823611A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Allan Poulter
Original assignee: SILVERLINE SERVICES Ltd
Current assignee: SILVERLINE SERVICES Ltd
Priority date: 1998-10-29
Filing date: 1998-10-29
Publication date: 2000-05-10
Anticipated expiration: 2018-10-29
Also published as: GB9823611D0; GB2343484B

Abstract

A front loading cabinet 1 for vending or dispensing articles, e.g. cash, tokens, phonecards, is rendered resistant to jemmying of the door by hingedly mounting thereto a door restraint frame 11 shaped to cover the gap between the front face of the door and the edges of the cabinet, which frame 11 permits access to the dispensing slots and other user - interface items of the cabinet.

Description

Improvements In Front Loadinq Vending or Dispensing Cabinets Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improved front loading cabinet of the type which vends or dispenses articles, tokens, cards, stamps, change or the like.

Background to the Invention Front loading wall mounted dispensers for cards, stamps, etc. are generally constructed by folding 2 mm thick steel sheet into a cabinet shape with an open front into which an up to 4mm thick sheet is hingedly mounted as a door. The door is generally flush with the front of the cabinet or slightly recessed into it and carries the user interface, including the coin entry slot, change or refund slot and product outlet slot.

Access to the interior of the dispenser is normally obtained by rotation of a tumbler style lock in the front face of the door to enable the door to be swung open.

Security against attack by vandals or determined robbers is provided only by virtue of the thickness of the steel sheet forming the door and the extent, if any, to which the door is recessed.

The general design of these existing cabinets is fundamentally vulnerable to attack and prising open with jemmies or other implements. Accordingly, it is a general objective of the present invention to provide improvements to the construction of such a cabinet to give additional security against attack.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with the present invention there is provided a front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles, such as, for example, cash, tokens, cards or the like, which dispenser cabinet is characterised in that it has hingedly mounted thereto a door restraint frame which is shaped to cover the gap between the front face door of the dispenser and the surrounding front edges of the cabinet when the door of the cabinet is closed and the frame is closed thereover but does not prevent access to the dispensing slots or other user-interface features of the front face door of the dispenser.

Preferably the restraint frame is hinged to that edge of the cabinet against which the front face door of the cabinet butts when the door is closed.

Preferably the restraint frame is formed having a peripheral flange, or rim, that extends toward the cabinet as the restraint frame is closed against the cabinet and which rim extends to overlie at least the side wall of the cabinet and preferably also the top and bottom walls of the cabinet. By this means it is made extremely difficult for a burglar to gain any leverage behind the restraint frame to be able to prise it free.

The restraint frame is preferably locked in its closed state against the front face door of the cabinet by virtue of a locking flange extending from the restraint frame to overlie the top or bottom wall of the cabinet, preferably the side wall opposite the side wall of the cabinet to which the restraint frame is hinged. This locking flange carries locking means by which the restraint door is secured to the cabinet wall. Preferably the locking means comprises a screw-in lock which is mounted to the locking flange and extends into a keep portion mounted in the cabinet wall. This is most easily achieved, avoiding interference with the other mechanisms of the dispenser, by the mounting arrangement whereby the key for the locking means is mounted to the inner face of the side wall of the cabinet to which the front faced door of the cabinet is hingedly mounted.

The restraint frame of the present invention involves far less material in its construction than the corresponding 4mm thick front face door to the cabinet and, therefore, represents a substantial materials cost saving over such prior art cabinets while providing a much higher degree of security.

A further benefit of the construction of the present invention is that a front face information panel may be interchangeably mounted to the front face door of the cabinet and held in place simply by the restraint frame or lightly by screws but otherwise protected from tampering or removal by the restraint frame overlying the edges of the front face panel.

Brief Description of the Drawings A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a card dispenser cabinet embodying the invention with restraint frame ajar but with the front face door of the dispenser cabinet omitted ; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but with the restraint frame in closed state; Figure 3 is a detailed view similar to that of Figure 1 but from the right hand side; Figure 4 is a view of a cabinet similar to that of Figure 1 but with the front face door of the dispenser cabinet in place; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the cabinet of Figure 4 from the left hand side; and Figure 6 is a view of the cabinet of Figure 5 with the restraint frame closed and locked in place.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figures 1,2 and 3, here the dispenser cabinet is shown in partly assembled state, with the front face door of the dispenser cabinet and its associated mechanisms omitted for clarity.

The cabinet 1 is generally box shaped and has a mains electric cable 2 leading into one corner.

The cabinet 1 is formed in a substantially conventional fashion of 2mm thick steel folded into shape and having an open front face into which a front face door 3 (see Figures 5 to 6) nests. The front face door 3 of the cabinet 1 is slightly recessed relative to, or flush with, the front face of the cabinet 1, butting against a stop flange in 4 in the cabinet 1 (see Figure 3).

The front face door 3 is mounted by hinges at top and bottom to the left of the cabinet 1 and has a locking mechanism 5 close to its right hand edge to engage with a keep in the right hand side wall of the cabinet 1.

Above the locking mechanism 5 is located a slot 6 suitable to receive currency notes. The dispensing slot 9 toward the bottom left of the front face door 3 dispenses phone cards.

Instructions and other information bearing graphics are not applied directly to the surface of the front face door 3 but are, instead, applied to a clear plastics, e. g. acrylic, panel 10 that is screw mounted to front face door 3.

Turning now to the primary feature of the present invention, as will be seen from each of the Figures 1 to 6, this comprises a door-shaped restraint frame 11 that is adapted to overlie the periphery of the front face door 3 covering the gap between the front face door 3 and the cabinet 1.

The restraint frame 11 is mounted to the cabinet 1 by hinges to the right hand side wall of the cabinet 1 and with the hinges of the restraint frame 11 substantially concealed by the rear edge of the restraint frame 11 when the frame 11 is closed.

The restraint frame 11 is shaped and dimensioned to wholly cover the front face of the cabinet 1 and has a peripheral flange 12a-d extending rearwardly, i. e. towards the rear of the cabinet 1, to overlie the side walls of the cabinet 1 and top and bottom walls for a suitable depth of, for example, 2.5cm. This peripheral flange 12a-d protects the restraint frame 11 itself against being attacked and prised away.

The restraint frame 11 has a locking flange 13 extending from the peripheral flange 12a to overlie a keep 14 mounted in the left hand side wall of the cabinet 1.

In Figure 6 the system is shown fully assembled and with the restraint frame locked in place over the closed and locked front face door 3 with a lock mechanism 15 installed on the locking flange 13 mounted in a socket 16 in the locking flange 13.

The locking mechanism 15 is suitably a screw-in lock.

As will be appreciated from the forgoing, the restraint frame 11 is not simply a secondary door to protect against unauthorised access into the cabinet 1 but is an apertured frame through which unhindered access is provided to all of the user interface features of the front face door 3, including the coin entry slot 7, change retum slot 8, receipt slot 6 and currency note entry slot 9.

The restraint frame 11 not only protects the dispenser from burglary but also prevents removal of the information-bearing panel 10 by vandas. Additionally, as mentioned previously, the materials costs involved in construction of the unit are substantially less than those in corresponding existing systems.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles, such as, for example, cash, tokens, cards or the like, which dispenser cabinet is characterised in that it has hingedly mounted thereto a door restraint frame which is shaped to cover the gap between the front face door of the dispenser and the surrounding front edges of the cabinet when the door of the cabinet is closed and the frame is closed thereover but does not prevent access to the dispensing slots or other user-interface features of the front face door of the dispenser.
2. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles as claimed in claim 1, wherein the restraint frame is hinged to that edge of the cabinet against which the front face door of the cabinet butts when the door is closed.
3. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the restraint frame is formed having a peripheral flange, or rim, that extends toward the cabinet as the restraint frame is closed against the cabinet and which rim extends to overlie at least the side wall of the cabinet and preferably also the top and bottom walls of the cabinet.
4. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the restraint frame is locked in its closed state against the front face door of the cabinet by virtue of a locking flange extending from the restraint frame to overlie the top or bottom wall of the cabinet, preferably the side wall opposite the side wall of the cabinet to which the restraint frame is hinged.
5. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking flange has a locking means and the locking means comprises a screw-in lock which is mounted to the locking flange and extends into a keep portion mounted in the cabinet wall.
6. A front loading cabinet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the keep for the locking means is mounted to the inner face of the side wall of the cabinet to which the front faced door of the cabinet is hingedly mounted.
7. A front loading cabinet for vending or dispensing articles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any suitable combination of the accompanying drawings.