US1437001A - Safety-deposit-box system - Google Patents

Description

H. MARSHALL. SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX SYSTEM. 7 APPLICATION- FILED NOV, 17 1919- v 1,437,001 Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SH EETS-SHEET l- 8 JNVENTOR. I BY flu; mm

ATTORNEYS.

H.- MARSHALL.

SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17. 1919.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@q; 702 cm I hereby 8 gre0 that the return to me of the box with this sea] bearing my signatureunbroken, shall be 1ccepted byme as proof that the contents of the boxhave been in no way disturbed eqlga that the box was returnei to me on this date with former seal unbrokemand conunta intact Box No-. .501

III-1C .51271713 and. I hereby qcxnawl- ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

PATENT OFFICE.

HOLMES MARSHALL, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO.

SLFETY-DEPOSIT-BOX SYSTEM.

Application filed November 17, 1919. Serial 110. 388,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOLMES MARSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland Heights in the county of Guyahoga and State of ()hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Safety- Deposit-Box Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawm s.

The general object of this invention is to provide asimple lockingor sealing system for safety deposit receptacles or the like, which may be easily operated and which will insure against surreptitious opening of the receptacle or tampering with its contents. More specifically an object of my invention is the provision of a data slip adapted to be displayed from within a deposit box in cooperation with means within the box and its cover, whereby the box cannot be opened without alteration of the appearance of the slip. A further object is to provide such means in extremely simple and compact form such that it can be very cheaply manufactured and occupy but little space within the box. Another object is the provision of means whereby each slip is automatically identified with the box with which it is employed. Still another object is the provision Of a system that is highly simple and requires but few steps in its operation, yet is entirely effective in preserving the contents of the deposit boxes against disturbance, and in preventing access to any box of a person not entitled thereto.

My invention is hereinafter mbre fully described and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a deposit box equipped with my safety device; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan of the same with the cover removed; Fig. 3

is a vertical section therethrough showing the box closed; Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the operationof the parts as the cover is being opened; Fig. 5is atransverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of a cabinet showing one compartment open with a deposit box therein; Fig. 7 illustrates a data slip adapted to be employed as part of my invention, and Fig. 8 is a detail section showing a slightly modified arrangement of the door and card for one of the compartments shown in F if. 6.

Re erring to the drawings by reference numerals, a suitable safety deposit box 10 is provided with a hinged cover 11 and a front wall 12 having a slot 13. A bar 8 may be provided to cooperate with the flanges 9 on the sides of the box to hold papers or other contents of the box in flat position within the box, and preventthegposs-ibility ofthe opening of the box by the expansion of the contents. Secured t0 the wall 12 behind the slot 13 is a plate 15 forming with the wall 12 a pocket 14 adapted to receive a data card or slip 4O suitably mounted within the box. Immediately to the rear of the plate 15 is a mechanism cooperating with a tongue 18 depending from the top of the lid or coverof the box and adapted to alter the appearance or the card or slip 40 placed within the pocket 1 5 when the cover 11 is raised to open the box.

To accom lish the above end i secure to the base of t e box 10, by any suitable means, a bracket 20, and pivot thereto on a horizontal pin 21, a cam member 22. The member 22 has a cam face 23 adapted to engage a leaf spring 25 secured at one end as at 26 to the plate 15. The other end of the spring 25 is bent at right angles to the plate and has a pointed end 27 adapted to pass through an opening 28 in registry therewith in the plate 15, when moved forwardly by the cam 22.

The cam ,22 is moved by the tongue 18 when the lid 11 is raised by means of a bell crank 30 secured to the cam and engaged by the tongue 18. This bell crank is pivoted at 31 near the upper end of the cam 22 and its upper arm is preferably bifurcated and the ends of the furcations bent at right angles toward each other to form a closed loop 32 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The lower arm 33 of the bell crank is adapted to be engaged by the end 36 of the tongue 18 which slides down the inner ed e of the arm 33 as the lid 11 is closed. A stirrup 38 is shown on thepress the same, thereby throwing the arm 33 rearwardly over the tongue end 36. raising the lid 11, the arm 33 of the bell crank will be raised, depressing the end 32 5 against the cam 22 within the slot 34, and rocking the same forwardly on its pivot 21, thereby forcing the spring 25 forwardly.

A card or slip may be inserted in the pocket 14, and may bear any indicia desired in a manner adapted to be visible through the slot 13, and other indicia, such as the contract shown in Fig. 7. To protect the slip and prevent possible surreptitious removal thereof through the slot, a pane of transparent material such as celluloid, having an opening 42 in registry with the opening 28 in the plate 15, may be inserted in the pocket in front of the slip, or so spaced therefrom that the opening 42- may be omitted. As shown in the drawin the upper portion of the slip 40 may be cut over and engage a suitable stop such as the stirrup 38 (or prongs, not shown, if the stirrup is omitted as may be the case when a shallow box is used;) to prevent its being shoved bodily upward or aside away from the spring end 27, by insertion of any instrument through the small opening 42 in the celluloid strip. Upon opening the box by raising the lid 11 the tongue 18 will tilt the cam member 22 forwardly as described and shown in Fig. 4, causing the point 27 of the spring 25 to perforate the slip, or card 40 after passing through theopening 28 in the plate 1.5. I f

The above described means for preventing the surreptitious opening of a receptacle is of general application and may be adapted .to various uses. For the purposes of a bank or other institution maintaining safety deposit service, the system illustrated by Figs. 6 and 7 is particularly adapted. According to this system, a recordof the patrons signature and the box number assigned to him having been made when the box is rented, when he desires access to his box he will sign a statement such as is printed on the card or slip 40 as illustrated in Fig. 7 'ving also his box number and the date. he patron then may accompany the custodian to the vault or cabinet where the boxes are stored and the custodian will open the compartment bearing the patrons box number as shown on the slip. On the inside of the door 43 to this compartment there may be secured in anydesired manner a card 44 hearing the owners signature and the attestation of a deputy. The signature on the slip 40 bei genuine and corresponding to that on the oor 43, as well as to that on a similar slip 40 appearing through the slot in the front of the deposit box 10, the owner may receive his box. As reviously described any opening of the li will cause the Upon and therefore-the fact that such slip is unmutilated is proof of the fact that the contents have not been disturbed. Upon receiving the box with the slip 40 in unmutilated condition the owner may therefore be assured that noone, even an oilicial having a key to the container in which it is stored, has disturbed its contents. The custodian will see that the punctured slip is then removed and the newly signed slip substituted therefor. The removed sli is then stamped with a .date stamp and file away as a record that the patron had access to the box on that date.

It will be understood, of course, that the cabinet having separate compartments for receiving the boxes may be omitted and the deposit boxes merely stored loosely in a vault or other suitable receptacle, normally locked or not as desired. Or, if the cabinet I is used, the doors 43 to the various compartments may be locked by any suitable means such as the lock-commonly used requiring both the owners and the custodians key to unlock the same. The presentation of a number and a signature corresponding to that on the card on the inside of the door 43 bearing that number, will be suflicient to satisfy the custodian thatthe party desiring access to the box is the one entitled to such privilege, even though he may not personally recognize him. This information is obtained at a glance by the custodian after opening the compartment bearing the number ofthe box called for without necessarily apprising the patron that his identity is being investigated, and avoids the necessity of comparing data-contained in a separate file, with the. accompanying loss of time and annoyance to the patron consequent upon taking these precautions.

In usi my system it maybe desirable that the card 40 for the box, or the card on the inside of the door 43 to the cabinet compartments, be automatically provided with means identifyingl it with the box or. compartment from w ich it was taken. To accomplish this I have shown embossing;

means arranged within each box or compartment to impress indicia. such as the number of the box or compartment on the card when it is used,' although any means for changing the appearance of the card, such as by printing, may be employed. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the preferred means 120 com rises a die 50 securedto the'outer side of t e spring 25 and adapted to enter an opening 51 in registry therewith in the plate 15 and impress the box numeral or other indicia contained thereon onto the slip 40 when the spring 25-is moved forwardly by the cam 22 as the cover is raised.

It will be apparent that the record made by the die 50 on the slip 40 may alone cause suficient alteration of the appearance of the 13.0

. slip and that the end 27 of thespring and plate 15 may, if dejamb 45 may have the embossing member 46 secured thereto and the inner end of a card- 54 bent over the end of the door 43 whereby when the door is closed the numeral 46 will be impressed thereon. The card 54 takes the place of the card 44 and may be conveniently attached to the door 43 as under clips 55 and be readily removed and filed away, and replaced by a newly signed card each time the door 43 is opened.

In the manner thus described, a record may be automatically made on the slip- 40 or card 54, permitting of no alteration or mistake, showing the box or compartment which was opened and from which the slip was removed.

It may be desirable in addition to the signature on the cards to require a password to be given, or the signature may be omitted and the pasword alone be sufiicient to gain access to the box. A patron may also desire .to place a private mark on the slip to aid in detecting a possible forgery. This may easily be done on any part of the new slip before it is inserted in the box, such as on its back, in a manner known only to himself thus making surreptitious removal and These replacement of the slip impossible. and other details may of course be varied to suit the requirements or desires of those using the system. I claim:

1. In a safety deposit box system, a compartment for the reception of a deposit box, said compartment having a door.- a data card carried on the inside of the door, and

means whereby closin the door alters the appearance of the car 2. In a safety deposit box system, a set of compartments for the reception of deposit boxes, said compartments having doors, a data card mounted on each door, and means whereby closing a door impresses identification indicia on the card. i

3. In a deposit box having a cover, a data slip containedin the box, means within said box coacting with the cover whereby raising the cover impresses identification indiciaon said slip.

4. In a deposit box having a cover, a data slip contained in-the box, means within said box adapted to be moved adjacent to said slip by means secured to said cover when cover and a front wall having a slot therein, a member behind said slot forming with the front wall a pocket for the reception ofa data slip, said member having an opening and means behind said member adapted to pass through said openin upon raising the cover of said box, to muti ate said slip.

6. A safety deposit box receptacle comprising a rectangular box having a hinged cover and a. front wall having a slot therein,

means "fori'nounting an identification card behind said slot within said box, a transparent memberin front of said means permitting the visibility of indiciaon said card and preventing removal of said card from the box except by raising the cover, registering openings within said means and said transparent member, and means within said box in registry with said openings adapted to be moved forwardly by the raising of said cover to pass through said openings and puncture the card.

'7. A safety deposit receptacle, comprising a rectangular box having a hinged cover, a front wall having a slot therein formi a pocket for the insertion of an identification card, and means within said box coacting with said cover to cause alteration of the said slip, a cam pivoted within said box behind said member, a tongue dc nding from the cover of said box adapte to engage/said cam and tilt it forwardly and cause said member to mutilate the slip when the cover is raised.

9. In a safetydeposit box having a cover pivoted thereto and an identification slip ositioned behind the forward wall'of said ox, means behind said sli coacting with said cover to puncture the s ip upon raising the cover, said means comprising a member pivoted at one end to said forward wall, the other end beind sharpened, a cam member pivoted to the bottom of said box behind said sharpened member and a ton e secured to the cover of said box adapt to engage said cam and move said first mentioned member forwardl through the slip when the cover is rai In a safety deposit box, means for retainlng an identification slip within the inside front wall, a cam ivotedto the bottom of said box held norma ly in vertical position by a leaf spring pivoted to the front wall and having a sharpened end adapted to puncture said slip when moved forwardly a bell crank pivoted to said cam, a tongue depending from the cover'of said box adapted to cooperate with said bell crank, whereby upon raising the cover the cam will be thrown forwardly causing the spring to puncture the slip.

11. Ina safety deposit box, means for retaining a data slip adjacent to the inside front wall, a defacing member inside the box, means depending from the cover of said box adapted to actuate the defacing member, and means whereby the closing of the cover causes the engagement of the defacing member with said depending means.

12. In a safety deposit box, means for retaining a data slip adjacent to the inside front wall, a cam pivoted within the box and spring pressed away from the front wall, a defacing member adapted to be actuated by said cam, a bell crank pivoted to said cam, a tongue depending from the cover of said box adapted to cooperate with the lower arm of said bell crank, another portion of the cover engaging the upper arm of said bell crank to cause the engagement of the lower end with said tongue whereby upon raising the cover the bell crank will tilt the cam forwardly and actuate said defacing member.

13. A deposit box adapted to receive adj acent to the front wall thereof a data slip, a cover for said box forming a portion of one of the walls of said box, means positioned within said box cooperating with said cover whereby raising the cover mutilates said slip, and means on the cover for engaging. the slip and preventing surreptitious movement thereof.

14. A safety deposit system comprising a deposit box having a cover. constitutin a portion of one of the side walls of the ox carrying therein a card having a signed contract thereon, and means whereby said cover cannot be raised without altering the ap pearance of said card.

15. A deposit box having a cover forming a ortion of one of the walls of said box and a apted to receive a card adjacent to the front wall thereof, said card having a contract, a signature to said contract, and other indicia thereon, and means positioned within said box ooacting with said cover to mutilate said card when the cover is raised.

16. A safety deposit box having a hinged cover with side flanges extending over the edges of the box, a sight opening in the end of the box, means for carrying a record slip adjacent the sight opening, and means for automatically mutilating the record slip when the box is open.

17. In a safety deposit box system, the combination with a box having a record slip adapted to carry a users signature and means on the box for automatically mutilating the slip when the box is open, of a compartment adapted to house the box, a door for the compartment, and means on the inner side of the door for carrying two signatures, one of which agrees with the signature on the box.

18. In a safety deposit box system, the combination of a series of compartments, each having an individual door, cards on the inner faces of the respective doors carrying two signatures and boxes in said compartments each carrying one of said signatures.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HOLMES MARSHALL.

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