US1509285A

US1509285A - Secret cabinet

Info

Publication number: US1509285A
Application number: US682116A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Max Colbow
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-12-21
Filing date: 1923-12-21
Publication date: 1924-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 1941-09-23

Description

Sept. 23 1924.

r 1,509,285 M. COLBOW. JR

SECRET CABINET Filed Dec. 21, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,285

' Ml. COLBQW. JP.

SECRET CABINET Filed Dec. 21. 1923 3 Shepts-Sheet 5 Q l @[uucni'oo 8 M. C'oZ boar, Jr. 2, v

Patented Sept. 23, N24.

I MAX COLBOW, JR., OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO.

, SECRET CABINET.

Application filed. December 21, 1923. Serial No. 682,116.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, MAX ConBoW, Jr., a

citizen of the United States, residing at- Cleveland Heights, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Secret Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a secret safe or cabinet and has for its' object to provide a device of this character which em bodies novel features of construction whereby it is normally concealed or camouflaged in an effective manner so that the location thereof will not be suspected or discovered by a person not familiar with the secret, and which is at the same time readily accessible to any person knowing the location of the compartment and the manner of'opening the same.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a secret compartment or safe which is comparatively simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily built into the wall of a building, whichcan be easily opened at any time, but which isso efiectively concealed that. there is no likelihood that any person unfamiliar with the secret will ever discover the location thereof.

With the above and other objects in view,

.more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in whichsafe or cabinet which is constructed in accordance with the invention, the door or closure thereof being shown as swung outwardly into an open position.

Figure2 1s a rear view of the exposed cabinet which forms the closure for the hidden safe or cabinet.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the hidden position and by dotted lines in an open position.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the line 55 of Figure 4:, looking in the direction of the arrows, a portion of the back wall of the exposed cabinet being shown as broken away.

Figure 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectlonal view through oneof the side walls of the cabinet, showingthe Y electrically controlled latch member which normally holds the closure of the hidden safe in a closed position.

Figure 7 is a detail view of the spring plunger which causes an initial swinging movement ofthe closure as soon as the electrically controlled latch member is released.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated on all of the views of the drawings by like reference characters.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate one of many possible embodiments of the invention, the numeral 1 designates an opening formed in the face of a wall 2, said opening being shown as arrangedbetween two of the studs 3 which form-the frame for the wall. The opening extends into the wall a suflicient depth'to provide space for two cabinets, the innermost of which is hidden or concealed by the outer cabinet. The walls of the opening 2 are formed by horizontal cross pieces 4 connecting the studs 3 and upright members 5 connecting the horizontal cross pieces a. A rear wall 6 is'applied to the back of the said frame and provides the back of the secret compartment.

The closure for the opening 1 comprises 1 an outer cabinet 7 which is movable into and Figure 1 is a perspective View of a secret out of position, so that access can be had to the rear or hidden compartment at any time when such is desired. The outer cabinet 7 is provided with a frame 8 which extends around the front thereof and projects laterally from the edges of the cabinet, so that it will fit snugly against the face of the wall 2, and effectively conceals the opening 1 when within the opening.

One side of the outer cabinet is connected by a hinge strip 9 to one of the sides of the opening 1. The hinge strip 9 has awidth which corresponds substantially with the depth of the outer cabinet and one edge of the strip is hinged at 10 to the back of the outer cabinet, while the other edge thereof the outer cabinet is swung into position changing or shifting.

is hinged at 11 to an edge of the opening 1. This peculiar mounting of the outer cabinet 7 enables it to be readily swung into either.

an open or a closed position, as will be readily apparent by reference to Figure 4, in which figure the closed position is indicated by full lines and the open position by dotted lines. The outer cabinet 7 may be provided I with the usual shelves 12 and with a door 13 of: the conventional character. Likewise the inner and secret compartment may be provided with suitable shelves 1 1.

hen the outer cabinet 7 is swung into. a closed position the overhanging frame 8 thereof fits. snugly against the wall 2 and effectively conceals the opening 1. This frame 8; is similar in allrespects to the usual frame which. surrounds a wall cabinet, so that the: average observer would quickly notice the exposed outer cabinet, although there is, nothing to indicate that the outer net which is located to. the rear thereof. It

is accordingly extremely improbable that any person not knowing the secret of the location of the hidden safe or cabinet would ever discover the same, even though a careful search were made for the purpose of locating the valuables or articles placed therein.

The use of the hinge strip: 9 in mounting the outer cabinet 7 is rendered necessary by reason of the fact that the frame 8 of the outer cabinet overhangs or projects laterally from'the edges of the cabinet, so that the pivot center upon which the cabinet swings when it is being opened is almost constantly Upon the initial opening movement of the outer cabinet the fulcrum point is the edge or corner of the frame 8. and the swinging edge of the cabinet must accordingly have a clearance space such as that which is indicated at 15 on Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings. This clearance space is provided by cutting away or flaring one of the side walls of the frame for the wall compartment. The corresponding upright member 5 of the inner frame has the forward edge thereof beveled or cut away, and an upright strip 161 is fitted against the inner face of the said upright member 5 at the back thereof, the forward edge of the strip 16 being tapered and cooperating with the beveled edge of the upright member 5 to provide the clearance space 15.

This. clearance space 15 receives the inner corner of the swinging edge of the outer cabinet 7 upon the initial opening movement of the cabinet and the final closing movement thereof when the outer cabinet is swung into an open or a closed. position. Owing 'to the provision of the clearance space 15 the mouth of the opening 1 is considerably wider than the outer cabinet 7, although the frame 8 of the outer cabinet has a sufficient overhang to extend beyond and completely seal the enlarged mouth of the opening 1 when the outer cabinet is in a closed position. i

The back of the outer cabinet is provided'at the swinging edge thereof with a latch 17, which is adapted to be engaged by an electrically controlled keeper 18 when the outer cabinetis swung into aclosed position, as indicated by Figures 45 and 6. When the latch 17 is engaged by the keeper 18,

' a filler strip 19 which is applied to the inner edge of the hinge strip9 engages the adjacent ja-mb or upright member 5 so that the outer cabinet is. held as securely as possible against looscness or lateral movement. Lateral movement of the outer cabinet when in a closed position is also prevented by a pin or stud 20, which projects downwardly from the upper cross piece 4 of the inside frame and engages a notch 21 in the top of the outer cabinet 7, said notch having a flared mouth and contracted rear end, so

that when the cabinet is completely closed the stud will interlock with the contracted rear end or base of the notch and tend to prevent any lateral loose-ness or play of the outer cabinet.

The electrically operated detent or keeper 18 for the latch 17 is adapted to be controlled by a switch 22 which'can be located the electrically operated keeper, a conventional transformer 23 may be provided for stepping down the voltage in the required manner. When the switch 22 is manipulated the keeper 18 is disengaged from the latch 17, whereupon the outer cabinet 7 is moved outwardly a slight amount by means of a spring plunger 24 which is arranged adjacentan edge of the opening 1 in such a manner as to normally engage the frame 8. This movement of the outer cabinet is sufficient to carry the latch 17 away from the keeper l8, and the operator can then readily grasp the frame 8 with his fingers and swing the outer cabinet into an open position, so that access can be obtained to the inner and secret safe or cabinet. When the outer cabinet 7' is swung backinto its original position the latch 17 will be automatically engaged by the keeper 18, and the rear safe 'or cabinet will then be eli'ectively concealed and hidden so that any valuables or personal papers placed therein will be entirely safe. If desired, the portion of the j amb of the inner frame which is engaged by the latch 17 upon the closing of the outer cabinet may be faced with sheet metal, as indicated at 25, thereby preventing the possibility that the sharp edge of the latch will dig into and injure the wood.

When the outer cabinet is swung into a closed position the rear cabinet or safe is effectively hidden and concealed, although the outer cabinet is mounted in the wall so that it can be used in the same manner as the conventional wall cabinet.

Having thus described myv invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is,

1. A device of the character described including a wall formed with a recess providing an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the re cess, and a latterly projecting frame carried by the outer cabinet and arranged to fit against the wall and conceal the recess when the outer cabinet is in a closed position.

2..A device of the character described, including a wall formed with a recess providing an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess and conceal the inner cab-inet, a lock carried by the outer cabinet and inaccessible from the front or interior thereof, said lock serving to hold the outer cabinet in operative position within the mouth of the recess, and distantly located means i for controlling the said lock.

3. A device of the character described, including a wall formed with a recess providing an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess, the said mouth of the recess being larger than the outer cab-inet, late-rally projecting frame members carried by the outer cabinet and arranged to fit against the wall and conceal the mouth of the recess when the outer cabinet is in a closed position, and means for holding the outer cabinet against lateral play within the mouth of the recess.

4:. A device of the character described, including a wall formed with a recess providing an inner cabinet, an outer cabinet adapted to fit within the mouth of the recess, a hinge strip extending along one side of the outer cabinet and having one edge thereof hinged to an inner edge of the outer cabinet while the other edge thereof is hinged to a side of the recess, the mouth of a the recess being flared to permiltl of the outer cabinet being swung into an-open and closed position, and means carried by the outer cabinet for covering and concealing the flared mouth of the recess.

5. A device of the character described, including a wall formed with a recess providing an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess, and a stud projecting into the mouth of the recess, the outer cabinet being formed with a notch which is adapted to receive the stud and cooperate therewith to position the outer cabinet and hold it against lateral movement.

6. A device of the character described, including a wall provided with a recess which forms an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess and conceal the inner cabinet, an electrically controlled invisible member inaccessibly located .upon the inner cabinet for holding the outer cabinet in a closed position, and a distantly located electric switch controlling the circuit of the said member.

7. A device of the character described, including a wall provided with a recess which forms an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess and conceal the inner cabinet, an inaccessibly located latch for locking the outer cabinet in a closed position within. the mouth of the recess, distantly located means for controlling the latch, and means for automatically shifting the cutter cabinet toward an open position when the latch is released.

8. A device of the character described, including a vwall provided with a recess which forms an inner cabinet, a movably mounted outer cabinet adapted to close the mouth of the recess and conceal the inner cabinet, an inaccessible latch for holding the outer cabinet in position within the mouth of the recess, electrical means for actuating the latch from a distance, andspring means for automatically shifting the outer cabinet outwardly toward an open position when the latch is released.

9. A device of the character described, including a wall formed with a recess which provides an inner cabinet, an outer cabinet hingedly mounted within the mouth of the recess and adapted to conceal the inner cabinet when in a closed position, the mouth of the recess being flared to permit of the swinging of the outer cabinet into open and closed positions, laterally projecting frame members carried by the outer cabinet and arranged to fit against the wall and conceal the flared mouth of the recess, means for holding the outer cabinet against lateral play within the flared mouth of the recess, an inaccessible latch for holding the outer cabinet in a closed position, and distantly located means for controlling the said latch.

, In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature.

MAX COLBOW, JR.