US1564127A - Protective device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 'i925' L564J27 R. v. CRAIG PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed June 12,-1925 VIII/IIL W= A'ITCRNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT.. OFFICE.

ROYAL VINCENT CRAIG, F ANiNADALE, PRINCE BAY, YORK.

rno'rn'rivn DEVICE.

Application filed .Tune 12, 1925. Serial No. 36,727. 4

To all whom it may concern.'

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` Be it known that I, ROYAL VINCENT CRAiG, a citizen of United States, residing at'Annadale, Prince Bay, Staten Island, 1n the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Protective Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in protective devices for use against hold- The principal object of the invention resides in a means for shielding the clerk of a store, bank or other like place of business, against gun tire by a bandit or robber in the event of an attempted robbery and which means is operated by the vict-im 1n a man-` ner as to not cause suspicion on the part of the bandit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulle-t proof` shield which is normally held in a concealed position beneath the counter of a' store b the use of a sensitive member which is a apted to be released by the depressionof a treadle bar which in turn causes a spring means to automatically move said shield with great rapidityto a position above the counter, thus forming a partition between the opposite sides of the counter, and which shield is adapted to close an electric circuit upon reachin the limit of its closing movement to visua y or audibly sound an alarm to persons outside the building in which the device is installed thereby indicating that an attempted holdup is occurring within. g

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out 1n the appended claim, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention installed with the shield ina lowered or set position.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the vline 2-2 of Figure 1, with the shield in a raised position as indicated in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1. f

- Referring more particularly to the-drawing, lthe reference numeral 10 designates a counter, and 11 the frame work Surrounding 4ing movement.

the same whichv defines a window opening 12,and behind which the clerk of a store or bank isadapted to be positioned in the performance of his duties.I It is behind .such a counter that my invention is adapted to be installed and which is shown in its entirety as at 13.

The apparatus 13 comprises a. shield or panel 14'of bullet Cproof material such as hard steel in order to withstand the eifects of gun fire. The topvof the shield is provided with eyes 15 which'overhang the side edges of theA shield and are formed with elongated openings for the passa-ge of verticalrods 16 which extend from the floor to the top ot the window and are disposed adjacent to side walls of the window. Guide rails 17 are secured to the side walls4 of the window for guiding the shield in its slid- Expansion springs 18 surround the rods 16 and are interposed be- `t'ween the eyes 15 and the floor, and which normally tend to move the shield to a posib tion to close the window opening 12. l l

For normally concealing the shieldA beneath the window and counter and against the action of the springs 18, there is providedl a trigger member 19 which is pivotally mounted on the floor midway between the rods 16. i The trigger member is formed with abill 20 for movement into an opening 21 in the shield adjacent the lower edge thereof,while a tail 22 formed onthe trigger extends upward at an angle with respect to the floor. A treadle bar 23 isslidably mounted in the path of the tail 22 and is normally disposed out of engagement with the tail by the action of flat springs 24 carried by the underside ofthe treadle' bar and which engage the Hoor. The treadle bar is l limited .in 1ts upward movement by stops 25 carried at the top of a pair of lrails or post 26 on whichl the treadle bar is slidable.-

Inrrioperation, lwe shall presume that the shield is in aset position beneath the counter and the trigger in engagement with the shield for holding the same-down against the action of the springs'lS.' A robber now enters the store and demands the clerk behind the'counter to throw-11p his hands at which time the clerk rom tly obeys but simultaneously presses isi oot upon the treadle bar 23, depressing the same and causing the bar to .engage the tail of the trigger which causes the bill of the trigger to free the shield, at which time the springs 18 move the shield to a raised position with great rapidity. This provides a barrier v between opposite sides of the counter which protects the life of the clerk against gun fire. When the pressure of 'the foot is released on the treadle'bar, the same is moved to a normal position by the action of the springs 24. It will be noted that by extending the treadle bar the entire length of the counter as shown in the drawing, lthe same may be actuated by the clerk standing .in an electric circuit 29. The -circuit -includes a signal in the nature of a'lamp orbell and a source of energy such as a battery 31. As the shield reaches the limit of its upward `movement, the contacts .27

and 28 will be. brought into co-acting posi tion, thus closing the circuit at which time the bell will sound or the lamp be lighted.

If desired, peep openings 32 may be provided in the shield for the accommodation of the person behind the counter inorder that he may View the further actions of the bandit or robber. Of course, these openings will-be of such size as to prevent agun being inserted therethrough.

What is claimed as new is In a device of the class described, the combination with` a window, a shield s1idably mounted in the side .walls thereof, springs for normally holding said shield in a raised position to cover the window opening, a pivotally mounted trigger, co-acting means between said trigger and said shield for holding said shield in a concealed position behind said window, a tail extending from said trigger, a vertically movable treadle bar in the path of said tail for releasing said co-acting means, and springs for normally holding'said treadle bar out of engagement with Said tail.

In testimony whereof I have alixed my signature.

ROYAL CRAIG.

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