US2797405A - Container for valuables with alarm system - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1957 F. c. vw. s'rEL'rER 2,797,405

CONTAINER FOR VALUABLES WITH ALARM SYSTEM Filed NOV. 24. 1953 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 if? l Z [g/WMM ATTQRNEYS 5 June 25, 1957 F. c. w. STELTER 2,797,405

CONTAJINER FOR VALUABLES WITH ALARM SYSTEM 7 Filed Nov. 24, 1953 'a sheets-sheet a ,j 2,797,405 Patented June 25" 1957 CONTAINER FOR VALUABLES WITH ALARM SYSTEM Francis C. W. Stelter, New Yorlr, N. Y.

Application November 24, 1953, Serial No. 394,162

6 Claims. (Cl. 340-280) This invention relates to containers for valuables provided with an alarm which is sounded. in the event that the container is tampered with by an unauthorized person or persons. More specifically the invention relates to such containers having one or more members which are movably associated with the remainder of the container, and in which a switch button and its actuating means are both movably associated with the container.

It has been suggested to provide a two-part jewel box structure comprising a relatively large base member upon which a standard jewel box might be snugly fitted. The inclusion of such a base greatly enhances the appearance of the jewel box structure, and at the same time the base tends to x the jewel box more firmly on the table or dresser upon which it is kept. By eliminating the possibility of jewel box slippage upon any surface on which it rests, the possibility that the jewel box will be dropped or damaged, thereby springing open its lid and scattering or damaging its contents, is greatly eliminated.

In the event that such a jewel box structure is tampered with by an unauthorized person, three possibilities are open to him. He might spring the jewel box lid open and remove the box contents, or he might remove the box from its base for removal of the box contents at some later time, or he might carry away both box and base. sound upon the happening of any one of these three contingencies has been solved by this invention.

Similarly, in the case of a conventional one-part jewel box the contents may be stolen either by opening the box without altering its position or by removing the box in its entirety.

Likewise, a movable safe may be opened and its drawers or other movable members removed without altering its position, or the safe may be moved as a unit for more convenient access.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a container having one or more movable members and being movable as a unit, in which alarm means will be energized upon movement of one of the movable members or upon removal lof' the container as a unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide a jewel box structure comprising a base and jewel box in which alarm means will be energized in the event the lid is raised, or the jewel box is removed from the base, or in the event that both jewel box and base are removed from the surface upon which they rest.

A further object of this invention is to provide a conventional one-part jewel box in which alarm means will be energized in the event the box is opened, or if the box is removed from its resting place.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a movable safe in which alarm means will be energized in the event the safe is moved as a unit, or if the safe is opened in position and its drawers or other movable contents are removed.

I accomplished these objects in the case of the twopart jewel box by providingan aperture in "the base of The problem of providing an alarm which will the jewel box structure into which a switch device is loosely fitted. This switch device comprises two opposed contact members in spaced insulated relation and a depressible conducting means normally making electrical contact between the contact members when the conducting means is not depressed. Between this depressible conducting means and the jewel box lid I slidably fit a pin which holds the conducting means depressed when the lid is in a closed position and when the jewel box is snugly fitted on the base. In this manner, if the lid is raised the pin will no longer be held confined and the conducting means will be allowed to make contact between the contact members. I place these contact members in an electrical alarm circuit so that the alarm will be sounded when contact is made between the two contact members. lf the jewel box is removed from the jewel box base, the pin is of course removed with the box and accordingly the conducting means is released and Contact again is made between the two contact members. Because the switch device is loosely fitted in the base member, it will drop from the base member if the jewel box and base are removed from the structure upon which they rest. In such an event, the conducting means is no longer held depressed by the pin and contact is again made between the two contact members.

I accomplish these objects in a similar manner in the case of the conventional one-part jewel box and the movable safe. In the one-part jewel box the switch de` vice is loosely fitted directly in the bottom of the box instead of .in a separate base. The pin may be free as in the case of the two-part box or may be attached to the ydepressible conducting means. The actuation of the switch is occasioned by raising the lid or by lifting the entire box, as in the case of the two-part box.

In the case of the movable safe the pin is attached to the depressible conducting means and the switch device and pin are supported as a unit by journalling the pin slidably in the rear wall of the safe. The safe drawer or other movable member is positioned against one end of the switch device and the other end of the pin contacts the wall of the room in which the safe is located. Thus, movement of the safe or its movable member will allow movement of the pin and conducting means to make contact between the switch device contact members.

Other and further objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description which follows read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a two-part jewel box structure including jewel box yanti base.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along line 2-2 of Figure l and also showing diagrammatically the alarm circuit for the jewel box structure.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross section taken along Iline 2 2 of Figure l with the jewel box lid in raised position.

Figurev 4 is akfragmentary cross section similar to Figure Y3 but taken through a vertical wall of a one-part jewel box.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross section showing the invention as applied to a safe.

in orderfto facilitate an understanding of the invention,

reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown inthe accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive language is employed. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the invention is thereby intended and that various changes and alterations are contemplated such .as would ordinarily occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

In Figure 1 a two-part container unit for valuables is shown including a base member A upon which a conventional jewel box B may be snugly fitted. A moulding member 10 is fixed upon base A to define a space within which the jewel box proper may be placed. The jewel box B is an integral structure comprising a hinged lid 11, vertical side walls 12, and a bottom member 13, shown in Figure 2. Any conventional lock, as at D, may be employed to secure the jewel box lid. Y y

A resilient sheet 14 of felt, cork, rubber or the like, may be cemented to base A.

In Figure 2 is shown a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the two-part structure of Figure l. A switch device is shown generally at C. This device comprises two opposed Contact members 15 and 16 which are maintained in spaced insulated relation by insulator 17. Insulator 17 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 18 within which is positioned a coi-l spring 19 bearing` a flanged contact maker 20. A resilient sheet 14a'may be cemented to contact 16 if desired. An aperture 27 is provided in base member A for the reception of switch device C. i

Within any one of the jewel box side walls 12 and the jewel box base 13 is formed a vertically disposed bore for the reception of operating pin 21 slidably therein. This bore is enlarged adjacent lid 11 for reception of the head 21a of pin 21. In this manner, the pin 21 is biased against downward movement. Preferably the bore is formed within the side wall to which the lid is hinged, eliminating the possibility of its discovery, but it may be formed in any one of the side walls.

A jewel box alarm circuit is diagrammatically shown in Figure 2. This circuit includes conductors 22 and 23 connected to contacts 15 and 16 respectively. The switch is placed in series with a conventional alarm circuit including a battery 24 and alarm device 25 which is shown as a bell, but may be any suitable device such as a light. If desired, a stationary switch 26 may be provided at some convenient location to deenergize the circuit at all times. The alarm circuit shown in Figure 2 is positioned at some point remote from the jewel box structure; however, this circuit might be housed within a false bottom within the jewel box B by running conductors 22 and 23 through base member Al and jewel box bottom 13 to the false bottom, suicient slack being left in conductors 22 and 23 to permit movement of device C relative to base A.

In considering operation of the alarm mechanism let it rst be assumed that an unauthorized person springs lock D of the jewel box and raises lid 11 to remove the jewel box contents. As lid 11 is raised, pin 21 is no longer held against upward movement by the lid.

Therefore, pin 21 will move upward under influence of spring 19 to the position shown in Figure 3 and contact will be made between contacts 15 and 16 through spring 19 and contact maker 20. Assuming manual switch 26 to be closed, the alarm circuit will then be activated and current will ow from battery 24 through conductor 23 to contact 16. From contact 16 current will flow through spring 19 and contact maker 20 to-contact 15, and thence through conductor 22 and switch 26 to alarm device 25.

Assuming that an unauthorized person does not attempt to open lid 11 but merely removes jewel box B from base A for opening of the jewel box at some later time, pin 21 will then be removed with jewel box B. If pin 21 is so removed, coil spring 19 will expand to again make electrical contact between contacts 15 and 16. In this manner, current will again ow through alarm 25.

On the other hand, if an unauthorized person were to remove both jewel box B and base A from the surface upon which they rest, switch device C will not move with the base A and pin 21 will again be lifted off contact maker 20. Accordingly, spring 19 will expand to close a circuit between contacts 15 and 16 thereby energizing alarm 25. If the alarm circuit is enclosed withn jewel box B, it is important that conductors 22 and 23 be provided with sucient slack to allow this rela- 4 tive movement between switch device C and base member A.

As pointed out above, the-provision of manual switch 26 is optional. The switch ymight be mounted at some concealed location external of the jewel box structure if the alarm circuit is also external of the structure. If the alarm circuit is included within a false bottom in jewel box B, the switch operator might be located at some position on the box side and its identity as a switch operator might be concealed in any number of ways.

Figure 4 illustrates the invention as applied to a onepart container unit for valuables comprising jewel box B' having a hinged lid 11', a vertical wall 12', and a bottom member 13', which bottom member serves as the base of the box. The switch device shown in Figure 4 is similar to that shown in Figure 2, and is designated C'. Switch device C' comprises opposed contact members 1S' and 16' whichare attached kto opposite 4ends of a cylindrical insulator 17. A coil spring 19' is prositioned in cylindrical insulator 17' and bears at its lower end on contact member 16'. A contact maker 20' is secured on operating pin 21 slightly above the bottom of said pin. The portion of pin 21' below contact maker 20 is received within spring 19.

Thus it will be seen that pin 21 is attached to switch device C and may be moved as a unit with the switch device for convenient mounting in the jewel box. Within any one of the side walls 12' of jewel box B' is formed a vertically disposed bore for the reception of operating pin 21 slidably therein. The bottom member 13' of jewel box B' is bored to receive switch device C loosely therein. The switch device C' and pin 21 are positioned in jewel box B' by inserting the pin and switch device in the aligned bores in the wall 12' and bottom member 13', respectively. A head 21a' is then securely attached to the end of pin 21' in any conventional manner. In this way, switch device C' and pin 21 are locked in the jewel box B' and may be transported as a unit therewith.

Switch device C' is intended to be connected to an alarm circuit such as is shown in Figure 2, conductors 22' and 23' being provided for this purpose. The alarm circuit consisting of battery 24, alarm device 25 and switch 26 may, of course, be located in a false bottom in jewel box B', or may be located at some point distant from the box, as mentioned in connection with Figure 2.

The operation of the alarm system in Figure 4 is as follows: If lid 11' is raised, pin 21' will be free to move under the inluence of spring 19 until contact maker 20' bears against contact member 15', thus completing thev circuit and energizing the alarm. Similarly, if jewel box B' is removed from its supporting surface, switch device C' will be free to move downwardly under the influence of spring 19. The switch device is thus moved relative to pin 21' until contact member 15 bears against contact maker 20', completing the circuit and energizing the alarm.

Figure 5 shows the alarm system applied to a container unit for valuables comprising a safe indicated generally at 30. The safe is mounted on wheels such as the one indicated at 31, which wheels rest on the floor 32 of a room having a wall 33. Safe 30 is shown as having a double-wall construction indicated generally at 34 consisting of inner wall 35 separated by ller material 36 from outer wall 37. However, the alarm system could be applied in the same manner to a safe having a single-wall construction. Safe 30 has a drawer 40 which may be pulled out after the safe door (not shown) has been opened. As shown in Figure 5, a hole 41 is drilled in the wall 34 of the safe behind box 40 to slidingly accommodate pin 21 which carries switch device C'. Pin 21 and switch device C' are constructed asshown in cross section in Figure 4. If desired, the hole 41 may beV lined with a bearing sleeve 42. The switch device and pin are positioned in thepsaferby inserting pin 271' from the inside of the safe out through hole 41 and then securely attaching the head 21a' to the pin 21'.

An alarm system comprising switch 44, bell 45 and battery 46 is carried in a box 48 attached to the bottom of the safe. Switch 44 has an actuating member (not shown) which extends through the box 48 for convenient operation by authorized personnel who know its location. In this modification, as in those shown in Figures 2 and 4, lthe alarm system could be in a false bottom in the safe or located at some point distant from the safe, and the alarm could be some conventional signal other than a bell. The switch device C is connected to the alarm system by conductors 22 and 23.

The system shown in Figure 5 may be initially positioned for proper operation in the Vfollowing manner: With switch 44 in closed position energizing the alarm, and drawer 40 moved to the left in Figure 5 forcing switch device C into contact with inner wall 35, safe 30 is rolled across the floor 32 until head 21a contacts wall 33, moving pin 21 into switch device C until the alarm signal is turned olf by the separation of contact maker 20 and contact member With the various parts positioned as described above, the operation of the alarm system shown in Figure 5 is as follows, reference being made to Figure 4 for the interior construction of switch device C. If the safe is moved away from wall 33, pin 21' will move relative both to wall 34 of the safe and to switch device C under the inuence of spring 19 until Contact maker 20' touches contact member 15, thus completing the circuit and energizing the alarm 4S. If, instead of moving the safe, an unauthorized person opens the safe and pulls drawer 40 to the right as shown in Figure 5, switch device C will be moved relative to wall 34 and pin 21 under the influence of spring 19 until contact member 15 bears against contact maker 20', thus completing the circuit and energizing the alarm.

Drawer 40 may, of course, be replaced by any movable member of value, such as a vase, which will contact switch device C. The spring 19 in the switch device is only strong enough to move pin 21 and the switch device itself. Consequently, the spring is not strong enough to move the object, for example, drawer 40, and thereby create a false alarm.

The alarm systems as illustrated and described above are by way of example only, and any changes which might occur to one skilled in the art are contemplated by the present invention, within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a movable container unit for valuables having enclosure surfaces rigidly positioned relative to each other and a member movable relative to said enclosure surfaces, an alarm system associated with said container unit and comprising a switch device having contact members separated by an insulator, contact means movably positioned between said contact members and normally tending to establish electrical contact between said contact members, and operating means associated with said contact means, one of said enclosure surfaces having a bore therethrough, said switch device being freely supported for movement relative to said one enclosure surface, said operating means being slidingly positioned in said bore, said switch device and said operating means forming an operative unit having one of its ends positioned for contact by said movable member and the other of its ends being free to extend outside said container unit.

2. A switching device for use with an enclosed container having a bottom, a plurality of vertical sidewalls, and a hinged lid to activate an alarm in response to unauthorized tampering with the container, comprising a pin extending through a bore in one of said sidewalls and having a head contacting an inner surface of said lid which limits the axial sliding movement of the pin in a first direction with respect to said bore and a shaft portion projecting from the bottom of said container with the head so limited, a base member separable from said container having an upper surface upon which said container bottom is adapted to rest and a lower surface formed with a recess, an electrical switch separable from said base member positioned within said recess and including means for normally biasing the switch into an operate condition, said operate biasing means being opposed by said pin to maintain the switch in the nonoperate condition when said container is positioned on said base by a force applied to the switch by the shaft portion of said pin which projects into said recess through a communicating passage in said base.

3. A switching device for use with an enclosed container having a bottom, a plurality of vertical sidewalls, and a hinged lid to render an alarm in response to unauthorized tampering with the container, comprising a pin extending through a bore in one of said sidewalls and having a first terminal portion contacting an inner surface of said lid which limits the axial sliding movement of the pin in a first direction with respect to said bore and a second terminal portion projecting from the bottom of said container with the iirst portion so limited, a base member separable from said container having an upper surface upon which said container bottom is adapted to rest and a lower surface formed with a recess, an electrical switch separable from said base member positioned within said recess and including means for normally biasing the switch into an operate condition, said operate biasing means being opposed by said pin to maintain the switch in the non-operate condition when said container is positioned on said base by a force applied to the switch by the second portion of said pin which projects into said recess through a communicating passage in said base.

4. A switching device for use with an enclosed container having a bottom, a plurality of sidewalls, and a movable member for access to the container to render an alarm in respoonse to unauthorized tampering with the container, comprising an element extending through said container and having a first portion contacting an inner surface of said movable member which limits the movement of the element in a first direction and a second portion projecting from the bottom of said container with the first portion so limited, a base member separable from said container having an upper surface upon which said container bottom is adapted to rest and a lower surface formed with a recess, an electrical switch separable from said base member positioned within said recess and including means for normally biasing the switch into an operate condition, said operate biasing means being opposed by said element to maintain the switch in the non-operate condition when said container is positioned on said base by a force applied to the switch by the second portion of said element which projects into` portion projecting from the wall of said container removed from said movable member with the element limited in movement by the movable member, a switch separable from said container and including means for normally biasing the switch into an operate condition, said operate biasing means being opposed by said element to maintain the switch in the non-operate condition when the container is positioned relative said switch so that said second projecting portion contacts said switch and with the movable member in position to close the container.

- 6. A switching device for use in activating an alarm in response to the unauthorized tampering of an enclosed container having a plurality of walls and a movable cover member providing access to the interior of said container, comprising an element slidable within and relative said container and having a terminal portion contacting an inside surface of said movable cover member which limits the movement of the element in a first direction and a second portion projecting from the bottom of said container with the element limited in movement by the movable cover member, a switch separable from said container and including means for normally biasing the switch into an operate condition, said operate biasing means being opposed by said element to maintain the switch in the non-operate condition when the container is positioned relative said switch so that said second projecting portion contacts said switch and with the movable member in position to close the container.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sturts Mar. 13, 1894 Murphy Oct. 29, 1895 Sparr Sept. 6, 1904 Rebischung Dec. 13, 1904 Jacobsen Oct. 26, 1909 Hamburger Aug. 23, 1910 Wiggers Nov. 11, 1913 Woitas July 31, 1917 Gorman Oct. 30, 1923 Gumbs Oct. 6, 1925 Adler Apr. 28, 1936 Stelter Mar. 16, 1948 Merchang Apr. 13, 19.54

FOREIGN PATENTS France July 21, 1924

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