US2938372A - Coin box closure - Google Patents

Description

May 31, 1960 A. PINSON com BOX CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 11, 1955 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

I lllfI/lldra IN VEN TOR.

ABRAHAM PINSON BY FIGO3Q ATTY.

May 31, 1960 A. PINSON 2,938,372

com Box CLOSURE Filed Feb. 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z a 7 i 1.

mmA =7 I4- 5 INVENTOR.

Fl 0 l5. ABRAHAM PmsoN AT TY.

United States Patent 2,938,372 COIN Box CLOSURE Abraham Pinson, 232 Varet Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.

Filed Feb. 11, 1955, Ser. No. 487,658

6 Claims. (CI. 7085) This invention relates generally to an improved means for restricting the opening of sliding drawers, coin boxes, etc. to authorized personnel equipped with a special tool and is particularly concerned with the parking meter variety of coin box.

Parking meter coin boxes, due to their current extensive usage and distribution, pose a special problem. In

addition to incorporating adequate means for preventing access thereto by unauthorized persons, the locking device for the boxes should also permit convenient access thereto by authorized persons. The latter requirement is of great importance since the authorized persons who collect the revenue in the coin boxes must service a large quantity of boxes. Consequently even small time losses incurred in opening one of the boxes becomes appreciable in view of the quantity and distribution of the boxes. The current type of key opened box has been found to be an easy mark for vandals and thieves.

Consequently it is the primary inventive object to provide a means for normally looking a sliding drawer or box whereby the drawer can only be opened by authorized personnel equipped with a special device, differing from a key and capable of opening the drawer in a minimum of time and with a minimum of effort.

Another inventive object is the provision of a sliding drawer normally locked, which is foolproof and which can only be opened conveniently by a special tool differing substantially from a key.

A further inventive object is the provision of a drawer reciprocable in a fixed housing wherein the drawer is normally locked within the housing in a manner which permits the removal thereof only by authorized personnel equipped with a special tool which is capable of unlocking the drawer rapidly.

A still further inventive object is the provision of a drawer reciprocable within a fixed housing, wherein the drawer can only be removed from the housing by the application of a special tool which releases a locking de-- vice securing the drawer to the housing in a minimal time period.

A still further inventive object is the provision of an assembly comprising a drawer reciprocable into and out 'of a fixed housing, the drawer being normally retained within the housing by resilient locking means preventing reciprocation, and wherein the drawer. can only be released for reciprocation by a special tool applied externally of the housing.

A still further inventive object is the provision of an in combination with a special tool for actuating the pins externally of the housing to a position releasing the drawer for reciprocation.

A still further inventive object is the provision of a coin box for a parking meterwherein the coin box is normally secured within the parking'meter housing by a 2,938,372 Patented May 31, 19611 "ice the housing whereby only authorized persons can open the box.

Further objects and inventive details will become more apparent from the following detailed disclosure When read in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the superstructure of a parking meter which includes the coin box incorporating the instant invention;

Figure'2 is a top view partially in section of the coin box compartment being opened by a special clamp-type tool;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through plane 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the drawer relative to the enclosin housing; 4

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section showing the coin box partially removed from the parking meter housing;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through plane 55 of Figure 6 showing the coin box in its normally locked position inside the housing; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section through plane 6-6 of Figure 3 showing the locking means in relation to the drawer.

Referring now to Figure l, the superstructure of a parking meter 10 is shown incorporating a coin box compartment 11 provided with the novel locking means for a drawer 12 which is reciprocably mounted within the compartment. Two buttons 13 and 14 project laterally from each side of the compartment and comprise external portions of the locking means to be described. The internal portions of the locking, means normally prevent relative sliding movement between the drawer and the compartment 11 thus normally preventing the removal ofthe drawer from the compartment. Actuation of the buttons 13 and 14 inwardly in a predetermined fashion releases relatively to the compartment permitting its removal therefrom. However a special tool 15 (Figure 2) is required to actuate the buttons 13 and 14 properly. The specific manner in which this tool 15 causes such actuation will be more fully described. Briefly the tool 15 can be described as a Cclamp which is fitted about the periphery of compartment 11 with the opposing jaws of the clamp, each bearing against the buttons 13 and 14. Actuation of the lever 47 results in the application of differential pressures on the buttons 13 and 14 to release the drawer for reciprocation relative to the compartment. In Figure 3 the drawer 12 is seen locked within the compartment 11. Sleeves 16 and 17 whose axes are in alignment with the axes of the buttons 13 and 14 house internal portions of the locking means. For a better understanding of the novel locking arrangement, refer now to Figure 6 where the sleeves 16 and 17 are each seen to comprise cylindrical walls open at the outer ends 18 and 19 and provided with transverse collars 20 and 21 of reduced diameter at the inner ends. The sleeves 16 and 17 are secured to the compartment walls 22 and 23 in the circular apertures 24 and 25. The button 13 is 'sli-dingly mounted within the sleeve lfi and is integrally connected to a shaft 26 of reduced diameter which extends axially through the sleeve in spaced relationship thereto. The innermost portion of the shaft 26 fits slidingly through an aperture through the collar 20 and is ;,integ rally connected toenlarged head or a disc 27. A

the track portions.

used to grasp the drawer to cause its movement.

- 3 spring 28 of predetermined strength encompasses the shaft 26 and bears against the collar 20 at the inner end and the button 13 at the outer end, thereby urging the. button 13 outwardly corresponding to. the locked positio of'the drawer 12;

The disc 27 projects slidingly into a. cylindrical recess 29 provided transversely in the lower portion 30 of" the drawer 12. As better seen in Figure 4, a T-shaped track 31 formed in the drawer portion 30 extends transversely to the shaft 26 and communicates with a portion of the recess 29 said recess being of greater depth than said track. The inner portion of the track 31 has the same vertical dimension as the diameter of the recess 29 and the same thickness or horizontal dimension as the disc 27. The outer track or stem. portion has the same vertical dimensionas the diameter of shaft 26. Thus when the disc is accurately aligned with the inner portion of the track, the drawer can be slid transversely to the axis ofthe shaft 26 to effect the removal of the drawer from the compartment. In Figure 4 the drawer is shown partially removed. from the compartment, thus the shaft 26 is'displayedaxially relative to the recess 29, and the disc 31"isaxially in alignment with the inner portion of the track 31. The structure of the locking means on the opposite side of the drawer corresponding to the button 14 is similar to the locking means described in connection with button 13 with one pertinent exception; the two springsinvolved are of different strengths. For exam- .ple, if'the spring related to button 13 requires 100 pounds compression to move the disc into alignment with the track 31, the other spring will require 500 pounds for the same purpose. The spring values cited are exemplary and should not be interpreted as restricting the scope of the invention. However a substantial differential in spring values is required and both spring values should exceed the force which a human being can exert manually.

The dotted lines of Figure 6 represents the position of button 13 required to place the disc 27 in alignment with the inner track portion. Similarly, button 14 must also be simultaneously moved inwardly an appropriate amount to release the'drawer for reciprocation. As is now apparent, different pressures must be exerted on the buttons, if the discs are to simultaneously be aligned with The actual position indicated in Figure 6 correspond to the locked condition of the drawer wherein the discs adjoin the wall formed by the reduced stem portion of the track-preventing drawer reciprocation.

Projecting internally from the compartment wall is a boss 32 which is in axial alignment with the inner track portion and of slightly smaller dimension. Thus when the-drawer is wholly within the compartment (Figure the boss 32 projectsinto the track providing an additional guide andend support.

The drawer includes an outer hand hold 33 which is An aperture 34 is provided through a compartment" wall through which the drawer may be removed.

As mentioned'briefiy supra, a special tool 15 is provided for applying the required difierential pressures to the buttons 13 and 14 which will cause the release of the locking device. For a detailed description of tool 15,

'refer to Figure 2 where the tool 15 is seen to comprise a structure resembling a C-clamp including a jaw 35 projecting at right angles from a base 36. A second jaw 37 spaced from and parallel to jaw 35 also extends at right angles in the same direction from the base 36. A micrometer like screw 38 is secured to the jaw 35 and includes a head 39 which is adjustable to vary the distance between the head 39 and the inner surface 40 of thejaw 35. Thescrew 38 is provided with graduations whereby the head 39 can be accurately and predeterminately spaced from the surface 40. Consequently the jaw 35 includes two surfaces of contact of different spacing from the opposing jaw 37; Mounted 0 1 the ppo g reciprocally mounted w1th1nsa1d housing, said housing jaw 37 is a leverage mechanism comprising the link 41 at 44 and including the cam 45. As disclosed previously the lever 43 is actuated manually by the knurled handle 47.

In operation the tool 15 is placed about the compartment 11 with the base 36 abutting the compartment side wall. When so positioned a bearing bracket 46 rigidly mounted on lever 41 bears against button 13, and the opposing jaw 35 bears against the button 14. Before any pressure is applied by the lever system, the head 39 is spaced from the compartment adjacent wall a predetermined distance. The bracket 46 is placed adjacent the button which acts upon the stronger spring. Thus in the instant case button 13 bears against the stronger spring. The counterclockwise rotation of lever 43 causes clockwise rotation of link 41 which in turn moves the bracket 46 and button 13 inwardly. Since a greater force is required to compress the spring action against button 13, than the spring bearing against button 14, button 14 moves inwardly at a faster rate than button 13. When the head 39 contacts the compartment wall, button 14 has moved inwardly sufliciently to accurately align its attached disc with the inner track portion. Further actuation of lever 43 now results in the inward movement of only button 13 until the lever 43 has reached the end position shown in dotted lines which corresponds with the alignment of disc 27 with the inner portion of track 31. The drawer 12 is now free for removal. The operator then grasps the hand hold 33 and slides the drawer outwardly through aperture 34 (Figure 5).

The buttons 13 and 14 must be moved inwardly a predetermined precise distance in order to align the disc with the opening of track 31 and to prevent the abutment thereof with the walls surrounding recess 29 or the end walls of the reduced portion of the track. The application of pressures to either button not conforming to the required spring deflections results inthe discs not being properlyaligned with the proper track portions. If either or both buttons are subjected to pressures differing from the required magnitude, the locking device will not be released. It is apparent then, that, unless the operator is equipped with a tool capable of exerting the exact pressures required, he cannot release the locking device, nor can it be released unless the buttons are precisely located. Moreover the pressure required to actuate properly the button acting on the weaker spring can be set to exceed the maximum force which a human can exertunaided by tools. Although it is conceivable that cruderimplements may be improvised by a thief to release the locking device, it is obvious that the time required by trial and error to solve and simultaneously maintain the pressure and position combination would render such an operation completely impractical.

The time required to open a coin box with the special tool .15 is negligible amounting to a matter of a few seconds. Due to the leverage system provided, the actuation of lever 43 can be efiected without appreciable exertion.

to the closed position, other equivalent means may be employed for such purposes. Furthermore the embodiment shown herein is merely a preferred form and further changes, modifications, substitutions can be made without departing from the inventive scope.

Having thus disclosed in detail the nature of the inventionwhat is desired in Letters Patent is defined by the following claims:

1. The combination comprising a housing and drawer including an aperture for removing said drawer, in further cornbinationwith means for locking the drawer in said housing; said means comprising a shaft mounted for reciproca ble; movement within saidhousing between limiting positions, a track carried by said drawer and extending a right angles to the axis of said shaft, a head provided'on said shaft, said head being dimensioned-to correspond'with the cross section of said track when said shaft is disposed in alignment therewith so as to permit said track to be moved therealong, thereby permitting said drawer to be withdrawn, said position of alignment being located at some point intermediate the limits of the reciprocable movement of the shaft, said head presenting an obstruction to the movement of said track when disposed out of alignment therewith, thereby retaining said drawer in looked condition resilient means constantly urging said shaft to a position out of alignment with said track, said shaft including an operating button extending externally of said housing for effecting the movement of said shaft.

2. The combination comprising a housing and a drawer reciprocally mounted within the said housing, said housing including an aperture for removing the said drawer, in further combination with a plurality of means for locking the drawer in the said housing, each of said means comprising a shaft reciprocally mounted in the housing, each of said shafts having portions normally engaging the drawer to retain the drawer in a locked condition and being movable to positions releasing the drawer for movement relative to the housing, said shaft portions comprising an enlarged head terminally connected to the inner end of each of said shafts, said drawer including a pair of tracks at right angles to the axes of the shafts provided with a pair of recesses, each recess communicating with a track, each of the said heads being normally received snugly within the recesses when the drawer is in the locked condition, the said tracks having constant transverse cross-sections slightly larger than and similar to cross-section of the heads and inner shaft ends, each of said recesses having a greater dimension than each of the enlarged heads in the direction of the longitudinal axes of said shaft, whereby reciprocation of the drawer relative to the shafts and the housing can be had when the enlarged head is properly aligned with corresponding portions of the track cross-section, the proper alignment corresponding to the said release positions and means for preventing the withdrawal of said enlarged heads from said recesses, in still further combination with springs biasing each shaft to maintain the drawer in the locked condition, each of said springs being of such strength that the force required to deflect them exceeds the force which an average adult human being is capable of exerting without the aid of tools, each of the shafts including an outer button operable outside of the housing for effecting the actuation of the shafts externally of the housing, wherein the force required to move each of the shafts to the said positions is greater than the force attainable by an average adult human being.

3. The combination as in claim 2, wherein each of said last-named means comprises a collar surrounding said shaft and having an opening smaller than said head to thereby prevent the withdrawal of said head therethrough.

4. The combination comprising a housing and a drawer reciprocally mounted within the said housing, said housing including an aperture for removing the said drawer,

in further combination with a plurality of means for locking the drawer in the said housing, each of said means comprising a shaft reciprocally mounted in the housing, and having portions normally engaging the drawer to retain the drawer in a locked condition, the shafts being each movable to positions releasing the drawer for movement relative to the housing, in still further combination with springs biasing each shaft to maintain the drawer in the locked condition, each of said springs being of such strength that the force required to deflect them exceeds the force which an average adult human being is capable of exerting without the aid of tools, each of the shafts including an outer button operspasm able outside of the housing for effecting the actuation of the shafts externally of the housing, said buttons being in alignment with each other and movable inwardly to effect the release of the drawer, said springs being of differential strength requiring substantially differing forces to accomplish equal deflections, in furthercombination with a tool for actuating simultaneously each of the buttons to the said positions comprising spaced opposing jaws and a connecting base, the jaws being spaced to fit snugly about the housing with each of the jaws adjoining a button, one of said jaws being fixed with re spect to the base and the other inwardly movable, the fixed jaw including an adjustable abutment spaced from the housing and projecting from the jaw towards the housing when the fixed jaw adjoins one of the buttons, including a leverage mechanism for moving the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw apredetermined distance, the said distance corresponding to the said positions whereby a differential pressure will be applied to the said buttons.

5. The combination comprising a housing and a drawer reciprocally mounted within the said housing, said housing including an aperture for opening the said drawer, in further combination with a plurality of means for locking the drawer in the said housing, each of said means comprising a shaft reciprocally mounted in the housing for movement between limiting positions and having portions normally engaging the drawer to retain the drawer in a locked condition when disposed at either of said positions, the shafts being each movable to positions intermediate said limiting positions for releasing the drawer for movement relative to the housing, in still further combination with springs biasing each shaft to maintain the drawer in the locked condition, said springs varying substantially in strength, each of the shafts including an outer button operable outside of the housing for effecting the actuation of the shafts externally of the housing, said buttons being in alignment with each other and movable inwardly to effect the release of the drawer, in further combination with tool means for actuating simultaneously each of the buttons to the said intermediate positions, said tool means comprising spaced opposing jaws, one of the said jaws being movable and the other being fixed, including a leverage mechanism for moving one of the said jaws toward the other, the said movement corresponding to the movement required to attain the said intermediate positions.

6. The combination comprising a housing and a drawer reciprocally mounted within the said housing, said housing including an aperture for opening the said drawer, in further combination with a plurality of means for locking the drawer in the said housing, each of said means comprising a shaft reciprocally mounted in the housing for movement between limiting positions and having portions normally engaging the drawer to retain the drawer in a locked condition when disposed at either of said positions, the shafts being each movable to positions intermediate said limiting positions for releasing the drawer for movement relative to the housing, in still further combination with springs biasing each shaft to maintain the drawer in the locked condition, said springs varying substantially in strength, each of the shafts including an outer button operable outside of the housing for effecting the actuation of the shafts externally of the housing, said buttons being in alignment with each other and movable inwardly to effect the release of the drawer, in further combination with a tool for actuating simultaneously each of the buttons to the said positions comprising spaced opposing jaws and a connecting base, the jaws being spaced to fit snugly about the housing with each of the jaws adjoining a button, one of said jaws being fixed with respect to the base and the other inwardly movable, the fixed jaw including an adjustable abutment spaced from the housing and projecting from the jaw towards the housing when the fixed jaw adjoins one of the buttons, including a levercorresponding to the saidpositions whereby a differential pressure will'be applied to the said buttons.

Refeznces Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS A1111 Aug. 21, 19:00

Parson Apr. 12,1904 1'0 =Broshkewitz Nov. 10, 1908 8 Bcauliu Apr. 23, .1912 Ea'gle 'Feb. 3, 1914 Rand et a1. Spt. I3, 1932 'Marchan'i Sept. 5, 1939 Roach Fob. 20; 1940 Gorre'll Mar. 4, 1941 Zakariasen Oct. 10, 1950 Seaman et a1. Jan. 8, 1952 Dean Jan. 19, 1954 Collier Feb. 15, 1955 Fisler May 3, 1955

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