US3037605A - Coin controlled checking cabinets - Google Patents

Description

W. F. STAGKHOUSE COIN CONTROLLED CHECKING CABINETS June 5, 1962 Filed May 11, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. WELLS F. STACKHOUSE KENWAY, JENNEY, WITTER & HILDRETH ATTORNEYS June 5, 1962 W. F. STACKHOUSE COIN CONTROLLED CHECKING CABINETS 4 Shet's-Sheet 2 Filed May 11, 1959 INVENTOR. WELLS F. STACKHOUSE KENWAY, IENNEY, WITI'ER & HILDRETH ATTORNEYS FIG. 5

June 5,1962 w. F. STACKHOUSE COIN CONTROLLED CHECKING CABINETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 11 1959 INVENTOR. WELLS F. STACKHOUSE J BY KENWAY, JENNEY, WITTER & HILDREHT ATTORNEYS June 5, 1962 w. F. STACKHOUSE com CONTROLLED CHECKING CABINETS Filed May 11, 1959 W G F nvmvron. WELLS E STACKHOUSE KENWAY, JENNEY, WITTER & HILDRETH Q h 4 w ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 3,037,605 C(IIN CUN'IROLLED CHECKHQG (CABINETS Wells F. Stackhouse, Andover, Mass, assignor to American Locker Company, Inc., Boston, Mass., at corporation of Delaware Filed May 11, 1959, Ser. No. 812,173 8 Claims. (Cl. 194-92) This invention relates to coin controlled checking lockers of the type which are normally in unlocked position permitting the patron to open the door and deposit his articles in the locker and then, upon depositing a predetermined coin in the lock, to turn the lock to doorlocking position and remove the key. The key thereupon becomes the patrons check and can be employed thereafter to open the locker and reclaim his articles. Such lockers for public use are constructed in banks or sections, each bank comprising several locker compartments. A coin chute arrangement leads from each lock to a coin receiving receptacle in the bottom of the bank, as disclosed in Patent 1,391,044, whereby a collector can conveniently collect from one receptacle all coins passing through the locks in the bank, each lock being constructed to release the deposited coin when the lock is turned to the door-locking position.

Patents 1,640,605 and 2,298,698 disclose a locking unit employed extensively in the above described checking cabinets. This unit contains the entire locking mechanism including the coin controls and is constructed to be readily placed in and removed from operative position in the cabinet wall or door. The lock and key are so precision constructed that picking or unauthorized tampering with the lock is eliminated and loss of keys is limited to a minimum since the keys are securely retained in the lock except when taken by the patron as a check. As will be apparent, these superior lock features are adapted to provide trouble-free and uninterrupted service to the lockers.

Many thousands of checking lockers of the above nature but not coin controlled are employed in numerous institutions, such as manufacturing and service concerns, department stores, sporting clubs, schools, etc., each locker ordinarily being assigned to an individual. Each said locker usually includes a lock and removable key, padlock or combination lock which are commonly of relatively cheap and inferior construction and easily picked, thus defeating the purpose of lockers and resulting in considerable trouble and loss of checked material. Also the frequent loss of keys and the work of locker assignment and keeping the assignment changes up to date results in considerable trouble and expense. Such difficulties are substantially eliminated in lockers employing the superior and coin controlled lock first above described and my invention herein contemplates certain new and useful features which I have discovered and developed and which adapt this superior lock unit together with its several benefits to use with such institution or commercial lockers.

The public lockers require payment of a predetermined coin for each use of a locker and the above described coin chute arrangement and common coin receiving receptacle are provided for this purpose in each bank of lockers, each deposited coin being automatically released and conducted to the receptacle when the door is closed and the lock rotated to locked position. The institution lockers require no such payment and I have discovered a novel and relatively simple modification whereby the superior lock with all its benefits can be employed on these lockers without requiring such payment. Primarily this modification eliminates the above described coin receptacle common to several lockers and provides a coin receiving box within each locker whereby the person using the locker can retrieve his coin when he unlocks and opens the door.

3,37,605 Patented June 5, 1962 While the door is locked my invention assures the retention of the coin as a partial indemnification against failure to return the key. Thus all lockers not in use are available to all employees or members concerned and any such locker can be used merely by depositing a coin in the lock, the removed key serving as a check and key to open the door whereupon the deposited coin can be reclaimed. A further feature of the invention, hereinafter specifically described, contemplates novel additional means for rendering the deposited coins inaccessible to the patron but accessible to the proprietor if and when such use is desired. The production of means whereby a coin-controlled lock can be adapted easily to commercial type lockers of this nature and operative as and for the purpose described comprises a primary object of the invention.

The lock mechanism is constructed normally to release the deposited coin from the lock when the locking bolt is turned to door locking position. For reasons hereinafter described it may be desirable in some cases to delay such releasing of the coin until the bolt is turned to the unlocked position, and a further feature of the invention contemplates additional mechanism for performing this function.

The invention furthermore includes novel locker construction adapted conveniently to receive the above described locking unit in locker doors of'varying design, thus adapting the use of the superior lock unit construction, together with the coin refunding feature and additional benefits herein described, to various types of cabinets. The production of such novel locker construction as hereinafter described comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other features of the invention hereinafter more specifically described will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which-- FIG. 1 is a front view of a bank of checking lockers embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a like view illustrating a modified construction,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the lock unit with a portion of its face plate broken away,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line i4 of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view showing the lock in normal unlocked position,

FIG. 6 is a front elevation showing another type of cabinet employing my invention,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation thereof partially broken away,

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view taken on line 10-10 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 11 is a view like FIG. 8 but showing a modified construction,

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the lock, partially broken away and showing additional means for delaying the release of the coin from the lock until the locking bolt has been rotated to unlocked position,

FIG. 13 is a front elevation thereof partially broken away,

FIG. 14 is a like view showing the coin retained in a lower position in the lock,

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view through the coin receiver and illustrating a closure gate therefor, and

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view on reduced scale through the lock housing and illustrating a coin receiving box therein.

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawing, It) indicates a bank of parcel checking lockers. Each locker has a storage chamber 12 and a closure door 14. Afiixed to the inside face of the door adjacent to its free vertical margin as by spot welding at 15 (FIG. 4) is a box 16. The door is cut away at 18 to receive therethrough and into the box a coin controlled door locking unit 19. A front plate 20 affixed to the body 19 is of a size to cover the opening 18. The lower end of the plate is provided with an offset lip 22 engaging the inner face of the door and its upper end is equipped with a lock 24 including a bolt 25 for locking the unit in place on the door.

The lock includes a rotary barrel 26 carrying a locking bolt 28 and adapted to receive a key 29 which can be removed only when the lock is in door-locking position. In FIG. the barrel and bolt are shown in their normal unlocked position. A latch 30 pivoted to the body 19 at 32 carries a hook 33 on its free end disposed to cooperate with a notch 34 in a plate 35 fixed to the barrel. A spring 36 normally turns the latch clockwise and when the barrel is rotated clockwise the hook enters the notch and prevents further forward rotation of the barrel. An arm 38 also pivoted at 32 is rotated clockwise into contact with the plate 35 by a spring 39 and a finger 40 on this arm is normally disposed in the coin slot as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 wherein it serves to support a coin 42 that has been deposited in the coin slot 44 through the face plate 20. Clockwise rotation of the lock is prevented by engagement of the hook 33 in the notch 34 when no coin is present, as in FIG. 5, but when a coin is present, as in FIG. 3, a feeler 46 on the latch 30 contacts the coin (FIG. 3) and holds the hook from engaging in the notch. The barrel can thereupon be rotated to the door-locking position. When the barrel reaches this position a shoulder 47 on the plate 35 swings the arm 38 and finger 40 anti-clockwise and releases the coin which thereupon drops into the refund chamber 48 at the bottom of the box 16. This chamber is open only at its inside face at 4,9 whereby the patron can retrieve the coin only when he opens the door.

It will be understood that new locker cabinets can be constructed to receive the coin controlled lock as above described or existing cabinets can be modified to receive the lock. In some cases however it may not be convenient to place the lock within the door and cabinet as shown in FIG. 1, and in FIG. 2 I have illustrated a modified construction for serving such cabinets. In this case a lock-supporting box '50 is mounted on the outer face of the cabinet door 51 as by welding or rivets at 52. The lock 54 is mounted on and within the box in the manner already above described. A housing 55 for receiving the lock bolt is mounted on and affixed to the front margin 56 of the cabinet wall. The box 50 is extended laterally at 58 sufliciently to cover the housing 55 when the door is closed, thus covering the gap between the housing and door and preventing any attempt to jimmy the bolt 59. This lock operates in the same manner as the lock above described and the coin can be retrieved through an opening 60 in the door only when the door is opened.

Looker cabinets are of varying shapes and sizes to serve varying functions and in FIG. 6 I have illustrated a relatively tall cabinet 70 having a full length door 72 which requires a somewhat modified locking structure. The cabinet wall is bent U-shaped, as shown in 'FIGS. 8 and '11, to provide the front cabinet margin 74 adjacent to the free margin of the door and in FIG. 8 a leg 75 thereof is bent U-shape to provide three forwardly extending lugs 76 notched at 77. The adjacent margin of the door is bent U-shape to provide a rear panel 78 having openings therethrough for receiving the lugs 76 when the door is closed. A handle 80 on the door carries a plate 82 extending rearwardly through a slot 83 in the door and connected to a U-shaped panel 84 having its midportion disposed forwardly of and adjacent to the panel 78, this mid-portion being slotted at 86 to receive the lugs 76. The slots 83 and 86 are of a length to permit vertical sliding movement of the handle 80 and panel 84.

A. When the door is pushed to closexl position the panel margins at the top of the slots engage the curved portions 87 of the lugs, thus raising the panel until it drops into the notches 77 and thereby latches the door in closed position. The look now to be described serves to lock the panel in this position.

The lock unit 88 employed in this cabinet is mounted through the door 72 and within a box 89 secured to the rear face of the door, as in FIG. 1. In FIG. 11 I have illustrated the cabinet as having a fixed U-shaped panel 85 welded at 85 to the cabinet body portion that provides the front cabinet margin 74. In this construction the lock unit is disposed so closely adjacent to the panel 85 that the lock bolt 90 is adapted in door-locking position to extend into a slot or notch in the panel and thus lock the panel in door-latched position. In some cases however it is inconvenient and difficult thus to place the lock and the employment of an auxiliary panel locking bolt, of the nature shown in FIGS. 7-10 of the drawings and now to be described, facilitates both the mounting of the lock and the locking of the panel.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 the auxiliary bolt is housed within a box or bracket 91 fixed to the box 89' and comprises a bolt 92 on the free end of an arm 93 pivoted to the bracket at 94-. The bracket 91 and panel 84 are slotted at 95 and 96 to receive the bolt and a spring 97 normally pivots the arm to the inoperative position shown in full lines in FIG. 7. The arm includes a flange 98 on its rear margin disposed in the path of movement of the lock bolt 99 whereby rotation of the lock to locking position causes the bolt 99 to engage the angular flange 98 and pivot the auxiliary bolt to and hold it in the panel-locking position shown in broken lines in FIG. 7. When the lock is rotated to the unlocked position the auxiliary bolt returns to the full line position whereupon the handle 80 can raise the panel 84 and open the door. The coin receiving box 188 is open only to the inside face of the door whereby the patron can retrieve his coin only when he opens the door.

It will now be apparent that my invention embodies a new concept in checking facilities for employees, schools, sporting clubs, etc., by rendering coin controlled checking lockers available for this purpose without charge. The invention makes available to any patron any and all lockers not in use and a locker can be used merely by depositing a proper coin in the lock, whereupon the cabinet can be locked and the key removed. When the cabinet is reopened the patron retrieves his coin, the service thus being provided without charge. Following are listed some of the numerous advantages resulting from the invention:

(1) No assignment of lockers-all idle lockers available for use-great saving in number of lockers required.

(2) Eliminates all check room manual controls and supervision.

(3) Gives maximum security and provides relief from unauthorized entry claim and claims due to lost or mixed articles.

(4) Problem of lost keys and replacement of keys and/or locks are eliminated.

(5) Provides full checking service to permanent, part time and temporary employees on either a no charge or charge basis, to afford unlimited free access to the locker without requiring service by an attendant when used on coin return operation.

(6) Applicable to any type of locker manufactured.

(7) Quick and easy access to any locker by management whether locker is locked or not.

(8) Provides versatility of three distinct types of service which are effected by merely inserting or removing a cashbox, coin control, coin return or period rental when collected in advance and using coin return operation.

The providing of locker service to individuals in numerous large and small groups has for many years presented a considerable problem and has been attended with numerous difficulties, such as check room and locker assignment operating expense, lack of security, claim hazards, etc. The coin controlled lock herein illustrated and described is a precision built unit that has been extensively employed for many years in checking cabinets throughout the United States and Canada, and the use of this look in the manner herein described is adapted to provide the free individual service required and substantially eliminate the problems and losses heretofore present and sustained in providing such service.

In the lock above described, and shown in FIGS. 3-5 of the drawings, the deposited coin is released and drops into the refund chamber 48 when the locking bolt is turned to the door locking position. It is possible that a mischievous or irresponsible person might insert a coin into the lock and turn the bolt to this position While hold ing the door open. He could then retrieve his coin and take the key. The additional mechanism shown in FIGS. 12-14 is provided for eliminating this possibility by delaying the dropping of the coin until the bolt is rotated back to the unlocked position in which position the key cannot be removed. The parts shown in FIGS. 12-14 which correspond to the parts shown in FIGS. 3-5 are indicated by like reference characters.

An element 101 is pivoted on a pin- 102 to the frame 19 of the lock and includes a downwardly extending portion Hi3 having a coin intercepting offset end 104 and an upwardly extending portion 105 having an offset end 106 disposed in the path of rearward movement of the locking bolt 28. The element normally pivots by gravity to a position wherein the end 104 extends into the coin path beneath the coin slot.

In FIG. 13 the bolt 28 is shown in unlocked position and a deposited coin 42 is supported in the lock the same as in FIGS. 3 and 4. When the bolt is turned toward the locked position of FIG. 14 the element 101 swings to a position bringing its end 104 beneath the coin. When the finger 40 is withdrawn the coin is released and drops by gravity until it comes in contact with the end abutment 104 and is thereby supported in the lower position shown in FIGS. 12 and 14. The wall of the coin slot is cut away at 107 to facilitate this function. An element 120 pivoted at 121 is moved to the position of FIG. 14 by a spring 122 when the bolt 28 is moved to the door locking position illustrated. In this position it closes the coin slot against the insertion of a coin. When the bolt is turned back to the unlocked position the element 120 is engaged by the bolt and moved rearwardly to a position opening the coin slot. When this element moves forwardly to the position of FIG. 14 it engages-the free end of the arm 105 and positively holds the the off-set end 104 of the pivoted element 101 in coin intercepting position. The coin is thus supported in the lock until the bolt is rotated back to the unlocked position whereupon 'it engages the end abutment 106 and pivots the element 101 clockwise to again release the coin and permit it to drop into the refund chamber 48.

In some cases it may be desired to retain the released coins in the receiving receptacle at the bottom of the box 16 in such manner that the coins are available to the proprietor but not to the patron. In FIG. 15 I have illustrated a vertically slidable gate 110 in the box 16 and disposed in its downmost position to cover the opening into the chamber 48. The gate is held in contact with the rear wall of the box by rods 112 and has a forwardly extending top portion 114 so disposed that the lock body 19 when in place in the box prevents upward movement of the gate. The gate can be opened by the proprietor upon removal of the lock body from the box 16.

In FIG. 16 I have illustrated a removable coin receiving box 116 within and at the bottom end of the box 16. The box 116 is open at its top end to receive coins thereinto as they are released from the lock 19 and is closed at its inner face at the opening 49, thus rendering the coins inaccessible to the patron. The box 116 can be removed by the proprietor through the opening normally occupied by the lock 19 and a hook 118 can be provided to facilitate its removal.

Having thus disclosed my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin-controlled checking cabinet comprising a housing having a chamber therein and including a door for optionally providing access to or closing of the chamber, means including a coin-controlled lock unit having a locking bolt for locking the door in closed position, a box secured in face to face contact with the door and open at its front face to receive the lock unit thereinto, means for securing the lock unit in operative position to the door and within the box, latch means normally retaining the bolt in unlocked position, means providing a channel for receiving and guiding a coin to a predetermined coin feeling position in the lock unit, means for supporting the coin in said coin feeling position, means mounting the coin supporting means for movement into said channel for intercepting and supporting a coin therein and outwardly thereof to release the coin, means normally moving and holding the coin supporting means in said coin supporting position, a coin feeler, means mounting the feeler for movement in a direction normal to and across the plane of the coin at said coin feeling position, cooperating means for rendering said latch means inoperative to retain the bolt in unlocked position when the feeler engages a coinin said feeling position, and means for moving the coin supporting means to coin re leasing position when the bolt is moved to =locked position, the box having means at its bottom end beneath said coin feeling position for receiving the coin and including an opening thereinto rendering the coin accessible.

2. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 in which the lock unit includes a rotary key receiving lock barrel having said locking bolt disposed to rotate therewith and an auxiliary door locking bolt disposed in the path of movement of the first named bolt and adapted to be moved to and held thereby in door-locking engagement with the housing.

3. The checking cabinet defined in claim 2 including an arm, the auxiliary door locking bolt is mounted on the free end of said arm pivoted to the door, and a spring disposed normally to pivot the arm rearwardly to the door unlocked position.

4. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 in which the housing and door are relatively long vertically and the first named means includes a relatively long locking bar disposed vertically on and at the inside face of the door and means cooperating therewith for locking the door closed when the bar is in one vertical position and inoperative thus to lock the door when in another vertical position, a handle on and outside the door connected to and adapted to shift the bar vertically and latch means cooperating with the bar and lock for holding the bar in door-locking position when the lock is in locked position.

5. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 in which said box is secured to the outside face of the door and has an opening through its front wall for receiving the lock unit into the box, means for securing the lock unit in operative position to and within the box over the last named opening, and means secured to the adjacent front face of the housing for receiving and cooperating with the door locking bolt to secure the door in closed position when the lock is moved to locked position.

6. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 plus a coin receiving box within and at said bottom end of the first named box, the coin receiving box being open at its top end to receive coins thereinto from the lock, being closed at its inner face to cover said opening and render coins therein inaccessible through the opening and being removable through said open front face of the first named box.

7. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 plus means for intercepting the released coin and for thereafter releasing the coin therefrom when the bolt is moved to unlocked position.

8. The checking cabinet defined in claim 1 plus latch means disposed between the locking bolt and the adjacent portion of the housing in position to engage the housing and lock the door in closed position, the locking bolt being disposed to engage the latch means and move and hold it in door locking position when the bolt is moved forwardly to door locking position, and means for normally moving and holding the latch means rearwardly to door unlocked position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Beardsley et a1 Nov. 29, 1898 Hem Oct. 4, 1932 McCarroll et a1. Oct. 28, 1941 Broussard et a1. Oct. 4, 1949 Sharp Jan. 2, 1951 Beimel July 15, 1952 Beimel Apr. 14, 1953 Maurer Sept. 10, 1957 Smith Nov. 25, 1958

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