US3871282A - Method and device for anti-theft securing of a space - Google Patents

Abstract

Although the invention is directed to the securing of any space for which security is desired against entry by unauthorized personnel, the invention concerns principally in a preferred embodiment thereof a show-case for valuable pieces such a jewels and/or paintings or the like, and includes a base vault of steel enclosing gas-containing cylinders having valves openable from outside the vault but closable from within only and the vault being containable of highly presdurizable gas and fixedly securely attached to the vault there being a viewing doublewalled transparent window or canopy such as a double-canopy one within the other and spaced from one another, such that the spaced typically thick-glass walls define therebetween a jacketspace with vents communicating the vault space with the jacket space, the pressurized gas being released from the cylinders after sealing the vault and the gas being preferably nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide in a stored-liquid state whereupon venting of the enclosed gas serves to blow-out with great force and at critically low temperatures serving to make surrounding areas frigid and the blowing-out together with the critically-low temperature of the gas being blown-out serving to cool-off and/or extenguish any flame and/or hot tool(s) such as might be used by a sneak-thief magnesium burning bar and/or oxyacetylene torch, while concurrently reducing available oxygen for either burning or breathing by persons in the general vicinity of a possible puncture of the vault or of the outer-wall transparent glass of the show case, while also the pressurized gas between the doublewalled window serves to protect the inner wall against percussion-shattering thereof since the pressurized gas in the space between the walls of glass serves to cushion any shattering blow to the outer gas while concurrently the pressurized glass explodes the shattered glass onto the person shattering the outer glass and the released gas also serving to freeze-out any local persons who do not immediately exit from the room or immediate vicinity, and access to the show case being otherwise possible solely by first fully venting to atmosphere over an extended period the gaseous contents before then opening the show case in a manner which would otherwise release the gas to the surrounding room and by use of a lock preferably operable solely from within the gas-filled vault, there additionally preferably being a alarm and an alarm-activating mechanism which mechanism includes an activating switch activatable by reduction in pressure from the high pressure to a predetermined extent.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Rose [111 3,871,282 Mar. 18, 1975 Morton Jessup Rose, 61-15 98th St., New York, NY. 11374 22 Filed: Apr. 23, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 353,526

[76] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl. 109/31 [51] Int. Cl....., F05g 3/00 [58] Field of Search 109/23, 24, 29, 30, 31, 109/32, 33, 34; 98/31; 312/114, 137

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 213,483 3/1879 Wilkins 109/29 444,197 l/l89l Payne 109/34 501,142 7/1893 Hill 109/24 523,946 7/1894 Rothcnberger 109/33 X 529,938 11/1894 Newlyn 109/31 X 530,434 12/1894 Lowe 109/31 1,124,169 1/1915 Prushey 109/31 1,451,581 4/1923 Lorig et a1. 109/34 UX 1,627,464 3/1927 Salamon 109/31 1,765,049 6/1930 Burns 109/31 2,076,085 4/1937 Hunnicutt 3,303,770 2/1967 Anthony 98/31 Primary E.raminerDennis L. Taylor [57] ABSTRACT.

Although the invention is directed to the securing of any space for which security is desired against entry by unauthorized personnel, the invention concerns principally in a preferred embodiment thereof a showcase for valuable pieces such a jewels and/or paintings or the like, and includes a base vault of steel enclosing gas-containing cylinders having valves openable from outside the vault but closable from within only and the vault being containable of highly presdurizable gas and fixedly securely attached to the vault there being a viewing double-walled transparent window or canopy such as a double-canopy one within the other and spaced from one another, such that the spaced typically thick-glass walls define therebetween a jacketspace with vents communicating the vault space with the jacket space, the pressurized gas being released from the cylinders after sealing the vault and the gas being preferably nitrogen and/or carbon dioxide in a stored-liquid state whereupon venting of the enclosed gas serves to blow-out with great force and at critically low temperatures serving to make surrounding areas frigid and the blowing-out together with the criticallylow temperature of the gas being blown-out serving to cool-off and/or extenguish any flame and/or hot tool(s) such as might be used by a sneak-thief magnesium burning bar and/or oxyacetylene torch, while concurrently reducing available oxygen for either burning or breathing by persons in the general vicinity of a possible puncture of the vault or of the outer-wall transparent glass of the show case, while also the pressurized gas between the double-walled window serves to protect the inner wall against percussion-shattering thereof since the pressurized gas in the space between the walls of glass serves to cushion any shattering blow to the outer gas while concurrently the pressurized glass explodes the shattered glass onto the person shattering the outer glass and the released gas also serving to freeze-out any local persons who do not immediately exit from the room or immediate vicinity, and access to the show case being otherwise possible solely by first fully venting to atmosphere over an extended period the gaseous contents before then opening the show case in a manner which would otherwise release the gas to the surrounding room and by use of a lock preferably operable solely from within the gasfilled vault, there additionally preferably being a alarm and an alarm-activating mechanism which mechanism includes an activating switch activatable by reduction in pressure from the high pressure to a predetermined extent.

14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED MR 1 8 ms SHEET 1 OF 2 GAS PATENTEDHAR 1 8191s I 3,87 1 282 sumaqfz FIG} FIG.4

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ANTI-THEFT SECURING OF A SPACE BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Admitting the advanced state of technology existing in the world today, there is no known totally fool-proof security against entry by unauthorized personnel, particularly with regard to a show-case for valuable items such as priceless jewels and/or pictures or the like. At best, security methods, short of armed guard around the clock, may hope only to deter the thief for a sufficiently long period of time as to allow other security measures to achieve a greater degree of success, and/or to make entry suffiently complicated in the requirement of large and/or sophisticated tools or instruments, and/or to add sufficiently to the discomfort and/or hazard(s) as to hopefully totally discourage any would-be thief from attempting a theft or from attempting to break through the security barrier, whatever it might consist of.

In particular, it should be noted that it is now considered impossible to prevent a sophisticated burglar from gaining access to a secured enclosure when the burglar is utilizing a magnesium burning bar, and/or oxyacetylene torch, and/or any power operated saw with a carbide blade, or the like. Moreover, there heretofore appears to be no glass which is secure against high percussion shattering and grab-theft of the valuable after the shattering.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly an object of the present invention is to sufficiently slow down the burglar or other thief as to provide improved opportunity for other security measures to take-over successfully, by sufficiently frustrating and increasing the necessary efforts and measures required for the burglar to gain access as to hopefully fully discourage and deter future efforts at theft where the security method(s) and device(s) of the present invention are employed.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more problems and difficulties of the type discussed above, together with the achieving of additional advantages as shall be hereafter recited.

Other objects become apparent from the preceding and following disclosure.

One or more objects of the present invention are obtained by the invention as defined herein.

The invention includes in its broadest sense the employment of double-walls totally enclosing the space to be secured, with the jacket-space defined between the double walls being filled with a highly pressurized gas preferably in the nature of carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen since such cryogenic gases are advantageously subject to reduction to a compressed liquid state which upon their release serve to produce and maintain excessively high gaseous pressures such as at least typically around 600 p.s.i. and critically low temperatures which result in refrigerating excessively the surrounding area, as well as driving-out available oxygen that might have previously been available, with the result that the torch or magnesium bar flame which typically burns at about 9,800F. become rapidly extinguished and not readily relightable because of the frigid temperatures together with the forceful blowing-out through any puncture, of the pressurized carbon dioxide gas and/or nitrogen,-and with breathing becoming difficult together with the person subjected to such conditions not only becoming rapidly frigid but also if breathing the modified air becoming rapidly hyperventalated because of the high carbon dioxide and/or nitrogen content in the air as typically pilots become giddy in rarified air at high altitudes. However, adding to the difficulty of breaking through the outer wall of the double walled vessel or show-case there is preferably provided as the outer wall and/or laminated to the exterior thereof a transparent plastic such as acrylic of preferably substantially great thickness, and this acrylic layer having laminated onto its exterior preferably a high-heat-resistant glass or glass laminate, such that upon any attempt to cut therethrough with a carbide blade and/or bit, the heat thereby generated tends to gum-up the blade(s) and/or bit(s), there being then required appropriate solvent to gain penetration through the transparent plastic portion of the window, whereby the whole task becomes a major and time-consuming undertaking, and concurrently the multiplicity of necessary measures for a possibility of penetration of and gaining access to the secured space increasing the possibility of setting-off any of new and/or conventional alarms. Although there is definite advantage to having the gas already released and filling the void connected spaces in-between the spaced double-walled glass and- /or glass and plastic, it is also possible to not release the gas until penetration brings about a change in the inner pressure of the space whereupon the cylinders of gases become automatically opened. Preferably the snowcase transparent portion is mounted securely and fixedly to a vault structure containing the cylinders of gas(es) with there being vent-conduits connecting the vault space with the jacket-space between the spaced walls of glass and/or glass and acrylic, or the like. There is also provided an appropriate means for purposely venting the vault contents in order that after a predetermined prolonged period of venting one may safely enter the room or area and properly open the depressu'rized vault in order to gain access to the show case which preferably unlockable only by access to the I interior of the vault. In the embodiment in which the valve becomes opened by one means or another to release the gas(es) within the vault and the jacket-space, there is provided a locking device which locks the valve(s) in the open state so that only by total ventalation and/or aeration of the vicinity can the vault be approached to properly open the vault asfter the prolonged ventilation thereof. The valve opening mechanism and the locks for gaining access to the vault are preferably each and all radio-signal controlled by selenoid mechanism from without by a coded signal.

In addition to the named gases above, it is possible to substitute in whole or in part other gas(es) particularly such as the inclusion of tear gas to further discourage the would-be thief.

THE FIGURES FIG. 1 illustrates diagrmmatically an perspective front-side view of a typical embodiment of the above described invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional side view as taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2A illustrates an in-part enlarged view of a typical joint as taken from a cross-sectional view analagous to the FIG. 2 illustration.

FIG. 3 illustrates an enlarged and more detailed and cross-sectional view of the area 15 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4A illustrates an inpart view of the typical locking mechanism lockable of the top show-case portion to the lower vault portion.

FIG. 4B illustrates an elevation end view with in-part cut-away for better illustration, of an embodiment such as that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view as taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, shown in in-part view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to the several Figures, initially as best viewed in FIG. 1 there is illustrated a security show case device 4 composed of upper show case section 5 and lower vault portion 6 enclosable of alarm mechanism and other deterrents as shall be discussed hereafter. The show case 5 includes frame members 7 framing transparent portions 8 thereby forming an inner show case security area. An end wall 9 includes a plurality of through-perforations blocked by a slide-valve manually operable from the side face as illustrated, with the slide valve itself including a lock 41 for preventing unintentional opening thereof by children or other innocent persons. The show case interior within the security space includes a platform 10 on which any of various items may be displayed, such as jewels or the like. There may be a lock 11 controlled through typically an antenna projecting therefrom, for the locking and unlocking of the show case from the lower vault section 6. In the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2A taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1, typically, there is disclosed a double walled transparent barrier 8 composed of walls 80 and 8b spaced apart from one-another defining therebetween a jacket-space 12, with laminated wall sheets 8c and 8a being held within frame 7 in sealing gaskets 8a. The outer wall 8a and 8c includes an inner-located sheet of acrylic 8a and a heat-resistant glass sheet 8b laminated to an outer face thereof.

Within the vault portion 6 are located one or more cylinders 13 typically interconnected by a line 16 feeding an outlet mechanism and valve structure inclusively referred to as with an outlet port 17. The doublewalled show case 5 structure 8 is seated in appropriate gaskets 17' on top of the vault portion 6, with the jacket space 12 coincident with and in communication with vents (or ports) 14 in an upper surface of the vault portion 6, such that gas released from the cylinder(s) 13 into vault space 6a under pressure expands into the jacket-space 12. Typically the valve mechanism 15 is operable by radio signal to be picked up by an antenna 18.

Selenoid coils 19 include a safety circuit-breaking switch 20 preventing accidental electrical activation thereof by the signal sent from the activation switch mechanism 42 which includes a radio signal receiving mechanism and is responsive to the receipt of a predetermined signal by antenna 18, and upon activation of selenoid coils 19, the slide valve 21 slides into a position in which key locks the valve into the open position until the switch 20 is switched to reverse flow of current and the key 25 is manually withdrawn by a finger inserted into the key ring 43 and the key pulled from engagementj-the reverse current flow by the switch 20 causes the slide valve to close so long as the signal is continued to be received by the antenna 18 or from other source as typically a by-pass switch bypassing the radio mechanism to power the selenoid. When the valve is closed, valve 21 is sealable by gasket 23 of the port 22 by which gas normally would pass from the conduit 16 to the outlet port 17. When the valve 21 is opened by activation of the selenoid 19, the key 25 locks into slot 24 as guided through support guides 27 and as biased on its base 31 by spring 30 mounted on projection 29.

FIG. 4A illustrates a radio signal-controlled lock by which the radio mechanism 350 activates the selenoid 34 to bring about the ejection and retraction of locking bolt 34a to and from a lock-notch space 33 in the pin 32 welded at 44 to the frame 7 of the show case 5. It accordingly can be seen how in FIG. 4B the show case 5 becomes unlocked from the vault portion 6 and can be pivoted backwardly by the lock-hook hinge 36 in the eye member 37 after release of the pin 32, upon the retraction of the bolt 33.

FIG. 5 illustrates a typical cross-sectional view as taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 1, illustrating inner and outer walls having coincident apertures 39 and 40, with the valve 36 being seated in the gasket 38 with corresponding holes to the valve apertures, such that upon retraction of the valve 36 by manual pulling on the hantile 37, the valve apertures become matched with the opposing holes 39 and 40 whereby pressurized gas within the vault portion 6 becomes released, the valve being releasable upon unlocking typically cylinder lock 45. a

It is to be understood that there may be pressuresensitive mechanisms within the vault such that the gases have not been release until a pressure (brought about by typically an external or internal separate source such as merely a compressed nitrogen cylinder, to give an elevated pressure) reduction is sensed to thereby activate the opening of the valve 21, such pressure sensitive mechanism being typically also located within the switch 42. It is also possible that a distant radio transmitter may through the antenna 18 bring about the release of the gases within the vault space and jacket-space. It is to be understood that while several antennas areillustrated, they may be combined into a single receiving antenna, it being obvious that different predetermined radio signals would be required for unlocking as compared to that for activating the valve 21.

It is within the scope and spirit of the present invention to make such modifications and variations as would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill, including the substitution of equivalents, and the like.

I claim:

1. A display security-space device for deterring entry into a security exhibiting display space by unauthorized personnel, comprising in combination: a structure including at least in part a double-walled enclosable vessel having double walls of spaced-apart substantially parallel transparent panels enclosing a confined display security space defined by an inner one of the panels of the double walls of the double-walled enclosable vessel, the spaced-apart parallel transparent panels defining therebetween a jacket-space, said structure circumscribing said jacket-space such that said jacket-space is totally enclosable and pressurizable of gas therewithin, locking means for alternately providing for and denying access to said jacket-space from an outer exterior of the structure and the jacket-space thereof, said structure further defining a gas-enclosing metal encasingstructure defining free-space within and defining vents therefrom in communication with said jacket-space and an outlet valve means for releasing gas from the gas-enclosing metal encasing-structure, there being gas of predetermined high pressure within the gasenclosing metal encasing-structure, and access closable-opening means for access into each of said security space and said free-space when said locking means is in an unlocked state, and pressurized gas of predetermined pressure enclosed within said jacket-space.

2. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said gas comprises a major amount of carbon dioxide.

3. A display security-space device of claim 2, in which at least a part of the gas is in aliquid state.

4. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said gas comprises a major amount of nitrogen.

5. A display security-space device of claim 4, in which at least a part of the gas is in a liquid state.

6. A display security-space device of claim 4, in which said gas comprises a major amount of carbon dioxide.

7. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said structure defines at least in part two canopies, one within the other defining the jacket space therebetween.

8. A display security-space device of claim 1 including as a part of said valve means selenoid means operatively connected to a valve and selenoid-activating radio-signal receiving means.

9. A display security-space deviceof claim 8, includ ing' a valve-locking means lockable of said valve in an open position once opened preventing closing thereof once opened except by manual access thereto from within said free-space.

10. A display security-space device of claim 1, including atmospheric venting means for releasing pressurized gas from said jacket-space to exterior space.

11. A display security-space device: of claim 10, in which said structure defines at least in-part two canopies, one within the other defining the jacket space therebetween, the canopies being the inner and outer transparent panels, said gas within said jacket-space comprising a major amount of nitrogen and a major amount of carbon dioxide, at least a part of gas within said free-space being in a liquid state, at least one laminated combination of outer heat-resistant glass sheet having laminated to an outer face thereof an acrylic sheet, as said outer transparent panel.

12. A display security-space device of claim 1, including low-pressure alarm means activatable by reduction in pressure to a predetermined degree from a high pressure of gas sampled by the alarm means.

13. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which at least one of the double walls is acrylic sheet material at least in part.

14. A display security-space device of claim l3, in which each of the inner and outer double walls include the acrylic sheet, and additionally including laminated to the outer face of the outer wall heat resistant glass there being a acrylic sheet.

l= =l l

Claims (14)

1. A display security-space device for deterring entry into a security exhibiting display space by unauthorized personnel, comprising in combination: a structure including at least in part a double-walled enclosable vessel having double walls of spacedapart substantially parallel transparent panels enclosing a confined display security space defined by an inner one of the panels of the double walls of the double-walled enclosable vessel, the spaced-apart parallel transparent panels defining therebetween a jacket-space, said structure circumscribing said jacket-space such that said jacket-space is totally enclosable and pressurizable of gas therewithin, locking means for alternately providing for and denying access to said jacket-space from an outer exterior of the structure and the jacket-space thereof, said structure further defining a gas-enclosing metal encasing-structure defining free-space within and defining vents therefrom in communication with said jacket-space and an outlet valve means for releasing gas from the gas-enclosing metal encasing-structure, there being gas of predetermined high pressure within the gas-enclosing metal encasing-structure, and access closable-opening means for access into each of said security space and said free-space when said locking means is in an unlocked state, and pressurized gas of predetermined pressure enclosed within said jacket-space.

2. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said gas comprises a major amount of carbon dioxide.

3. A display security-space device of claim 2, in which at least a part of the gas is in a liquid state.

4. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said gas comprises a major amount of nitrogen.

5. A display security-space device of claim 4, in which at least a part of the gas is in a liquid state.

6. A display security-space device of claim 4, in which said gas comprises a major amount of carbon dioxide.

7. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which said structure defines at least in part two canopies, one within the other defining the jacket space therebetween.

8. A display security-space device of claim 1 including as a part of said valve means selenoid means operatively connected to a valve and selenoid-activating radio-signal receiving means.

9. A display security-space device of claim 8, including a valve-locking means lockable of said valve in an open position once opened preventing closing thereof once opened except by manual access thereto from within said free-space.

10. A display security-space device of claim 1, including atmospheric venting means for releasing pressurized gas from said jacket-space to exterior space.

11. A display security-space device of claim 10, in which said structure defines at least in-part two canopies, one within the other defining the jacket space therebetween, the canopies being the inner and outer transparent panels, said gas within said jacket-space comprising a major amount of nitrogen and a major amount of carbon dioxide, at least a part of gas within said free-space being in a liquid state, at least one laminated combination of outer heat-resistant glass sheet having laminated to an outer face thereof an acrylic sheet, as said outer transparent panel.

12. A display security-space device of claim 1, including low-pressure alarm means activatable by reduction in pressure to a predetermined degree from a high pressure of gas sampled by the alarm means.

13. A display security-space device of claim 1, in which at least one of the double walls is acrylic sheet material at least in part.

14. A display security-space device of claim 13, in which each of the inner and outer double walls include the acrylic sheet, and additionally including laminated to the outer face of the outer wall heat resistant glass there being a acrylic sheet.

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