US961990A

US961990A - Box-cover fastener.

Info

Publication number: US961990A
Application number: US53513209A
Authority: US
Inventors: Benedict Tukis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1909-12-27
Filing date: 1909-12-27
Publication date: 1910-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 1927-06-21

Description

B. TUKIS.

BOX UOVER FASTENER. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 27, 1909.

961,990, Patented June 21,1910.

I ,Illllllll ANDREW B GRAHAM c0 Pnurc-munamwsws. WASHINGION. D. a

BOX-COVER FASTENER.

Application filed December 27, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENEDICT TUKIS, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box- Gover Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to boxes, and more particularly to so-called safety boxes, that is, boxes having a secret lock.

One object of the invention is to provide a box equipped with a locking mechanism which may only be operated by those familiar with the method of doing so, and which is wholly hidden from view.

A further object is to provide a box equipped with a secret locking mechanism, there being no visible indication on the exterior of the box as to the location of the mechanism, or its control.

Other features of the invention will be referred to in connection with the specific description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

The invention will be readily understood from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and the following description of the construction shown therein.

In said drawings Figure 1, is a perspective view of the exterior of the box, Fig. 2, is a fragmentary side elevation of the controlling mechanism of the lock, Fig. 3, is a fragmentary plan view of the same, and Fig. 4, is a sectional end elevation of the box and locking mechanism.

As shown in the accompanying drawings the box comprises a body portion 10, and a cover or closure 12, mounted thereon by means of a hinge 14. The hinge 14 is pivotally connected to the cover. The cover 12, and the bottom 16, are shaped to represent a book, and the side walls of the body portion are shaped to represent a row of books standing on end. This construction is for ornamental purposes to adapt the box for use as a jewel or picture case, although anyother outer configuration may be given to the box. The exterior of the box is covered with leather or other suitable material 17 which adds to the attractiveness of the box and also provides means for hiding from view the controlling mechanism for the lock.

Mounted upon the under side of the cover 12 is a screw 18, the head 19 of which forms a projection which is adapted to be engaged by the hooked end 20 of the resilient arm 21 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Serial No. 535,132.

secured to a suitable support 22 mounted within the front wall of the body portion of the box. A spring arm 24 is mounted upon' the under side of a plate 25 held within the front wall of the box. The end 26 of the arm 24 acts as the stop to limit the inward movement of the arm 21, so that the hooked end 20 will be in proper position to co-act with the head or projection 19. The upper extremity of the end 26 bears against the under side of the screw head 19, as shown in Fig. 4, when the cover is in its closed position, and operates to spring the cover upward slightly when it is unlocked, thus indicating when the box is unlocked.

In order to control the unlocking of the box, a lever 30 is fulcrumed at 31 and provided with the forwardly projecting upper end 32 which is adapted to engage the resilient arm 21 to push the hooked end 20 out of engagement with the head or projection 19. The lower end 34 of the lever 30 extends forwardly, and is provided with a thumb piece 36 which moves within a slot or recess 37 formed in the front wall of the box. This thumb piece is hidden from view, as indicated in Fig. 1, by the covering 17 which may be readily pressed in when the thumb piece is manipulated. Normally, the lever 30 is locked against operation by a stop 40 carried by one end of bar 42, which is mounted to slide between

guides

44 and 45 carried by a plate 46. A notch or recess 48 is formed near the end of the bar 42 adjacent the stop 40 and is adapted to receive the end 34 of the lever 30 when said bar is moved longitudinally, as will be hereinafter described. A rod 50 is secured to the bar 42 and is mounted to slide in bearings 51 and 52 on the plate 46. A finger piece 54 is mounted upon the outer end of the rod 50 and moves within a slot or recess 55 formed in the body portion of the box. This finger piece is also hidden from view, as indicated in Fig. 1, by the covering of the box. The stop 40 is normally held in looking position by means of a coiled spring 56, which embraces the rod 50 and extends between a shoulder 58 on the rod, and the bearing 51.

The locking mechanism may be conveniently manipulated by pressing the finger piece 54 with the forefinger to push the bar 42 longitudinally and bring the notch 48 opposite the end 34 of the lever. Then with the thumb pressure is exerted upon the thumb piece 36 to tilt the lever 30 and force the upper hooked end 20, of the arm 21 free from the projection 19. Thereupon the spring 24; will raise the front edge of the cover slightly to indicate that the box has been unlocked.

From the construction above set forth, it will be noted that the entire locking mechanism is entirely hidden from view when the box is closed, and there is no visible ex ternal indication of the means by which the lock may be manipulated or controlled. It thus formsin effect a box with a secret lock and one which is adapted for use as a jewel case or picture receptacle and its outer configuration lends itself readily to ornamentation.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and the preferred embodiment of the invention having been specifically described, What is claimed is:

1. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, a projection on one of said members, means on the'other of said members for cooperating with said proj ection to hold the closure in closed position, and means wholly hidden from view and operated from a plurality of points for controlling the operation of said holding means, substantially as described.

2. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, a projection on one of said members, a catch on the other of said members cooperating with said projection to hold the closure in closed position,

means operated from a plurality of points for controlling the operation of said catch, and a flexible sheet of material arranged to hide said controlling means from view, substantially as described.

3. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, means for holding the closure in closed position, and means wholly hidden from view within the body portion, but adapted to be operated at a plurality of points from the outside thereof, for controlling the operation of the holding means, substantially as described.

4. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, a projection on the closure, a catch for engaging the projection, a lever carried by the body portion and adapted to engage said catch to free it from said projection, and means for preventing the operation of said lever to free said catch from said projection, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a support, of a lock having a projection mounted on the support, a resilient catch adapted to engage the projection, a lever for engaging and moving the catch out of en agement with the projection, means norma ly preventing -the manual operation of the lever to free said catch from said projection, and means for freeing the lever to allow manual operation thereof, substantially as described.

6. In a lock, the combination of a support, a catch carried by the support, a lever mountedon the support and adapted to engage and operate the catch, means tending normally to prevent the manual operation of the lever to free said catch from said projection, and means for freeing the lever from said preventive means to allow manual operation of the lever, substantially as described.

7 In a lock, the combination of a support, a lever mounted on the support, a bar slidably mounted on said support, a spring arranged to press the bar into the path of travel of one end of the lever to prevent the normal manual operation of the lever, and means whereby the bar may be manually moved to free the lever, substantially as described.

8. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, a projection on one of said members, a catch on the other-of said members adapted to automatically engage said projection when the closure is in closed position, a lever adapted to engage and move said catch to free it from said projection, means tending normally topreve-nt the manual operation of said lever to free said catch from said projection, and means for freeing said lever from said preventive means, substantially as described.

9. A box, having, in combination, a body portion, a closure therefor, a projection on the closure, a catch on the body portion adapted to automatically engage said proj ection when the closure is in closed position, a lever mounted upon the body portion and arranged to press said catch out of engagement with said projection, a stop normally pressed into the path of travel of one end of said lever to prevent the manual operation of said lever to free said catch, andmeans for moving said stop out of the path of travel of said lever to permit the manual operation of said lever, substantially as described.

1(). In a lock, the combination with a projection, of a catch adapted to engage the projection, alever for moving said catch, a slidable bar, means arranged to normally press the bar into the path of travel of one end of the lever, and means whereby the bar may be moved to free'the lever to allow normal operation thereof, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BENEDICT TUKIS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM J. 'SPERL, ALoNzo B. 000K.