GB2039599A - Security container - Google Patents

Abstract

A security box has a mounting bracket 11 for attachment to the underside of a table top, or below a drawer, by means of screws or bolts received in holes 25, and a drawer or tray 10 having a lock 16, 17 which co-operates with apertures 23 of the bracket. The tray may have grooves to co-operate with rails or runners on the bracket. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Security containers or safes This invention relates to small safes or security boxes intended primarily for household use to hold small quantities of jewellery, bank notes, valuable documents and the like.

It is well recognised that even large heavy duty safes cannot be proof against a determined or skilful cracksman, and in the case of a small safe or cash box the obvious risk is that the whole box may be stolen and removed to be opened elsewhere. In an effort to reduce this risk, small safes have been designed to be built into walls and sometimes concealed behind paintings, or in cupboards.

The present invention aims to provide an improved small security box which may be easily mounted by the owner in a position where it is most effectively concealed and where a thief is most unlikely to suspect its presence. The invention is based on the concept of mounting a small security box below the undersurface of a table top, drawer, shelf or the like so that anyone casually looking over the surface would normally not see it.

Broadly stated the invention consists in a safe or security container including an opening part, a lock for securing the part in its closed position, and means for holding the container up against the underside of a supporting surface.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the fastening means include one or more holes or fittings for screws or bolts, and the arrangement is such that the head of the screws or bolts are concealed when the container is closed.

The container preferably includes a removable box or tray designed to engage within a mounting part or bracket, which has the means for securing the container to the undersurface.

In such case the box or tray is preferably provided with a lock designed to hold it in position within the bracket or mounting, in which position the opening to the box or tray is effectively closed.

The vertical depth of the box or tray is preferably limited to not more than 21/2".

According to another preferred feature of the invention the container is provided with protective wings or fillets designed to dig into the undersurface on which it is mounted, to reduce the risk of the container being prised from the surface.

The invention may be performed in various ways and one specific embodiment with a number of possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a removable tray or drawer forming part or a small document safe according to the invention, Figure 2 is a similar perspective view of a supporting bracket with guide rails for use with the container of Figure 1, Fivgure 3 is an end elevation illustrating the two parts assembled in position within a chest of drawers, and Figures 4, 5and 6are perspective views illustrating two possible modifications.

In the example illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the complete safe consists of two main parts, a box or tray 10, as shown in Figure 1, and a supporting bracket 11, as shown in Figure 2. The tray is of simple rectangular shape with a base 12, side walls 13, back wall 14 and a front wall 15, which includes a lock mechanism, not shown, operated by a key inserted through a keyhole 16 in the front and arranged to project or withdraw a pair of locking pins 17 from opposite sides. This drawer in the present example is designed to hold a number of bank notes, for example one hundred one pound notes.

Howeverm the tray may be dimensioned as required to hold jewellery or larger documents, and may for example be designed to hold sheets of foolscap with a depth from front to back of 13" and a width of 8". In all cases it is important that the vertical depth should be limited since otherwise the container may be visible from the front and it is through that the maximum vertical depth would be about 2" or 21/2".

The mounting bracket 11 illustrated in Figure 2 includes an upper flat plate 20 with two depending flanges 21 each having an interned shelf or rail along its bottom edge. These provide supports and guides for the tray of Figure 1. Each of the flanges also has an aperture 23 designed to register with one of the locking pins 17. The top plate 20 is provided with a number of holes 25 to receive bolts or screws by which the bracket can be held up against the underside of a supporting surface. The screws can be driven home by a screw driver from below between the two flanges 21 and it will be seen that when the tray 12 is in position these screws are effectively concealed.To reduce the risk that the whole mounting may be prised off from its mounting surface, the bracket is also provided with a pair of wing plates 26 extending along opposite edges and preferably inclined upwards with sharp edges designed to dig into the wood of the shrface from which it is mounted. These make it more difficult to insert a screw driver or chisel above the mounting plate to prise it off the surface.

The drawer or tray 10 may be provided with a lid which may be a simple opening flap or may be additionally locked. The mounting bracket may have a closed bottom plate connecting the two shoulders 22 to improve the strength and security of the complete unit, in which case this bottom plate is preferably formed with aligned holes to allow a screw driver to be inserted from below for driving screws through the openings 25.

Figure 3 illustrates such a security box positioned in an article of furniture such as a chest of drawers or dressing table. Assuming that there are in this example four drawers one above the other, it is preferable to mount the safe at a lower level, as shown at 27, where it is less likely to be visible. The safe is preferably mounted in position by opening the drawer or removing the drawer completely, for which purpose it may be necessary to cut out a small opening in the back wall of the drawer, as shown at 28. It will be appreciated that if a thief is ransacking the house and opening drawers, or even upending them, the safe will remain concealed. Obviously it may be mounted in many other positions below table tops, bookshelves, or the like.

In the further modifications illustrated in Figure 4, the safe is formed as a one-part unit and is not intended to be removed from its concealed position after having been mounted. The safe is a simple rectangular box of dimensions similar to those referred to above and is provided with an elongated hinged side door 30, which can be held closed by a lock operated by a key inserted through a keyhole 31 in the door itself or at a position 32 in the small front wall. The upper plate 33 of the container is provided with a number of screw holes 34 through which screws can be driven upwards into a supporting surface. This may be achieved, for example, by means of a right angled screw driver.Alternatively, there may be aligned holes in the base of the safe to allow a screw driver to be passed upwards, these bottom holes being closed by a slotted plate which is held in its closed position when the door 30 is closed and locked.

In the further example illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 the safe is a two-part unit consisting of a fixed bracket or shell as shown in Figure 5 and a sliding drawer or box as illustrated in Figure 6. The fixed mounting bracket of Figure 5 has a flat upper metal plate 40 with screw holes 41, the opposite lateral edges being bent inwards and downwards to form horizontal runners or rails 43 near its upper edge. In addition there is a rigid vertical post 44 fixed near the front corners of the top plate, each having a length of about one inch, and being provided with an eyelet 45 to receive one of a pair of locking bolts 46 provided on the drawer. The drawer has a flat bottom 50, a front wall 51 to which is attached a locking mechanism with a key opening 52, a rearwall 53, and two side walls 54. Each of these has a groove 55 co-operating with the respective rail 43 to sipport the drawer as it is slid into position. Locking pins 46 project on each side from the lock to engage the eyelets 45.

Claims (8)

1. A safe or security container, including a base, an opening part, a lock for securing the part in its closed position relative to the base, and locating means for holding the base up against the underside of a supporting surface.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which the locating means include one or more holes or fittings for screws or bolts, and the arrangement is such that the heads of the screws or bolts are concealed when the opening part is closed.

3. A container according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the base is a mounting or bracket and the opening part comprises a removable box or tray.

4. A container according to claim 3, in which the box or tray is provided with a lock designed to hold it in position within the bracket or mounting, in which position the opening to the box or tray is effectively closed.

5. A container according to any of the preceding claims, in which the vertical depth is not more than 21/2".

6. A container according to any of the preceding claims, provided with protective wings or fillets designed to dig into or closely engage the undersurface on which it is mounted, to reduce the risk of the container being prised from the surface.

7. A security container substantially as described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.

8. A table, chest of drawers, or other article of furniture including a container according to any one of the preceding claims mounted and concealed below the table top, or below a drawer; or other undersurfaces thereof.