Biometric self-contained gravity-operated illuminated tactile gun safe

• US 20060112741A1
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raymond C. Engel
• Original Assignee: Raymond C. Engel
• Inventors: Engel, Raymond C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,178,370 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 70/63
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/066 having means for recognizing biometric parameters, e.g. voice control, finger print or palm print control
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/06 Containers for carrying smallarms, e.g. safety boxes, gun cases F41C33/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5031 Receptacle

Abstract

A gun safe is provided. The safe includes a computer system and is readily located and used by a home owner under the darkness of night. The safe permits a loaded ready-to-use firearm to be stored and accessed safely and quickly. The safe door opens silently and uses motive power provided by gravity. The safe door will open only when the safe correlates biometric data of an individual with biometric data stored in the memory of the computer system used to operate the safe.

Claims

1. In combination with a building structure including a floor, a wall, and a ceiling,

the wall including an outer surface and at least one structural support member, the improvements for safely providing protection for an individual residing in the building structure, said improvements including

(a) a safe mounted in the wall, said safe including

(i) a housing inset in the wall and connected to the inner structural support member,

(ii) an interior,

(iii) a door slidably mounted on said housing and having a selected weight and movable between at least two operative positions,

a latched first closed position to prevent access to said interior, and

an unlatched second open position to permit access to said interior,

said door slidably moving from said first position to said second position under gravity, and

said housing inset in the wall such that when said door moves from said first position to said second position, said door is generally parallel to and adjacent the outer surface of the wall,

(iv) a coil spring attached to said door to generate a force acting upwardly on said door to offset at least a portion of said selected weight of said door, said force generally remaining constant when said door moves from said first to said second position and extends said spring;

and,

(b) a loaded ready-to-use firearm in said interior of said safe.

2. A method for accessing a loaded ready-to-use firearm in the dark in a building structure including a floor, a wall, and a ceiling, the wall including an outer surface and at least one structural support member, including the steps of

(a) providing a safe comprising

(i) a housing including a front,

(ii) an interior,

(iii) a door slidably mounted on said housing and having a selected weight and movable between at least two operative positions,

a latched first closed position to prevent access to said interior, and

an unlatched second open position to permit access to said interior,

said door slidably moving from said first position to said second position under gravity, and

said housing shaped and dimensioned to be inset in the wall such that when said door moves from said first position to said second position,

said door is generally parallel to and adjacent the outer surface of the wall,

(iv) a coil spring attached to said door to generate a force acting upwardly on said door to offset at least a portion of said selected weight of said door, said force generally remaining constant when said door moves from said first to said second position and extends said spring,

(v) a light visible in the dark to identify the location in the wall of the safe,

(vi) a programmable control system operable to move said door from said first position to said second position;

(b) installing said safe in the building structure in the wall such that said housing is inset in the wall and said front is generally flush with and parallel to the outer surface of the wall;

(c) programming said programmable control system;

(d) placing the loaded ready-to-use firearm in said interior of said safe;

(e) locating in the dark with said light the location of said safe in the wall;

(f) using said control system to move said door to said second open position; and

,

(g) removing the loaded firearm from said interior of said safe.