Key safe for housing a key
First Claim
1. A key safe comprising:
- mortise access means for locking and unlocking a mortise lock, said mortise access means comprising a mortise actuator, and a mortise lever coupled to said mortise actuator by a mortise shaft;
an outer housing, the outer housing having walls defining an interior region, for enclosing said mortise lever within said interior region;
mounting means for mounting said outer housing to a surface;
opening means for permitting said outer housing to be moved from a closed position to an open position, thereby allowing access to said interior region;
electronic code entry means positioned on the exterior of said outer housing walls for permitting entry of key codes; and
activation means positioned in said interior region of said outer housing and responsive to said electronic code entry means for selectively releasing said mounting means and said opening means upon entry of said key codes.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A key safe having an outer housing for housing a key, a releasable mounting assembly, a releasable opening assembly, an electronic code entry pad, and activation circuitry is disclosed. Alternatively, the outer housing is for housing not a key, but a lever for opening a lock directly. The releasable mounting assembly releasably mounts the outer housing to a mounting surface so that the outer housing may be completely removed from the mounting surface when the releasable mounting assembly is released. The releasable opening assembly permits access to the interior region of the outer housing when the releasable mounting assembly is not released by permitting the outer housing to be moved from a closed position to an open position when the releasable opening assembly is released. The electronic code entry pad is positioned in one or more of the outer housing walls and is exposed to the exterior of the outer housing so that the code entry pad is accessible to a user for entry of a key code. The activation circuitry is positioned in the interior region of the outer housing and is responsive to the electronic code entry pad for selectively releasing the releasable mounting assembly and the releasable opening assembly. Alternatively, external power source circuitry is used to provide power from a power source positioned outside the outer housing to the electronic code entry assembly and the latch activation circuitry. Alternatively, the activation circuitry includes circuitry for digitally storing time data when a valid key code is entered.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A key safe comprising:
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mortise access means for locking and unlocking a mortise lock, said mortise access means comprising a mortise actuator, and a mortise lever coupled to said mortise actuator by a mortise shaft; an outer housing, the outer housing having walls defining an interior region, for enclosing said mortise lever within said interior region; mounting means for mounting said outer housing to a surface; opening means for permitting said outer housing to be moved from a closed position to an open position, thereby allowing access to said interior region; electronic code entry means positioned on the exterior of said outer housing walls for permitting entry of key codes; and activation means positioned in said interior region of said outer housing and responsive to said electronic code entry means for selectively releasing said mounting means and said opening means upon entry of said key codes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A key safe comprising:
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mortise access means for locking and unlocking a mortise lock, said mortise access means comprising a mortise actuator, and a mortise lever coupled to said mortise actuator by a mortise shaft; an outer housing, the outer housing having walls defining an interior region, for enclosing said mortise lever within said interior region; an electronics member positioned within said outer housing; a mounting bracket; a mounting latch for latching said electronics member to said mounting bracket; an outer housing latch for latching said outer housing to said electronics member; an electronic code entry assembly accessible to a user for entry of a key code; and latch activation means positioned in the interior region of said outer housing and responsive to said electronic code entry means for selectively releasing said mounting latch and said outer housing latch in response to entry of a preprogrammed key code. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A key safe comprising:
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mortise access means for locking and unlocking a mortise lock, said mortise access means comprising a mortise actuator, and a mortise lever coupled to said mortise actuator by a mortise shaft; an outer housing, the outer housing having walls defining an interior region, for enclosing said mortise lever within said interior region; hinge means for permitting said outer housing to be rotated from a closed position to an open position; outer housing latch means for latching said outer housing in said closed position; electronic code entry means positioned in one or more of said walls and exposed to the exterior of said outer housing so that said code entry means is accessible to a user for entry of a key code; housing latch activation means positioned within said outer housing and responsive to said electronic code entry means for releasing said outer housing latch means upon entry of a key code; internal power source circuitry means for providing power from a power source positioned within said outer housing to said electronic code entry means and said latch activation means; and external power source circuitry means for providing power from a power source positioned outside said outer housing to said electronic code entry means and said latch activation means, said external power source circuitry means serving as an alternative to said internal power source circuitry means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A key safe comprising:
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mortise access means for locking and unlocking a mortise lock, said mortise access means comprising a mortise actuator, and a mortise lever coupled to said mortise actuator by a mortise shaft; an outer housing, the outer housing having walls defining an interior region, for enclosing said mortise lever within said interior region; hinge means for permitting said outer housing to be rotated from a closed position to an open position; outer housing latch means for latching said outer housing to a mounting surface in said closed position; electronic code entry means positioned on the exterior of said outer housing walls for permitting entry of key codes; latch activation means positioned within said outer housing and responsive to said electronic code entry means for releasing said outer housing latch means upon entry by a user of a valid key code; recording means for digitally storing time and key code data when said valid key code is entered; and a data transfer port connectable directly to an external computer for uploading said digitally stored time and key code data to said external computer. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification