Protected cabinet

• US 7,261,385 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2002
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yoav Weinberger
• Original Assignee: Yoav Weinberger
• Inventors: Weinberger, Yoav
• Primary Examiner(s): HANSEN, JAMES ORVILLE
• Application Number:
  US10/499,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20050017607A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 312/330.1, 312/333, 312/204, 312/334.44, 312/257.1, 312/215, 312/298, 312/308, 70/85, 70/87, 235/7.R, 109/53, 109/54
• US Class Current: 312/330.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/04 Chests of drawers; Cabinets characterised by the arrangement of drawers A47B67/02 takes precedence; drawers, guides for drawers, per se A47B88/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/70 Coupled drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 5/006 Cashier's counters or receptables for holding valuables readily accessible for handling, with safeguard mechanisms for the valuables in case of hold-up
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/20 for furnitures, e.g. cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/06 Coin boxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0027 Details of drawer or money-box

Abstract

A protected cabinet for cash or other valuables, designed to protect the cash or valuables from being robbed, the protected cabinet comprising: a housing, for receiving and housing two drawers, having a front opening through which one or both drawers simultaneously may be withdrawn; a first drawer, adapted to be moved into and out of the housing through the front opening, coupled to a front panel, the front panel adapted to substantially cover the front opening of the housing; a second drawer, positioned over the first drawer, adapted to be moved into and out of the housing through the front opening, when engaged to the first drawer, substantially covering the first drawer when engaged to it, preventing view of contents of the first drawer; engagement mechanism for engaging the second drawer to the first drawer, whereby one drawer is regularly used for transactions or presentation of the cash or valuables kept in it, whereas the other drawer is used as an emergency, decoy, drawer, pulled open in emergency instances, such as in a robbery, by operating the engagement mechanism.

Claims

1. A protected cabinet for cash or other valuables, designed to protect the cash or valuables from being robbed, the protected cabinet comprising:

a housing, for receiving and housing two drawers, having a front opening through which one or bath drawers simultaneously may be withdrawn;

a first drawer, adaptcd to be moved into and out of the housing through the front opening, coupled to a front panel, the front panel adapted to substantially cover the front opening of the housing;

a second drawer, positioned over the first drawer, adapted to be moved into and out of the housing through the front opening, when engaged to the first drawer, completely covering a top face of the first drawer when engaged to it, preventing view of contents of the first drawer; and

an engagement mechanism having an external actuation knob for engaging the second drawer to the first drawer and said first and second drawers to the front panel, the engagement mechanism being operable only when both drawers are fully inside the housing with the front panel covering the front opening.

2. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drawers arc provided with partitions, dividing the drawers into compartments.

3. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1. wherein the front panel is provided with a handle.

4. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein a key lock is provided in order to allow opening of the drawers only when using a key.

5. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first drawer has a back portion normally hidden within the housing, and provided with a latching mechanism that in a first state prevents fully withdrawing the first drawer, keeping the hidden portion inside the housing, and in a second state releases the hidden portion to be withdrawn and exposed out of the housing.

6. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 5, wherein the latching mechanism comprises a lever pivatally connected to a partidon defining the hidden portion, the lever coupled to an arm having a wedge, so that when the lever is pressed the wedge is lifted over a ligule provided at the bottom of the housing, making the withdrawal and exposure of the hidden compartment possible.

7. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second drawer is prevented from opening when the first drawer is opened, by means of a stopper mechanism.

8. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 7, wherein the stopper mechanism comprises a lever pivotally coupled to the second drawer at a pivot, the lever having a ligule that may be inserted into a recess in the second drawer, an end of the lever limited by a stopper protruding inwardly from the housing, and wherein the stopper mechanism is operated to free the second drawer by a latch inserted through the recess, lifting the lever over the stopper.

9. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement mechanism comprises a latch coupled to the first drawer actuated by the actuation knob, whereby when the latch is extended it engages into a recess provided at the bottom of the second drawer, causing the second drawer to be opened when the drawer front panel is pulled, and when it is retracted, it leaves the recess, disengaging the second drawer.

10. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operation of the knob is limited by a limiting mechanism so that engaging the second drawer is possible only when the first drawer is retracted into the housing and the drawer front panel covers the opening of the housing.

11. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 10, wherein the limiting mechanism comprises a bar having a bore through which an axle having a polygonal cross section, coupled to the knob passes, the bore shaped in such a way that an upper portion of the bore matches the polygonal cross section of the axle, and a lower portion substantially larger so as to allow the axle to turn inside, and suspended From the axle, thus preventing tuning of the axle, the bar extended to a length slightly longer than required to reach the bottom of the housing, so that when the front panel is pushed to cover the opening the bar is lifted freeing the axle to turn.

12. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with an inclination so that the first drawer is automatically retracted to a closed state, when not held manually.

13. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 12, wherein a stopper for stopping the retraction of the first drawer caused by the inclination, and leaving the first drawer open for as long as the stopper is used.

14. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 13, wherein the stopper comprises a plate pivotally attached to the housing coupled to a foot passing through the housing facing the first drawer, so that when the plate is pressed towards the housing the drawer is kept in place.

15. the protected cabinet as claimed in claim 14, wherein a spring is provided in order to remove the foot away from the first drawer when the plate is not pressed.

16. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a safety mechanism preventing said second drawer from opening when said second drawer is not engaged to said first drawer.

17. The protected cabinet as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a limiting mechanism permitting said second drawer to be engaged to said first drawer only when said first drawer is retracted into the housing and the drawer front panel covers the opening of the housing.