US3507409A - Security apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1970 A. GORDON ETAL 3,507,409

SECURITY APPARATUS Filed April 24, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HIIIIIHM PIC-3.1

12 1 W k I 2m \xxm kg 2 FIG Z to FIG .3

INVENTORS ALDENNIS GORDON VIRGINIA A. GORDON 4 BY ANNA GORDON A ril 21, 1970 A. GORDON ET SECURITY APPARATUS NNN H mDDD ORRR m VSA m mmN MW m h G S LR 2 AW.

Filed April 24, 1968 United States Patent 3,507,409 SECURITY APPARATUS Aldennis Gordon, Virginia Anne Gordon, and Anna Gordon, all of 310 NW. 7th Court, Hallandale, Fla. 33009 Filed Apr. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 723,861 Int. Cl. B65g 67/02 US. Cl. 21438 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Security apparatus for transferring money and other valuables from an automotive vehicle to a building, the building having an opening with a removable closure, and the security apparatus including means defining an opening through the body of the vehicle, a tubular carrier mounted in the vehicle in alignment with the opening, and means mounting the tubular carrier for longitudinal movement in and out of the vehicle opening. The vehicle may be parked so that its opening is close to and in alignment with the building opening, and the tubular carrier is then extended through the vehicle opening into the building opening with the rear end of the carrier remaining in the vehicle. Money and other valuables are then transferred through the carrier between the vehicle and the building, after which the carrier is retracted into the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the use of armored trucks for transporting and delivering money and other valuables, the valuables are ordinarily transferred between the truck and a bank or other building by armed personnel. Thus, while the valuables are being transferred, there is a risk that the personnel can be overcome and the valuables stolen. It would be desirable if such valuables could be transferred between the building and the truck without ever exposing the valuables.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides security apparatus in an automotive vehicle which makes it possible to transfer valuables between an automotive vehicle, such as an armored truck, and a bank or other building through an enclosed carrier which projects from the vehicle into an opening in the building. The security apparatus includes a carrier, preferably in the form of a tube, mounted in the vehicle in alignment with an opening in the body of the vehicle, and means mounting the tube for movement in and out of the vehicles opening. In operation, the vehicle is parked next to the building so that the vehicles opening is aligned with and close to the buildings opening. The tube fills both the vehicle opening and the building openbuilding opening, and valuables are transferred through the tube. The tube is then retracted into the vehicle. The tube fills both the vehicle opening and the building opening when extended so that there is no undesired access to the inside of the tube, the vehicle or the building. The outer end of the tube has a door which can be unlatched from inside the vehicle, the door preferably having an electromagnetic latch controlled by an electric switch inside the vehicle. An electrical motor may be coupled to the tube by gearing, and the motor may be operated by a switch inside the vehicle to drive the tube out from and into the vehicle. The carrier tube is preferably mounted in a tubular shell on bearings which guide the movement of the carrier tube.

3,507,409 Patented Apr. 21, 1970 Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus for transferring valuables between a vehicle and a building without exposing the valuables.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier tube in a vehicle mounted for longitudinal movement into and out of the vehicle so that the tube can be inserted into an opening in a building to allow transfer of valuables through the tube between the building and the vehicle.

Another object of the invention is to provide the carrier tube with a door which can be locked and unlocked from inside the vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide effective structure for mounting the carrier tube for movement in and out of the vehicle.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a drive mechanism for automatically moving the carrier tube in and out of the vehicle.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

ON THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly cut away, showing an armored truck provided with security apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the rear end of the truck of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a Wall of a building having an opening therein provided with a closure;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view of the security apparatus taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the inner end of the security apparatus within the vehicle taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view of the security apparatus taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing a carrier tube of the apparatus in an extended position; and

FIGURE 8 is a schematic top view of a vehicle showing positions in which the security apparatus can be mounted.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology emploped herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

AS SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS The security appartus 10 of the invention is provided inside a vehicle such as the armored truck 12 shown in FIGURE 1 so that many and other valuables can be transferred between the truck and a building 14 such as a bank. Building 14 has a wall 16 provided with an opening 18 normally closed by a plate 20. In the drawings, the opening 18 is defined by a sleeve 22 set into a wall 16, and the plate 20 is movable in channels 24 so that it can be positioned to close opening 18 or move to the side to the position indicated by dashed lines in FIG- URE 3 so as to uncover the opening 18.

The rear wall 26 of the body of truck 12 has an opening 28 therein which is defined by the flanged end 30 of a tubular shell 32 mounted within truck 12 in a fixed position on a support 34. The flange 30 at the outer end of shell 32 is attached to wall 26 by bolts 36. The opening 28 is positioned in wall 26 so that the truck 12 can be backed up to the building 14 and parked with the truck opening 28 close to and aligned with the building opening 18 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 1. T o facilitate proper positioning of the truck, recessed tracks 38 may be formed in the pavement 40 outside the bulding to receive the guide the wheels of the truck. A bumper 42 may be provided on the outside of the building to assure that the truck will not be backed up too far. A window 44 may be provided in wall 16 of the building so that personnel Within the building can see the truck, and a warning device (not shown) may be provided to notify personnel in the building that a truck is approaching.

Inside tubular shell 32 within the truck is a horizontally movable carrier tube 46. The inside of shell 32 is provided with three tracks 48 spaced equally from each other and extending longitudinally of shell 32. Carrier tube 46 has three sets of sockets 50, 52 and 54 (FIGURE 6) which receive ball bearings 56 with the bearings riding in the tracks 48 to guide the longitudinal movement of carrier tube 46.

The innermost end 58 of carrier tube 46 is open, but the outermost end 60 of the tube is normally closed by a door 62 connected by hinge 64 to a support 66 which is rigidly afiixed to end 60 to tube 46. In the illustrated embodiment, as viewed in FIGURE 7, it may be seen that an electromagnet 68 is attached to the inside of door 62, and this electromagnet is controlled by a circuit (not shown) which includes a switch 70 for energizing the electromagnet to lock door 62 closed and another switch 72 for deenergizing electromagnet 68 to unlock the door so that it can be opened. The wiring connecting these switches to electromagnet 68 may pass through tube 46 and door 62, and the circuit is connected to the battery of the vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, an automatic drive mechanism 74 is provided for moving the tube 46 in and out of the vehicle. The drive mechanism includes an electric motor 76 mounted in an opening of shell 32 on the bottom thereof, the shaft of the motor being coupled by a gear 78 to a rack 80 mounted on the underside of tube 46 (FIGURES 4 and 7). Motor 76 is connected by wiring 82 to a switch 84 for energizing the motor in one direction to drive tube 46 out of the vehicle and another switch 84 for energizing the motor in the reverse direc tion to drive tube 46 back into the vehicle, switches 84 and 86 being visible in FIGURE 5. The switches are connected to the battery of the vehicle which supplies power for operating motor 76. Switches 70, 72, 84 and 86 are mounted on a panel 88 which is attached to the inner end of tubular shell 32.

A horizontal platform 90 is mounted within and extends over substantially the full length of carrier tube 46. A tray 92 is slidable along platform 90 to carry valuables between the inside of the truck and the inside of the building. The tray 90 may be provided with a long handle for moving it, or a separate pole for this purpose.

In operation, the truck 12 is backed along tracks 38 to a position wherein opening 28 is close to and aligned with opening 18 in the wall 16 of building 14. Closure plate 28 is moved to the side to uncover opening 18. At this time, carrier tube 46 is in its fully retracted position within shell 32, it being evident that the outer end 60 of tube 46 is located within and substantially fills the opening 28 in wall 26 of the truck. A seal may be provided between shell 32 and tube 46 if desired.

Next, switch 84 is depressed to energize the reversible motor 76 so as to drive carrier tube 46 to the position shown in FIGURE 7. In this position, the rear end 58 and the carrier tube remains within the vehicle, but the outer end extends through opening 18 into the building 14. It may be seen in FIGURE 7 that tube 46 substantially fills opening 18 when it is extended into the building and also substantially fills opening 28 in the vehicle so that there is no undesired access to the inside of the tube, the inside of the vehicle or the inside of the building.

Next, switch 72 is depressed to deenergize electromagnet 68 and thereby unlock door 62 so that it can be opened from the inside of the building. Valuables may be placed in a tray 92, and the tray then pushed from the dashed line position shown in FIGURE 7 to the solid line position therein to transfer valuables into the building. It may be noted that sacks or pouches could be slid along platform without using a tray if desired.

After the transfer operation is completed, door 62 is closed, and switch 70 is depressed to energize electromagnet 68 and lock the door. Switch 86 is then depressed to energize motor 76 which drives carrier tube 46 back to its fully retracted position as shown in FIGURE 4.

Referring to FIGURE 8, it may be seen that the security apparatus 10 may be mounted in different positions in a truck. For example, if a truck having a rear engine were used, the security apparatus 10a can be mounted at the front of the truck as illustrated in FIGURE 8 so that the truck may be driven in the forward direction up to the opening 18 in building wall 16. This facilitates parking the truck. Similarly, security apparatus 10b may be mounted sidewise in a truck as shown in FIGURE 8 so that the truck can be pulled up along side an opening 18b in a Wall 16b of a building.

It is apparent from the foregoing description that the invention provides security apparatus for armored trucks or the like for transferring valuables to a bank or other building without exposing the valuables. The provision of a carrier tube which can be extended out of the truck to project into a building is a simple and yet effective way to protect valuables while they are being transferred between the truck and the building. The automatic unlocking of the door of the carrier tube and the automatic drive mechanism for the carrier tube can be implemented without exorbitant expense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle for transporting money and other valubles, security apparatus comprising a tubular shell mounted horizontally in the vehicle and opening at one end of said vehicle, tracks extenting longitudinally of said shell on the inside thereof, a tubular carrier mounted horizontally inside said shell in alignment with said opening and of a size to substantially fill said opening, bearings supporting said carrier and riding in said tracks to allow horizontal movement of said carrier in and out of said vehicle opening, a rack affixed to said carrier on the outside thereof, a reversible electric motor in said vehicle, gear means coupling said motor to said rack so that said motor may be energized to drive said gear means and thus move said carrier in and out of said opening, an electrical circuit coupling said motor to a power source in the vehicle for operating said motor, switch means for controlling said motor, a door normally closing the outer end of said carrier and swingably affixed to said outer end, and an electromagnetic latch operable from the interior of said vehicle to unlatch said door when said carrier is extended, whereby said vehicle may be parked with said opening thereof close to and in alignment with an opening in a building and said carrier may be extended by control operations performed entirely within said vehicle to project into said building opening where said door may be unlatched also from the interior of said vehicle, thus allowing transfer of valuables between the vehicle and the building through the carrier without exposing operating personnel.

2. The security apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said electromagnetic latch includes an electromagnet associated with said door for holding said door shut,

5 6 and means in the vehicle for operating said electromag- 1,883,493 10/1932 Berg 214-38 XR net to release said door. 1,899,849 2/1933 Burck 214-38 References Cited ROBERT G. SHERIDAN, Primary Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Us CL X R. 1,587,990 6/1926 Reuther 21441 193 5 1,592,900 7/1926 Noble 21438

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