AU2004231234A1 - Safe door construction - Google Patents

Description

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Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

(ORIGINAL)

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: LOKAWAY PTY. LTD.

BRETT DUNSTAN SANDERCOCK COWIE SUITE 8C, 50-54 ROBINSON STREET DANDENONG VIC 3175 SAFE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): No(s): Australian Provisional Application No. 2003906471 Filed: 24 h November, 2003 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 1 Fc2004-1 1-23,A:\5201okaway.flc. wpdI la-

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TITLE: SAFE DOOR CONSTRUCTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns doors for safes, strongrooms and the like.

In our co-pending application for Australian Patent Application No. 2003252867, we describe a security door which opens and closes, but upon closing slides into a door slot in the closing style of the door frame. This is made possible by an offset hinge assembly at the supporting style side of the door. The slot is modified by provision of a landing surface which the closing door strikes before it slides into the slot. The sliding 2004-1 I1-23,C:\SPECIFICATIONS\51510okaway.cap.wpd,I -2- O movement may be only 10-20mm but the insertion of the whole edge of the door into the slot results in the distribution of prying forces over a large region of the door and a 0 Z corresponding large region of the frame.

(Ni The sliding movement of the door in a direction parallel to the face of the door frame upon closure has the effect of moving the hinge edge of the door away from the frame o'3 N parts which lie adjacent. The door will be free to slide out of the slot if it were not e¢ restrained by a lock which engages the frame and resists prying forces. It would be desirable if any force exerted on the door by a prying bar would be resisted by components of the door frame or the safe itself if the door is part of a safe. The swinging motion of the door is conveniently controlled by a knob or lever handle which has a push/pull rod on the inside of the door which reacts against part of the hinge assembly allowing the door to swing. Rotation of the knob or lever causes the door to slide left or right by 10-20mm. The door either leaves the door slot or enters it. In addition, the handle may shoot bolts on the door into the door frame. The lock may be separate from the handle having hooks which diverge upon locking to engage the frame. Such doors are hereinafter referred to as doors of the swing and slide type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus aspect of the invention provides a door assembly for a safe of the swing and slide type, wherein the inside of the door has means to resist retraction of the door from the slot prior to opening, by reaction against the safe wall and a lock capable of locking said means or releasing said means.

The means may be a member moved by the handle between a closed position in which the member abuts or lies close to the safe wall, thereby preventing door sliding and an open position in which the member lies spaced from the safe wall, allowing the door to swing open. The handle may have a crank for moving the member to and fro between the two positions. The member may be a linear strut. A rod of suitable stiffness suffices.

The lock may arrest the member in the closed position when the member is close to or abutting the safe wall. Alternatively, the lock may arrest the crank. It is convenient to 2004-11 -23,C:SPECIFICATIONS%5 1Sokaway.cap.wpd,2 -3- O group the lock with the crank in order to simplify the mechanical operation of the strut.

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Z The crank may be ganged to companion cranks all turned by the same handle, each crank Cc moving a strut in order to distribute the forces over the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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Cc Certain embodiments of the invention are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a plan of a safe of the type having a swing and slide door.

Figure 2 is a front view of the inside of the door of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan of a door according to this invention in the unlocked position.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a door shown in Figure 3 in the closed unlocked position.

Figure 5 is a firont view of the doors of Figures 3 and 4 showing the locked and unlocked positions of the door.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH RESPECT TO THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, safe 2 is closed by door 16. Door 16 has a pair of frame hinges 22, 24 to which are welded a pair of door hinges 26, 28. The resulting offset permits the door 16 to both swing OPEN and SHUT and slide LEFT and RIGHT. A small force suffices to impart both motions.

Knob 52 turns arm 54 which reacts through rod 58 against rigid connector 32. The knob 52 accordingly allows the operator to execute both motions. Knob 52 moves horizontal bolt 100 from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4. In Figure 4 the door edge abuts the floor of the door slot while the bolt abuts the wall of the safe 2. The bolt is prevented from retracting by lock 102.

2004- 1-23,C:\SPECIFICATIONSS I 5iokaway.cap.wpd,3 -4- O Prying force exerted on the door is resisted by bolt 100. If knob 52 is broken off, the bolt 100 is undisturbed.

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z C€ In Figure 5, the OPEN and SHUT positions of pendant arm 54 are seen. The LEFT and RIGHT movement of the pendant arm can be locked by keypad lock 102. This is operated from the front face of the safe door. The locking member 104 rises and falls to C€3 obstruct or free the path of arm 54.

cN We have found the advantages of the above embodiment to be: 1. Prying forces applied to the door to try to use the LEFT/RIGHT slide movement allowed by the hinge assembly to gain entry are transmitted directly to the wall of the safe.

2. The provision of a bolt to achieve this extra safety is easy to incorporate into the door mechanism which must provide both automatic closing and disengagement of hooks and slots. These several movements must all be accomplished smoothly and without error throughout the life of the safe.

It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements.

It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention.

2004-11-23,C:\SPECIFICATIONS\515lokawaycap.wpd,4

Claims (6)

1. 3. A door assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the handle has a crank for moving the member to and fro between the two positions.
2. 4. A door assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2 or 3, wherein the member is a linear strut. A door assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 2-4, wherein the lock arrests the member in the closed position wherein the member lies adjacent or abuts the safe wall.
3. 6. A door assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 3-4, wherein the lock arrests the crank.
4. 7. A door assembly as claimed in any one of Claims 1-6, wherein the crank is ganged to companion cranks all turned by the same handle, each crank moving a strut in order to distribute forces over the door.
5. 8. A door assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 3-5 of the accompanying drawings.
6. 2004-11-23,C:\SPECIFICATIONS\5 15okaway.cap.wpd,5 Dated this 23 rd day of November, 2004. Z SANDERCOCK COWIE PATENT ATTORNEYS FOR LOKAWAY PTY. LTD. 2004-I l-23,C:\SPECIFICATIONS\5151okaway.cap.wpd6