US2038491A - Protective appliance - Google Patents

Description

pr l, E936. H. JACKSON ET AL PROTECTIVE APPLIANCE Filed July 2, 1934 0 INVENToRs d@ A'rrQnNEvs n? da 0450/7 fui/.Q

Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE PROTECTIVE APPLIANCE Harry Jackson and Mary E. Jackson, Harrisburg, Pa.

Application July 2, 1934, Serial No. 733,492

1 Claim.

The invention relates to a protective appliance and more especially to a safety device for use in banks or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an appliance or device of this character, wherein through the use of a depressible platform and a signalling system or a trap, when a person bearing suspicion of the attemptl of theft within a bank or the like treads upon the platform, a warning will be had, or the person upon the platform can be trapped, the appliance or device being of novel construction and automatic either for signalling purposes or trap action.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an appliance or device of this character, wherein the platform is arranged at the exchange window within a bank or the like so that on the attempt of theft by an unscrupulous person the platform will be operative for setting in action instrumentalities either of signalling or trapping purposes, these being concealed from view so that such malicious person cannot possibly have knowledge thereof and thus in advance defeat the purpose of the same, the instrumentalities being located beneath the iioor line and thus inaccessible above the same and such instrumentalities being automatically operated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an appliance or device of this character which is comparatively simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and eflicient in its purposes, readily and easily mountable in position for use, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

InV the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View throughr a trapping appliance or device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a clearance or space 39 in the floor 40 which space is sury rounded by a curbing A accommodates, in addition to the platform 4|, a trap casing 42, this having connection with guides 43 for the vertical travel thereof, either above or below the floor plane. 'I'he trap casing 42 is elevated by the weights 44 connected therewith through cables 45, these being trained over guide pulleys 46 suspended from beneath the floor 40.

The platform 4|, through a depending stem 41 operatively associated with connections 48, operates spring-engaged latches 49 with the trap casing 42, the latter being latched in lowered position so that the same when released under the weights 44 will be elevated with relation to the platform 4| and about the same for the trapping of the person treading upon said platform. The platform 4| is normally ush with the surface of the iioor 40 and is held in this position by lifting springs 50 suitably seated beneath and engaged against the said platform.

The trap casing in one side is provided with a doorway closed by a door 5|, the latter being latched or otherwise made secure exteriorly of the casing and when the door has been opened the trapped person will have an exit through the doorway from the trap casing 42.

Conveniently located within an enclosure or cage 52 occupied by one of the employees of the bank or institution is a manually operable rod 53 having at its upper end the grip 54 and this rod is pivotally connected to a dog having the double jaws 55, the said dog being pivotally supported at 56 and the rod 53 is tensioned by a spring 51. This dog is operable so that one of its jaws 55 will engage a keeper 58y when the trap casing 42 has been raised above the floor level so as to prevent the person trapped from gaining release from the casing by lowering the same, while the other jaw 55 can be thrown into position to engage a keeper 59 to lock the trap casing 42 against raising movement and the dog in this engaged position can be held by a lug 6l! on the rod 53 which lug engages beneath the floor 40 when the rod 53 is depressed and moved slightly off of a perpendicular or vertical position. The purpose of latching the trap casing 42 against raising movement is to avoid the possibility of the trapping of an innocent person when stepping upon the platform 4|.

It will be apparent that the platform has depending therefrom the stem 4l which coacts with levers 6| upon shafts 62 journaled in suitable bearings 63 upon the stationary frame 64 and such levers 6| are operatively connected with the latch bolts 49 as will be clearly apparent from Figure 1 of the drawing.

The frame 64 is held secure by anchoring mediums 65 which are arranged at the corners of said frame and are angularly joined with the floor structure.

There are two keepers 58 at the lower end of the casing 42 and these function also to limit the downward movement of the said casing, as will be obvious.

What is claimed is:

In an appliance of the character described, a frame built within a flooring to provide an opening therethrough, a curbing within said opening and outside of the frame for a distance removed therefrom, a platform over said opening and having guide anges slidably fitted between the curbing and the frame, springs beneath said platform and active to normally hold it flush with the ooring, horizontally disposed rock shafts `iournaled beneath the platform and supported by said frame, a trap casing vertically movable through the opening to entirely surround said platform when in its raised position, guide ways provided at the opening and having the casing slidably fitted therewith, sliding lock bolts arranged opposite each other beneath the frame and curbing and engageable with the casing to hold the same lowered with the upper end ush With said platform, connections between the rock shafts, platform and said bolts for operating the latter on depression of the platform, means for rapidly lifting the casing when released by the bolts to enclosing relation to said platform and manually controlled means conveniently located above the flooring and with respect to an operator for the latching of the casing in a lowered or raised position.

HARRY JACKSON.

MARY E. JACKSON.

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