Note: Claims are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
- 24 -
CLAIMS
(1) A secure container comprising a first
channel member and a second channel member each being
shaped to define a base panel and side panels extending
outwardly from the base panel generally at right angles
thereto, said channel members being dimensions so that
they are substantially of the same length and such that
they can be arranged in face to face relationship with
longitudinal edges remote from the respective base panel
of the side panels of the first channel member substan-
tially abutting longitudinal edges remote from the base
panel of the side panels of the second channel member
with the base panels spaced so as to define an enclosure
within the channel members, means provided on said longi-
tudinal edges for interlocking the edges in such a manner
that the channel members can be engaged to form said
enclosure only by movement of one channel member relative
to the other in a longitudinal direction, actuable lock-
ing means for locking said channel members against said
longitudinal movement, and two end cap plate members each
arranged to close a respective end of the enclosure, one
of said end cap members being secured solely to said
first channel member and the other of said end cap mem-
bers being secured solely to said second channel member.
- 25 -
(2) The invention according to Claim 1 where-
in said interlocking means and said longitudinal edges
are arranged such that said side panels are co-planar
when interlocked by said interlocking means.
(3) The invention according to Claim 1 where-
in said interlocking means comprises on one of said side
panels an edge thereof turned back to define a u-shape
and on the other of said side panels an edge thereof
firstly bent to one side to form an offset and then turn-
ed back to define a u-shape so that the u-shape on said
one edge can interlock with the u-shape on the other edge
to prevent movement of the channel members to increase
the spacing between said base panels and wherein said
offset engages the u-shape on said one edge to prevent
movement of said channel members in a direction to
decrease the spacing between said base panels.
(4) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein said interlocking means is arranged on an inner
face of said side panels.
(5) The invention according to Claim 3 where-
in a first offset is provided on one edge of one side
panel of said first channel member and a second offset is
provided on a side panel of the second channel member
which interlocks with the other side panel of the first
- 26 -
channel member such that the second channel member has
the same cross-section as the first and is an inversion
thereof.
(6) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein said interlocking means is defined on said
first channel member by an edge of one side panel thereof
turned back to define a u-shape with the base of the u
facing outwardly toward the second channel member and the
other side panel being bent initially inwardly then
upwardly and then turned back in an outward direction to
define a second u-shape on said other side, and is defin-
ed on said second channel member by identical edges on
said side panels thereof to those of the first channel
member so that with one channel member inverted relative
to the other the channel members can be slid longitudi-
nally so that the u-shapes of one interlock with the
u-shapes of the other to prevent transverse movement
thereof.
(7) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein said base panel is bent so as to lie substanti-
ally wholly in a plane spaced inwardly from the adjacent
edge of the side panels so as to define a portion of
substantially v-shape interconnecting the base panel with
each of the respective side panels.
- 27 -
(8) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein at least one of said channel members carries,
across an edge of the base panel thereof remote from the
end cap attached thereto, a lip member which defines a
flange extending outwardly from and beyond the end cap of
the second channel member so as to inhibit direct inser-
tion between the first channel member and the end cap
attached to the second channel member of a tool for forc-
ing apart said base panel and said end cap member.
(9) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein said first channel member comprises a rear
member and said second channel member comprises a front
member, said rear member including means for attachment
to a surface and the front member carrying operating
devices for securement within said container.
(10) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 wherein said first channel member comprises a rear
member and said second channel member comprises a front
member, said rear member including means for attachment
to a surface and the front member carrying operating
devices for securement within said container and wherein
each of said front and rear members carries one portion
of a cooperating terminal block member so that said long-
itudinal movement causes engagement and disengagement of
- 28 -
said terminal block portions.
(11) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 including a plate member substantially parallel to one
of said end cap members, means fixably attaching said
plate member to the channel member attached to said end
cap member so as to define therebetween a compartment
within said enclosure, said compartment being accessible
only by said longitudinal movement of the second channel
member away from said end cap member.
(12) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 including a plate member substantially parallel to one
of said end cap members, means fixably attaching said
plate member to the channel member attached to said end
cap member so as to define therebetween a compartment
within said enclosure, said compartment being accessible
only by said longitudinal movement of the second channel
member away from said end cap member and wherein said
compartment includes a drawer therein slideable in a
direction toward said second channel member whereby said
drawer can only be removed with said second channel
member moved longitudinally away from said incap member.
(13) The invention according to Claim 1, 2 or
3 including a plate member substantially parallel to one
of said end cap members, means fixably attaching said
- 29 -
plate member to the channel member attached to said end
cap member so as to define therebetween a compartment
within said enclosure, said compartment being accessible
only by said longitudinal movement of the second channel
member away from said end cap member and wherein said
compartment includes a drawer therein slideable in a
direction toward said second channel member whereby said
drawer can only be removed with said second channel
member moved longitudinally away from said incap member
and including locking means for locking said drawer with-
in said compartment, said locking means comprising an
elongate shaft having thereon at one end a screw thread
for engagement into a nut member attached to said first
channel member, said shaft being rotatable only by
engagement thereof with a key shaped to be received with-
in a lock at the end of said shaft member remote from
said screw thread.
(14) A secure container comprising a first
channel member and a second channel member each being
shaped to define a base panel and side panels extending
outwardly from the base panel generally at right angles
thereto, said channel members being dimensions so that
they are substantially of the same length and such that
they can be arranged in face to face relationship with
- 30 -
longitudinal edges remote from the respective base panel
of the side panels of the first channel member substan-
tially abutting longitudinal edges remote from the base
panel of the side panels of the second channel member
with the base panels spaced so as to define an enclosure
within the channel members, means provided on said longi-
tudinal edges for interlocking the edges in such a manner
that the channel members can be engaged to form said
enclosure only by movement of one channel member relative
to the other in a longitudinal direction, actuable lock-
ing means for locking said channel members against said
longitudinal movement, and two end cap plate members each
arranged to close a respective end of the enclosure, said
interlocking means being arranged to face inwardly of
said side panels and comprising on one of said side
panels an edge thereof turned back to define a u-shape
and on the other of said side panels an edge thereof
firstly bent to one side to form an offset and then turn-
ed back to define a u-shape so that the u-shape on said
one edge can interlock with the u-shape on the other edge
with said side panels coplanar to prevent movement of the
channel members to increase the spacing between said base
panels and wherein said offset engages the u-shape on
said one edge to prevent movement of said channel members
- 31 -
in a direction to decrease the spacing between said base
panels, a first offset being provided on one edge of one
side panel of said first channel member and a second
offset being provided on a side panel of the second chan-
nel member which interlocks with the other side panel of
the first channel member such that the second channel
member has the same cross-section as the first and is an
inversion thereof.
(15) The invention according to Claim 14
wherein said interlocking means is defined on said first
channel member by an edge of one side panel thereof turn-
ed back to define a u-shape with the base of the u facing
outwardly toward the second channel member and the other
side panel being bent initially inwardly then upwardly
and then turned back in an outward direction to define a
second u-shape on said other side, and is defined on said
second channel member by identical edges on said side
panels thereof to those of the first channel member so
that with one channel member inverted relative to the
other the channel members can be slid longitudinally so
that the u-shapes of one interlock with the u-shapes of
the other to prevent transverse movement thereof.
(16) The invention according to Claim 14
wherein said base panel is bent so as to lie substantial-
- 32 -
ly wholly in a plane spaced inwardly from the adjacent
edge of the side panels so as to define a portion of
substantially v-shape interconnecting the base panel with
each of the respective side panels.
(17) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 wherein at least one of said channel members
carries, across an edge of the base panel thereof remote
from the end cap attached thereto, a lip member which
defines a flange extending outwardly from and beyond the
end cap of the second channel member so as to inhibit
direct insertion between the first channel member and the
end cap attached to the second channel member of a tool
for forcing apart said base panel and said end cap
member.
(18) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 wherein said first channel member comprises a rear
member and said second channel member comprises a front
member, said rear member including means for attachment
to a surface and the front member carrying operating
devices for securement within said container.
(19) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 wherein said first channel member comprises a rear
member and said second channel member comprises a front
member, said rear member including means for attachment
- 33 -
to a surface and the front member carrying operating
devices for securement within said container and wherein
each of said front and rear members carries one portion
of a cooperating terminal block member so that said
longitudinal movement causes engagement and disengagement
of said terminal block portions.
(20) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 including a plate member substantially parallel to
one of said end cap members, means fixably attaching said
plate member to the channel member attached to said end
cap member so as to define therebetween a compartment
within said enclosure, said compartment being accessible
only by said longitudinal movement of the second channel
member away from said end cap member.
(21) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 including a plate member substantially parallel to
one of said end cap members, means fixably attaching said
plate member to the channel member attached to said end
cap member so as to define therebetween a compartment
within said enclosure, said compartment being accessible
only by said longitudinal movement of the second channel
member away from said end cap member and wherein said
compartment includes a drawer therein slideable in a
direction toward said second channel member whereby said
- 34 -
drawer can only be removed with said second channel
member moved longitudinally away from said incap member.
(22) The invention according to Claim 14, 15
or 16 including a plate member substantially parallel to
one of said end cap members, means fixably attaching
said plate member to the channel member attached to said
end cap member so as to define therebetween a
compartment within said enclosure, said compartment
being accessible only by said longitudinal movement of
the second channel member away from said end cap member
and wherein said compartment includes a drawer therein
slideable in a direction toward said second channel
member whereby said drawer can only be removed with said
second channel member moved longitudinally away from
said end cap member and including locking means for
locking said drawer within said compartment, said
locking means comprising an elongate shaft having
thereon at one end a screw thread for engagement into a
nut member attached to said first channel member, said
shaft being rotatable only by engagement thereof with a
key shaped to be received within a lock at the end of
said shaft member remote from said screw thread.
(23) The invention according to Claim 1
wherein said locking means comprises a lock actuating
device, a lock member engagable by an elongate
- 35 -
blade of a key, said member having a slot shaped front
opening for axial movement into the member of the blade
of the key when pressed through the front opening, said
key blade being shaped to have one dimension transverse
to its length longer than a dimension at right angles
thereto so that it can pass through the slot shaped front
opening, said member and key being arranged such that a
matching key can be rotated to move the lock actuating
device, and a security cover device for covering the
front opening, said security cover device comprising a
collar member for surrounding the front opening and
defining an opening forwardly of an axially aligned with
the front opening and a cylinder extending therefrom
toward the front opening, a front plate member received
within the cylinder generally right angles to the axis
and free to rotate within the cylinder about the axis,
said front plate member having a slot shaped opening
therein for the key, lip means confining the plate member
within the cylinder against axial movement out of the
cylinder a back plate member received within the cylinder
generally parallel to the front plate member and free to
rotate within the cylinder and having a slot shaped open-
ing therein for the key and means in the space between
the front plate member and back plate member which is
- 36 -
free to rotate and move within the space.
(24) The invention according to Claim 23
wherein said means in the space comprises at least three
rigid balls arranged in a regular pattern around the
periphery of the cylinder and spaced and dimentioned such
that they are maintained in that pattern within the
cylinder by the front plate and the cylinder and such
that the balls can be parted sufficiently to allow the
blade of the key to pass through a slot shaped opening
closely defined between the balls to the front opening of
the lock member.
(25) The invention according to Claim 24
wherein there are four balls within the cylinder.
(26) The invention according to Claim 23, 24
or 25 wherein said collar member includes a plurality of
blind holes surrounding the cylinder which are screw
threaded whereby the collar member can be bolted to a
surface containing the lock member.