Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
APPABAT~S ~ E~CO~DI~G T~ oP~ e
0~ CLOSI~G OF A CLOS~B M~B~R
This invention relates to apparatus for recording the opening or
closi~g 0~ a clo~ure member.,
More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for
recording the opening or closing of a closure member such a~ a
door controlling access to an enclosed ~pac~. The invention i9
particularly, though not exclu~ively, concerned with good3
vehicles such as closed lorries or vans.
When good~ vehicles are loaded they are u~ually ~ealed at the
point of despatch by mean~ of a metal or wire seal which passes
throueh the door or shutter catch. Each sesl has ~tamped on it a
unique number which i9 recorded on the driver's delivery
documents. At the point of delivery the number on the ~eal i9
compared with that on the documents to cheek wheth0r the vehicle
has been opened. This ~ystem has a number of di~advantage~.
Some meeh~ieal ~eal~ ca~ be "loeked" to appear ~esled when in
faet the~ are not. The ~eal~ ca~ only be used once, and 80 add
to the e~pense of vshicle operation. Moreover, to have numaro~s
stocks of seals at all the locations a vehicle may vi~it i~
eostly and redue~ the ~eeurity of the ~ystem as the allocation
of the seal~ muat be e~rafully eontrolled.
United States Patent 4 118 047 deseribes a reu~able seal
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consisting of a body and a w~re loop, the ends of ~hich pass
through holes in the body and are clamped in position by plungers
actuated by ~urning a drum rotatably mounted in the body. One
side of the drum forms a tray containlng a large number of balls
of different colours, and rokatlng the drum to the clamping
position movas five of the halls into a recess in the body, in
which they are visible from outside the body. The five visible
balls provide a colour code which is changed if ~he drum is
rotated to release and unclamp the wire loop, so giving an
lQ indlcation that the seal has been tampered wlth. This provldes a
reusable seal, but requires a complex mechanism.
It ~s an object of this invention to provide apparatus which can
ba used instead of mechanical seals, and which can be manufactured
simply and inexpensively.
According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus
for recording the operation of a closure member, comprlsing means
for generating an electrical signal on actuation of an ancillary
devlce associated with operation of the closure member, an
alectronic circuit for generating a random code, such as a random
~0 or quasi-random number on receipt of the electrical signal and for
storing the generated code, and display means for displaying the
generated code.
The apparatus comprises a housing containing the ele~tronic
circuit and display means, an extending member attached at one end
to the closure member and being llnked to a catch of the closure
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member so that the ex~ending member must be withdra~m from the
ca~ch before the closure member can be opened, and a~tachment
means for releasably attaching the other end of said extending
member to ~he housing, the means for generating an elec~rical
signal being responslve to operation of khe attachmen~ means.
The apparatus fur~her comprises a housing containing the
electronic circui~ and display maans, an ex~ending member attached
at one end to the housing and being linked to a catch of the
closure member so that the extending member must be withdrawn from
tha catch be~ore ~he closure member can be opened, and attachment
means for releasa~ly attaching ~he other end of said extending
member to the housing, the means for generating an electrical
signal being responsive ~o operation of the attachment means.
The display means may, for example, be an LED or LCD display.
The invention also provides an apparatus for recording the
operation of a closure member, comprising means for generating an
ele~trical signal on operation of the closure member, and
electronic ~ircuit for generating a random code, such as a random
or quasi-random number on receipt of the electr~cal signal and to
store the generated code, and display means for displaying the
generated code.
When the invention is applied to a goods vehicle or container, the
housing may be fixed to the outer face o~ the door or shutter o~
the vehicle or container, and the extending member may be a
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flexible element, such as a steel cable, which can be passed
through the door or shutter catch, in a similar manner to a
conventional seal, before beinq engaged with the houslng. Whan
the vehicle has been loaded and the door or shu~er closed, the
flexible cable is passed through the catch and secured in the
housing by operation of the attachment means. This causes the
electronic ~ircuit to genera~e a random number which is stored by
tha electronic circuit. This number, as displayed by the display
means, can be entered on the vehicle documentsr so that, at the
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de~tination, the number en-tered on the documentg can be checked
a~ain~t the number displayed, to en~ure that the flexible cable
ha~ not been withdrawn to allow the door or ~hutter to be opened
during the journey.
Since the next number to be generated on relea~ing the cable from
the houeing i9 unpredictable, the eecurity of the ~y~tem ia high.
Moreover, ~ince the apparatu~ i9 moun-ted on the vehicle there i~
no need for stocks of ~eals to be kept at each collection and
delivery point. The apparatus thue provides a cheaper and more
secure system than the conventional sy~tem employing mechanical
~eals.
The housing may al~o contain a battery for energi~ing the
circuit. Preferably, the di~play means i9 actuated only when
required, for e~ample, on depres~ion of a push button mounted on
the hou~ing.
In another form of the invention, the mean~ for providing an
electrical signal compri~e~ a ~n~or adapted to sen~e movement of
the clo~ure member to an opened or a clo~ed po~ition. The
electronic circuit then genrates a new code automatically
whenever the clo~ure member i~ opened or closed. ~he electronic
circuit can then be contained in a hou~ing adapted to be mounted
in~ide the ~pace to be closed by the clo~ure member, for example
in~ide the door or shutter of a vehicle or container, with the
di~play mean~ mounted 80 a~ to be visible from outoide.
Alternatively, the hou~ing could be mounted on the outer face of
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the door or shutter and connected -to the ~an~or by a cabls
passing through a hole in the door or shutter.
The electronic circuit may include a free-running oscillator, a
counter connected to the output of the 09cillator, a means for
storing the count of the counter at the instant the electrical
signal is received, and a multi-digit display arranged to display
the value of the stored count.
The apparatus of this invention could be used in other
application3, for example in sealing bank vaults, security boxe~,
deed bo~es or other containers where access is allowed only to
authorised persons. The apparatus could be used to seal
buildings, e.g. at night, the key holder who locks the building
recDrding the number display by the apparatus. The number could
be communicated to security patrol~ to enable them to check that
the door has not been opened since the building was locked.
The invention will now be described, by way of e~ample, with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a reusable seal in accordance
with the invention,
Figurs 2 is a front elsvation of the seal,
Figure 3 is a section on line 111-111 of Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a rear view of the seal, with n cover of the housing
r,emoved~
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Figure 5 i~ a block diagram of -the electronic circuit of the
~eal,
Fi~ure 6 i~ a partial view of the interior of a vehicle
illu~trating the mounting of apparatus in accordance with a
Qecond embodiment of the invention, a~.d
Fi~ure 7 is a partial view of the re~r of ~he vehicle of Figure
~.
Figures 1 to 5 illustrAte a reusable seal, primaril~ for vehicles
or container3, consisting of a houqing 10 and n cable 12
per~anently ~ecured at one end to the hou~ing and having at its
other end a head 14 enabling it to be connected to the housing by
means of a catch mechanism 20. The houqing has a multi-digit
di3play 70, which displays a number which is changed on each
,actuation of the catch mechani~m 20, as described below.
The housing 10, which may be of diecast aluminium or other
~uitable material, is in the form of a shallow box. The hou~ing
can be qecured to the outer face of the door or shutter of the
vehicle or container, with the rear wall 24 of the housing lying
flat against the door or shutter, b~ means of bolts 22, the heads
of which are recessed into the front wall 26 of the housing. At
each end of the houqing i~ a bar 27~ providing alternative
at~achment points for the cable 12. The cable 12, whlch ma~ for
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e~nmple be a multi-str~nded wlre cable, i8 ~ormed with a loop 1
at one end, by means of which it i9 9ecured to the housing, the
cable passing around one of the bar~ 27 and through the loop 13.
This method of securing the end of the cable to the hou~ing
enables the cable to be replaced, for example in the event of
damage. The enlarged head at the other end of the cable 12 fits
into a recess 30 in the front wall 26 of the housing 10. The
reces3 ~0 opens laterally through a slot ~2 wide enough to
n~,c~lnm~lnte th~ cable 12 but narrower than the head. The catch
mechnYIism 20 consists of a knob 34 which is rotatably mounted on
the front wall of the housing 10, 90 that it can be turned
manually. A peg 36 projects outwards from the knob ~4. The
knob can be moved between two positions, in one of which the peg
~6 extends over the recess 30 to trap the head 14 of the cable 12
in the recess Pnd in the other of which (shown in broken lînes in
~igure 2) the peg is clear of the recess 90 that the head can be
moved into and out of the recess. The knob 34 has a shaEt 38
which e~tends through an aperture in the front ~all 26 and is
retained by a nut 40. An O-ring 41 is provided to prevent
moisture and dirt entering the housing.
A cam plate 42 is fixed to the shaft 38 90 as to rotate with the
shaft. On one side, the cam plate is formed with two recess 44
which can be engaged by a spring detent 48 to define the two
positiona of the knob 34. On the other side, the cam plate 42
has a cam surface 50 which engages the actuating arm of a
microswitch 52, mounted in the housing 10, 90 that the
mic~oswitch is actuated as the knob ~4 move~ from the release
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position to the lockin~ position.
The ~lob 34 has a central recea9 hou9 . , a 9ealed electric switch
58 opposed by a push-button 60 po9itioned in the centre of the
knob. Depression of the push-botton 60 closes normally-open
contact~ of the 3witch. A pair o~ leadg 62 extend from the
9Wi tch 58 through a bore in the ghaft 38 of the knob 34 to the
interior of the housing 10~
Tlle p~rt 28 of the front wall 26 on which knob 34 is mounted is
~et back from the remainder of the front wall, so that the knob
does not stand proud of the housing. The knob 34 has hole 54
which, when the knob is in the locking position, is aligned with
a groove 56 in the bottom wall of the housing 10. This enables
the knob to be secured in the locking position, for example by
in~erting a pin or the shackle of a padlock through the hole 54
to engage in the groove 56, to prevent the knob 34 from being
moved inadvertently to the release position.
The electronic components of the apparatus are mounted on two
printed circuit boards 7~ and 74 fixed in the housing 10. ~he
printed circuit board 72 carries the LED display 70, positioned
behind R transparent window 76 in the front wall 26 of the
housing 10. The compartment of the houoing containing the
prlnted circuit boards is separated from the compartment
combinin~ the micro~witch 25 and the associated moving part~ by a
wall 78, 90 that the electronic components can be encapsulated by
filling the compartment with a suitable potting material.
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_ 9 _
Tn2 remainder of the housing 10 form~ a battery compartment
contAining a number of dry cellg 78, which are permanently
connected by leads to the electronic circuit-ry of the apparatu~.
The housing 10 has an opening in the base which is closed by a
cover after as~embly of the apparatus. The cover may be
removable, to allow the dry cells 78 to be replaced.
~lternatively, the dry cells may be potted and the cover m~y be
permanently fixed in place to form a sealed-for-life unit.
~ ho~n in Figllre 5, the microswitch 52 is connected to a pulse
3haping circuit 80 which, on actuation of the microswitch,
~upplies an input signal pulse to an integrated circuit 82 which
incorporates a free-running oscillator, counter and driver. The
oscillator runs continously, 90 that the counter, which is driven
by tlle oscillator, counts repeatedly through a cycle from O to
9999. On receipt of the signal pulse from the pulse shaping
circuit, the count of the circuit 82 i8 latched at ~he
instantaneous count of the counter. Ths circuit thus acts as a
random number generator, producing a random number as a result of
~ach actuation of the microswitch 52, the number being ~tored in
tba circuit 82 until the ne~t actuation of the microswitch. Tha
output o~ tlle counter is supplied to the four-digit LED displ~y
70. The di~play 70 is energised through four AND gates 86, which
al90 receive an input from a
timar 88 connected to the push-button switch 58, 90 that the
display is enabled only for a pre-set time, say for five 3econds
after actuation of the push-button switch 58. A sensing circuit
90 il,provided to sense when the battery voltage falls below a
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predetermined thre~hold and to give a warning displa~, for
example by cau~ing decimal point~ to appear on the di~play 70.
The microswitch 52, cam plate 42 an~ ;nob ~4 are 90 arranged
that, when the knob i9 moved from the relea3e position to the
locking position, the micro~witch is actuated before the knob
reaches a point at which the head 14 will remain held in the
recess 30 by the peg ~6, to en~ure that a new number i9 generated
even if the knob is not moved fully to the locked position. This
can be achieved by arranging for the micro~witch to be actuated
before the peg ~6 reaches the recess 30, or before it reache~ a
point at which the spring detent will allow the knob 34 to remain
in position without returning it to the relea~e position.
The circuit can be arranged 90 that a new number i8 generated
only when the knob 34 is moved to the locking po~ition.
Alternatively, the circuit can be arranged 90 that a new number
is generated both when the knob is moved to the release position
and also when it is moved to the locking posit;on. In a further
alternative, the device could be arranged to generate a new
nu~ber only when the knob 34 moves to the r~lease position, in
Nhich case it is necessary to ensure that the microswitch 52
operates before the head 14 is relea~ed. In use of the seal,
after the vehicle or container has been loaded and the door or
shutter closed, the free end of the cable 12 is detached from the
housing 10 and pas~ed through the door or shutter catch 200, in
similar manner to a conventional wire seal, ~o that the door or
shutter cannot be opened without withdrawing the cable. ~he free
end of the cable is then reattached to the houging 10 and the
knob 34 turned to the lockine position. Turnin~ the knob 34
actuates the micro~witch 52 to cau~e a new random number to be
gener~ted. Button 60 i9 pre93ed to li~pl~y tha number on the LED
display 70, and the nùmber is enter?d on th0 Yehicle documents-
When the vehicle has reached its de3tination, the button is again
depressed and the number displayed`checked against the number
entered on the vehicle documents, to check that the ~eal ha3 not
been opened during the journey.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, apparatus for
recording the opening of the shutter 100 of a vehicle comprises a
rAndom number generator contained in a hou~ing 121, a sensor 122
electrically connected to the random number generator and
arranged to actuate the random number generator on opening of the
shutter tO0, and an LED di3play 123 arranged to display the last
random number generated.
: The random number generator, and a battery, are contained in the
housin~ 121, which i9 mounted on the inner face of the shutter
100, so as to be visible through sn aperture cut in the shutter
100. Alternatively, the display 12~ mqy be mounted on the
e~terior face of the shutter and connected to the electronic
circuits in the housin~ by leads pa~-~ine through the ~hutter. A
push button 124 i~ mounted ne~t to the LED display, the display
being actuated only when the button i9 depressed.
The sensor 122 consists of a switch or other suit~ble de~ice
mounted on the shutter 100 near one vertical edge, and an
~,~
~æ~$~
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actuator 126 fixed to the vehicle body in such a position that the
s~itch is actuated whenever the shutter 100 is opened or close~. The
sensor 122 is connected to the electronic circuits in housing 121 by a
~lexible armoured conduit 127 fixed to the interior face of the shutter
100.
The electronic circuits in the housing 121 include a random number
generator arranged to generate a random number on receipt of a signal
from the sensor 122, to store the number until a new number is generated
on l~eceipt o~ the next signal from sensor 122, and to display the stored
number on the LED display 123 on depression of the push-button 124. The
electronic circuits may be similar to those of the embodiment of Figures
1 to 5 or may take any other suitable form.
In use of the apparatus, after the vehicle has been loaded and the
shutter closed, the button 124 is pressed, and the random number
displayed is entered on the vehicle documents. At the destination,
before the shutter is opened, the button is again depressed, and the
number disyiayed is ch~cked ~gai~ numb~ teled on the documen~s,
to ensure that the shutter has not been opened during the ~ourney.
It will be appreciated that modifications could be made in the
described embodiment. For example, the method of releasably attaching
the free end of the cable to the housing could take
different forms. The other end of the cable could be permanently
attached to the housing in different ways or could be attached to
the door or shutter near the housing, rather than to the housing
itself. Instead of having one end permanently secured to the
housing, both ends of the cable could be releasably atta.ched to
the housing. In~tead of generating and di~playing random number,
other recognisable codes could be used, for example a series of
letters.
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