SECURITY SYSTEM FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING ARTICLES

SYSTEME DE SECURITE POUR STOCKAGE ET TRANSPORT D'OBJETS

English Abstract

A method of and apparatus for securing valuable articles wherein the articles
are provided within a tamper evident primary container (10) or envelope, the
primary container is contained within a secondary container (60) or box, and
dispensing means (12) is provided in the secondary container (60) selectively
to dispense a staining medium. The invention provides that the primary
container (10) is partitioned into first (30) and second (32) portions that
communicate with each other through at least one path (34.1); the articles to
be secured are inserted into the first portion (30) which is then sealed (26);
and the dispensing means (12, 42) is arranged to dispense the staining medium
into the second portion (32) when activated. A plurality of spaced flow paths
(34.2) may be formed between the first (30) and second (32) portions, the
paths being arranged to prevent access to the first portion through the second
portion.

French Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé et un dispositif permettant de protéger les objets de valeur, consistant à placer ces derniers dans un contenant principal (10) ou une enveloppe principale inviolable, ce contenant principal étant inséré dans un contenant ou une boîte secondaire (60), et des moyens (12) de distribution placés dans le contenant secondaire (60) permettant de distribuer sélectivement un agent colorant. Le contenant principal (10) est divisé en une première (30) et une seconde (32) partie, communiquant mutuellement par l'intermédiaire d'au moins une voie (34.1). Les objets à protéger sont introduits dans la première partie (30) laquelle est ensuite fermée hermétiquement (26); et les moyens de distribution (12, 42) sont conçus pour distribuer l'agent colorant dans la seconde partie (32) lorsqu'ils sont activés. Une pluralité de voies d'écoulement (34.2) espacés les uns des autres peuvent être formés entre la première (30) et la seconde (32) partie, ces voies étant conçues pour empêcher l'accès à la première partie à travers la seconde partie.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A method of securing valuable articles wherein the articles are provided
within a tamper evident primary container (10), the primary container is
contained
within a secondary container (60), and dispensing means (12) is provided in
the
secondary container selectively to dispense a staining medium, including the
steps
of:
-- partitioning the primary container (10) into first (30) and second (32)
portions that communicate with each other through at least one path (34.2);
-- inserting articles to be secured into the first portion (30) and sealing
(28)
at least that portion; and
-- arranging the dispensing means (12) to dispense the staining medium into
the second portion (32) when required or activated.
2. The method of claim 1, including forming a plurality of spaced flow paths
(34.1) between the first (30) and second (32) portions.
3. The method of either of claims 1 or 2, including inserting a tube (42) into
the second portion (32), and dispensing the staining medium along the tube
when
required.
4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, including substantially sealing the
tube to the primary container, in order to ensure that at least a substantial
portion of
the staining medium is dispensed into the primary container.
5. A security apparatus including a tamper evident primary container (10), a
secondary container (60) to receive the primary container, and dispensing
means
(12) to dispense a staining medium into the secondary container, wherein:
-- the primary container (10) is partitioned into first (30) and second (32)
portions that communicate with each other through at least one path (34.2);
and
-- the dispensing means (12) comprises means (42) to direct the staining
medium into the second portion of the primary container.

6. The security apparatus of claim 5, wherein the path (34.2) between the
first and second portions is arranged to prevent access to the first portion
(30)
through the second portion (32).
7. The security apparatus of either of claims 5 or 6, wherein the dispensing
means (12) comprises a store (50) of flowable staining medium, means (48, 46)
to
pressurise the store and means (68) selectively to activate the pressurising
means.
8. The security apparatus of any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the
dispensing means (12) includes a tube (42) that is insertable into the second
portion
(32, 36) of the primary container.
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Description

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SECURITY SYSTEM FOR STORING AND TRANSPORTING ARTICLES
TECHNICAL FIELD:
This invention relates to a security system for storing and the transporting
of
valuable articles, particularly, though not exclusively, for the transporting
of currency
and other bearer documents.
BACKGROUND ART:
It is well known to store and transport valuable articles, such as documents,
minerals, currency, examination papers and the like, in a tamper evident,
sealable
plastics bag or primary container. Typically, the primary container is of an
appropriate polyolefin that has desired characteristics and that bonds firmly
with a
strip of suitable adhesive. It is also known to protect a primary container,
of any type
further, by placing it in a secondary container that, depending on the nature
of the
articles being secured, has devices that can be activated to stain/damage the
articles as well as indicate compromised security, such as visual/audible
alarm
signals and wireless tracking signals. The staining or damaging medium may be
a
powder, liquid, solid, gas or heat. Secondary containers are expensive and
thus
mostly used only to secure primary containers temporarily between collection
and
deposit points, such as a business and a suitable, appropriately
protected/secured/armoured vehicle.
The terms "stain" and "staining" as used herein refers to damaging, staining,
marking, defacing and the like functions to render valuable articles,
particularly
currency and bearer documents, untradable. While tamper evident plastics
primary
containers provide acceptable protection against tempering, they are not
suited for
staining because the polyolefin or plastics is impregnable to known staining
media.
Secondary containers thus usually rely on a combination of heat to shrink or
burn
holes in the primary container, thereby exposing the contents to the staining
medium
which is dispensed inside the secondary container, and staining. Although such

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systems have been used internationally for many years, it is known that their
effectiveness is variable. Significantly, the heat source is potentially
dangerous at all times - fatalities and fires have been reported - and when
activated
destroys the expensive secondary container.
Thus the invention seeks to provide apparatus for ensuring acceptable staining
of
currency in primary containers within a secondary container that resolves the
inadequacies of the known systems mentioned above in a reasonably satisfactory
manner.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION:
One aspect of the invention provides a method of securing valuable articles
wherein
the articles are provided within a tamper evident primary container, the
primary
container is contained within a secondary container, and dispensing means is
provided in the secondary container selectively to dispense a staining medium,
including the steps of:
-- partitioning the primary container into first and second portions that
communicate with each other through at least one path;
-- inserting articles to be secured into the first portion and sealing at
least
that portion; and
-- arranging the dispensing means to dispense the staining medium into the
second portion when required or activated.
Preferred features of the method include:
-- forming a plurality of spaced flow paths between the first and second
portions;
-- inserting a tube into the second portion, and dispensing the staining
medium along the tube when required;
-- substantially sealing the tube to the primary container, in order to ensure
that at least a substantial portion of the staining medium is dispensed into
the
primary container;
Another aspect of the invention provides security apparatus including a tamper
evident primary container, a secondary container to receive the primary
container,
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and dispensing means to dispense a staining medium into the secondary
container,
wherein:
-- the primary container is partitioned into first and second portions that
communicate with each other through at least one path; and
-- the dispensing means comprises means to direct the staining medium into
the second portion of the primary container.
Preferred features of the security apparatus are:
-- the path between the first and second portions is arranged to prevent
access to the first portion through the second portion;
-- the dispensing means comprises a store of flowable staining medium,
means to pressurise the store and means selectively to activate the
pressurising
means;
-- the dispensing means is constituted by a tube that is insertable into the
second portion of the primary container;
-- the pressure means, store and directing means may be as disclosed in
South African Patent Nos. 1999/0122 and 2000/0189, which are to be regarded as
being incorporated herein by this reference.
This invention allows for the release of staining medium into the primary
container
without affecting the integrity of the material from which the primary
container is
made, i.e. it does not diminish the tamper evident security features of the
primary
container. The positioning and arrangement of the path between the first and
second
portions is designed to frustrate the various methods employed by criminals to
penetrate the package, such as tweezers, hooks, wires and the like implements
insertable into the first portion to snag and roll currency and documents and
withdraw them through the path.
Further features, variants andlor advantages of the invention will emerge from
the
following non-limiting description of examples of the invention made with
reference
to the accompanying schematic drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
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Figure 1 shows a partly broken away, schematic side view of a primary
container
and dye dispensing means of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a partly sectioned side view of an example of pressure
generating
means; and
Figure 3 shows a front view of a secondary container with a dispensing means
of
the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS:
In the drawings the same or similar parts have the same reference numbers,
certain
parts having sub-numbers to identify them as part of a component or as
substantially
equivalent parts in different embodiments.
Figure 1 shows a primary container 10 to store and transport valuable
articles, such
as documents, minerals, currency, examination papers and the like, and
dispensing
means 12 for introducing a suitable staining liquid into the primary container
when
required.
While the primary container 10 may be any one of and shapes of tamper evident,
sealed plastics primary container/bag/envelope, in this example it comprises a
rectangular polyolefin envelope 14 with parallel side edges 16, a top edge 18
and a
bottom edge 20. An opening 22 is formed near the top edge, the opening being
constituted by a flap 24 extending from the top edge over the upper edge 26 of
a
side of the envelope. The opening is sealable by a strip of adhesive 28. The
envelope is partitioned into a valuables portion 30 and a staining portion 32
by a
heat welded seam 34 that extends effectively between the top and the bottom
edges. The seam has a continuous portion 34.1 adjacent the top edge and an
intermittent portion 34.2 formed with openings providing a path between the
first and
second portions. An opening 36 is formed in the staining portion of the
envelope
adjacent the top edge. The length of the continuous portion and the width of
the
holes is designed to prevent documents, such as bank notes, from being rolled
up
and withdrawn through the openings and slit. Typically the holes are of
similar size
to one another or range from 2 to 50 mm wide, the size increasing from the
opening
36 towards the other end of the envelope.
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As variants of the envelope described above, the flap can also be affixed:
(a) to the upper section and folded down onto the body, or
(b) to the body and sealed down onto the body and upper section, or
(c) to the end of the bag and folded to the opposite side of the bag.
The dispensing means 12 comprises a pressurising means 40 and a tube 42,
typically about 12 mm in diameter, extending from the pressurising means. As
shown in Figure 2 the pressurising means 40 comprises a strong steel housing
46
containing an igniter 48 and receptacle 50 containing a staining medium. A
spigot
52 at one end of the housing connects the housing to a socket 54 in the tube
42.
When required the pressure means is activated, which explodes with sufficient
force
to rupture the receptacle, allowing the contents to be released into the
staining
portion of the envelope and thence into the valuables portion.
Figure 3 shows a secondary container 60 comprising a box 62 with a lid 64,
pressurising means 40. A mechanical switch 66 and a radio controlled switch 68
are
shown for activating the igniter. Other deterrent aids, such as visual and
audible
alarms, etc. (not shown) may be provided if desired.
The apparatus is used in practice to transport currency by a courier, boxman
or
guard from a business or bank. The currency is loaded into and sealed in the
primary container by the business. The primary container is placed in the
secondary
container and the free end of the tube 42 is inserted into the staining
portion 32 at
this stage. The secondary container is optionally locked and carried to a
security/armoured/secured/ appropriate vehicle. The action within this
vehicle,
relating to the handling or processing of the primary and secondary containers
will
be dictated by the internal requirements of the company. For example, the
secondary container may be opened and the primary container transferred to a
safe,
so that the secondary container can be used for the next primary container
movement or delivery. At the final destination, such as a bank, the primary
containers are unloaded and handed to a counting department. The primary
containers are then opened by cutting along a marked designated line 38 using
a
suitable tool, so that, if needed, the primary container can be examined for
evidence
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of tampering to determine liability for any shortfall. Any attempt by the
courier or
another person to extract notes from the sealed envelope should be evident.
The continuous portion of the seam 34.1 is thus made sufficiently long to
ensure
such attempts will stress the slit 36 or the seam 34. The dispensing means can
be
activated in the event of an attempt to steal the secondary container.
Switches
sensitive to unauthorised breaking or opening of the secondary container can
also
be provided. Activation of any of the switches initiates the igniter and
ultimately
forces staining medium into the portion of the envelope containing currency or
other
documents, rendering them easily identifiable or untradable.
The system described above will enable secondary containers that have been
activated to be cleaned and re-used with a fresh dispensing means - this is in
contrast to heat systems where the secondary container becomes unusable once
it
has been activated.
The invention is not limited to the precise details described above and shown
in the
drawings. Modifications may be made and other embodiments developed without
departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the primary packages
can be
manufactured in a variety of materials. The secondary container can be
constructed
and shaped as desired, eg. a modified briefcase can be used. This invention is
not
restricted to any particular method of bag manufacturing or type of secondary
container or construction of the dispensing means, provided the staining
medium
can be injected into a desired portion of the primary container without
exposing the
contents of the primary container to theft.
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Representative Drawing