Parking lot depository

Claim 1

A fee collection depository for large parking lots comprising a rectangular strongbox having a swingably mounted rear access door and an inner currency receiver rigidly fixed within the strongbox, said currency receiver having a flat rectangular top panel, a pair of flat rectangular end wall panels and a transparent flat rectangular rear wall panel joining the top panel to the end wall panels and having its lower edge disposed above the respective lower ends of said end wall panels, a plurality of longitudinally spaced, vertically extending partition panels disposed between and parallel to said end wall panels and dividing the interior into a plurality of channels extending vertically from the top panel to an elevation adjacent to the lower edge of said transparent rear panel, a plurality of reciprocably rockable, vertically spaced, horizontally disposed rocker rods extending longitudinally through and journaled on said partition panels and end walls, each of said rocker rods having an end portion projecting outward from the outer surface of said end wall panels, a coupling link having one end thereof rigidly secured to each end portion and extending transversely along said end wall panels in spaced relationship therewith, an upwardly extending integration bar disposed adjacent to each end wall panel, a plurality of outwardly extending pintles rigidly secured to said integration bar, the other end of each coupling link being pivotally mounted on an associated pintle, a flat floor gate rigidly fastened to each rocker rod within each channel and swingably movable with said rocker arm between an upper currency-retaining position closing said vertical channel to form an array of currency-receiving compartments and a lower currency-discharging position opening said vertical channel for currency movement therealong, a plurality of deposit slots extending through the front wall of said strongbox, each of said slots communicating with one of said currency-receiving compartments, and a single latch member common to both integration bars normally holding said floor gates in the currency-retaining position and operative to release said floor gates for movement to the currency-discharging position in response to a predetermined movement of said latch member, said latch member being disposed for limited slidable transverse movement along the entire length of the top panel and extending longitudinally outward in position to engage both of said integration bars.