Self-locking cash box

Claim 2

A self-locking cash box for receiving coins and currency deposited in an associated apparatus comprising: a hollow receptacle having an open top; lid means adapted to be positioned over the open top of said receptacle, said lid means having an opening therein for receiving coins and currency; engaging means attached to said lid means for securing said lid means over the open top of said receptacle; first key operated means positioned on said lid means; slidable door means adapted to slidably move to close the opening in said lid means in response to actuation of said first key operated means; disengageable restraining means attached to the associated apparatus and adapted to engage said lid means to prevent removal of the cash box from the associated apparatus until said restraining means is disengaged; locking means inaccessably positioned on the inside of said lid means for locking said slidable door means over the opening in said lid means to permit the cash box to be removed from the associated apparatus; and second key operated means positioned on said lid means, said second key operated means adapted to disengage said engaging means to permit removal of said lid means from said receptacle and thereby permit access to the contents of the cash box.

Claim 3

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a switch means, said switch means adapted to render the associated apparatus inoperable when said restraining means is disengaged from said lid means.

Claim 4

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 2 wherein said switch means is further adapted to render the associated apparatus inoperable when said slidable door means closes the opening in said lid means.

Claim 5

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said lid means comprises a flange means adapted to fit over said receptacle to form a tamperproof junction therewith; and said flange means has an opening therein for receiving said restraining means.

Claim 6

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 4 wherein said restraining means further comprises: a lever member pivotally mounted at one end, said lever member having formed at the other end thereof a first projection and a second projection extending downwardly approximately perpendicular to said lever; and spring means tending to urge said lever member to pivot so that said first and second projections move downwardly.

Claim 7

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 5 and further comprising an engaging ear means on said door means for engaging said first projection on said lever member when said door means is positioned so that the opening in said lid means is fully open and disengaging said first projection when said door means is slidably moved to close the opening in said lid means.

Claim 8

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 6 wherein said second projection on said lever member is adapted to engage the bottom of the opening in said fLange means and retain the cash box in the associated apparatus.

Claim 9

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 7 wherein said disengaging means comprises: an arm member pivotally mounted at a first end thereof and having a second end thereof positioned adjacent the opening in said flange means; and a spring means urging said second end to pivot upwardly across the opening in said flange means, said arm member adapted to pivot in response to said locking means locking said slidable door means thereby contacting said second projection on said lever member to pivot said lever member until said second projection disengages the bottom of the opening in said flange means thereby permitting the cash box to be removed from the associated apparatus.

Claim 10

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 8 and further comprising one or more hollow columnar projections located on and extending outwardly from said flange means.

Claim 11

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 9 wherein said restraining means further comprises one or more comating female receptacles for receiving said hollow columnar projections.

Claim 12

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 10 and further comprising: magnetic field producing means located in said hollow columnar projections; and magnetic field responsive switches positioned adjacent said receptacles and adapted to render the associated apparatus inoperable when said projections are removed from said receptacles.

Claim 13

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 10 wherein said restraining means further comprises: elongated magnets pivotally mounted at approximately their center, said elongated magnets further positioned with first ends adjacent said female receptacles; magnetic switch means positioned in alignment with the arc of pivotal travel of second ends of said elongated magnets so that said second ends will pivot to be in immediate proximity with said magnetic switch means when said first ends of said elongated magnets are pivoted away from said female receptacles, whereby by inserting magnets into said hollow columnar projections so that the magnetic poles of said magnets are opposite to the magnetic poles of said first ends of said elongated magnets and inserting said projections into said female receptacles, said elongated magnets will pivot until said second ends are adjacent said magnetic switches thereby closing said switches and rendering the vending machine operable.

Claim 14

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a tamperproof junction means located about the opening in the lid means and engaging the associated apparatus to prevent any impediment from being positioned between the associated apparatus and the opening in said lid means.

Claim 15

A self-locking cash box for receiving coins and currency deposited in an associated apparatus comprising: a hollow receptacle having an open top; lid means adapted to be positioned over the open top of said receptacle, said lid means having a first opening therein for receiving coins and currency; engaging means attached to said lid means for securing said lid means over the open top of said receptacle; first key operated means positioned on said lid means; a shaft operably connected to said first key operated means so that operation of said first key operated means rotates said shaft; gear means attached to said shaft; slidable door means adapted to slidably move to close the first opening in said lid means, said slidable door means having formed thereon gear teeth in operable engagement with said gear means on said shaft whereby said slidable door slidably moves to close the first opening in said lid means in response to operation of said first key operated means; a restraining member pivotally attached at a first end to the associated apparatus and having a first projection and a second projection formed at a second end and extending downwardly approximately perpendicular to said leVer, said restraining member positioned and adapted to enter a second opening in said lid means when the cash box is placed in the associated apparatus; spring means tending to urge said restraining member to pivot so that said first and second projections move downwardly and said second projection engages a bottom edge of the second opening in said lid means when the cash box is placed in the associated apparatus, thereby retaining the cash box in the associated apparatus until said restraining member is disengaged; locking means inaccessably positioned on the inside of said lid means for locking said slidable door means when said slidable door means is moved to a position to close the first opening in said lid means; a disengaging member pivotally mounted at a first end and having a second end positioned adjacent the second opening in said lid means, said disengaging member adapted to pivot in response to said locking means locking said slidable door means thereby contacting said second projection on said restraining member to pivot said restraining member until said second projection disengages the second opening in said lid means thereby permitting the cash box to be removed from the associated apparatus; and second key operated means positioned on said lid means, said second key operated means operably connected to said engaging means and said locking means so that operation of said second key operated means disengages said engaging means to permit removal of said lid means from said receptacle and unlocks said locking means to permit said slidable door means to be slid back to an open position.

Claim 16

A self-locking cash box for receiving coins and currency deposited in an associated apparatus comprising: a hollow receptacle having an open top; lid means adapted to be positioned over the open top of said receptacle, said lid means having a first opening therein for receiving coins and currency; engaging means attached to said lid means for securing said lid means over the open top of said receptacle; first key operated means positioned on said lid means; a shaft operably connected to said first key operated means so that operation of said first key operated means rotates said shaft; gear means attached to said shaft; slidable door means adapted to slidably move to close the first opening in said lid means, said slidable door means having formed thereon gear teeth in operable engagement with said gear means on said shaft whereby said slidable door slidably moves to close the first opening in said lid means in response to operation of said first key operated means; a restraining member pivotally attached at a first end to the associated apparatus and having a first projection and a second projection formed at a second end and extending downwardly approximately perpendicular to said leVer, said restraining member positioned and adapted to enter a second opening in said lid means when the cash box is placed in the associated apparatus; spring means tending to urge said restraining member to pivot so that said first and second projections move downwardly and said second projection engages a bottom edge of the second opening in said lid means when the cash box is placed in the associated apparatus, thereby retaining the cash box in the associated apparatus until said restraining member is disengaged; locking means inaccessably positioned on the inside of said lid means for locking said slidable door means when said slidable door means is moved to a position to close the first opening in said lid means; a disengaging member pivotally mounted at a first end and having a second end positioned adjacent the second opening in said lid means, said disengaging member adapted to pivot in response to said locking means locking said slidable door means thereby contacting said second projection on said restraining member to pivot said restraining member until said second projection disengages the second opening in said lid means thereby permitting the cash box to be removed from the associated apparatus; and second key operated means positioned on said lid means, said second key operated means operably connected to said engaging means and said locking means so that operation of said second key operated means disengages said engaging means to permit removal of said lid means from said receptacle and unlocks said locking means to permit said slidable door means to be slid back to an open position.

Claim 17

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising an engaging ear means attached to said slidable door means, said engaging ear means positioned to engage said first projection on said restraining member when said door means is positioned so that the first opening in said lid means is fully open and disengage said first projection when said door means is slidably moved to close the first opening in said lid means.

Claim 18

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 15 and further comprising a switch means operably connected to said restraining member, said switcn means adapted to render the associated apparatus inoperable in response to pivotal movement of said restraining member when said engaging ear disengages said first projection or when said second projection disengages the second opening in said lid means.

Claim 19

A self-locking cash box as claimed in claim 15 and further comprising: magnetic field producing means located on said lid means; and magnetic field operated switches positioned on the associated apparatus adjacent said magnetic field producing means and adapted to render the associated apparatus inoperable when the cash box is removed and said magnetic field producing means are no longer in proximity with said magnetic field operated switches.