Patent US3844232A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3844232A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cashier{40 s booth
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-09-04
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Granted: 1974-10-29
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Expires: 1993-09-04
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus is provided to discriminate between authorized and unauthorized persons for permitting only authorized persons to operate a cash register. In its preferred form, the apparatus comprises a bullet-proof booth which encloses the register and which has a platform mounted on springs for displacement downwardly when a person stands on the platform to operate the register. Switch means provided below the platform cooperates with circuit means to supply power to the register only when a door to the booth is closed and to prevent electrical power from being supplied to the register when the weight of the person on the platform does not correspond to a preset authorized weight, or when an attempt is made to straddle the platform. In addition, photoelectric switches and light beams are provided in the booth to discriminate between the height of authorized and unauthorized persons. Embodiments are disclosed wherein access to the receptacle is afforded when either height, weight or weight and door-closure conditions are met.
Inventors
- 👤 J Robinson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 04:45
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05G; E05G5/00; E05G5/003; G; G07; G07C; G07C9/00; G07C9/30; G07C9/32; G07C9/37; G07G; G07G3/00; G07G3/003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for use in conjunction with a receptacle for valuables to permit only authorized persons to obtain access to the receptacle, comprising: a platform, means mounting said receptacle at a location with respect to said platform to require a person to support himself on the platform when obtaining access to the receptacle, and means responsive to weight on said platform for permitting access to said receptacle when a predetermined auThorized weight is applied to said platform and for preventing access to said receptacle when unauthorized weights different from said predetermined weight are applied to said platform, whereby access to the receptacle is permitted only by an authorized person having a weight corresponding to the preset authorized weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
Apparatus for use in conjunction with a receptacle for valuables to permit only authorized persons to obtain access to the receptacle, comprising: a platform, means mounting said receptacle at a location with respect to said platform to require a person to support himself on the platform when obtaining access to the receptacle, and means responsive to weight on said platform for permitting access to said receptacle when a predetermined auThorized weight is applied to said platform and for preventing access to said receptacle when unauthorized weights different from said predetermined weight are applied to said platform, whereby access to the receptacle is permitted only by an authorized person having a weight corresponding to the preset authorized weight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said weight responsive means includes means mounting said platform for vertical displacement with respect to a datum and control means engageable upon a predetermined downward displacement of said platform with respect to the datum to permit access to said receptacle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 including electrically-operated means providing access to said receptacle and wherein said control means includes a circuit connecting said electrically-operated means to an electrical power supply, and a switch connected in said circuit for closing said circuit to supply power to said electrically-operated means when said authorized weight is on said platform and to prevent power from being supplied to said electrically-operated means when said unauthorized weights are on said platform.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
106 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said switch means includes a switch member carried on said platform and a complementary member fixed with respect to said datum and located in the path of movement of said switch member, said members being connected in said circuit and being engageable to complete the circuit upon a predetermined displacement of said platform in response to the application of said authorized weight, at least one of said members being flexible to permit said members to disengage one another when a greater than authorized weight is applied on said platform and said platform-carried member is displaced downwardly below its complementary member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 including means mounting one of said members for displacement transversely to the path of movement of said platform to permit the range of contact of said members to be varied to ensure engagement of said members over a limited range of weights in the vicinity of said preset authorized weight, whereby the apparatus is insensitive to slight changes in the normal weight of a person authorized to have access to the receptacle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 including at least another complementary switch member associated with said one complementary member, and including common post means mounting said complementary members at different elevations with respect to said datum to cause said platform-mounted member to effect engagement with a selected one of the complementary members depending on the displacement of the platform as determined by the weight applied thereon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including height-responsive switch means connected in series with each of said complementary members in said circuit, means to detect the height of a person on the platform, and means coupling said height-responsive switch means with said height detection means in said circuit to cause said electrically-energized means to be powered only when both height and weight conditions are met.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 including means providing a bullet-proof enclosure surrounding said platform and receptacle, a door providing access to said enclosure, and a second normally open switch connected in said circuit in series relation with said first-mentioned switch and closeable in response to closing of said door, so that access to said receptacle is permitted only when both switches are closed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 including means mounting said enclosure for displacement downwardly relative to said platform and datum and including third normally-closed switch means connected in said circuit and between said enclosure and said datum to disable said electrically-operated means in response to downward displacement of said enclosure, so that access to the receptacle by an unauthorized person cannot be effected by his sTraddling the platform in the enclosure when an authorized person is on the platform.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 including a skirt surrounding a lower portion of said enclosure for telescopically receiving said enclosure, said skirt cooperating with said platform and datum to define a chamber with said platform-operated and enclosure-operated switches being mounted in said chamber, and including a hatch in said skirt providing a service access to said chamber.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said platform mounting means includes a series of spring elements located in said chamber and supporting said platform at spaced locations and bearing means associated with each of said spring elements to prevent said platform from tilting when a weight is applied at a location other than centrally on the platform.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein spring elements include compression springs engaging between said platform and said datum to bias said platform away from said datum, and said bearing means includes a vertically-disposed post, depending from said platform and toward said datum, a sleeve mounted on said datum and slidably engaging said post, and means limiting axial displacement of said post upwardly relative to said sleeve so that in the absence of weight on the platform, the platform is maintained by the springs at a predetermined elevation with respect to the datum.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means to detect the height of a person standing on the platform for cooperating with said weight responsive means to permit access to the receptacle only when authorized height and weight conditions are met.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
81 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said height detection means includes means to emit upper and lower horizontally-extending vertically-spaced light beams at an elevation above the platform corresponding to the height of an authorized person, the upper beam normally passing over the head of the person and the lower being interrupted by the person while on the platform, and including receiver means operable when the upper beam is unbroken and the lower beam is broken to permit access to the receptacle.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means providing an enclosure around said platform, a door affording entry and egress to and from said enclosure, and means operable in response to a closed position of said door and cooperable with said weight responsive means to afford access to said receptacle.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |