US3950678A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Timelock for bank vault doors and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-02-14
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Granted: 1976-04-13
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Expires: 1995-02-14
Abstract
Abstract A timelock for bank vault doors and the like is disclosed. The disclosed timelock includes three electronic interval timing devices, each interval timing device including a bank of thumbwheel switches on which the desired minimum interval from the arming of the timelock to the reopening of the bank vault door or the like is retained from day to day unless manually changed. All three of the electronic interval timing devices are started by a switch operated by the timelock arming lever. Each electronic interval timing device includes a numerical display device on which the preset delay interval retained in its bank of thumbwheel switches is displayed. Each electronic interval timing device also includes a numerical display on which the unexpired delay duration is displayed in numerical form whenever that interval timing device is operating. Each electronic interval timing device also includes an output solenoid and means for energizing the output solenoid for a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) commencing when the electronic interval timing device stops operating, having fully counted down. A standby battery system is provided for operating the timelock when line power is unavailable. When the timelock is operating on standby battery power the numerical display of each electronic interval timing device for displaying the unexpired delay duration of that device operates only when a push button on that device is depressed. When anyone of the three solenoids in the timelock is energized, its corresponding electronic interval timing device having counted down to zero, the G-strip of the timelock is so repositioned as to release the arming lever, thus withdrawing the snubber bar from the path of the snubber pin and permitting the bolts of the vault door to be operated into their unlocked position by the associated manual control.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenyon Edwin Brewer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 22:11
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05B; E05B43/00; E05B43/005; E05B47/00; E05B47/0001; E05B47/0002; E05B47/06; E05B47/0603; E05B2047/0007; E05B47/0003; E05B47/0004; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/70; Y10T70/7006; Y10T70/7028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A timelock for bank vault doors and the like comprising: manually settable memory means settable to any one of a plurality of delay interval representing states; timing pulse generating means for generating trains of timing pulses; timing pulse train initiating means for initiating said trains of timing pulses; and counter means for counting a preset plurality of said timing pulses following the actuation of said initiating means, the magnitude of said preset plurality being determined by the state of said memory means when said initiating means is actuated, and the counting operation of said counter means being unaffected by resetting of said memory means during the counting of timing pulses by said counter means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A timelock for bank vault doors and the like comprising: manually settable memory means settable to any one of a plurality of delay interval representing states; timing pulse generating means for generating trains of timing pulses; timing pulse train initiating means for initiating said trains of timing pulses; and counter means for counting a preset plurality of said timing pulses following the actuation of said initiating means, the magnitude of said preset plurality being determined by the state of said memory means when said initiating means is actuated, and the counting operation of said counter means being unaffected by resetting of said memory means during the counting of timing pulses by said counter means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 1 further comprising manually operable arming means for arming said timelock, said timing pulse train initiating means being actuated by said manually operable arming means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 2 further comprising disarming means for disarming said timelock, said disarming means being actuated by said counter means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
90 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 3 in which said memory means comprises three substantially duplicate memory means, said counter means comprises three substantially duplicate counter means, each associated with one of said three memory means, and said disarming means comprises three substantially duplicate portions, each of said three substantially duplicate portions of said disarming means being actuated by an output signal from an associated one of said counter means when said associated one of said counter means has completed the counting of a preset plurality of said timing pulses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 4 in which said arming means comprises manually operable lever means, said disarming means comprises a displaceable member, in addition to said duplicate portions, and any one of said duplicate portions when actuated by an output signal from its associated counter means displaces said displaceable member, thereby bringing about the disarming of the timelock.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
64 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 5 in which said manually operable lever means is manually displaceable from an unoperated position to an operated position against biasing force exerted by resilient biasing means to arm the timelock, and the displacement of said displaceable member permits said manually operable lever means to return to said unoperated portion under the urging of said resilient biasing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 1 in which said memory means remains in any state to which it is manually set until it is manually reset, and the state of said memory means is not altered by the operation of said counter means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 1 in which delay interval represented by the state of said memory means is indicated on the face of the timelock in decimal notation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 8 in which the delay interval indicated on the face of the timelock takes the form of a three-place decimal number corresponding to the magnitude of the delay interval in hours, and the digit occurring in each decimal place may be manually increased or decreased independently of the digits in the other two decimal places.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 8 in which the numerals of said decimal notation are equal to or greater in size than the numerals of an elite typewriter type.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
151 words
A timelock for bank vault doors and the like comprising: manually settable memory means settable to any one of a plurality of delay interval states; timing pulse generating means for generating trains of timing pulses; manually operable timing pulse train initiating means for initiating said trains of timing pulses; counter means for counting a preset plurality of said timing pulses following the actuation of said initiating means, the magnitude of said preset plurality being determined by the state of said memory means when said initiating means is actuated, and the counting operation of said counter means being recommenced for counting a different plurality of said timing pulses during the counting of a preset plurality of said timing pulses by first manually resetting said memory means to its state corresponding to said different plurality, and then manipulating said manually operable timing pulse train initiating means to initiate a new timing pulse train.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
151 words
A timelock for bank vault doors and the like comprising: manually settable memory means settable to any one of a plurality of delay interval states; timing pulse generating means for generating trains of timing pulses; manually operable timing pulse train initiating means for initiating said trains of timing pulses; counter means for counting a preset plurality of said timing pulses following the actuation of said initiating means, the magnitude of said preset plurality being determined by the state of said memory means when said initiating means is actuated, and the counting operation of said counter means being recommenced for counting a different plurality of said timing pulses during the counting of a preset plurality of said timing pulses by first manually resetting said memory means to its state corresponding to said different plurality, and then manipulating said manually operable timing pulse train initiating means to initiate a new timing pulse train.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 1 in which during the counting operation of said counter means the time which must elapse before the termination of the counting operation is continuously displayed on the face of the timelock in decimal notation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
92 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 12, further comprising power supply means for deriving operating power for the timelock from a power line and battery means charged from said power line for providing operating power for the timelock when the supply of power from said power line fails, the time which must elapse before the termination of any counting operation of said counter means being displayed on the face of the timelock when the timelock is powered from said power line, and not when the timelock is powered from said battery means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A timelock as claimed in claim 1 in which said memory means is incapable of being set to a 000 state.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3805246A
Cited
US3881171A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-04-13 | 1979-10-13 | 1980-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-04-13 | 1983-10-13 | 1984-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-04-13 | 1987-10-13 | 1988-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |