US4043279A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Security box
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1975-12-03
•
Granted: 1977-08-23
•
Expires: 1995-12-03
Abstract
Abstract A wall type security box sized to fit between, and to be fixed to, adjacent studs in a wall opening. The box is locked by a lock device in the form of an elongated rod having a key cylinder on one end and screw threads on the other end. After closure of the security box's door, and by manually gripping a key in the lock device's key cylinder, the elongated rod is, first, extended through a grooved bore in the box's face wall on one side of the box's access opening, second, extended through a through bore in the door, and third, rotated into threaded relation with a threaded bore in the box's face wall on an opposite side of the access opening. Preferably these bores are all axially aligned one with the other when the door is closed. The key is then removed to extend the cylinder's spring loaded lugs into latching relation with axial grooves in the grooved bore below the access opening, thereby preventing further rotation of the elongated rod and locking the security box. Opening of the door is accomplished by reversing the lock device's use step sequence.
Inventors
- 👤 James M. Padgett
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 14:37
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05G; E05G1/00; E05G1/02; E05G1/026; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T70/00; Y10T70/50; Y10T70/5093; Y10T70/5155; Y10T70/5199; Y10T70/5246; Y10T70/5296; Y10T70/5367
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
373 words
A security box adapted to be mounted in a building wall, said box comprising a box housing including an access opening in the front face of said housing, said housing defining two bores therein, each of said bores communicating with said access opening, and one of said bores being threaded, a door selectively operable with said housing to open and close said access opening, said door defining a bore therethrough from one edge to another, one of said housing's two bores communicating with one end of said through bore when said door is closed, and the other of said housing's two bores communicating with the other end of said through bore when said door is closed, a hinge arm pivotally mounted at one end to said housing on a fixed hinge line, and pivotally mounted at the other end to said door on a movable hinge line, said movable hinge line being movable relative to said housing when said door is opened relative to said access opening, said hinge lines being substantially parallel one to the other, and said fixed hinge line being located adjacent the bottom edge of said access opening, and said movable hinge line being located adjacent the top edge of said door, the location of said hinge lines causing said door to drop beneath said access opening when said door is opened, and a lock device selectively engageable with said housing and said door to lock same in the closed attitude, said lock device including an elongated rod extending through said door's through bore and into said two housing bores when said door is in locked relation with said housing, said elongated rod being positioned substantially normal to said door hinge lines when said door is closed and locked, threads on one end of said elongated rod, said elongated rod being threadedly received in said threaded bore when said door is in locked relation with said housing, and a lock cylinder fixed to the other end of said elongated rod, said lock cylinder's lug being selectively operable to prevent rotation of said rod when said door is in locked relation with said housing, thereby preventing disengagement of said rod from said threaded bore after locking relation has been established.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
373 words
A security box adapted to be mounted in a building wall, said box comprising a box housing including an access opening in the front face of said housing, said housing defining two bores therein, each of said bores communicating with said access opening, and one of said bores being threaded, a door selectively operable with said housing to open and close said access opening, said door defining a bore therethrough from one edge to another, one of said housing's two bores communicating with one end of said through bore when said door is closed, and the other of said housing's two bores communicating with the other end of said through bore when said door is closed, a hinge arm pivotally mounted at one end to said housing on a fixed hinge line, and pivotally mounted at the other end to said door on a movable hinge line, said movable hinge line being movable relative to said housing when said door is opened relative to said access opening, said hinge lines being substantially parallel one to the other, and said fixed hinge line being located adjacent the bottom edge of said access opening, and said movable hinge line being located adjacent the top edge of said door, the location of said hinge lines causing said door to drop beneath said access opening when said door is opened, and a lock device selectively engageable with said housing and said door to lock same in the closed attitude, said lock device including an elongated rod extending through said door's through bore and into said two housing bores when said door is in locked relation with said housing, said elongated rod being positioned substantially normal to said door hinge lines when said door is closed and locked, threads on one end of said elongated rod, said elongated rod being threadedly received in said threaded bore when said door is in locked relation with said housing, and a lock cylinder fixed to the other end of said elongated rod, said lock cylinder's lug being selectively operable to prevent rotation of said rod when said door is in locked relation with said housing, thereby preventing disengagement of said rod from said threaded bore after locking relation has been established.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
104 words
A security box as set forth in claim 1 wherein the other bore in said housing is provided with at least one groove substantially longitudinally of the axis thereof, and wherein said lock cylinder's lug is spring loaded outward relative to said lock cylinder, withdrawal of a key from said lock cylinder permitting said lug to spring outward to enter said housing bore's groove for preventing further rotation of said rod, and insertion of a key into said lock cylinder causing said lug to withdraw thereunto against said spring bias to permit rotation of said rod for disengaging said lock device from said door.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A security box as set forth in claim 1, said box housing being sized lengthwise to fit between two studs in said wall, and including anchor means adapted to cooperate with each side wall of said housing and that stud adjacent each side wall to mount said security box in fixed position in said wall.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
A security box as set forth in claim 1, the face wall of said housing being positioned to extend outward away from said building wall when said box is mounted in said wall so as to define a peripheral wall portion on said housing, said lock device extending inwardly into said housing through said peripheral wall portion of said housing, and said lock cylinder's exterior surface not extending out beyond the exterior surface of said peripheral wall portion for eliminating view of said lock cylinder by a casual observer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
57 words
A security box as set forth in claim 1 including a frame fixed around the periphery of said door, said frame having an outwardly extending lip adapted to overlie the exposed face of the front face of said housing, thereby aligning said bores prior to receipt of said lock device in locking relation with said security box.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A security box as set forth in claim 2 wherein said threaded bore, said door bore, and said grooved bore are substantially coaxially aligned.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
339 words
A security box adapted to be mounted in a building wall, said box comprising a box housing including an access opening in the face wall of said housing, the face wall of said housing being positioned to extend outward away from said building wall when said box is mounted in said wall so as to define a peripheral wall portion on said housing, said housing defining two bores therein, each of said bores communicating with said access opening, one of said bores being threaded, and the other of said bores communicating with said peripheral wall portion of said housing, a door selectively operable with said housing to open and close said access opening, said door defining a bore therethrough from one edge to another, one of said housing's two bores communicating with one end of said through bore when said door is closed, and the other of said housing's two bores communicating with the other end of said through bore when said door is closed, and a lock device selectively engageable with said housing and said door to lock same in the closed attitude, said lock device extending inwardly into said housing through said peripheral wall portion of said housing, said lock device including an elongated rod extending through said door's through bore and into said two housing bores when said door is in locked relation with said housing, threads on one end of said elongated rod, said elongated rod being threadedly received in said threaded bore when said door is in locked relation with said housing, and a lock cylinder fixed to the other end of said elongated rod, said lock cylinder's lug being selectively operable to prevent rotation of said rod when said door is in locked relation with said housing for preventing disengagement of said rod from said threaded bore after locking relation has been established, and said lock cylinder's exterior surface not extending out substantially beyond the exterior surface of said peripheral wall portion for eliminating view of said lock cylinder by a casual observer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
339 words
A security box adapted to be mounted in a building wall, said box comprising a box housing including an access opening in the face wall of said housing, the face wall of said housing being positioned to extend outward away from said building wall when said box is mounted in said wall so as to define a peripheral wall portion on said housing, said housing defining two bores therein, each of said bores communicating with said access opening, one of said bores being threaded, and the other of said bores communicating with said peripheral wall portion of said housing, a door selectively operable with said housing to open and close said access opening, said door defining a bore therethrough from one edge to another, one of said housing's two bores communicating with one end of said through bore when said door is closed, and the other of said housing's two bores communicating with the other end of said through bore when said door is closed, and a lock device selectively engageable with said housing and said door to lock same in the closed attitude, said lock device extending inwardly into said housing through said peripheral wall portion of said housing, said lock device including an elongated rod extending through said door's through bore and into said two housing bores when said door is in locked relation with said housing, threads on one end of said elongated rod, said elongated rod being threadedly received in said threaded bore when said door is in locked relation with said housing, and a lock cylinder fixed to the other end of said elongated rod, said lock cylinder's lug being selectively operable to prevent rotation of said rod when said door is in locked relation with said housing for preventing disengagement of said rod from said threaded bore after locking relation has been established, and said lock cylinder's exterior surface not extending out substantially beyond the exterior surface of said peripheral wall portion for eliminating view of said lock cylinder by a casual observer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
104 words
A security box as set forth in claim 7 wherein the other bore in said housing is provided with at least one groove substantially longitudinally of the axis thereof, and wherein said lock cylinder's lug is spring loaded outward relative to said lock cylinder, withdrawal of a key from said lock cylinder permitting said lug to spring outward to enter said housing bore's groove for preventing further rotation of said rod, and insertion of a key into said lock cylinder causing said lug to withdraw thereunto against said spring bias to permit rotation of said rod for disengaging said lock device from said door.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A security box as set forth in claim 7 including a frame fixed around the periphery of said door, said frame having an outwardly extending lip adapted to overlie the exposed face of the front face of said housing, thereby aligning said bores prior to receipt of said lock device in locking relation with said security box.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
A security box as set forth in claim 8 wherein said threaded bore, said door bore, and said grooved bore are substantially coaxially aligned.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
A security box as set forth in claim 7 including a hinge arm pivotally mounted at one end to said housing on a fixed hinge line, and pivotally mounted at the other end to said door on a movable hinge line, said movable hinge line being movable relative to said housing when said door is opened relative to said access opening.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
48 words
A security box as set forth in claim 11 wherein said hinge lines are substantially parallel one to the other, said fixed hinge line being located adjacent the bottom edge of said access opening, and the movable hinge line being located adjacent the top edge of said door.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A security box as set forth in claim 12 said elongated rod being linear, and said hinge lines being positioned substantially normal to said elongated rod.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
A security box as set forth in claim 7 said box housing being sized lengthwise to fit between two studs in said wall, and including anchor means adapted to cooperate with each side wall of said housing and that stud adjacent each side wall to mount said security box in fixed position in said wall.
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) | 1980-08-22 | 1981-02-21 | 1981-08-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-22 | 1985-02-21 | 1985-08-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-22 | 1989-02-21 | 1989-08-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |