Safes – bank protection – or a related device – Wall and panel structures – closures and closure adjuncts – With closure fastening means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-06
2001-09-25
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Safes, bank protection, or a related device
Wall and panel structures, closures and closure adjuncts
With closure fastening means
C109S064000, C070S118000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293207
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an enclosure for housing an automatic teller machine or other component requiring a high degree of security against unauthorized entry.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) necessarily store large amounts of cash and are installed in locations which make them readily accessible to customers. Such ease of access coupled with physical locations in shopping malls, building lobbies and the like which may have minimal foot traffic at night and on weekends can make such machines an easy target for the theft of their contents unless good security measures are undertaken. Another requirement of an ATM is that its contents be readily accessible to authorized personnel who must on a regular basis replenish the supply of cash and service electronic and mechanical equipment within the ATM. Thus, the security measures taken must allow easy access to authorized personnel.
Various approaches have been taken to meet these challenges. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,445, a secure enclosure for housing an ATM is provided in which a section expands from a closed position to an expanded position when access into the enclosure is needed for servicing. The purpose of such construction is to provide an ATM machine which can be installed in a relatively small space and yet provide an enclosed secure maintenance area when needed, but which does not take up space when not needed. Other techniques for providing access to the contents of an ATM to authorized personnel while maintaining some level of security are disclosed in the following U.S. Patents:
4,911,087
Self Banking Kiosk
5,299,511
Bellcrank Assembly for Moving an ATM
Module
4,577,562
Teller Machine Enclosure
5,036,779
Automatic Teller Machine Enclosure
5,379,704
Service Access System for Automatic
Teller Kiosk
4,681,044
Access Door System
4,557,352
Apparatus and Method for Drive-Up Banking
5,222,445
Automatic Teller Machine Maintenance
Enclosure
However, the prior art typically relies upon existing safe technology for securing the contents of an ATM such as a combination or key lock, both of which can be compromised relatively easily by an experienced thief having knowledge of the security techniques employed in safes. It should be noted that ATM safes are relatively small when compared with bank vaults which can have much greater security measures since vaults can be located in much more secure environments as they do not need to be located so as to provide easy access by customers.
Locks on such relatively small safes can be attacked in numerous different ways depending upon the specifics of the lock because at least some of the lock elements, by necessity, are exposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to overcome security issues inherent in safes of the type which may be used in association with an ATM. Specifically, the present invention utilizes an electronic lock, a concealed hinge door and a lock wheel which operates strike bolts & strike bars internal to the safe or ATM. The electronic lock operates by a key pad into which a required security code may be entered. When the correct code is entered, a solenoid within the electronic lock retracts allowing the lock wheel to rotate. When the lock wheel is rotated, strike bolts extending into the top an d bottom of the enclosure and left and right strike bars extending to the sides of the enclosure a re retracted enabling the door to be pulled open. The door construction is such that there are no external hinges which may be drilled out, and the door itself is recessed so that it cannot be pried open. Attempts to turn the lock wheel when the solenoid is engaged have no effect because the wheel cannot be turned without breaking.
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Barrett Suzanne Dino
Blakely & Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman
Citicorp Development Center Inc.
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