Check-actuated control mechanisms – Including part locked by detent and released by check – And means to impart thrust to check to unlock part
Patent
1989-02-03
1990-07-17
Rolla, Joseph J.
Check-actuated control mechanisms
Including part locked by detent and released by check
And means to impart thrust to check to unlock part
194298, 194905, G07F 1700
Patent
active
049415603
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
THIS INVENTION relates to a security device for trolleys or other equipment stored in queues, rows or stacks. The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, a security device for supermarket trolleys.
(2) Prior Art
Large supermarkets may provide several hundred shopping trolleys for the convenience of their customers. The collection of the shopping trolleys from the surrounding car parks is very labour intensive, as there is little incentive for shoppers to return the trolleys to designated collection points.
A system has been developed in West Germany where the shopping trolleys are releasably connected together in queues and stacks within the supermarket. The customer inserts a coin into a unit which connects adjacent trolleys in each queue or stack to release the first available trolley. On returning the trolley to the trolley queue or stack, and connecting it to the queue or stack, the unit returns the coin. While this system has reduced labour costs for the collection of the trolleys, it has been found that the units can easily be tampered with, fail to release the coins, and are prone to frequent failure due to internal wear and damage.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a single, yet effective, device for releasably securing supermarket trolleys or other hire equipment together.
It is a preferred object, to provide a device which is robust, simple to operate, and generally vandal proof.
Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.
In a broad aspect the present invention resides in a security device for releasably connecting an article to at least one other article in a queue, row or stack of the articles, the device including:
a body mountable on the article;
a flexable member attached to one end of the body and having a key means at its free end;
a longitudinal cavity in the other end of the body to releasably receive the key means of a similar device on a second article in the queue, row or stack;
a locking arm in the cavity to releasably engage the key of the device on the second article;
a tongue in the body operable to move the locking arm between respective released and engaged positions with the key of the device on the second article; and
an operating member movably mounted in the body arranged to receive a coin or token and so arranged that the operating member will move the tongue only when a coin or token is received in the operating member.
The body may be die cast or moulded of plastic and may be arranged to be clamped or otherwise fixed to the article e.g. on a handle thereof.
Preferably the flexible member is a chain or cable.
Preferably the tongue is slidably mounted in the cavity in the body.
Preferably the locking arm is hingedly or pivotally mounted in the cavity and has a first cam face engageable by the tongue to move the locking arm to its released position to enable the key to be withdrawn from the body, and a second cam face engageable by the key to enable the key to be inserted into the body.
Preferably the locking arm includes a recess or abutment to releasably engage the tongue when the key has been withdrawn, to prevent access to the coin.
Preferably the locking arm includes a peg or pin releasably engageable in a slot or recess in the key when the locking arm is in its engaged position
Preferably a spring is provided in the body to urge the locking arm to its engaged position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To enable the invention to be fully understood, a preferred embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a prespective view of the device fitted to the handle of a supermarket trolley;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the device;
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the device;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views of the device, taken on line 4-4 on FIG. 2, showing the device in its locked and released positions respec
REFERENCES:
patent: 2753970 (1956-07-01), Breeler
patent: 4474280 (1984-10-01), Lenander
patent: 4635782 (1987-01-01), Wieth et al.
patent: 4691816 (1987-09-01), Trubiano
patent: 4766989 (1988-08-01), Maloeuvre et al.
GDT Pty. Ltd.
Rolla Joseph J.
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