Security Box Having Sliding Closure

There is a need to store, transport, and selectively view papers having information on them. This need has been in part satisfied by various small portable boxes that usually have diadvantages relating to their strength, short life, inability to properly hold a small number of papers, and high expense in view of their short life. These boxes are usually made from paper. Metal file cabinets that are well known in offices overcome the difficulties mentioned above, but are too heavy for usual transport, quite expensive, and at least with respect to the lower drawers, difficult to work with when it is desired to view the documents.

Many various general purpose containers are known, but in general they are unsuitable for the above-mentioned usage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a box that may adequately transport, store, and provide viewing of papers or documents, such as checks, which are generally of a similar size and shape. Particularly, this is done in a secure fashion wherein a lid and lock may be provided, and cheaply wherein molded synthetic resin is used as the primary material. The boxes are lightweight and small so that they may be easily handled for moving them from one office to another, for placement upon a desk for easy viewing of the documents contained therein, and for moving them into and out of storage. This handling is facilitated by a handle pivotally secured to one end of the box.

The volume of the boxes may be easily changed by means of an adjustable and lockable interior partition.

The contents of the boxes are noted on cards that are inserted within a transparent envelope at one end of the box. Interlocking structure is provided when stacking the boxes so that they may be stacked in only one orientation, whereby the identification cards for all the stacked boxes may be read at one end only.

Security for the boxes is provided by a lid that interlocks and is prevented from being removed by a lock, such as a key lock, or aligned apertures in the lid and container that may pass therethrough a security tie or pad lock, or the like.

Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment shown in the accompany drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one end of two containers, without lids, that are stacked togther;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 1, but with lids being provided for each of the containers;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the container of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the container, with portions broken away to illustrate structure;

FIG. 6 is one end view of the container, with certain auxiliary structure not shown;

FIG. 7 is an opposite end view of the container with certain auxiliary structure not shown;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the lid for the box of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the lid of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of the lid;

FIG. 11 is an end elevation view of the lid;

FIG. 12 is a detailed end view of the container corresponding to FIG. 7, and illustrating the auxiliary devices;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 13--13 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a detailed end view similar to FIG. 12, but showing additional assembled auxiliary devices;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 15--15 of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 13, showing the key lock in a different position;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 17--17 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 18--18 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 18, but showing the lid and container in a different relative position;

FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 20--20 in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 21--21 in FIG. 3.

A preferred embodiment will be described in detail and is shown in the drawing for purposes of illustration of the broader principles of the present invention and further for showing details that are specific features of the present invention. Like numerals are shown throughout the various figures to indicate like structure.

In FIG. 1, two containers 1 are shown stacked one upon the other so that their end walls 3 may face a user for observing and looking through documents held in the top container, or merely for storing documents where a lid is not required. Each container is of identical structure. In FIG. 2, the same containers are shown in the same position, but each is now provided with a lid 12. The lids are of identical structure.

Each container is provided with opposite end walls 2 and 3, and opposite side walls 4 and 5, which are integrally joined in one piece with each other to form a continuous rectangular vertical wall, and which in turn are integrally joined in one piece with a bottom wall 6. The container is preferably molded in one piece from a synthetic resin, for example polyurethane. The end walls and side walls are preferably vertical, although when molded of one piece, they necessarily have a small mold taper, for example one degree. Their lowermost edges are entirely connected to the entire periphery of the rectangular bottom wall 6. The vertically extending edges of the side and end walls are entirely connected in one piece with their adjacent walls.

The upper edge portions of the side walls 4, 5 and end walls 2, 3 include outwardly extending horizontal flanges 7, connected together around substantially the entire upper periphery of the container to constitute side flanges 8, 9 and end flanges 10, 11.

The lid 12 is preferably molded in one piece from a synthetic resin, for example polyurethane. The lid is of rectangular shape and of a size to close the open top of the container 1, with the peripheral edge portion of the lid being rectangular and having a flange 13 overlying the flange 7 of the container.

The lid 12 is interlockingly assembled onto its container. For this purpose, the flange 7 of the container is provided with a plurality of through apertures 14, preferably with three being in each of the side flanges 8, 9. The lid is integrally formed with a plurality of depending hooks 15 molded in one piece with the lid and at positions such that they are in general alignment with and extend through the apertures 14 when the lid is assembled on the container. For assembly of the lid, the lid is placed above the container with the hooks 15 aligned with the aperture 14, and thereafter the lid is moved downwardly so that the hooks 15 will extend through the apertures 14 as shown in FIG. 18. Thereafter, the lid is translated horizontally relative to the container toward the container end wall 2, so that the hooks will assume the locked position shown in FIG. 19. In FIG. 18, a closed position is shown wherein the lid actually closes the container although it is not locked, and when the lid is moved vertically upward from the position of FIG. 18 to completely disengage the lid and container, any such positions are referred to as a disengaged position.

When in their locked position of FIG. 19, a number of different structures may be employed to lock or securely retain the lid in such position and resist or prevent its movement from the locked position of FIG. 19 to the closed position of FIG. 18. One such device is a key lock 16 having a cylindrical body 17 that passes through a circular aperture in the end wall 3 of the container, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The lock 16 is further provided with an annular flange 18 that overlies the adjacent inside portion of the end wall 3, to prevent the outward removal of the lock. The lock is further secured by two rivets 19 that pass through aligned apertures in the end wall 3 and the flange 18. As mentioned previously, the lid is moved from its closed position of FIG. 18 to its locked position of FIG. 19 by moving the lid toward the end wall 2. Movement of the lid from the position of FIG. 19 to the position of FIG. 18 is prevented by means of the extended plunger of the lock 16 as shown in FIG. 13. When it is desired to remove the lid, the key (not shown), which is of conventional construction in general, is inserted within the lock 16 and rotated to withdraw the plunger 20 from its position of FIG. 13 to its position of FIG. 16, where it is seen that the lid may now assume the closed position of FIGS. 16 and 18. It is seen that each lid is provided with a flat planar horizontal major midportion that is rectangular. This midportion 21 is horizontally inset and vertically recessed from the lid flange 13 and joined to the lid flange 13 by means of a continuous vertical wall 22 forming opposed side and end walls for the lid. It is seen in FIG. 13, that it is this lid wall 22 that will engage the plunger 22 to prevent the movement of the lid from its position of FIG. 19 to its position of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 illustrates a second structure that may be used to secure the lid and container in the locked position of FIG. 19. In such locked position, an aperture 23 in the flange 13 of the lid 12 is aligned with an aperture 24 in the flange 7 of the container 1. A simple security tie (not shown), such as a rope, piece of wire, plastic loop fastener, or the like, may be passed through the aligned apertures 23 and 24 and secured. Some such fasteners can only be disassembled by destroying them, which would indicate that the contents of the box may have been tampered with. For more security, the shackle of a conventional pad lock (not shown) could be passed through the apertures 23, 24.

As a third device for securing the lid and container in their locked position of FIG. 19, the hook and adjacent container may interlock as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. While three devices have been shown, it is understood that only one may be used or any combination of two may used, or all three may be used as illustrated. Each hook is provided with a downwardly extending shaft portion 25 and a horizontally extending return portion 26 that in the position of FIG. 19 underlies the container flange 7. In order to reinforce the area of the lid around the opening 14, there is provided a flange downwardly depending tab portion 31. Upon further movement, the position of FIG. 19 is attained wherein the hook engages the tab 31 to form a friction connection.

To facilitate interlocking of the bottom of one container with the lid of another container when in the stacked position of FIG. 2, the lid and bottom are provided with telescopically interfitting structure. As mentioned above, the lid is provided with an inset and recessed midportion 21. Similarly, the bottom is of substantially the same shape and smaller than the lid midportion, so that in the position of FIG. 2, the top container is being restrained from horizontal movement in any direction by the lid wall 22. The bottom wall 6 comprises a generally rectangular midportion 32 that is horizontally inset with respect to the end walls 2, 3 and side walls 4, 5. The bottom 6 further includes a peripheral bottom flange 34 that is connected around its entire periphery to the adjacent lowermost edges of the end walls 2, 3 and side walls 4, 5. The bottom flange 34 is at a higher elevation than the bottom midportion 32 so that the midportion 32 is recessed with respect to the remainder of the bottom wall 6. A vertical flange 33 forms a part of the bottom wall and integrally connects, around its entire periphery, the horizontal bottom flange 34 and the bottom midportion 32. This vertical bottom flange 33 nests within the vertical lid flange 22 in the position of FIG. 2 with respect to adjacent boxes in the stack. This nesting arrangement of the flanges 33, 22 can be assumed in only one orientation of adjacent boxes, because the vertically aligned lid end wall shown to the left in FIGS. 8 and 9 (not the lid lid end wall shown to the right in FIGS. 8 and 9), and the container end flange 10 are all configured similarly with a mid-horizontally protruding portion 35, whereas the respective opposed end walls are planar. Therefore, the containers and lids cannot stack telescopically in any positions relatively rotated from the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, unless of course adjacent ones are simultaneously rotated the same degree.

Various measures are provided to strengthen both the container and the lid. The container is provided with a plurality of vertically extending ribs 36 that extend outwardly from the side walls. The flange 7 provides rigidity to the upper portion of the container. The lid walls 22 provide rigidity to the lid. An additional vertical flange 37 extends around the entire periphery of the container and depends integrally from the container flange 7. A plurality of webs 38 extend between and are integrally joined to the flanges 37, 7 and adjacent side and end walls of the container.

As shown in FIG. 9, downwardly depending small ribs 28 and 29 are provided to telescopically engage within the central recessed portion of an adjacent lower lid to provide an interlock situation between stacked lids in storage, when only a plurality of lids are stacked one upon another. When the boxes only, that is without lids, are stacked one upon another as shown in FIG. 1, the vertical ribs 36 also provide the function of engaging the top flange 7 of the next lower box to prevent nesting of the boxes that would injure papers contained therein.

As seen in FIG. 3 and in the cutaway portion of FIG. 5, the front end of the box, at the top, is provided with a shelf like horizontal surface 60 recessed within the front wall 2 for receiving the forwardmost edge of lid midportion 21. A full height rib 61 extends upwardly integrally from this shelf 60 to the level of the top surface of the flange 7. When the lid is correctly oriented, it will fit snugly into the top of the box as aforementioned with this full height rib 61 being received within an offset portion 62 of the lid shown in FIG. 9. However, if the lid were rotated 180 degrees, that is misoriented, this full height rib 61 would prevent the lid from being received within the box and would prevent engagement of the hooks 15 within the openings 14, so that the assembler would know that the assembly is being done incorrectly. Partial height ribs 63 extend only a small distance upwardly from the shelf 60 so that when the lid is in the position of FIG. 19, movement of the lid toward the position of FIG. 18 is positively blocked by such ribs 63, and movement to the position of FIG. 18 is only accomplished by lifting the forward edge of the lid to thereby warp the lid temporarily so that the midportion 21 of the lid may be moved upwardly over and across the ribs 63. Therefore, the ribs 63 are an additional means for locking the lid in a closed position.

The bottom wall 6 of the container is provided with a central channel 39 that is downwardly recessed from the remaining midportion 32 of the bottom wall. The channel 39 extends for substantially the entire length of the bottom midportion 32 parallel to the adjacent side walls. A metallic channel member 40 having a uniform cross section throughout its length is secured within the central channel by means of a plurality of rivets 41 that extend through the bottom wall and channel member. The channel member, due to its uniform cross sectional shape, provides an upwardly opening T-shaped slot in which is slidingly received a tongue 42. The tongue 42 is part of an L-shaped partition having a partition wall 43 integral with the tongue 42, both of which are preferably constructed of sheet metal. The partition wall 43 extends vertically over a major cross sectional area of the container interior. The L-shaped partition 42, 43, is selectively locked in different positions along the length of the container so as to adjust the size of the container interior to different volumes of papers to be held therein. This adjustment locking is provided by a lock lever 44 that is pivotally secured to the partition wall 43 about a horizontal pivot axis 45 by suitable bearing, preferably being a rod secured in the lock lever 44 and passing through holes in vertical ears 46 that are rigid with the partition wall 43. The rod forming the pivot axis 45 is horizontal and perpendicular to the side walls. The lock lever has a friction portion 47 at its lower terminal end for engaging the channel member at a point below and horizontally offset from the pivot axis 45 in the direction toward the end wall 2. It is seen that with this engagement as illustrated in FIG. 13, the tongue 42 will prevent the L-shaped partition from moving upwardly and any force caused by papers against the partition wall 43 to move the partition wall 43 away from the end wall 3 will be prevented by the toggle action or canting action of the lever between the pivot axis 45 and the engagement point of the friction portion 47. The lock lever 44 is additionally provided with a hand engageable portion 48 that is spaced from and adjacent the top of the partition wall 43 and generally diametrically opposed to the friction portion 47 with respect to the pivot axis 45. The hand engageable portion 48 may be grasped and moved toward the partition wall 43 to release the friction portion 47 from its locked position illustrated in FIG. 13 to a released position wherein it is spaced from the channel member and out of engagement with the channel member so that thereafter in the released position, the partition wall may be adjusted in the direction of the box length. A torsion spring 49 is helically wrapped about the pivot axis 45 and connected at one end 50 to the partition wall 43 and at its opposite end (not shown) to the lock lever 44 to bias the lock lever into its engaged position. Alternatively, the lock lever may be weighted so that gravity will bias it into its engaged position. Preferably, the partition wall 43, tongue 42, lock lever 44, spring 49, rod forming the pivot axis 45, and attached structure are constructed of metal, although they may be constructed from other materials.

To identify the contents of the boxes, there is preferably provided a transparent envelope 51 having an open end 52 for receiving therein an identification card (not shown). The envelope 51 is secured to the end wall 3 by means of a rivet and a spacer 53.

To facilitate handling of the boxes, a loop shaped handle 54 is rotatably secured by means of a suitable fastener 55 secured to the end wall 3 by a rivet 56, so that it may be swung from its normal weight biased position shown in FIG. 13 substantially 90 degrees or less outwardly in a clockwise direction from its illustrated position in FIG. 13 during usage.

The container has been illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 without the key lock 17, handle 54 and envelope 51 for purposes of illustration. In fact, if desired, such items may be omitted although they are desirable in their own right.

While a preferred embodiment including various details has been shown for purposes of illustrating the present invention, further embodiments, variations and modifications are possible in accordance with the broader aspects of the present invention, all as defined by the spirit and scope of the following claims.