GB2291116A - Locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking device, particularly for securement of a cash cassette in a supermarket environment, comprises a first part of generally C-shape, comprising limbs (6a, 6b, 6c), and a second part of L-shape, comprising limbs (8a, 8d). When a cash cassette (20) is mounted on a conventional base plate adjacent to a till, the locking device may be mounted around the cash cassette, and locked in position to secure the cassette to the base plate (22), preventing the cash cassette being removed from the base plate. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Improvements relating to cash cassettes Description of Invention This invention is concerned with improvements relating to cash cassettes, and in particular to cash cassettes of the kind as are used temporarily to store cash, cheques or the like in retail outlets such as supermarkets. The invention is specifically directed towards the provision of a security lock for a cash cassette of this type.

A conventional cash cassette is in the form of a box secured in position to a platform adjacent to a till (the platform being conventionally termed the "base plate"), the box comprising a body and a pivoted lid, mounted for movement between open and closed positions, and conventionally a key operated lock to lock the cassette closed.

It is current practice in supermarkets to man tills only as and when required, and at any one time a number of tills may be unmanned.

Increasingly the cash cassettes at unmanned tills have been subjected to theft, either in the form of the cassette itself being prised from the base plate, or the lock holding the lid closed being broken, and the contents of the cassette stolen.

Whilst the solution to this problem would be the utilisation of a cash cassette which is significantly more robust and thief-proof, there are nonetheless a very large number of cash cassettes currently in use, which are at risk, and a temporary solution, of removing the cassette from the base plate for depositing in a secure location when the till is unmanned is tedious and time consuming, particularly when a till may be unmanned for a relatively short period of time.

It is one of the various objects of this invention to provide a locking device for a cash cassette of the kind described above, which is effective to improve significantly the security of the cassette particularly during periods when the till is unmanned.

According to this invention there is provided a locking device for a cash cassette, the locking device being adapted to embrace the cassette on at least three, preferably four sides thereof.

Preferably the locking device when secured to a cash cassette is also operative to embrace a surface of the platform to which the cassette is secured.

Advantageously the locking device when in position may extend over the lock of the cassette.

Preferably the locking device comprises two limbs which in use extend fully across two sides of the cassette, and two further limbs which extend partially across two further sides of the cassette.

Preferably one of said limbs is extensible, whereby the locking device may be "opened", enabling it to be located on and around a cassette in position at a till, and subsequently closed to embrace the cassette and the platform on which the cassette is mounted.

Preferably the locking device comprises a lock mechanism to retain the device in its closed position, conveniently in the form of a key-operated lock.

Where the cassette is mounted on a conventional base plate, which is itself secured to (e.g.) a check-out desk, the locking device may be engaged beneath the base plate so as to secure the cassette to the base plate. In this manner, a high degree of security is obtained.

Where however the base plate is secured to the check-out desk in a manner such that the locking device is not capable of being engaged beneath the base plate, preferably the locking device is provided in combination with a supplementary member which may be located between the desk and the base plate, which then enables the locking device to be engaged beneath the base plate.

Preferably the supplementary member is provided by a plate provided with a recess of a size sufficient to locate one of the limbs of the locking device.

By removal of the base plate, and securing of the supplementary member to the desk, and re-securing the base plate in position on top of the supplementary member, the locking device may be engaged around the cassette embracing the cassette on four sides thereof, with one of the limbs engaging beneath the base plate, being located in the recess of the supplementary member, and thereby securing the cassette to the base plate.

According to this invention there is also provided in combination, for use with the cash cassette, a locking device and a spacer member, the locking device comprising limbs adapted to embrace the cassette of four sides thereof, the spacer member being provided with a recess in which one of the limbs of the device may be located.

The locking device may be manufactured primarily of folded sheet steel, and may thus be manufactured to a robust and secure construction.

There will now be given a detailed description to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a locking device which is a preferred embodiment of this invention, having been selected for the purposes of illustrating the invention by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 2 is a view showing the preferred embodiment in use in securing a cash cassette to a till platform; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the preferred embodiment, together with a supplementary spacer member; and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the modified form in use.

The locking device which is the preferred embodiment of this invention comprises a first part 6 of box-construction, being generally C-shape, comprising limbs 6a, 6b, 6c and a second part 8 of L-shape, comprising limbs 8a 8d. The limb 8d is of thin plate-like construction, enabling it to be inserted into a narrow gap, whilst the limb 8a is slidably received within the box-section limb 6a, guide slots 10 being provided in side walls of the limb 8a with pins 12 extending through side walls of the limb 6a to guide the part 8 for rectilinear movement relative to the part 6 between open and closed position.

The limb 6b is provided with a concavity 16.

Figure 2 shows a conventional cash cassette 20, mounted on a platform or base plate 22 provided adjacent to a till, the cassette 20 comprising a body part 24 and a lid 26 mounted on the body for movement between open and closed positions, a lock 28 being provided to lock the lid closed. In conventional manner, the cassette 20 is located in a recess 23 provided in the platform 22.

In the use of the locking device which is the preferred embodiment of the invention, the limb 8a is extended to its maximum extent relative to the limb 6a, and the part 6 is moved into a position in which it embraces the majority of the top face of the cash cassette, the front wall, with the limb 6e extending beneath the cassette and the platform 22 on which it is mounted.

The part a is then moved inwards, until the limb 8d embraces the rear wall of the cassette, lock 9 operating to retain the device in this closed position.

Preferably as is showed in figure 2 the locking device is mounted generally centrally of the cash cassette, in a position such that the lock 28 of the cassette extends into the recess 16 provided on the limb 6b of the first part, to prevent unauthorised access to the lock. Additionally such engagement prevents the locking device from being moved laterally.

Preferably the lock of the locking device is an auto-lock device of the known kind, releasable by a key also in conventional manner.

Thus the locking device which is the preferred embodiment of the invention extends wholly across the front of the cash cassette, and wholly across the top, extending in part across the bottom, and in part across the rear. In addition to protecting the lock 28, the locking device retains the cassette on the platform, tightly embracing the cash cassette and the platform, and is not only of a robust construction, but also has the appearance of being of robust construction, to deter theft.

Whilst the preferred embodiment is suitable for use in a situation where the base plate is mounted at the cash desk in such a way as to enable the limb 6c to be engaged beneath the base plate, in certain circumstances the base plate may be secured to the cash desk in such a manner as to prevent the locking device being engaged beneath the base plate, and a modified form of the preferred embodiment is particularly suitable for use in such circumstances.

The modified construction comprises a locking device similar to the preferred embodiment, in which similar numerals increased by 100 have been utilised to identify similar parts, and is used in combination with a supplementary or spacer plate 120 provided with a recess 121. The limb 106e of the locking device is made significantly thinner than the limb 6e of the preferred embodiment, and conveniently is similar in thickness to the limb 8d of the preferred embodiment, and is preferably of a thickness similar to the thickness of the supplementary plate 120, having a width similar to the width of the recess 121.

In use, the base plate which, as has been explained is inaccessible from beneath, is removed from the desk, and the supplementary member is secured to the desk with the recess 122 directed outwardly, and the base plate 122 is secured in position to the desk as previously, through the intermediary of the supplementary plate 120.

The locking device of Figure 3 may now be engaged around the cassette 120, specifically around four sides thereof, with the limb 106e engaging beneath the base plate, entering into the recess 121.

In this manner, the cassette is firmly secured to the base plate, which in turn is firmly secured to the desk.

Whilst the locking device which is the preferred embodiment of the invention has been devised specifically for cash cassettes of the anchor data systems type, it will be appreciated that the principle may be utilised in the securement of cash cassettes of other system types.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (10)

1. A locking device for a cash cassette, the locking device being adapted to embrace the cassette on at least three, preferably four sides thereof.

2. A locking device according to Claim 1 which when secured to the cash cassette is also operative to embrace a surface of the platform to which the cassette is secured.

3. A locking device according to one of Claims 1 and 2 which when in position extend over the lock of the cassette.

4. A locking device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising two limbs which in use extend fully across two sides of the cassette, and two further limbs which extend partially across two further sides of the cassette.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein one of the limbs of the device is extensible, whereby the locking device may be "opened", enabling it to be located on and around a cassette in position at a till, and subsequently closed to embrace the cassette and the platform on which the cassette is mounted.

6. A locking device according to Claim 5 comprising a lock mechanism to retain the device in its closed position.

7. In combination, a locking device according to any one of the preceding claims and a supplementary member which may be located between the cassette and the platform on which it is mounted, and which enables the locking device to be engaged beneath the platform.

8. The combination according to Claim 7 wherein the supplementary member is provided by a plate provided with a recess of a size sufficient to locate one of the limbs of the locking device.

9. A locking device for a cash cassette, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or novel combination of features hereinbefore described and/or shown in the accompanying drawings.