GB2078286A - A countershield unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A countershield unit (1) for positioning above a counter (3), e.g. of a bank, comprises a hollow audio frame (2) supported on the counter (3) and a glazing unit (4) fixed to, and positioned above, the audio frame (2). The audio frame (2) has openings (10) therein and houses electronic sound amplifying means to facilitate the passage of sound from one to the other side of the countershield unit (1). Conveniently the electronic sound amplifying means includes an amplifier (30), at least one speaker (31,32) and at least one microphone (33, 34). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A countershield unit This invention relates to a countershield unit for positioning above a counter (e.g. of a bank) and to a counter having such a countershield attached thereto.

According to one aspect of the invention a countershield unit for positioning above a counter comprises a hollow audio frame adapted to be supported on a counter and a glazing unit fixed to, and positioned above, the audio frame, the audio frame having means for facilitating the passage of sound from one to the other side of the countershield unit comprising openings formed in front and back walls of the audio frame and electronic sound amplifying means positioned at least partly in the hollow audio frame.

Suitably the sound amplifying means include, housed inside the hollow audio frame, an electronic amplifier and at least one speaker connected thereto.

Preferably two speakers are provided - one arranged to transmit sound to one side of the countershield unit and the other arranged to transmit sound to the other side of the countershield unit. The sound amplifying means may also include a pair of microphones arranged, typically, outside the hollow audio frame on opposite sides of the countershield unit. Alternatively a single microphone may be provided which may be arranged inside the hollow audio frame.

Preferably components of the electronic sound amplifying means which are arranged inside the hollow audio frame are so positioned to enable wiring or ducting for any additional fitments, e.g.

lights, to pass unobstructed along the audio frame.

Conveniently each of the front and back walls of the audio frame comprises an outer panel having a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein. The outer panel may be backed with an audio fabric, e.g.

a black audio fabric, and a metallic mesh, e.g. an expanded aluminium mesh. Typically the slots formed in the outer panel of one of said front and back walls are staggered relative to the slots formed in the outer panel of the other of said front and back walls.

The countershield unit may be provided with a pair of spaced apart forwardly extending side glazing panels extending perpendicularly to the glazing unit and positioned at opposite ends of the countershield unit.

Typically the audio frame and glazing unit are supported in an external, typically hollow, frame.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a counter having attached thereto a countershield unit according to said one aspect of the invention.

Conveniently the counter has a pay tray recessed into its upper surface beneath the audio frame.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view from the rear of a countershield unit according to the invention, Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view through the countershield unit shown in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1, and Figure 4 is a schematic view showing the arrangement of electronic sound amplifying means in an audio frame of the countershield unit shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figures 1 and 2 show a countershield unit, generally designated 1, comprising a hollow audio frame 2 supported on a counter 3, a glazing unit 4 fixed to, and positioned above, the audio frame 2 and an external frame 21 surrounding the frame 2 and unit 4.

As can be seen in Figure 3, the audio frame 2 has a top wall 2a, a bottom wall 2b bolted to the counter 3, a rear wall 2c and a front wall 2d. The rear wall 2c consists of a sheet of black audio fabric 7 sandwiched between an inner expanded aluminium mesh 8 and an outer panel 9 formed integrally with the top and bottom walls 2a and 2b and having a plurality of horizontally spaced apart vertical slots 10.The front wall 2dconsists of vertical flanges 11 and 12 formed integrally with top and bottom walls 2a and 2b, respectively, an outer panel 13 having a plurality of vertical slots 14 (only one of which can be seen in Figure 3) spaced apart substantially the same distance as slots 10 and suitably, although not essentially, arranged to be staggered relative thereto, the panel 13 being bolted to the flanges 11 and 12, an inner expanded aluminium mesh 15 and a sheet of black audio fabric 16 sandwiched between the panel 13 and the mesh 15.

The glazing unit 4 has a transparent glazing panel 17, e.g. of a tough, anti-bandit quality glazing material, retained by means of a silicone seal 18 along its lower edge in a channel-shaped frame 6 which is bolted to the top wall 2a of the frame 2. The upper and side edges of the glazing panel 17 are retained by means of a silicone seal 19 in a channel-shaped recess 20 formed in the frame 21, the latter having a horizontal top part 21a and spaced apart vertical side parts 21 band 21c. Each part of the external frame 21 comprises a box-section shaped front section 22 of extruded aluminium bolted along its length to an extruded aluminium rail 23 to define the recess 20. A channel-shaped rear section 24 of extruded aluminium is detachably fixed to the rail 23 to define a hollow box-section part of the frame 21.

A pair of vertically disposed side glazing units 25 (only one of which can be seen in Figures 2 and 3) are positioned at opposite ends of the countershield unit 1 so as to extend forwardly of, and perpendicularly to, the glazing unit 4. Each glazing unit 25 comprises a shaped glazing panel 26 retained along a vertical side edge in a channel-shaped glazing frame 27 (similar in shape to the glazing frame 6) and along a horizontal bottom edge in a channel-shaped glazing frame 28 (also similar in shape to the glazing frame 6). The glazing frame 27 of each side glazing unit 25 is bolted to the front section 22 of the side part 21b (or 21c) of the external frame.

As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, a pay tray 29 is recessed into the counter 3. This enables, for example in a bank, money to pass between a customer at the front of the countershield unit and a teller at the rear of the countershield unit.

The audio frame 2, in addition to having the slots 10 and 14 formed in the panels 9 and 13, respectively, to facilitate the passage of sound from one side to the other of the countershield unit, also has electronicsound amplifying means housed at least partly therein. In Figure 4there is shown an arrangement of sound amplifying means consisting of an amplifier circuit 30 having connected thereto speakers 31 and 32 and microphones 33 and 34. Conveniently the amplifier circuit 30 and speakers 31 and 32 are arranged inside the audio frame 2 and the microphones 33 and 34 are positioned externally of the frame 2.Suitably the microphone 33 is mounted at the rear (or teller) side of the countershield unit 1, e.g. mounted on the counter 3, signals picked up from the microphone 33 being amplified in circuit 30 and passed to speaker 31 which is arranged inside the frame 2 to direct the amplified sound through the front wall 2c of the unit 1. Similarly the microphone 34 is arranged, e.g. on the counter 3, at the front (or customer) side of the countershield unit 1, signals picked up from the microphone 34 being amplified in circuit 30 and passed to speaker 32 which is positioned inside the frame 2 to directthe amplified sound through the rear wall 2d of the unit 1.

Although the amplifier circuit 30 is shown represented as a single unit it should be realised that in practice it may consist of two or more units connected together.

Wiring or ducting associated with the electronic sound amplifying means and further wiring or ducting 36 associated with other electrical fitments (not shown), e.g. lighting mounted on the unit 1 or a video display unit which may be housed in the audio frame 2 so as to be visible through an opening (not shown) in the rear wall 2c, are positioned inside the hollow audio frame 2 and possibly also inside parts of the hollow external frame 21.

In other embodiments of the invention (not shown), a single microphone (typically housed within the audio frame) is provided. Furthermore a counter 3 may be provided with more than one countershield unit attached thereto. In this case the units 1 may be mounted in a single external frame 21.

Claims (14)

1. A countershield unit for positioning above a counter comprising a hollow audio frame adapted to be supported on a counter and a glazing unit fixed to, and positioned above, the audio frame, the audio frame having means for facilitating the passage of sound from one to the other side of the countershield unit comprising openings formed in front and back walls of the audio frame and electronic sound amplifying means positioned at least partly in the hollow audio frame.

2. A countershield unit according to claim 1, in which the sound amplifying means include, housed inside the hollow audio frame, an electronic amplifier and at least one speaker connected thereto.

3. A countershield unit according to claim 2, in which two speakers are provided - one arranged to transmit sound to one side of the countershield unit and the other arranged to transmit sound to the other side of the countershield unit.

4. A countershield unit according to claim 2 or 3, including a pair of microphones arranged outside the hollow audio frame on opposite sides of the countershield unit.

5. A countershield unit according to claim 2 or 3, including a single microphone arranged inside the hollow audio frame.

6. Acountershield unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which components of the electronic sound amplifying means which are arranged inside the hollow audio frame are so positioned to enable wiring or ducting for any additional fitments, e.g. lights, to pass unobstructed along the audio frame.

7. A countershield unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which each of the front and back walls of the audio frame comprises an outer panel having a plurality of spaced apart slots formed therein.

8. A countershield unit according to claim 7, in which the outer panel is backed with an audio fabric, e.g. a black audio fabric, and a metallic mesh, e.g. an expanded aluminium mesh.

9. A countershield unit, according to claim 7 or 8, in which the slots formed in the outer panel of one of said front and back walls are staggered relative to the slots formed in the outer panel of the other of said front and back walls.

10. A countershield unit according to any of the preceding claims, provided with a pair of spaced apart forwardly extending side glazing panels extending perpendicularly to the glazing unit and positioned at opposite ends of the countershield unit.

11. Acountershield unit according to any of the preceding claims, in which the audio frame and glazing unit are supported in an external frame.

12. A countershield unit constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A counter having attached thereto a countershield unit according to any of the preceding claims.

14. A counter according to claim 13, having a pay tray recessed into its upper surface beneath the audio frame.