GB2135380A - A timelock - Google Patents

Abstract

In a time lock in which an operating bar 24 is blocked by a bolt 18 until a pre-set time, the timing device 8 is electrically operated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A time lock This invention relates to a time lock.

Time locks for safes are known and they are installed in safes to prevent the safes being opened before a predetermined time has elapsed.

This means that criminals obtaining access to a safe key still cannot enter the safe until the time set on the time lock has elapsed.

The known time locks each include a casing having a bore. In order to open a safe fitted with the time lock, a handle on the safe has to be turned and this causes a bar on the safe door to pass along the bore in the time lock. One or two bolts are arranged to extend transversely across the bore in the time lock to block the bore until the time set on the time lock as elapsed so that the safe door cannot be operated prematurely because the bar cannot pass through the bore.

When the time set on the time lock as elapsed, the bolts automatically withdraw out of the bore and the safe can be opened because the bar can then pass through the bore.

The known time locks have time set on them by clocks which are manually set for time and which are manually wound up. Suitable clocks for the known time locks can be obtained from the firm of Sonceboz of Sonceboz, Switzerland. The manual setting of time on the clocks and the manual winding up of the clocks, is time consuming and often inconvenient. The time setting and winding up operations must be done at the place where the time lock is installed, for example at the safe door. It may be however that the safe is in a restricted access are for extra security so that only certain personnel have access to that area and can thus set the time on the time lock.Furthermore, the time lock will usually only be set at night when banks and similar places are closing, and closing time is not the most auspicious time for effecting the important yet time consuming operations required for setting the time lock.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce this problem.

Accordingly, this invention provides an electrically operated time lock having an electrically operated clock.

The electrically operated clock does not require manually winding up and the time can easily be set on the clock, for example simply by pushing or touching appropriate time setting buttons.

Furthermore, the time can be set on the clock from a remote location, for example from a non-secure part of a bank.

Usually, the time lock will have a pair of electrically operated clocks which operate in unison and which are both separately effective to operate the time lock. Thus a back-up system is provided if one of the clocks should fail.

The electrically operated clock may have a basically standard mechanism so that the precise construction and operation of the clock need not be described. The clock will be appropriately connected to the other parts of the time lock.

The time lock may include a casing having a bore, and one or more electrically operated bolts for extending transversely across the bore to block the bore until the time set on the time lock has elapsed.

The electrically operated bolts may be solenoid operated.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing, there is schematically shown a time lock 2 which comprises a power pack 4, a time setting unit 6, a timing unit 8, and an activating unit 10.

The power pack 4 may be mains and/or battery operated. The power pack 4 provides power for the time setting unit 6 via the connection 12. The power pack 4 may be situated internally or externally of the time lock 2.

The time setting unit 6 is provided with dials or buttons (not shown) for setting the desired time in the time lock 2. The buttons may be push or touch operated buttons.

The timing unit 8 is connected to the time setting unit 6 via the connecting 14. The timing unit 8 operates for the length of time set on the time setting unit 6. The time lock 2 may have a visual display (not shown) of the time set on the time setting unit 6 and of the time continuing operation of the timing unit 8 before the set time elapses. The timing unit 8 is preferably provided with a suitable back-up device, for example a second timing unit. When a second timing unit is employed, both timing units are advantageously arranged to be operated by the same time setting unit 6.

When the time set on the time setting unit 6 elapses, the timing unit 8 activates an activating unit 10 via a connection 1 6. The activating unit 10 includes a bolt 1 8 which is arranged to extend transversely across a bore 20 in a casing 22 of the time lock 2 whilst there is still time to run in the timing unit 8. A safe bar 24 on a safe door (not shown) thus cannot pass fully along the bore 20.

The bar 24 is connected to the safe handle (not shown) and it is the turning of the safe handle to open the safe door that causes the bar 24 to try and pass along the bore 20. Thus, whilst the bore 20 is blocked by the bolt 18, the bar 24 cannot pass along the bore 20, the safe handle therefore cannot be turned, and the safe door therefore cannot be opened.

When the set time elapses, the activating unit 10 operates and a solenoid 26 operates to withdraw the bolt 18 from the bore 20. The bar 24 can then pass through the bore 20 and the safe can be opened.

Clearly, having the safe key is no help if the bolt 1 8 is still in position in the bore 20. Thus a raider who might obtain the safe key by force still cannot gain entry into the safe until the time set in the time lock 2 has elapsed, and this will usually be arranged such that the safe can only be opened during normal business hours.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the various units 4, 6, 8, 1 0 can be mounted separately or together.

The bolt 18 may be replaced by another type of blocking device, for example a plate, or two bolts 1 8 or other blocking devices may be used. The safe may alternatively be a vault, drawer or other security container. The time set by the time setting unit 6 may be, for example, from fifteen minutes to seven days. The time may lapse in predetermined increments, for example in increments of fifteen minutes.

A time lock 2 as illustrated may be easily set.

Furthermore, the time setting unit 6 can be situated in any desired convenient position and remote from the activating unit 10. Appropriate personnel can thus set time in the time lock 2 without having to approach the safe, vault or other security container where the activating unit 10 may be placed.

The time lock 2 may be so arranged that any attempts to interfere with the wiring, for example the connections 12, 14, 16 will cause the bolt 18 to automatically enter the bore 20 (if it is not already present) and to stay there until authorised personnel work on the time lock 2. Also, audio and/or visual alarm means may be arranged to operate as a result of any attempt to tamper with the wiring.

Claims (5)

1. An electrically operated time lock having an electrically operated clock.

2. A time lock according to claim 1 in which there are a pair of the electrically operated clocks which operate in unison and which are both separately effective to operate the time lock.

3. A time lock according to claim 1 or claim 2 which has a casing having a bore, and one or more electrically operated bolts for extending transversely across the bore to block the bore until the time set on the time lock has elapsed.

4. A time lock according to claim 3 in which the electrically operated bolts are solenoid operated.

5. An electrically operated time lock substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.