US1487926A - Burglar-trapping apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 25, 1,924.`

Y T. D. EVANS BURGLAR TRAPPING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 25 1922 his llam'y March 25, 1924; 1,487,926

T. D'. EVANS BURGLAR TRAPPI NG APPARATUS Filed Jan. 2e. 1922 2 Sheets-shea 2 /mfenicu' Vzn asses. l /7 Patented Mar. 25, 1924.

entranA STATES Matez@- i rraNr orrice.

application med Jannarypae, 1922. ser-iai no. senss.

To all' 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS D. EVANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Phoenixville, in the county of Chester and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in-Burglar-Trapping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.l The main object of I'ny invention is to revent the carrying out of thefts by burg ars or-bandi'ts in `banks or other institutions.

Another object is tovprovide novel and effective apparatus for the purpose above mentioned which can be readily set in operation after the bandit within a building whereby t e hurglar o r bandit will be revented from leaving the building unti the arrival of the police.

These objects,

ends which will be described hereinafter, I-

attain in the following manner, reference being] had to the accompanying drawings in whic Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a' por- A tion of a building illustrating myimproved apparatus,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3`is a section taken on the lline 3 3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 1,

Figures (Sand 7 are enlarged fragmentary elevations illustrating certain of the features of in invention; the cover of the controlling box eing removedand certain o f tl e `foa tures being illustrated diagrammaticahy.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the top plate of the door as shown in Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is a view of the same general character as shown in the trapping door having been partly raise and Figure 10 is a view-of the same general character as that shown in Figure 8 show ing a slight modification of the parts.

Referring to the drawings, 12 re resents the wall of a building including a oorway 13 which =will be considered the only means of entrance or exit from th'e building; said doorway extending above the floor 14; the

entering of a bur lar orand other advantageous Y 'ing 18 so that'th top of the iip Figure 8 illustratin" 7 side of lowered position. The upper end portion of 110' -wall at each side of the doorway being 'ref cessed to rovide a deway 15 upward through w ich the sign] door 16 are adapted to slide. The door 16 is normally mountedin the basement or, ce1- lar 16 of the buildin recessed at 17 to provi 18;'said housing having aportion 19 whic fits within anjopenin 2O in thev fioor. The housing 18 is preferaly made. with l'its to flush with the upper surface of the floran said housing has a lslot 21 Vupward through which the door`16 is adapted being noted that the slot 21` is in ali ent with the recess and guideway 15 in-t e wall and extends transversel ofthe doorway.

A flexible resilient plate 22'is.sec'ured to the top of the door ,16' y angles-23, and said plate, when the door ism its lower sition, fits 'within a recess 24 inthe to 'oft e houslte22 is flush with the top 'surface of the oor so that any one entering the Vbuildin through the. doorway 13 can walk upon t e .plate22 without stumbling. This.' ate' 221s normallyof a shape shown in lgure 9 with-its opposite edge portionsbowed downward a'nd it will be noted that when the do'or is lowered'that the weight ofthe .door is suiiicient to lcause said plate 22 to assume a at position such as shown in Figure 8 when the plate engages within the recess24. v l

The door 16, when in its lowered position, has portions adjacent its side edges slidable within guideways 25 which can be secured to the inner surface of the wall '12. Toothed racksv 26 are secured to the door upright positions a shown in Figure 1 an spur gear wheels 27 mesh with these racks and are secured to a shaft 28.; said shaft being rotatable in suitable bearings 29 which are secured to the wall 12. A. chain 30 operatively connects a sprocket wheel 31 on the shaft 28 with a s rocket wheel-32 on' the driving shaft 33 ov an electrically o erated motor 34 and it will be noted that w en the motoris electrically driven that it will rotate the shaft 28 and the spur gear wheels 27 will engage the raz'ks 26 and raise the door 16, 1 I have. illustrated a detent latch 35 which is pivotally mounted within a box 36; said box bein secured to the wall 12 adjacent one the door 16 when the latter is in its e edge portions of a.'-

to slide.;A it

ered position, engages and holds 4closed a I' 4*Figure-1; the switch being normally sup-` ported by a latch 43 which has one part 44 the "latch normallyrests against the side. edge of the door ina manner 'shown in Figlire 6 and when the door is raised so that its lower end clears the' latch, the -latch will swing automatically to' present-the detent l ortion 37 under thedower'edge 38 of the The latch 35 includes an A'angular part 39 .for engagement with the side of the, doorA so that t e lower lright hand corner of 'the door will be embraced when-the door is in .the motor-'34. The circuit including the" l, theposition shown in Figure 7 and when the d00r.34 is'thrown out of Ioperation as will be described hereinafter. anarm 40 which, when the door is in its lowswitch41which is in electric connection with switch 41 and the motor 34 however is normally held openby a switch 42 as -shown in forming thl armature of an electro-magnet A 45. O ne or more pushbuttons or-other )suitable` switch closi l' devices 4 6 can loeatedat any convenient place within the building or. institution' in which the appa 'ratus is located and in circuit with thse switch9perating devices 46 lis included a battery o r generator` 47. so that when' the device or devices 46 are operated the lectromagnet 45, which is connected thereto, will be energized and attract the armature por tion 44 of the latch'43 and thereby free the tric circuit throughithemotor 34 and thereby f effect the raising of the door 16.

switch 42 which will move into position relativelv to the contact 48 to complete 'an elec- These devices 46 canbe located in various -positions within the buildin and can beoperated either by hand or by oot by any clerk or other person knowing the location of the l .same so that it the cashier for example is .approached by a bandit or robber he or some other person can manipulate -one ofthe devices 46. Upon the' raising of the'door 16 l to freethe portion37, the latch 35 will fall and in doing so the arm/40 will ,release the switch 41 and a spring 49 will open the switch 41 and thereby stop themotor and the .weight of the door will -allow it to settle slightly so as to jam between the portions 37 i and 39 of the latch 35. When the latch as- "cated Within the boxV 36 whic The latch 35 has' re 1, and

preferable to make this lock of such character thatit wi`l1` require considerable .time toopen the- Asame so that even' though the bandit orrbber would. have access tothe basement, he could n`ot readily open the same nor could he compel aclerk to iuickly openv` the. same so as to eiec't the re ease of .the door-by means of the'. switch" 55 which is also located within the box 52'. This switch` closed to effect a circuit through the motor A3 4 sofas to start the motor and raise the door.

ldsuiiiciently to allowthe latch 3 5 to bet manually moved again intoj-the position shownin Fi re 6; It will be nptedrthat when the latc 35 is moved into its inoperative position as shown in Figure `6 that by" opening the switch 55 the door 16 will move downward due to its own weight. By providing the plate 22 a's above described itwill be noted that as soon as the door' moves upward'the end portions ofthe plate will'bend 4 downward so as to provide a conveiisurface" sothat iiany one-is standing upon the plateY said plate'will. revent injury -to the and willcause t e person to readily-slide oli the same'so as 'not to become injured.

As shown'in Figure 10, I have illustrated a construction in which' the. floor 14 is merely recessed as shownat 17* to provide room for a board or panel 22'L and this panel normally forms a closure for the slot 20'* in the door 'and also provides acover for the top ofthe door 16". Thus whenthe door 16" `israised in th manner described inconnecf tion with the door 16,- thepanel 224 vwill be raised and. will tilt so' that if any one is' i standing upon thepanel 22,.the panel will serve as defiecting means so as to move the person out of the path of the door in'the same manner as accomplished by the curved poi-tions of the Iplate 22 above'described.

It'will be noted that when the door is.

raised that it will be impossible for the bandit or burglar tov get 'out of the building and the sound produced by -the alarm 51.willv attract attention of any one outside of the building' so that the police can be summoned.

The door Y16 can be,used independently of" any other doors .and whenadditional doors are providedthe outer surface of thetrap# los ping door can be painted to produce a sign I such for example as a sign readi as follows: A thief is trapped within this'building. Call the police. In this manner the attention of outsiders can be attracted in'v addition to the 'alarm so that if police are out of hearing of the bell or' other alarm, any person passing the buildin will be informed that a thief isptrap withinthe buildingfand can therebydraw the attentie of theproper authorities.'

taking a particular'form, it will be under- While I have described my' invention as A stoodthat the various parts of my-invention. "uo

' doorway above the o having resilient may be changed without departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am at liberty to'makeisuch changes and alterations as fairly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is '1. The combination with 'a building having a iioor with an opening therein and a doorway abovethe opening, of a door movable upward throu 'h said opening, said door etlecting means thereon lying fiat with said floor for elosin said opening when the door is in lowe position ;v substantially as described.

2. The combination with a building having a floor with an opening therein and a doorway above the opening, of adoor movable vupward through saidopenin and resilient deliecting means on said oor; substantially as described.

3. The combination with a. building having a floor with an opening'therein and a nin of a door movable upward throug said opening, means operative to raise said door, a switch controlling'- said means, an alarm sounding means, a switch controlling said sounding means, and means for loclnng the door in said raised 'position, said means operative when the door is in its lowered position to close said first switch and movable when the door is raised to permit opening of said first switch and effect closing of said second "switcli.

4. The combination with a building having a fioor with an opening therein and a doorway above the o enin of a door movable upward .throng sai opening, means of said switch and effect closing of said second switch.

45. The combination with a building havinga 'floor with an opening therein 'and a doorway above the o able upwardlthroug said opening; means ning, of a door movv foi' moving -said .door upward; latchiiigl means automatically movable tov support said door in its raised position; means operable by the moyement of said latching means for rendering said door moving means inoperative; an alarm device; vand means operable by said latching means forv effecting the operation of said alarm device whenA said door has been raised.; Vsubstantially as 6.A The combination with a building having a floor with an openingtherein and a doorway above the opening, of a door movable upward through said openin anelectric motor operative to raise sai door; an electric switch; latching means operative -when the door is in its lowered position to close said switch and movable, when the `door is raised, to effect the opening of said switch; a switching device in electric connection with said first switch and the motor;

and an electrically operative alarm device including a switch, said latcliing means being operative when thedoor vis .raised to ei'ectthe closing of thea'larm device switch; substantially as-described.

7. vThe combination with a building hav; ing a iioor with an opening therein and a doorway above the opening, of a door movable through said o ening; and a movable latch member norma ly resting against said 4door and falling to operative position when said door is raised, said latch having a. out out portion .in which the door fits so .as to prevent retrograde movement of said door; electric switches positioned adjacent fsaid latch member; and an extension on said latch member adapted to operate one switch in its inoperative position and the other switch in its operative position.

In testimony whereof I have Signed m naine to this specification in the lpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS D. EVANS.

Witnesses; l

ALBI-:ar R. Hnon'r, C. H. HOWELL.

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