US3042910A - Alarm equipped cabinet for fire extinguisher - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1962 F. T. SHULL ALARM EQUIPPED CABINET FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1960 INVENTOR FRANK 7". SHULL ATTORNEY y 1962 F. T. SHU LL 3,042,910

ALARM EQUIPPED CABINET FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 16, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a L 66 i 3 4 INVENTOR Fz' 7 BY t v ATTORNEY 5,4233 Patented July 3, 1%62 Flee 3,042,910 ALARM EQUIPPED CABDIET FOR nmn EXTINGUISIER Frank T. Shall, 39th and Perry Sts., NE, Brentwood, Md. Filed June 16, 1960, Ser. No. 36,580 4 Claims. (Cl. 340280) This invention relates to wall cabinets or the like for holding fire extinguishers and more particularly, to Wall cabinets of this type including alarm means for preventing both the theft of the fire extinguishers contained in the cabinets and acting as a fire alarm when the fire extinguishers are removed from the cabinet for legitimate purposes.

The primary use of wall mounted fire extinguishers is for apartments, ofiice buildings, hotels and the like where it is and has been the policy to hang the fire extinguisher on a wall bracket from which it may be readily removed. Consequently, these extinguishers have been removed for illegitimate purposes resulting in substantial monetary loss to those establishments which must maintain adequate fire protection as required by law.

Since these hand held fire extinguishers cost about twenty dollars or more apiece, the loss of several dozen of these in the course of a month due to theft, pranks, etc. reaches a substantial magnitude.

Devices have been designed whereby an alarm bell or the like will ring when the extinguishers are removed from the wall brackets. However, when persons are making a serious effort to steal these extinguishers, it becomes only a matter of time before they are able to jam the alarm systems on the brackets which are necessarily of the readily accessible type due to the exposed nature of the brackets themselves.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a cabinet for completely enclosing a fire extinguisher including an integral alarm system which will give an alarm if theft of the fire extinguisher contained therein is attempted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet for completely enclosing a fire extinguisher including an integral theft alarm wherein the alarm may be deenergized by properly authorized personnel for the purpose of inspecting or changing the fire extinguisher contained in the cabinet.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet for completely enclosing a fire extinguisher including an integral alarm means energized by any attempt to force open the front door of the cabinet.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a cabinet for completely enclosing a fire extinguisher including an integral alarm means controlled by the opening of the door of the cabinet wherein a special latch is provided on said door permitting said door to be opened in the event of a fire and therein energize said alarm means.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings which are directed to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the invention having the door portion partially broken away to show the internal detail;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial detailed cross section taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an operational detailed showing of the mechanism of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic diagram of the alarm circuit included in the invention.

Basically, the alarm circuit is controlled by a door actuated switch and a lock actuated switch whereby it may be held open by authorized personnel. The lock actuated switch is interconnected with the door latch of the cabinet such that when the cabinet is locked this switch will always be closed. The door is opened by a special break-glass-in-case-of-fire mechanism which automatically disengages the latch and allows the door operated switch to close and actuate the alarm.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURE 1, the cabinet 10 is shown as having a door 12 with a spring loaded hinge 14 and .containing a fire extinguisher 16. The extinguisher is positioned therein by a pair of converging upstanding rib sections 18 on the floor 20 of the cabinet 10. This structure is also shown in top view in FIGURE 3. 7

Above the fire extinguisher 16 and afiixed to the top 22 of the cabinet Ill is mounted an alarm means including a hell or buzzer 24 which is energized by a battery 26. Referring also to FIGURE 6, the alarm circuit is shown as a series circuit extending from one side of the battery 26 through a line 28 to the one side of the bell 24; from the other side of the bell 24 through a line 30 to one terminal of a lock-operated switch 32; from the other terminal of the lock-operated switch 32 through a line 34 to one terminal of a door-operated push-button switch 36; and from the other terminal of the door-operated switch 36 through a line 38 back to the other side of the battery 26.

The lock-operated switch 32 is shown in detail in FIG- URE 2 which will be described in conjunction with FIG- URE l.

The lock-operated switch 32 comprises a cylinder type lock 40 which controls, through a key 42, the movement of an actuator link 44. The actuator link 44 extends from the cylinder lock 40 at one end thereof to a pivot pin connection 46 at the other, which is intermediate the ends of a switch blade 48. The lower end of the switch blade 43 is connected to one end of a door latch 50 by means of a sliding pivot connection 52. The door latch 50 has a bolt engaging hook 54 at its outer end and is pivoted intermediate its ends to the side wall of the cabinet 10 by a pivot pin 56 in a wall bracket 58. A return spring 69 extending between the latch 50 and the bracket 58 biases the switch linkage to the solid line position of FIGURE 2 wherein the switch blade 48 engages the fixed U-shaped' spring contacts 62 mounted inside the top 22 of the cabinet 11.0 on a block of insulating material 64. A stop pin 66 is mounted on the bracket 58 to liniit the movement of the latch 50 in going from the dotted line position to the solid line position in FIG- URE 2.

The entire alarm and switch means are protected by a wire mesh enclosure 68 shown in both FIGURES l and 2. In FIGURE 2 the Wire mesh 66 is shown as being substantially step shaped in cross section with a de pendent riser '70 at the rear of the cabinet 10. In the latter is mounted an inspection card 72 for the use of authorized personnel in maintaining operational checks on the fire extinguisher 16.

An emergency release mechanism for the door 12 is shown in FIGURES 1, 4 and 5 and partially shown in FIGURE 2. The latch release is mounted in a window 74 in the door 12 having a glass plate 76 held therein by a set of guides 78 on the inside of the door 12.

A hammer 80 is hinged at 82 to the door 12 and is thereby suspended in front of the glass plate 76 whereby when a person strikes the plate 84- of the hammer 80 the hammer head 86 breaks the glass plate 76.

A swinging latch bolt 88 is mounted on a hinged bracket 90 adjacent the window 74 on the inside of the door 12.

The latch bolt 88 has a bent end portion 92 in contact with the glass, plate 76at one end and an elongated shank portion 94 extending through the hook 54 of the door latch 50 at the other.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 3, spare glass plates for the window 74 are stored in the bottom of the cabinet by means of a spring clip 96.

Operation Assuming that thedoor 12 of the cabinet 10 is locked shut so that the hook portion 54 of the latch 50' is engaged with the shank 94 of the swinging bolt 88, the

operation of the alarm means with respect to forced entry into the cabinet is as follows.

Referring to FIGURES l and 6, if the top of the door 12 is pried out away from the cabinet a suflicient distance, this movement of the door 12 will permit the doordo any substantial damage to the cabinet 10 and thereby discourage 7 him from any, further attempt to' steal the fire extinguisher contained therein.

In the case of a fire or in case of an unauthorized entry by the means indicated on the cabinet for emergency entry into the cabinet 10, the operation is best described in conjunction with FIGURES l, 2, 4, 5 and 6.

When the action to force entry commences, the hinge mounted hammer 80 suspended in front of the glass pane 76' in the window 74 of the door 12 is struck on the plate 84 by the heel of ones hand orthe like causing the haminer head 86 to break the glass 76.

Since the door 12 is spring biased to open by the springloaded hinge 14, the end portion 92 of the bolt 88 is forced into contact with the glass pane 76 by the lever action created by force between the shank 94 of the bolt 38 and the hook portion 54 of the latch acting about the hinged bracket 90 through the bolt 88. g

If the glass pane 76 is broken by the hammer .80, the

- bolt 88 is allowed to swing through the window opening 74 and the shank 84 thereof will slide by the hook portion :54 of the latch 50 and allow' the door. 12 to be forced open by the spring-loaded hinge 14. This sequence of operation is best shown by FIGURES 4 and 5.

' As in the case when the, door was only partially pried open, the door-operated push-button switch 36 will be allowed to close and sound the alarm 24.

If the cabinet 10 is to be opened by authorized personnel for the purpose of inspecting and/or replacing the fire extinguished 16, the lock-operated switch 32 is utilized. Referring to FIGURES land 2, when the key 42 is turned in the lock 40, the switch and latch actuator link 44 is swung downward from the solid to dotted line positions of. FIGURE 2. Thus, the switch blade 48 is driven down against the sliding pivot connection 52.by the pivot pin 46 whereby the switch blade 48 is disengaged from the fixed contacts 62 to open the lockeoperated switch 32 and thereby de-energize the. alarm circuit. As the same time,

the movement of the sliding pivot connection 52 causes the, latch 50 to pivot on its mounting pin 56 on the bracket 58 against the'action of the spring 60 whereby the hook portion 54 is disengaged from the bolt 88 and the door 12 is forced open by the spring-loaded hinge 14.

The alarm circuit being de-energized by the lock-operated switch 32, the opening of the door 12 and subsequent closing of the door-operated switch 36 has no effect on the alarm. V

When the inspection and/or replacement of the fire extinguisher 16 contained in the cabinet 10 has been completed, and an indication thereof posted on the inspection card 72, the door 12 is held shut while the key 42 is used to return the lock 40 to locked position. When the lock 40 is turned the action of the spring 60 causes the lever system of the latch 50 and switch 32 to snap back into position whereby, the switch blade 48 is driven between the contacts 62 and thehook portion 54 of the latch 50 is forced into latching engagement with the .bolt 88 on the door 12. g

As can be seen from the foregoing description, this invention satisfies a long felt need in the art for an effective means to prevent theft and/or unauthorized use of fire extinguishers or other emergency equipment. At the same time, in the case of emergencies, the invention provides efiective alarm means which can be used to indicate the existence of the emergency condition.

It is to be understood that the embodiment, shown and described herein is for the purpose of example only and is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A protective cabinet means for preventing unauthorized use of equipment housed therein comprising a springbiased self-opening door in one wall thereof, an electric alarm circuit contained therein including first and second switch means in series between a power source and an audible alarm. means adapted to be energized thereby; said first switch means comprising a. door operated push button switch mounted in said cabinet adjacent said door and normally held in an open circuit position by said door when said door is shut and biased to closed circuit position in response to theopening of .said door, and lock means for said door including lock operated and emergency latching means for authorized and emergency or unauthorized opening thereof, respectively, said second switch means being normally closed and operated by and in unison with lock operated latchingmeans whereby upon authorized opening of said door said second switch means is actuated to open circuit position by unlocking said lock operated latching means and said alarm circuit remains de-energized when said door is opened, but when said emergency latch means is used to effect emergency or unauthorized opening of said door, said second switch means is heldin closed position by'said lock operated latch means and said first switch means is biased to closed circuit position by the opening of said door whereby said alarm circuit is completed and said alarm is energized. 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said emergency latch means comprises, a window in said door, a glass plate mounted in said window, breaking means for said glass plate mounted adjacent said window and juxtaposed within said glass'plate, a swinging bolt pivotallymounted intermediate the ends thereof on the in side of said door having one end thereof bearing on the inside of said glass plate and extending from said window across said door to a point adjacent a side wall of said cabinet at its other end, and said lock operated latch means comprises means mounted on the said side wall selectively controlled to engage the said otherend of said swinging bolt to either lock said door or allow authorized personnel to open said door in a'normal manner, said emergency latch being actuated in an emergency by.

breaking said glass plate with said breaking means whereby said swinging bolt no longer has a bearing surface for one end' thereof and thes'elf-opening action of said door will cause said bolt to swing out of engagement with said lock operated latch means. i

3. A protective cabinet for preventing unauthorized use of equipment housed therein comprising an electric alarm circuit including first and second series connected switch means in series with a power source and an electric alarm means, a spring biased self-openingdoor in said cabinet havinga frangiblewindow therein adapted to be broken for emergency access into said cabinet, and lock means for said door comprising a key-operated lock and latch means mounted in said cabinet for authorized entry into said cabinet and emergency latch means mounted on said door for bypassing said key operated latch means in an emergency; said first switch being mounted in said cabinet adjacent said door and including spring biased actuating means extending from said first switch into engagement with said door when said door is closed, said actuating means being biased to close said first switch when said door is open and being held by said closed door in a position wherein said first switch is open; said second switch being mounted in said cabinet adjacent said keyoperated latch means comprising a fixed contact, a movable contact blade and an actuating link connecting said contact blade with said key-operated lock such that said second switch is closed when said key-operated lock is in a locked position and said second switch is open when said key-operated lock is in an unlocked position; said key operated latch means comprising a pivoted link hookshaped at one end and having the other end thereof connected to the said contact blade of said second switch and movable therewith in response to actuation of said keyoperated lock, said pivoted link being pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof on a wall of said cabinet adjacent said lock means and said second switch and having the hook-shaped end thereof adjacent the door; said emergency latch means comprising a swinging elongated bolt pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof on said door adjacent said frangible window, one end of said bolt comprising a bearing means resting on said frangible window, the other end of said bolt extending to a position adjacent the said hook-shaped end of said keyoperated latch means; whereby, when said door is closed and said key-operated lock and latch means are in a locked position, the said hook-shaped end of said pivoted link is engaged with the said other end of said swinging bolt to hold said door in closed position and the action of said self-opening door forcing said swinging bolt against said hook-shaped end of said pivoted link and tending to pivot said swinging bolt is opposed by the engagement of the said bearing means on said bolt and said frangible window and whereby, when said frangible Window is broken for emergency or unauthorized entry into said cabinet, the said bearing means on said pivoted bolt is free to pass therethrough whereby the said action of said door causes the said swinging bolt to disengage from said hookshaped end of said pivoted link to permit said door to open thereby disengaging the said actuating means on said first switch allowing said first switch to close and energize said alarm.

4. In a protective cabinet having a spring biased selfopening door with a frangible window therein, lock means for controlling the opening of said door comprising keyoperated means internally mounted on a side wall of said cabinet adjacent said door for normal authorized entry into said cabinet through said door and emergency latch means actuated by breaking said frangible window and mounted on said door for bypassing the said keyoperated means for rapid access into said cabinet through said door, said key operated means comprising a keyoperated lock cylinder adapted to be rotated in response to the turning of a key therein and a key-operated latch means comprising a first link fixed at one of its ends to said cylinder, a second link connected at one end to the other end of said first link, and a third link pivotally mounted on said side Wall intermediate the ends thereof connected at one end with the other end of said second link and having its other end in the form of a hook positioned adjacent said door, said emergency latch means comprising a swinging bolt pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof on the inside of said door having one end thereof bearing on said frangible window and extending at its other end across said door to a point immediately adjacent the said hooked end of said third link when said door is in a closed position, whereby rotation of said lock cylinder by a key causes said first and second links to selectively move said third link to engage or disengage the hooked end thereof from the said other end of said swinging bolt and whereby, when in an emergency said frangible window is broken, the said one end of said swinging bolt bearing thereon is permitted to pass therethrough permitting the spring-biased door to pivot the said other end of said swinging bolt out of engagement with the said hooked end of said third link.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lavelle July 6, 1954

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