US 4,397,165 AGranted

Locking mechanism for a money box assembly having a fusible cam

AssigneeKidde, Inc.

InventorAnthony LiCausi

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Abstract

The present invention is directed to an improved locking mechanism for a money box assembly. The mechanism includes a fusible plastic cam which acts as a transmission member operatively connecting the lock to locking bolts. The bolts engage with the wall of a housing to which the money box assembly is mounted. The cam is formed of a material having a melting temperature substantially lower than the melting temperature of the material forming the lock. Any attempt to gain access to the money box by melting the lock and then operating the cam by a screwdriver or other tool will be frustrated since the drive cam linkage will have been destroyed or rendered inoperative by the heat thereby breaking the link between the lock and the locking bolts so that the money box assembly remains locked in place.

Claims4

Dependent claims

In a coin operated mechanism having a housing, the money box assembly improvement comprising:

a key coded lock;
at least one locking bolt movable between a locked position wherein said bolt engages with the wall of said housing to which the money box assembly is mounted, and an unlocked position to permit said assembly to be removed from said housing thereby to gain access to the money box;
a fusible transmission member operatively connected as a transmission link between said lock and said locking bolt;
said transmission member being formed of a material having a predetermined melting temperature substantially lower than the melting temperature of the material forming said lock;
said predetermined temperature being lower than the temperature transmitted through said lock to said transmission member when sufficient heat is applied to destroy the lock;
said predetermined temperature melting said transmission member to remove it as a link between said lock and said locking bolt rendering said transmission member inoperative for moving said locking bolt from said locked position to said unlocked position.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.