Storage compartment security system

A security system for preventing unauthorized access to a storage container having an entryway for allowing access to a container interior, and a door for closing said entryway and preventing access to said container interior, said security system comprising:

• a latch assembly carried by said door on an interior side of said door, said latch assembly having a closed position for latching said door to prevent access through said entryway to said storage container, and an open position in which said door may be opened to allow access through said entryway to said storage container;
• an operator disposed on an exterior side of said door outside said container having an elongated shaft extending through said door for operating said latch assembly through said door;
• a master lock assembly carried by said door on the interior side of said storage container for interlocking with said elongated shaft to prevent movement of the latch assembly between said open and closed positions;
• a removable master lock actuator operable from the exterior side of said storage container for operating said master lock assembly through a keyhole in said door;
• a tamper-resistant control carried by said door for controlling access to said master lock assembly through said keyhole;
• wherein said tamper-resistant control has a deployed position in which said keyhole is blocked by said tamper-resistant control to prevent said removable master lock actuator from accessing said master lock assembly through said door, and a retracted position wherein said keyhole is open and said removable master lock actuator may be inserted through said door to operate said master lock assembly;
• including a housing disposed on said exterior side of said door having an operator slot for receiving said operator;
• said keyhole for said master lock actuator passing through said housing and said door to provide access for operating said master lock assembly;
• and said tamper-resistant control comprising a slide-bolt disposed within said housing for moving between said deployed and retracted positions to block and open said keyhole, respectively;
• and
• wherein said operator has a first position recessed within said operator slot for preventing operation of said tamper-resistant control, and a second position extended out from said operator slot allowing operation of said tamper-resistant control between said deployed and retracted positions.

A locking mechanism for a movable closure of a storage container comprising:

• an operator including a shaft mounted on said closure, said operator being longitudinally movable between an inoperative first position and an operative second position;
• a housing having a recess mounted on a first side of said closure, said recess being operative to receive and secure said operator against rotation when in said first position;
• a lock assembly carried by said operator on said first side of said closure in axially spaced position relative to said shaft, said lock assembly being operable to selectively secure said operator within said recess and in said first position;
• a removable lock assembly actuator for moving said lock assembly between a locked condition in engagement with said recess and an unlocked condition separated from said recess allowing longitudinal movement of said operator into said second and operative position;
• a master lock having a locking part, carried on a second side of said closure and radially spaced from said operator shaft, said master lock having a locked condition in which said locking part engages with said shaft locking said shaft against rotation in both said first and second positions and an unlocked condition in which said locking part is radially spaced from said shaft freeing said shaft for rotation in said second position;
• a removable master lock actuator for actuating said master lock to position said locking part in engagement with said shaft and spaced from said shaft;
• and
• a master lock passageway through said housing, said closure and into said master lock allowing insertion and removal of said master lock actuator.

A lock mechanism for a container having first and second doors for controlling access of said container:

• an operator including an operator shaft mounted on and extending through said first door, said operator being mounted on a first side of said doors and being movable longitudinally between an inoperative first position and an extended operative second position, said operator and operator shaft, when rotated in said second position, controlling a plurality of longitudinally reciprocal latch elements carried by said first door between latched and unlatched positions;
• a second operator mounted on an inner side of said second door, said second operator being rotatable between a first locking position and a second unlocked position, said second operator controlling a plurality of reciprocal second latch elements carried on said second door between latched and unlatched positions;
• a housing mounted on an outer side of said first door, said housing including a recess for receiving the first operator in said first and inoperative position;
• a lock assembly movable between a locked and unlocked condition carried by said operator in position axially spaced from said shaft, said lock assembly, in said locked condition, engaging with said recess locking said operator in said recess in said inoperative first position, said lock assembly in said unlocked condition, allowing axial movement of said operator into said second and operative position;
• a master lock assembly mounted on an inner side of said first door in position radially spaced from said shaft, said master lock assembly having a locking part radially movable between a position spaced from said operator shaft and a position in engagement with said operator shaft, said locking part being operative to lock said operator shaft against rotation with said operator in said first and second positions;
• and
• a removable lock assembly actuator and a removable master lock assembly actuator for operating said lock assembly and said master lock assembly between locked and unlocked positions.