Locking container

A locking container apparatus comprising a rectangular tray having a central body and longitudinally extending sidewalls at lateral edges of the body and having a shelf with a central opening near one end of the central body, a lock flap hinged at one end of the shelf, a latch extension on the lock flap for extending through the central opening, a sliding lock strap positioned in the central body and having a latch rib for cooperating with the latch extension to hold the latch extension and the lock flap closed when the latch rib is engaged with the latch extension, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having two parallel creases dividing the cover into three panels, a base panel underlying and attached to the tray, a spine panel overlying one end of the tray opposite the shelf, and a top panel overlying the tray and the shelf and having a free end and a central opening near the free-end aligned with and cooperating with the central opening in the shelf for receiving the latch extension, for holding the free end under the lock flap, the top panel and the central body and sidewalls of the tray forming a cavity for holding articles, the base panel having an elongated opening for sliding the lock strap and for moving the latch rib and releasing the latch extension and the lock flap to release the top panel for lifting the top panel and exposing the cavity.

Locking container apparatus comprising a tray, a lock connected to the tray, a lock flap connected by a hinged end to the tray and cooperating with the lock, a cover connected to the tray, the cover having a free end positioned under the lock flap when the cover is closed, for holding the cover closed when the lock flap is positioned over the free end of the cover and wherein the lock cooperates with the lock flap to hold the lock flap closed and wherein the lock flap has parallel slits perpendicular to and spaced from the hinged end and extending to a free edge of the lock flap, thereby creating a central section and two outer sections of the lock flap, and wherein the free edge of the lock flap has raised finger insertion portions in the outer two sections for lifting the outer two sections and thereby lifting the central section for releasing the free end of the cover.

The method of latching and unlatching a container apparatus comprising providing a tray having an elongated opening, in a bottom and having side walls and a shelf at one longitudinal end, hinging a hinged end of a lock flap to the tray near the shelf, providing a shelf opening in the shelf, providing a cover having a base, a spine and a top panel with a free end, connecting the base to the tray, overlying the tray and the shelf with the top panel providing in the top panel near the free end a top paned opening aligned and complementary with the shelf opening, providing a sliding lock in the elongated opening in the bottom of the tray, providing a handle on one end of the sliding lock and a latching ledge on an opposite end of the lock, providing an elongated opening in the base shorter than but aligned and complementary with the elongated opening in the tray bottom for moving the handle, providing a latch extension on the lock flap for engaging the latching ledge, providing a spring between the tray and the sliding lock and urging the sliding lock and the latching edge into engagement with the latch extension when the top panel is closed and the lock flap is closed on the top panel.