Quick lock release system for parking meter vaults

A parking meter vault, comprising:

• a parking meter vault housing having a front wall defining a main opening providing access to an interior of said housing from an exterior of said housing;
• a parking meter vault door removably covering said main opening and having a back facing said interior of said housing;
• and
• a lock assembly having a usually stationary portion and a usually movable portion for locking and unlocking said door, said lock assembly being disposed on said back of said door and being operatively accessible from said exterior;
• a retainer for preventing motion of said stationary portion of said lock assembly that would unlock said door or render said lock inoperable;
• and
• a means for moving said retainer while said vault door is closed and locked for permitting motion of said stationary portion of said lock assembly to unlock said door without damaging said door or said lock assembly.

A parking meter vault, comprising:

• a vault housing having a front wall defining a main opening providing access to an interior of said housing from an exterior of said housing;
• a vault door removably covering said main opening and having a back facing said interior of said housing;
• and
• a lock assembly including:
• a lock cylinder disposed on said door and having a usually stationary body and a usually movable portion designed to move relative to said body,
• a bolting mechanism operatively connected to said movable portion of said lock cylinder for selectively providing a locked position,
• a support structure disposed on said back of said door and holding said bolting mechanism on said back of said door;
• and
• a removable retainer engaging said body of said lock cylinder for preventing motion of said body that interferes with operation of said movable portion and for preventing sufficient motion of said body to operate said bolting mechanism when said movable portion is not moving relative to said body,
• said support structure configured for releasably maintaining said retainer on said body and preventing motion of said retainer in a direction other than a direction defined by release of said retainer,
• said vault housing defining a tool hole providing access to said interior of said housing for insertion of a disengagement tool through said tool hole,
• said retainer having a portion configured for connecting to said disengagement tool, said retainer being configured so that retracting said disengagement tool connected to said retainer, when said movable portion will not move relative to said body, provides enough disengagement from said body to permit motion of said body to operate said bolting mechanism.

A lock cylinder retainer for a lock assembly with a lock cylinder having a body, a support structure and a bolting mechanism on a parking meter vault door of a vault with a tool hole, comprising:

• a retainer body including:
• a first end configured for engaging the lock cylinder for preventing movement of the lock cylinder body relative to the support structure and the door,
• sides for engaging said support structure to prevent movement of said retainer, and,
• an upper end configured for engaging a disengagement tool configured for entering said vault through the tool hole while said vault door is closed and locked, wherein retracting said disengagement tool once engaged with said retainer disengages said retainer from said lock cylinder body to permit said lock cylinder body to move to unlock said vault door.

A tamper-resistant locked enclosure, comprising:

• a wall defining a main opening to the enclosure and separating an exterior of the enclosure from an interior of the enclosure;
• an enclosure door removably covering the main opening and having a back facing the interior of the enclosure;
• a lock assembly mounted on the door and having a first, usually stationary portion and a second portion movable relative to the first portion, preselected movement of the second portion causing the door to be unlocked from the opening, the preselected movement actuated by a key applied to the lock assembly from said exterior, preselected movement of the first portion also causing the door to be unlocked from the opening;
• a retainer movable between first and second positions, the retainer in the first position engaging the first portion of the lock assembly to prevent the preselected movement of the first portion, the retainer in the second portion permitting the preselected movement of the first portion of the lock assembly, the retainer further having a disengagement tool connection portion;
• the enclosure further defining a tool hole communicating the exterior to the interior;
• and
• a disengagement tool having an end for insertion into the tool hole and connecting to the disengagement tool portion of the retainer, the disengagement tool actuable to move the retainer to the second position so as to permit the first portion of the lock assembly to be moved, thereby opening the door.

A tamper-resistant locked enclosure, comprising:

• a wall of the enclosure separating an interior of the enclosure from an exterior thereof, the wall defining an opening from the exterior to the interior;
• a door positioned over the opening, a keyed lock cylinder mounted through the door for locking the door to the opening of the lock cylinder affixed to the door by a removable retainer;
• and
• a spring clip joined to an interior surface of the door and applying pressure on the lock cylinder to bias the lock cylinder toward the exterior, such that when the retainer is removed the lock cylinder will not fall into the interior of the enclosure.

A parking meter vault, comprising:

• a housing defining a doorway;
• a door removably covering said doorway, said door having a back facing an interior of said housing;
• a lock assembly disposed on said back of said door;
• and
• said housing defining a tool hole separate from said doorway for providing access to said interior of said vault for a disengagement tool for moving at least a portion of said lock assembly.

A parking meter, comprising:

• a parking meter vault including:
• a housing defining a doorway;
• a door removably covering said doorway, said door having a back facing an interior of said housing;
• a lock assembly disposed on said back of said door;
• and
• said housing defining a tool hole separate from said doorway for providing access to said interior of said vault for a disengagement tool for moving at least a portion of said lock assembly;
• and
• a parking meter operation part having a housing abutting said parking meter vault and covering said tool hole when said parking meter is in an assembled state.