# US 8,770,116 B2 · System, method and apparatus for securing valuables

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- Number: US 8,770,116 B2
- Document ID: US8770116B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/970,792
- Filed: 2013-08-20
- Published: 2013-12-26
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-01-05
- Applicants: Jeffrey R. Heim; Richard Allen Angwin
- Inventors: Jeffrey R. Heim; Richard Allen Angwin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770116B2

## CPC

- E05G 1/026: Closures (protective doors, windows, or like closures against air raid or other war-like action E06B5/10; shutters, movable grilles, other safety closures E06B9/02)
- E05G 1/005: {Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like (E05G1/08, E05G1/14 take precedence; devices to prevent theft or loss of bags, trunks, baskets, or the like A45C13/18; coin boxes for coin freed apparatus G07F9/06)}
- F41C 33/06: Containers for carrying smallarms, e.g. safety boxes, gun cases (F41C33/02 takes precedence)
- Y10S 224/912: Handgun holder formed of metal or other rigid material
- Y10T 70/5031: Receptacle
- Y10T 70/5544: Pivoted
- E05G: SAFES OR STRONG-ROOMS FOR VALUABLES; BANK PROTECTION DEVICES; SAFETY TRANSACTION PARTITIONS ({devices to prevent theft of bags, trunks or baskets A45C13/18;} alarm arrangements per se G08B)
- F41C: SMALLARMS, e.g. PISTOLS, RIFLES (functional features or details common to both smallarms and ordnance, mountings therefor F41A; projecting missiles without use of explosive or combustible propellant charge F41B); ACCESSORIES THEREFOR
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A safe includes a body that has an opening for receiving and holding an object. A door is rotatably interfaced to the body, whereas the door obstructs the opening in a first position of rotation, and the door provides access to the body of the safe through the opening when the door is in a second position of rotation. A locking mechanism engages between the door and the body when the door is rotated to the first position of rotation thereby holding the door in the first position of rotation until the locking mechanism is released and, upon releasing by the locking mechanism, the door is free to rotate towards the second position of rotation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A safe comprising:
a safe body, the safe body having an opening;
a door rotatably interfaced to the safe body, such that the door obstructs the opening in a first position of rotation and the door provides access to the safe through the opening in a second position of rotation, whereas the door rotates to be at least partially contained within the safe body in the second position of rotation;
an energy storage mechanism interfaced between the safe body and the door; and
a locking mechanism affixed to the safe body, the locking mechanism engages between the door and the safe body when the door is in the first position of rotation, energy is stored in the energy storing mechanism when the door is rotated into the first position of rotation and, upon enabling access by the locking mechanism, the locking mechanism disengages between the door from the safe body, and the energy storing mechanism releases the energy causing the door to rotate towards the second position of rotation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The safe of claim 1, wherein the enabling access by the locking mechanism is performed by entering a combination.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The safe of claim 1, wherein the enabling access by the locking mechanism is performed by presenting a biological sample.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The safe of claim 1, wherein the energy storage mechanism is a spring.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The safe of claim 1, further comprising a plate affixed to the safe body, the plate having a plurality of barbs formed on at least one surface of the plate, the barbs pointing towards the safe body, such that it is easier to push the plate between two objects than it is to pull the plate out from between the two objects, whereas after being slid between a mattress and a box spring, the barbs dig into the mattress, thereby preventing removal of the plate from between the mattress and the box spring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The safe of claim 1, further comprising one or more formed inserts within the safe body, the formed inserts supporting an object in a position such that the object is ready for access when the door of the safe is in the second position.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The safe of claim 6, wherein the object is a weapon selected from the group consisting of a gun, a knife and pepper spray.

### Claim 8

A method of providing quick access to a protected weapon, the method comprising:
providing a safe, the safe comprising:
a body portion having an opening;
a door rotatably interfaced to the body portion, the door is shaped as a partial cylinder such that the door restricts access to the opening in a first position of rotation and the door provides access to the safe through the opening in a second position of rotation; and
a locking mechanism interfaced between the body portion and the door, the locking mechanism engages the door and the body portion when the door is in the first position of rotation and, upon enabling access by the locking mechanism, the locking mechanism disengages with the door, allowing the door to rotate into the second position of rotation;
an energy storing mechanism interfaced between the door and the body portion;
placing a weapon within the body portion of the safe;
closing and locking the door, thereby storing energy in the energy storing mechanism;
providing a key to the locking system, the locking system releasing the locking mechanism responsive to the key; and
the energy from the energy storing mechanism rotating the door towards the second position responsive to the releasing of the locking mechanism, thereby providing access to the weapon.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the key is a combination.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the key is a fingerprint.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising:
replacing the weapon within the body portion of the safe;
reclosing and relocking the door, thereby storing energy in the energy storing mechanism.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the weapon is selected from the group consisting of a gun, a knife and pepper spray.

### Claim 13

A safe comprising:
a body for holding an object, the body having an opening;
a door rotatably interfaced to the body, whereas the door obstructs the opening in a first position of rotation, and the door provides access to the body of the safe through the opening when the door is in a second position of rotation; and
a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism engages between the door and the body when the door is rotated to the first position of rotation thereby holding the door in the first position of rotation until the locking mechanism is released and, upon releasing by the locking mechanism, the door is free to rotate towards the second position of rotation;
whereas the door rotates to be at least partially contained within the safe body in the second position of rotation.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The safe of claim 13, wherein the key a combination.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The safe of claim 13, wherein the key is a fingerprint.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The safe of claim 13, wherein the key is a wireless key fob.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The safe of claim 13, further comprising an energy storing mechanism interfaced between the body and the door, such that, moving the door from the second position to the first position stores energy in the energy storing mechanism and releasing the door while the door is in the first position releases the energy from the energy storing mechanism, thereby urging the door towards the second position.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The safe of claim 17, wherein the energy storing mechanism is a spring.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The safe of claim 18, wherein the spring is a torsion spring.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The safe of claim 17, wherein the energy storing mechanism is a pair of magnets configured to have like poles approach each other in the first position, thereby repelling each other to urge the door into the second position when the locking mechanism is released.