US3707261A - After-hours depository entrance - Google Patents

Abstract

An after-hours depository entrance employs a cylindrical drum with an article receptacle therein which rotates in a housing between an article receiving opening and an article depositing opening. The housing is fitted with a number of fixed article interceptors which sweep through the article receptacle as it passes the article depositing opening in order to insure that no articles therein can be returned to the receiving opening, the drum being rotatable in one direction only for this purpose. The drum is rotatable in both directions, however, through a limited arc so that if the receptacle is improperly loaded, it can be reversed for reloading. An important feature of the depository entrance is a closure for the housing receiving opening in the form of a two-way sliding door which when slid in one direction opens into the receptacle for receipt of bagged deposits and which when slid in the other direction brings a slot only in the door into communication with the receptacle for envelope deposits. A cover plate is provided over the door with an aperture therein in registry with the housing receiving opening, margins of the aperture overlapping margins of the door in order to prevent entry of weather elements into the housing receiving opening. An electric motor drives the drum and a circuit interconnecting the door and drum controls operation of the motor according to movement of the door.

Description

I UnIted States Patent [15] 3,707,261

Cutter 1 1 Dec. 26, 1972 [54] AFTER-HOURS DEPOSITORY [57] ABSTRACT ENTRANCE An after-hours depository entrance employs a cylin- [72] Inventor: Larry I. Cutter, Cedar Rapids, Iowa drical drum with an article receptacle therein which rotates in a housing between an article receiving open- [73] Assgnce' g s": Corponflon Cedar ing and an article depositing opening. The housing is owa fitted with a number of fixed article interceptors [22] Filed: June 1, 1970 which sweep through the article receptacle as it passes the article depositing opening in order to insure that [21] Appl' 42202 no articles therein can be returned to the receiving opening, the drum being rotatable in one direction [521 US. Cl .232! only for this purpose. The drum is rotatable in both [51] Int. Cl ..E05g 1/00 directions, however, through a limited are so that if [58] Field of Search .....232/44, 43.3, 43.l,'43.4, 1 E; the receptacle is improperly loaded, it can be reversed 109/66, 67, 68, 73, 64 for reloading.

An important feature of the depository entrance is a [56] Rehnnces cued closure for the housing receiving opening in the form UNIT STATES PATENTS of a two-way sliding door which when slid in one direction opens into the receptacle for receipt of 1,759,129 5/1930 McQhntock....... 232/44 bagged deposits and which when slid in theother gg 12/1929 Davdmn "109/73 direction brings a slot only in the door into communi- [195i Behrens..... ..232/44 X m m l f n I d A 2,575,300 11 1951 Schrager.... ....2a2 43.3x ca e P e 2769'516 11,1956 Hensley u I I I I I 232/44 X cover plate Is provided over the door with an aperture 2,842,308 7/1958 Massengill. ..232 44 therein in registry with the housing receiving opening, 2,901,165 8/1959 Krug.......... .......232/44 margins of the aperture overlapping margins of the 3,031,133 4/1962 Jones..... .......232/44 door in order to prevent entry of weather elements 3.021.050 2/1962 Roflflsm X into the housing receiving opening. An electric motor 3359.839 10/962 Gram "132/44 drives the drum and a circuit interconnecting the door 3,114,499 12/]963 Graber ..232/44 and drum controls operation of the motor according FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS mmmem 702,837 1/1965 Canada ..232/44 31 Cllims, 12 Drawing Figures Primary ExaminerFrancis K. Zugel Attorney-Haven E. Simmons and James C. Nemmers PATENTED DEC 2 s 1972sum 2 0r 7 INVILTIOR wm mm LARRY 1. CUTTER nrfkg7f ATTORNEY PATENTEU nEczs I972 SHEEI 3BF 7 mmo m mm mm mm;

[xv/5x TOR LARRY I. CUTTER ATTORNEYSHEET 6 OF 7 PATENTED DEC 26 I912 LARRY I CUTTER ATTORNEY PATENTEDDEC 2 6 I972 SHEEI 5 (IF 7 FIG [NV/SNTOR.

LARRY I. CUTTER ATTORNE Y PATENTEDDEC 2 6 I972 SHEET 7 (IF 7 N @T 00 m. |||rl a A w s T1 H -l||| i M F l I i i l F I! INVENTOR.

LARRY I. CUTTER BY ff FIG l2 ATTORNEY AFTER-HOURS DEPOSITORY ENTRANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Two prior US. Pat. Nos. 3,031,133 to Jones and 3,059,839 to Graber, disclose after-hours depository entrances each employing a rotor having an article receptacle opening through its periphery. The rotor rotates in a housing in one direction only, carrying the receptacle from an article receiving opening to an article depositing opening in the housing and then in the same direction back to the receiving opening. In order to insure that no article in the receptacle can be carried past the depositing opening, a number of interceptors" are fixed in the housing just past the depositing opening and sweep through the receptacle as it passes, appropriate openings being provided in the walls of the latter for this purpose.

Jones uses a hinged door which, as it closes, mechanically drives the rotor. However, as an examination of Jones will readily disclose, unless his door is opened its full extent each time, the mechanism will get out of phase because the amount by which the rotor revolves depends upon the extent to which the door is opened. Graber, on the other hand, employs a pair of hinged doors, one for envelope deposits and the other for bag deposits, and an electric motor and circuit for operating the rotor when either door is opened and closed, the extent of the rotors rotation being independent of the extent of door opening. Graber is thus not subject to the difficulties of Jones. But Graber, as do current depository entrances, relies on his doors as a part of the depository's system of protection against unauthorized access to the interior of the housing and the chest with which the depositing opening of the housing typically communicates. Once either of Graber's doors is closed after an article has been inserted into the receptacle and the depositing cycle begun, both doors are thereafter positively locked so that neither can be opened until the rotor has completed its movement and the receptacle again arrives at the receiving opening of the housing. This, indeed, is the chief feature of Graber and obviously involves considerable additional complexity and cost; yet it is really unnecessary. in fact, adequate protection for the foregoing purpose is given by the unidirectional rotating receptacle and the article interceptors alone, quite apart from any door or doors. This fact seems not to have been realized, perhaps because the door or doors have habitually in the past been relied on for part of a depositorys security without apparently any question of their actual need for this purpose ever being raised.

The very fact that the rotor cannot be rotated in the opposite direction, while contributing greatly to the security of the depository entrances of the Jones and Graber type, is also a disadvantage. If the receptacle is improperly loaded, so that for instance an article protrudes somewhat therefrom, the article may jam between the edges of the receptacle and the receiving opening when the depositing cycle is begun, thus disabling the depository since the rotor cannot be reversed to release the article. Graber seeks to avoid this by providing a series of finned protrusions from the inner faces of his doors to push articles back out of the way when the doors are closed. But this is not wholly satisfactory because the fins may compress the articles and once clear of the fins they may nevertheless spring back and bind against the housing wall. This will impair or halt operation of the mechanism since the drive motor typically employed for the rotor is of low torque in order to prevent damage to the mechanisms in the event the rotor is otherwise halted, as by the article interceptors jamming against an article stuck in the receptacle.

A particularly troublesome aspect of the hinged type of door employed by Jones and Graber, as well as by many other types of depository entrances, is that they are difficult or impossible to keep adequately sealed especially over long periods of use, against blowing rain or snow entering the housing receiving opening. This is also true of the swinging or hinged hopper type of depository entrance, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,617,584 to Behrens and 2,901 ,l65 to Krug, as well as of the drawer type, such as shown in US. Pat. Nos. l,759,l29 to McClintock et a]. and 2,842,308 to Massengill. Furthermore, since the tendency in all of these designs is to rely on the door as part of the depository s protection, the customer is unable visually to see whether his deposit has in fact actually been made without again opening the door and thus beginning a false or useless depositing cycle.

Accordingly, the chief object of the present invention is to provide a secure type of after-hours depository entrance of the basic design outlined above in which its latent advantages are exploited and its disadvantages removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Essentially, the depository entrance of the present invention comprises a rectangular housing having an upper article receiving opening and a lower article depositing opening. A cylindrical drum, integrally cast from an aluminum alloy, is horizontally rotably mounted in the housing and provided with an integral article receptacle therein opening through its periphery to communicate with the receiving opening and then with the depositing opening of the housing during rotation of the drum. The latter is rotable in either direction from a position in which the receptacle is in substantially full communication with the housing receiving opening to a position where the receptacle has just passed out of communication therewith. Thereafter, the drum can rotate only in the direction of its travel toward the depositing opening. For this purpose, a suitable pawl engages a ratchet wheel rotating with the drum, the detents of the ratchet being interrupted over a portion thereof sufficient to permit drum rotation in either direction between the positions just described. A series of article interceptors, in the form of sectorshaped plates, are spaced axially of the drum between the adjacent edges of the depositing and the receiving openings. These plates sweep through the receptacle as it passes the depositing opening by virtue of a like series of axially spaced slots in the side walls of the receptacle through which the plates pass as the drum rotates. Hence no article can be returned to the receiving opening once the receptacle has passed the depositing opening.

The housing receiving opening is formed in a vertical door mounting plate secured to the housing front wall. That plate carries on its outer face a rectangular door lObOlZ 0332 panel overlying the receiving opening and normally closing it. The door panel below the receiving opening is provided with a horizontal envelope depositing slot and is slidable upwardly on a pair of vertical ways to a position in which the envelope slot is in communication with the receiving opening. Similarly, the door panel is slidable downwardly on its ways to expose the entire receiving opening for deposit of bags. Over the mounting plate and the door panel, in turn, and spaced just forwardly of the latter, is a cover plate having an opening therein in registry with the receiving opening. The door panel is sufficiently expansive, both horizontally and vertically, so that in its closed position its margins are overlapped by the margins of the cover plate opening. Hence driving snow or rain are very effectively prevented from entering the receiving opening owing to the relatively larger door panel immediately behind the relatively smaller cover plate opening.

The door panel is biased to its closed position by a pair of oppositely acting Negator springs and the portion of the door panel in its closed position in registry with the receiving opening is transparent. A key lock and associated mechanism are provided so that the door panel can be locked against movement to its bag depositing position, but not against movement to its envelope depositing position. An interlocking mechanism with the drum prevents the key from being withdrawn from the lock until the drum has completed its depositing cycle.

The drum is driven by a low torque electric motor through an appropriate gear train. The motor is in series with a pair of double pole, single throw switches interconnected in two-way fashion with movement of the door panel and the drum. One switch, the door switch, is activated when the door panel is moved in either direction, and the other switch, the drum switch, by rotation of the drum, all in the following sequence: In its initial position, the receptacle is somewhat below and only in partial communication with the receiving opening and the two switches are initially in opposite positions so that there is no completed circuit to the motor. When the door panel is moved to either position, the door switch is moved to its alternate position and completes the circuit to the motor through the initial position of the drum switch. The drum thereupon rotates until a cam rotating therewith moves the drum switch to its alternate position, breaking the circuit when the receptacle is in full communication with the receiving opening. This operation sets up" the mechanism for the depositing cycle. After the customer has inserted his deposit in the receptacle, he closes the door panel, thus returning the door switch to its initial position and again completing the circuit to the motor through the alternate position of the drum switch to begin the actual depositing cycle. The drum thereafter rotates the receptacle past the depositing opening until it returns to its initial position at which point the cam returns the drum switch to its initial position, breaking the circuit to the motor.

A number of important features and advantages ensue from the foregoing. First of all, as already men-. tioned, the sliding door panel in cooperation with the overlapping cover plate opening effectively seals the receiving opening against the weather in a manner as foolprooof as it is relatively simple. This is possible 11bit because the door panel is not relied upon as a part of the depository's security system. And that, in turn, is possible because, owing to their inherent nature, the unidirectionally rotating drum and article receptacle, together with the article interceptors, are alone sufficient for that purpose. Indeed, were it not for the need for weather protection and protection against possible vandalism, the door panel and cover plate could be eliminated entirely without impairing the security of the depository entrance or the chest against theft. Moreover, a sliding as opposed to a hinged door requires no clearance forward of or about the sides of the depository entrance in order for it to be opened.

Relieving the door of security duties has other derivative advantages. One, the door can be made of much lighter materials and much more economically, and need not itself have to be secured against unauthorized access or even removal. Two, a portion of the door panel can be made transparent so that the customer can actually visually see that his deposit has been completed without reopening the door. This is something which cannot safely be done with other depository entrances which rely or must rely on their doors for part of their security. Three, there is no need to lock the door panel closed during the depositing cycle; opening it in the midst of a depositing cycle merely halts rotation of the drum; when it is reclosed the cycle continues.

The fact that the drum can rotate in either direction until the receptacle has just passed the receiving opening is another feature and advantage. If the receptacle is improperly loaded, any tendency of the articles to protrude will cause them initially to jam between the edges of the receptacle and receiving opening when the depositing cycle is begun. In that event, the door panel is reopened, the drum simply reversed and the articles repacked. indeed, after the door is reopened, the weight of the articles in the receptacle will cause the drum to reverse itself without need to be so manually. A measure of customer control over the deposit is thus provided at an important point in the depositing sequence, something not possible with current depository entrances of the wholly unidirectional type in which improper loading of the receptacle may disable the mechanism at any position of the receptacle between the receiving and depositing openings of the housing. A feature of the drum itself is that it and the article receptacle are an integral casting of an aluminum alloy, which has been found to give more than adequate protection under all circumstances, rather than being built up of heavy steel members as are those of Jones and Graber.

Finally, and by no means without important merit, the result of all the foregoing is that the entire depository entrance is much more compact, more economical to make and much lighter in weight. While in the form illustrated and described the axis of the drum is parallel to the plane of the door so that the article receptacle is loaded through an opening in its periphery, the present invention, including the sliding door panel, is also adaptable to a version thereof in which the drum axis is perpendicular to the plane of the door and the receptacle loaded through an end wall of the drum as in FIGS. 1-4 of Jones. Likewise, the sliding door panel of the present invention is also adaptable to any other type of lnArH 1 (H11 depository entrance in which the door need not be relied on for security purposes. Other features and advantages will become apparent in connection with the more detailed description of the invention hereafter given.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a front elevation of an after-hours depository entrance according to the present invention illustrating its appearance to a depositor.

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 1 but with the cover plate of the door assembly removed to illustrate the door panel mechanism and its components.

FIG. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along theline 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation taken from the line 5--5 of FIG. 4, certain portions being broken away in order to illustrate the interior of the housing and the basic arrangement of the components therein.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 illustrating further details of the housings components and the important positions of the article receptacle in the drum during rotation of the latter through a depositing cycle.

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 5 illustrating the manner in which one end of the drum is mounted.

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along theline 88 of FIG. 5 illustrating the drive motor for the drum.

FIG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken along theline 99 of FIG. 5 additionally illustrating some of the components controlling rotation of the drum as well as those for locking the door panel.

FIG. I0 is an isometric view of the drum itself.

FIG. II is a detail isometric view further illustrating the door panel locking mechanism and its cooperation with the drum.

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustrating the connections between the electrical components controlling rotation of the drum.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As indicated, the after-hours depository entrance of the present invention consists of two basic assemblies, a housing containing the actual depositing mechanism and a front closure for the housing employing a sliding door panel which activates the depositing mechanism. These two assemblies will be separately described in detail, and then the inter-relationship of the two during a depositing cycle.

THE HOUSING AND ITS COMPONENTS The housing itself, generally designated at 10 (see FIGS. 5-9), consists essentially of an open front, box like structure having top andbottom walls 11 and 12,end walls 13 and I4 and a rear wall IS welded together along their edges, the end wall I3 being additionally secured bycorner angles 16 between it and the top andbottom walls 11 and I2. Apartition wall 17 is fixed by similar corner angles 18 to the top andbottom walls 11 and I2 inboard of and parallel to theend wall 13 in order to form asmaller machinery compartment 19 and alarger drum compartment 20, both opening through the front of thehousing 10. Thebottom wall 12 and therear wall 15 in thedrum compartment 20 are terminated short of the lower rear corner ofhousing 10 in order to form arectangular depositing opening 21. The latter in turn opens into a downwardly inclined,rectangular deposit chute 22 welded thereabout to the outer faces of the bottom andrear walls 12 and 15 and the inner face of theend wall 14. It will be understood, of course, that thechute 22 leads to a typical chest or vault when the depository entrance is installed in the wall of a building in the customary manner.

The drum 30 (see FIG. 10 in particular) is an integral aluminum alloy casting having a pair ofinset end walls 31 and 32 provided with drilledcenter bosses 33 and 34. Anarticle receptacle 35 is formed integrally indrum 30 and opens through the drum periphery to provide anarticle opening 36 into thereceptacle 35, the latter being formed by thedrum end walls 31 and 32 and a pair of axially extendingside walls 37 and 38 offset from the axis ofdrum 30 and intersecting each other parallel thereto. Theside walls 37 and 38 are provided with a number of axially spacedslots 39 therethrough perpendicular to the drum axis, each slot extending from closely adjacent theleading edge 36a through theside walls 37 and 38 to closely adjacent the trailingedge 366 of the article opening 36 with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30 to be later described. Additionally, the periphery ofdrum 30 is circumferentially grooved at several axially spacedlocations 40 between theedges 36a and 36b, all for purposes to be hereafter described.

Thedrum 30 is journaled for rotation in thedrum compartment 20 on bearings 33a and 34a, fitted in thebosses 33 and 34, which receive in turn a fixedhorizontal axle bar 41 disposed centrally between thehousing end wall 14 and thepartition wall 17. The end ofbar 41 atend wall 14 is squared off and supported in a notched mountingblock 42 secured to the end wall 14 (see FIG. 7) while the other end of thebar 41 terminates within the bearing 33a. To itsboss 33, however, is secured theflanged end 43 of ahorizontal drive shaft 44 journaled in abearing 45 throughpartition wall 17 and ajournal block 46 secured to the machinery compartment face of thepartition wall 17. Thedrive shaft 44 extends well into themachinery compartment 19, its other end being fitted with abevel drive pinion 47 which engages alike pinion 48 driven by the output shaft of a combined gear box and low torque electric drive motor M mounted in inverted position on abracket 49 secured to the adjacent inner face ofend wall 13. Hence the motor M will drivingly rotatedrum 30 on the fixedaxle bar 41, the direction of such rotation being shown by the arrows in FIGS. 2, 4, 7 and 9, whereby thereceptacle 35 will be rotated, as indicated in FIG. 6, past the depositing opening 2I. Along theaxle bar 41 within thedrum 30 and fixed thereto are spaced a number of article interceptors in the form of sector plates 50 (see FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 6). Eachplate 50 is aligned with one of theslots 39, and extends to closely adjacent the inner face of the peripheral wall ofdrum 30 and from the leading edge 21a of the depositingopening 21, with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30, forwardly and upwardly to a position slightly above the level of theaxle bar 41. Owing to theslots 39, thedrum 30 can thus rotate without interference with theplates 50. As will be apparent from FIG. 6, theplates 50 sweep through thereceptacle 35 as thedrum 30 rotates past the depositingopening 21 and soprevent any article from being carried past the latter opening. Indeed, as can be observed, the edges of theplates 50 actually tend to dislodge an article from thereceptacle 35 and nudge it toward theopening 21. lf for some reason the article should not be so dislodged but should stick to thereceptacle wall 38, it will eventually jam against theplates 50 and thus halt thedrum 30 owing to the low torque of the drive motor M.

Across the upper front corner of the drum compartment 20 a blockingbar 51 is bolted to thehousing top wall 11, the lower rear edge 51a of thebar 51 almost touching the periphery ofdrum 30 so as to close down the space between the latter and thehousing top wall 11. Thebar 51 extends forwardly flush with the face of housing to provide an upper mount for the door assembly. Asimilar blocking bar 52 is secured to the inner face of thehousing bottom wall 12 just forward of thedrum 30 and is fitted with blockingpins 53 extending upwards into the grooves 55) in thedrum 30. The combination of thebar 52 and thepins 53 prevents any possibility of thin objects, such as envelopes, trapped by thin sheet material inserted between the outer surface of thedrum 30 and the leading edge 21a of the depositingopening 21, from being withdrawn therebetween. Acorner angle 54 forward ofbar 52 and flush with the front face ofhousing 10 provides a lower mount for the door assembly. An additional mounting point for the latter is provided by abracket 55 fixed to the inner face ofhousing end wall 13 and flush with the forward edge thereof. In order to retain articles in thereceptacle 35 while being carried around to the depositingopening 21, ashroud plate 56 closely overlies the upper rear portion of the periphery ofdrum 30, theplate 56 beginning on the lower face of thehousing top wall 11 just to the rear of the upper blockingbar 51 and gradually becoming concentric withdrum 30, terminating at the trailing edge 21b of the depositingopening 21 with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30.

Some of the mechanism for controlling rotation of thedrum 30 is also located in themachinery compartment 19. This includes a single pole, double throw door micro-switch SW-l carried by abracket 60 on thepartition wall 17. The circuit making member of SW-l is operated by ahorizontal plunger 61 extending forwardly beyond the front face ofhousing 10 and fitted with a horizontally journaledroller 62 at its forward end, theplunger 61 being normally biased to its forward-most position so that the circuit making member of SW-l is on the biased one of its two contacts. Above that and also mounted on thepartition wall 17 are a capacitor C for the motor M and a pilot light assembly PL, the latter extending through thepartition wall 17 just forward of the periphery ofdrum 30 in order to illuminate the interior of thereceptacle 35. Next to the exposed face of the journal block 46 aratchet wheel 63, having a free sector 63a, is keyed to thedrive shaft 44 to be driven thereby. Theratchet wheel 63 cooperates with apawl 64 pivoted thereabove at 65 to thejournal block 46 and, except over the free sector 63a, permits rotation ofdrum 30 only in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 2, 4, 7 and 9. Asector cam plate 66 is journaled on thedrive shaft 44 next to theratchet wheel 63 and is adjustably fixed at 67 to the latter in order to rotate therewith. The periphery of thecam plate 66 is provided with acam surface 66a below which is mounted a single pole, double throw drum micro-switch SW-Z on abracket 68 secured to thepartition wall 17. The circuit making member of SW-Z is operated by avertical plunger 69 topped by a horizontally journaledroller 70, theplunger 69 being normally biased to its uppermost position so that the circuit making member of SW-2 in turn is on the biased one of its two contacts. Theplunger 69 is depressed by the cam surface 660 during travel of itsroller 70 thereover upon driving rotation ofdrum 30 in order to move the circuit making member of SW-2 to its alternate contact. Theportion 66b of thecam plate 66 in trailing relation to the cam surface 660 with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30 is merely a relief and does not touch theroller 70. On thebottom wall 12 of themachinery compartment 19 is mounted a normally open, single pole, single throw protection micro switch SW3, for purposes later to be described, its circuit making member being operated by a forwardly extendingplunger 71.

THE DOOR ASSEMBLY AND ITS LOCKING MECHANISM The open front face of thehousing 10 is closed by a door mounting plate consisting of a heavyrear plate 80a and a thin face plate 8017 having forwardly projectingflanges 81 along its margins. Theplate 80 extends well above and below the top andbottom housing walls 11 and 12 and is secured to the front faces of the blockingbar 51,corner angle 54 andbracket 55 by special twist-off screws 82. Theroller 62 of the door switch SW4 protrudes through an aperture in the plate 80 (see FIG. 9) and abumper 83 on the rear face ofplate 80a engages theplunger 71 of the protection switch SW-3 and holds it in its closed position. Theplate 80 is apertured, which aperture together with the lower face of blockingbar 51 forms anarticle receiving opening 84 whose lateral edges are substantially flush with the faces of theend walls 31 and 32 of the receptacle 35 (see FIGS. 2-4, 6 and 7). The upper edge 84a of the receivingopening 84 is substantially flush with the lower face of the blockingbar 51 and thelower edge 84b substantially flush with the trailingedge 36b of thereceptacle opening 36 when the latter is in the position shown in full lines in FIG. 6. Theedges 51a and 84b thus form the leading and trailing edges, respectively, of the receivingopening 84 with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30. Laterally outboard of the side edges of the receivingopening 84 are disposed a pair ofvertical door ways 85 in the form of cylindrical bars secured at their upper and lower ends in two pairs of pillow blocks 86 screwed to theplate 80 adjacent the upper andlower flanges 81 of theface plate 80b.

Between theways 85, in turn, is disposed adoor 87 consisting of a rectangularmetal door plate 88 having anopening 89 therein closed by atransparent panel 90 of suitable high impact plastic. The upper edge of thedoor plate 88 is inwardly turned to form aflange 88a which closely abuts theface plate 80b while the lower edge of thedoor plate 88 is outwardly turned to form aflange 88b. The lateral edges of theopening 89, when thedoor 87 is in the closed position shown in FIGS. 1-4, are substantially flush with the lateral edges of the receivingopening 84 and its upper and lower edges, 89a and 89b, are disposed somewhat above and substantially below, respectively, the upper andlower edges 84a and 84b of the receiving opening 84 (see FIG. 3). Thepanel 90 is located on the rear face of theplate 88 to close itsopening 89 by means ofcleats 91 on the rear face ofplate 88 along the top andbottom edges 89a and 89b of theopening 89 and rabbited into the same edges of thepanel 90. Adjacent the upper margin of thepanel 90 is fixed a horizontal, bar-like handle 92 and adjacent its lower margin thepanel 90 is provided with ahorizontal envelope slot 93 disposed well below the lower or trailingedge 84b of the receivingopening 84.

Thedoor 87 is slidably mounted on theways 85 by means of two pairs ofball bushings 94 secured to the upper and lower ends of a pair of vertical mountingplates 95a and 95b screwed to the rear of thedoor plate 88 along its lateral edges. In order to bias thedoor 87 to the closed position illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, a pair of oppositely acting Negator springs96and 96b are employed and fixed to theplate 80 outboard of the mountingplates 95a and 95b and between the positions of theball bushings 94 illustrated in FIG. 3. The outer end of the spring 960 is carried down and affixed at 97 to abracket 98 secured to theplate 95a. The outer end ofspring 96b, however, is carried up and fixed to atang 99 extending laterally from avertical plate 100 overlying theadjacent way 85 and upper ball bushing 94. To the ends of theplate 100 are fixed another pair ofball bushings 101 on theway 85, theupper bushing 101 resting atop theupper bushing 94 when thedoor 87 is in its closed position shown in FIG. 3. Hence, when thedoor 87 is raised by thehandle 92 to make an envelope deposit the upper door ball bushing 94 raises theplate 100 andbushings 101 therewith until the upper one of the latter strikes thepillow block 86 thereabove, thus providing an upper stop for thedoor 87. In order to prevent thespring 96b from carrying thedoor 87 below its closed position astop pin 102 is provided in theplate 80 below thetang 99. When moved down to its bag deposit position against thespring 96a thelowermost ball bushings 94 act as stops for thedoor 87 against the lower pillow blocks 86. When thedoor 87 is released it returns to its closed position and remains there since the force of the spring 960 is greater than the weight of thedoor 87 but less than the latter plus the force of thespring 96b. The protrudingroller 62 of the door switch SW-1 sits in a well 103 (see FIG. 3) formed in the rear of the mountingplate 95a so that theplunger 61 is fully extended and the circuit making member of SW-l is thus on the biased one of its two contacts, but when thedoor assembly 87 is moved up or down, theplunger 61 is cammed inwardly to move the circuit making member of SW-l to its alternate contact.

Over thedoor mounting plate 80 is fitted acover plate 105 consisting of a pair of horizontal upper andlower panels 106 and 107 between which are a pair of laterally spacedvertical panels 108 and 109 in order to form a door access opening 1 10 (see FIG. 1). The margins of the latter over-lap the margins of thedoor plate 88 as indicated in that Figure, and are provided with inwardly turned flanges 111 which closely abut the front face of thedoor 87, the lower one overlying and spaced above thedoor plate flange 88b in order to permit thedoor 87 to be raised to its envelope deposit position. The surrounding margins of thecover plate 105 are also provided with inwardly turnedflanges 112 which fit over theflanges 81 of the face plate b and are secured thereto byscrews 113. Accordingly, when thedoor 87 is moved upwardly by thehandle 92, the envelope slot is brought into communication with the receivingopening 84 and when it is moved downwardly substantially theentire opening 84 is uncovered for bag deposits.

The door locking mechanism consists of a cylinderkey lock 115 mounted flush in thepanel 107 of the cover plate as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 11. The lock is fitted with arearwardly extending tang 116 to which in turn is fitted a crank arm in the form of ayoke 117 so that the latter swings with the turn of the key and cylinder as indicated in FIG. 11. Theyoke 117 engages a forwardly extendingpin 118 of alock bar 119 horizontally slidable in asleeve guide 120, the latter being slotted at 121 for this purpose, affixed to the front face of theplate 80. From the rear of the locking bar 119 a similar pin 122 extends rearwardly through a slot (not shown) in theplate 80 and into themachinery compartment 19 adjacent the forward edge of thepartition wall 17. Thelock bar 119, when slid in the direction A" indicated in FIGS. 3 and 11, extends beneath the lower ball bushing 94 on the mountingplate 95a of the door 87 (see FIG. 3) thus preventing its lowering for bag deposits but not hindering its raising for envelope deposits. In this position of thelock 115,yoke 117 andbar 119, the key can be withdrawn, but not when thelock bar 119 is slid in the direction *B" and is in the position illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 11. In the latter position, the pin 122 is engaged to restrain movement of thelock bar 119 in direction A by a crankedyoke 123 fixed to the end of ashort pin shaft 124 which is loosely journaled in ablock 125 secured to theadjacent partition wall 17 so that theyoke 123 swings up and down, as indicated, to engage and disengage, respectively, the pin 122, its engaged position being shown in FIG. 11. Thepin shaft 124 passes loosely through thepartition wall 17 and is fitted at its other end with atransverse pawl 126 which rotates with theshaft 124 and is engaged by the inside face of the adjacent rim ofdrum 30, the latter maintaining theyoke 123 in the position shown in FIG. 11. In order to release thepawl 126, a recess 127 (see FIGS. 5, 8 and 11) is provided in the rim ofdrum 30 over a portion of its circumference. Once thepawl 126 is released, theshaft 124 rotates by virtue of the weight ofyoke 123 and the latter drops away from the pin 122, whence thelock bar 119 can then be moved in the direction "A" and the key withdrawn. The location and circumferential extent of therecess 127 will be described in more detail hereafter in connection with the description of the operation of the depository entrance.

THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT AND OPERATION OF THE DEPOSITORY ENTRANCE As FIG. 12 indicates, the electrical circuit is relatively simple. One side of the motor M and the pilot light PL are connected into one side of a typical 115 VAC line, brought into the housing through aconduit connection 130 in itsrear wall 15. The other side of the line is connected into the pilot light PL through a remote switch SW-4 and into the motor M and capacitor C through the door switch SW-l and the drum switch SW-2 which in turn are interconnected as shown in two-way fashion. Before a depositing cycle begins thereceptacle 35 is at rest in its normal or initial position P-l shown in broken lines in FIG. 6 in which the trailingedge 36!; of thereceptacle opening 36 is somewhat below the trailingedge 84b of the receivingopening 84 so that thereceptacle 35 is only in partial registry with the receivingopening 84. Thedoor 87 is in its closed position shown in FIGS. 1-4, whence theroller 62 of SW-l is seated in the well 103 and SW-l is in its biased position with its circuit making member in its NC position designated in FIG. 12. In the same position P-l, theroller 70 of SW-Z is on the leading end of thecam surface 66a with respect to the driven direction of drum and theplunger 69 thus depressed to hold the circuit making member of SW-Z in its NO position designated in FIG. 12. Hence there is no completed circuit to the motor M.

A customer now approaches to make a deposit. He raises thedoor 87 or unlocks and lowers it, depending upon whether an envelope or a bag deposit is involved. In either case, theplunger 61 of SW-l is thereby depressed by the rear face of the mountingplate 95a, shifting SW-l to its NO position and closing the circuit to the motor M through the contacts N0 of both SW-l and SW-Z. Thedrum 30 thus revolves until the receptacle reaches the position P-2 indicated in full lines in FIG. 6 at which point the trailingedge 36b of the article opening 36 is substantially flush with the trailingedge 84b of the receivingopening 84. At position P-2, thepawl 64 is at the leading end of its free sector 63a and theroller 70 has just run off the trailing end of the cam surface 660, thus allowing SW-2 to move to its NC position and breaking the circuit to the motor M to halt thedrum 30 since thedoor 87 is still open and SW-l therefore still in its NO position. The location of thepawl 64 and theroller 70 in the position P-Z are those shown in FIG. 9. The deposit is then made and thedoor 87 reclosed, thus allowing SW-l to return to its NC position and again closing the circuit to the motor M since SW-Z is also in its NC position. Thedrum 30 recommences rotation in the direction indicated. If before or by the time the trailingedge 36b of thereceptacle opening 36 has reached the leading edge 51a of the receivingopening 84, that is, the position P3 of thereceptacle 35 shown in broken lines in FIG. 6, the deposited articles should jam against the blockingbar 51 because of improper loading and so stall the motor M, thedoor 87 can be reopened, thus shifting SW-l to its NO position and breaking the circuit to the motor M. Since between positions P-2 and R3 of thereceptacle 35 thepawl 64 is between the leading and trailing ends of itsfree sector 630 with respect to the driven direction ofdrum 30, thereceptacle 35 can be simply reversed as indicated in FIG. 6 to the position P-2 for repacking. Indeed, thedrum 30 will automatically reverse on account of the weight of the articles in thereceptacle 35. Thedoor 87 is then reclosed to recommence the depositing cycle since SW-l and SW-2 will again both be in their NC positions. Thereceptacle 35 thus continues to rotate past its depositing position P-4 shown in broken lines in FIG. 6 and back again to its initial position P-] at which point the leading edge of thecam surface 66a engages theroller 70, thus returning SW-2 to its NO position and halting the motor M. Note that opening thedoor 87 at any time during the depositing cycle will halt thedrum 30 by breaking the circuit to the motor M.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the arc of the cam surface 664 must be equal to the arc of rotation ofdrum 30 between positions P-1 and P-2 and thecam plate 66 adjusted relative to thedrive shaft 44 so that theroller 70 is engaged over that are. Likewise, the are of the free sector 63a of theratchet wheel 63 must be equal to the arc of rotation ofdrum 30 between positions P-2 and P-3 and theratchet wheel 63 relatively fixed on thedrive shaft 44 accordingly. It will also be clear that the location and circumferential extent of therecess 127 in the rim ofdrum 30 must be such that thepawl 126 is disengaged from the latter over an are equal to the arc of rotation ofdrum 30 from position P-l to position P-3 so that thereafter the key cannot be withdrawn from thelock 115 until the recep tacle 35 again reaches position P-l, thus forcing the customer (in the ease of a bag deposit) to remain and visually see that his deposit has been completed. Furthermore, although obviously thecover 105 can be removed by extracting thescrews 113, which is of little importance since neither it nor thedoor 87 is relied upon for security purposes, any removal of the mounting plate will cause thebumper 83 to release theplunger 71 of the switch SW-3 and open the protection circuit. The latter is wired into thehousing 10 through aseparate conduit connection 131 on the rear wall I5.

Though the present invention has been described in terms of a particular embodiment, being the best mode known of carrying it out, and detailed descriptive language has been used, it is not so limited. Instead, the following claims are to be read as encompassing all adaptations and modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:

I. In an after-hours depository entrance including a housing having an article receiving opening and an article depositing opening; a rotor disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotor having an article receptacle therein extending axially thereof and a receptacle opening thereto communicating with said receiving opening when said rotor is in a first position, said receptacle communicating with said depositing opening when said rotor is rotated in a first direction to a second position, said article receptacle being effective when communicating with said receiving opening to contain an article introduced therein through said receiving and receptacle openings and when communicating with said depositing opening to displace such article therefrom through said depositing opening; a plurality of fixed article interceptors spaced in said rotor axially thereof, said interceptors extending transversely of said rotor axis and into and through said receptacle to substantially the periphery of said rotor as said receptacle is rotated with said rotor in said first direction past said depositing opening effective to engage such article and prevent further rotation of said rotor unless such article has been displaced as aforesaid from said receptacle, the walls of said receptacle being apertured effective to permit said interceptors so to ex tend thereinto and therethrough during said rotation; and means for driving rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: means to prevent rotation of said rotor in a second direction opposite to said first direction during rotation thereof through a first are defined by the arc of rotation of the trailing edge of said receptacle opening as said rotor is rotated in said first direction from a third position of said rotor in which said receptacle trailing edge is substantially coincidental with the leading edge of said receiving opening to a fourth position of said rotor in trailing relation to said first position thereof and in which said receptacle has at least completely passed said depository opening, said rotor being rotatable in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

2. The depository entrance ofclaim 1 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor; and wherein said first and fourth rotor positions are coincidental.

3. The depository entrance ofclaim 2 wherein said rotor comprises an integral cylindrical drum and said receptacle comprises a pair of side walls integral with said drum extending inwardly thereof from said receptacle opening parallel to the axis of said drum and intersecting each other, and a pair of end walls integral with said drum and said side walls, said article receptacle being sufficiently commodious to contain bagged articles for deposit.

4. The depository entrance ofclaim 3 wherein each of said article interceptors comprises a sector plate extending from said drum axis radially outwards to substantially the peripheral wall of said drum and between substantially the leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening, said interceptor apertures comprising a plurality of pairs of slots in said side walls to accommodate said sector plates during rotation of said drum, said pairs of slots being spaced from each other axially of said drum, each pair of said slots joining each other at the intersection of said walls and extending outwards therefrom in respective ones of said side walls substantially to the peripheral wall of said drum.

5. The depository entrance ofclaim 4 wherein the periphery of said drum is provided with a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves therein, said housing having a set of fixed blocking pins, said pin set being disposed closely adjacent and in leading relation to the leading edge of said housing depositing opening, each of said pins engaging respective ones of said grooves.

6. The depository entrance of claim 5 wherein said rotation preventing means comprises a pawl carried by said housing and a ratchet wheel rotating with said drum, the ratchets of said wheel operatively engaging said pawl only through an arc corresponding to said first arc of rotation in order to prevent rotation of said drum in said second direction.

7. In an after-hours depository entrance including a housing having an article receiving opening and an article depositing opening; a rotor disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotor having an article receptacle therein extending axially thereof and a receptacle opening thereto communicating with said receiving opening when said rotor is in a first position, said receptacle communicating with said depositing opening when said rotor is rotated in a first direction to a second position, said article receptacle being effective when communicating with said receiving opening to contain an article introduced therein through said receiving and receptacle openings and when communicating with said depositing opening to displace such article therefrom through said depositing opening; a plurality of fixed article interceptors spaced in said rotor axially thereof, said interceptors extending transversely of said rotor axis and into and through said receptacle to substantially the periphery of said rotor as said receptacle is rotated with said rotor in said first direction past said depositing opening effective to engage such article and prevent further rotation of said rotor unless such article has been displaced as aforesaid from said receptacle, the walls of said receptacle being apertured effective to permit said interceptors so to extend thereinto and there-through during said rotation; means to prevent rotation of said rotor in a second direction opposite to said first direction during rotation thereof through a first are defined by the arc of rotation of the trailing edge of said receptacle opening as said rotor is rotated in said first direction from a third position of said rotor in which said receptacle trailing edge is substantially coincidental with the leading edge of said receiving opening to a fourth position of said rotor in trailing relation to said first position thereof and in which said receptacle has at least completely passed said depositing opening; and means for driving rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the improvement in combination therewith of closure means for said receiving opening; said closure means comprising: cover means surrounding said housing effective to provide weather protection therearound and fixedly spaced forwardly of said receiving opening, said cover means having an aperture therein in substantial registry with said receiving opening in said housing; and closing means movably mounted between said cover means and said receiving opening, said closing means overlying said receiving opening and being slidable entirely within said cover means across said receiving opening and said cover aperture from a position closing said receiving opening to a position affording access thereto, marginal areas of said cover aperture overlapping marginal areas of said closing means when in its closure position effective to prevent access to said receiving opening by weather elements entering said cover aperture.

8. The depository entrance ofclaim 7 including an electric motor providing said driving rotation of said rotor when connected to a source of electrical energy; and switch means operatively associated with said closin g means for energizing said motor to cause rotation of said rotor in said first direction thereof when said closing means is moved from said access position toward said closure position and said rotor is in its first position, said switch means being also operatively associated with said rotor for de-energizing said motor to halt said rotor when said rotor is thereafter in its fourth position.

9. The depository entrance ofclaim 8 wherein in said fourth rotor position the trailing edge of said receiving opening is disposed between the leading and trailing edges of said receptacle opening.

10. The depository entrance of claim 9 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

I l. The depository entrance ofclaim 10 wherein said rotation preventing means comprises a pawl carried by said housing and a ratchet wheel rotating with said rotor, the ratchets of said wheel operatively engaging said pawl only through an arc corresponding to said first arc of rotation in order to prevent rotation of said rotor in said second direction.

12. The depository entrance of claim 10 wherein said switch means comprises first and second switches, each of said switches having first and second switch contacts, said first contacts being in parallel circuit relation to said second contacts, the circuit making members of both of said switches being in series with said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch being operatively associated with said closing means and engaging its second contact and the circuit making member of said second switch being operatively associated with said rotor and engaging its first contact both when said closing means is in its closure position and said rotor is in its fourth position, the circuit making member of said first switch moving to engage its first contact when said closing means is moved toward its access position, thereby energizing said motor to initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the circuit making member of said second switch moving to engage its second contact when said rotor is thereafter in its first position, thereby de-energizing said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch moving to engage its second contact upon movement of said closing means toward its closure position, thereby energizing said motor to again initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the circuit making member of said second switch moving to engage its first contact when said rotor is thereafter in its fourth position, thereby tie-energizing said motor.

13. The depository entrance ofclaim 8 wherein said cover aperture and receiving opening are sufficiently commodious to receive therethrough and said article receptacle is sufficiently commodious to contain therein bagged articles for deposit; and wherein said closing means includes a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough of envelopes or the like, said envelope opening being disposed to one side of said receiving opening and said cover aperture and out of communication therewith when said closing means is in its closure position, said closing means being slidable across said receiving opening in a first direction to an envelope depositing position in which said envelope opening is in communication with said receiving opening and said cover aperture and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entire area of said receiving opening is in communicationwith said cover aperture.

14. The depository entrance ofclaim 13 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

15. The depository entrance ofclaim 14 wherein said closing means comprises a door panel and wherein the planes of said receiving opening, door panel and cover aperture are substantially vertical, said door panel being vertically slidably in each of said directions of movement thereof, said envelope opening being disposed below said receiving opening and cover aperture when said door panel is in its closure position, said door panel being raisable in said first direction of movement thereof to said envelope depositing position and lowerable in said second direction of movement thereof to said bag depositing position, and including means biasing said door panel to its closure position.

16. The depository entrance ofclaim 15 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said receiving opening when said door panel is in its closure position, and including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being accessable from the front of said cover means for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

17. The depository entrance ofclaim 15 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor; and wherein in said fourth rotor position the trailing edge of said receptacle opening is disposed between the leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening.

18. The depository entrance of claim 17 wherein said switch means comprises a first switch operated by movement of said door panel and a second switch operated by rotation of said rotor, said switches having interconnected first switch contacts and interconnected second switch contacts in parallel circuit relation, the circuit making members of both of said switches being in series with said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch engaging its second contact and the circuit making member of said second switch engaging its first contact when said door panel is in its closure position and said rotor is in its fourth position; first switch operating means carried by said door panel for causing the circuit making member of said first switch to engage its first contact when said closing means is moved to either its envelope or bag depositing positions, thereby energizing said motor to initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction; and second switch operating means carried by said rotor for causing the circuit making member of said second switch to engage its second contact when said rotor is thereafier in its first position, thereby de-energizing said motor, said first switch operating means causing the circuit making member of said first switch to engage its second contact upon movement of said door panel to its closure position, thereby energizing said motor to again initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, said second switch operating means causing the circuit making member of said second switch to engage its first contact when said rotor is again in its fourth position, thereby de-energizin g said motor.

19. The depository entrance ofclaim 18 wherein said second switch operating means comprises a cam rotating with said rotor having a cam surface thereon operating the circuit making member of said second switch effective to cause said circuit making member to engage its first contact during an arc of rotation of said rotor in said first direction thereof from said fourth to said first rotor positions, said circuit making member being otherwise engaged with the second contact of said second switch during further rotation of said disc until said rotor is again in its fourth position.

20. The depository entrance ofclaim 18 wherein said rotor comprises an integral cylindrical drum and said receptacle comprises a pair of side walls integral with said drum extending inwardly thereof from said receptacle opening parallel to the axis of said drum and intersecting each other, and a pair of end walls integral with said drum and said side walls.

21. The depository entrance ofclaim 20 wherein each of said article interceptors comprises a sector plate extending from said drum axis radially outwards to substantially the peripheral wall of said drum and between substantially the leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening, said interceptor apertures comprising a plurality of pairs of slots in said side walls to accommodate said sector plates during rotation of said drum, said pairs of slots being spaced from each other axially of said drum, each pair of said slots joining each other at the intersection of said walls and extending outwards therefrom in respective ones of said side walls substantially to the peripheral wall of said drum.

22. The depository entrance ofclaim 21 wherein the periphery of said drum is provided with a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves therein, said housing having a set of fixed blocking pins, said pin set being disposed closely adjacent and in leading relation to the leading edge of said housing depositing opening, each of said pins engaging respective ones of said grooves.

23. For use with an after-hours depository entrance having a housing with an upright article receiving opening therein, a closing assembly for such opening comprising: means for mounting said assembly to such housing over such receiving opening; cover means carried by said mounting means having a front portion with an aperture therethrough effective to receive bagged deposits, said cover means being adapted to spacedly surround such receiving opening with the rear face of said cover front portion in spaced forward relation thereto and said aperture in registry therewith when said assembly is operatively mounted to such housing as aforesaid; and movable closing means overlying the rear face of said cover aperture and carried by said mounting means, said closing means including a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough and through said cover aperture of envelopes or the like, said closing means being slidably movable across said cover aperture in a first direction to an envelope depositing position and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entirety of said cover aperture is available for bagged deposits therethrough, marginal areas of said aperture overlapping marginal areas of said closing means effective to prevent access to such receiving opening by weather elements entering said aperture when said assembly is mounted as aforesaid.

24. The closing assembly of claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes a mounting plate spaced from the rear face of said cover front portion and adapted to be secured to such housing about such receiving opening, said mounting plate having n aperture therein in registry with said cover aperture and sufficiently extensive for the passage therethrough of bagged deposits; and wherein said closing means comprises a door panel carried by said mounting plate and disposed between said mounting plate and said cover means for slidable movement across said cover and plate apertures in said directions to said envelope and bag depositing positions, said cover means being also carried by said mounting plate and closing the front face thereof.

25. The closing assembly of claim 24 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said plate aperture when said door panel is in its closure position; and including means connected to said mounting plate and door panel for biasing said door panel to its closure position.

26. The closing assembly of claim 25 including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being carried by said closing assembly and accessible from the front face of said cover front portion for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

27. The depository entrance ofclaim 7 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor.

28. The depository entrance of claim 27 wherein said cover aperture and receiving opening are sufficiently commodious to receive therethrough and said article receptacle is sufiiciently commodious to contain therein bagged articles for deposit; and wherein said closing means includes a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough of envelopes or the like, said envelope opening being disposed to one side of said receiving opening and said cover aperture and out of communication therewith when said closing means is in its closure position, said closing means being slidable across said receiving opening in a first direction to an eni ll 0340 velope depositing position in which said envelope opening is in communication with said receiving opening and said cover aperture and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entire area of said receiving opening is in communication with said cover aperture.

29. The depository entrance of claim 28 wherein said closing means comprises a door panel and wherein the planes of said receiving opening, door panel and cover aperture are substantially vertical, said door panel being vertically slidabiy in each of said directions of movement thereof, said envelope opening being disposed below said receiving opening and cover aperture when said door panel is in its closure position, said door panel being raisable in said first direction of movement thereof to said envelope depositing position and lowerable in said second direction of movement thereof to said bag depositing position, and including means biasing said door panel to its closure position.

30. The depository entrance of claim 29 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said receiving opening when said door panel is in its closure position, and including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being accessable from the front of said cover means for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

31. The depository entrance of claim 29 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the are of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

i i i I

Claims (31)

1. In an after-hours depository entrance including a housing having an article receiving opening and an article depositing opening; a rotor disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotor having an article receptacle therein extending axially thereof and a receptacle opening thereto communicating with said receiving opening when said rotor is in a first position, said receptacle communicating with said depositing opening when said rotor is rotated in a first direction to a second position, said article receptacle being effective when communicating with said receiving opening to contain an article introduced therein through said receiving and receptacle openings and when communicating with said depositing opening to displace such article therefrom through said depositing opening; a plurality of fixed article interceptors spaced in said rotor axially thereof, said interceptors extending transversely of said rotor axis and into and through said receptacle to substantially the periphery of said rotor as said receptacle is rotated with said rotor in said first direction past said depositing opening effective to engage such article and prevent further rotation of said rotor unless such article has been displaced as aforesaid from said receptacle, the walls of said receptacle being apertured effective to permit said interceptors so to extend thereinto and therethrough during said rotation; and means for driving rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the improvement in combination therewith comprising: means to prevent rotation of said rotor in a second direction opposite to said first direction during rotation thereof through a first arc defined by the arc of rotation of the trailing edge of said receptacle opening as said rotor is rotated in said first direction from a third position of said rotor in which said receptacle trailing edge is substantially coincidental with the leading edge of said receiving opening to a fourth position of said rotor in trailing relation to said first position thereof and in which said receptacle has at least completely passed said depository opening, said rotor being rotatable in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

2. The depository entrance of claim 1 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor; and wherein said first and fourth rotor positions are coincidental.

3. The depository entrance of claim 2 wherein said rotor comprises an integral cylindrical drum and said receptacle comprises a pair of side walls integral with said drum extending inwardly thereof from said receptacle opening parallel to the axis of said drum and intersecting each other, and a pair of end walls integral with said drum and said side walls, said article receptacle being sufficiently commodious to contain bagged articles for deposit.

4. The depository entrance of claim 3 wherein each of said article interceptors comprises a sector plate extending from said drum axis radially outwards to substantially the peripheral wall of said drum and between substantially the leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening, said interceptor apertures comprising a plurality of pairs of slots in said side walls to accommodate said sector plates during rotation of said drum, said pairs of slots being spaced from each other axially of said drum, each pair of said slots joining each other at the intersection of said walls and extending outwards therefrom in respective ones of said side walls substantially to the peripheral wall of said drum.

5. The depository entrance of claim 4 wherein the periphery of said drum is provided with a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves therein, said housing having a set of fixed blocking pins, said pin set being disposed closely adjacent and in leading relation to the leading edge of said housing depositing opening, each of said pins engaging respective ones of said grooves.

6. The depository entrance of claim 5 wherein said rotation preventing means comprises a pawl carried by said housing and a ratchet wheel rotating with said drum, the ratchets of said wheel operatively engaging said pawl only through an arc corresponding to said first arc of rotation in order to prevent rotation of said drum in said second direction.

7. In an after-hours depository entrance including a housing having an article receiving opening and an article depositing opening; a rotor disposed in said housing and mounted for rotation about an axis, said rotor having an article receptacle therein extending axially thereof and a receptacle opening thereto communicating with said receiving opening when said rotor is in a first position, said receptacle communicating with said depositing opening when said rotor is rotated in a first direction to a second position, said article receptacle being effective when communicating with said receiving opening to contain an article introduced therein through said receiving and receptacle openings and when communicating with said depositing opening to displace such article therefrom through said depositing opening; a plurality of fixed article interceptors spaced in said rotor axially thereof, said inTerceptors extending transversely of said rotor axis and into and through said receptacle to substantially the periphery of said rotor as said receptacle is rotated with said rotor in said first direction past said depositing opening effective to engage such article and prevent further rotation of said rotor unless such article has been displaced as aforesaid from said receptacle, the walls of said receptacle being apertured effective to permit said interceptors so to extend thereinto and there-through during said rotation; means to prevent rotation of said rotor in a second direction opposite to said first direction during rotation thereof through a first arc defined by the arc of rotation of the trailing edge of said receptacle opening as said rotor is rotated in said first direction from a third position of said rotor in which said receptacle trailing edge is substantially coincidental with the leading edge of said receiving opening to a fourth position of said rotor in trailing relation to said first position thereof and in which said receptacle has at least completely passed said depositing opening; and means for driving rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the improvement in combination therewith of closure means for said receiving opening; said closure means comprising: cover means surrounding said housing effective to provide weather protection therearound and fixedly spaced forwardly of said receiving opening, said cover means having an aperture therein in substantial registry with said receiving opening in said housing; and closing means movably mounted between said cover means and said receiving opening, said closing means overlying said receiving opening and being slidable entirely within said cover means across said receiving opening and said cover aperture from a position closing said receiving opening to a position affording access thereto, marginal areas of said cover aperture overlapping marginal areas of said closing means when in its closure position effective to prevent access to said receiving opening by weather elements entering said cover aperture.

8. The depository entrance of claim 7 including an electric motor providing said driving rotation of said rotor when connected to a source of electrical energy; and switch means operatively associated with said closing means for energizing said motor to cause rotation of said rotor in said first direction thereof when said closing means is moved from said access position toward said closure position and said rotor is in its first position, said switch means being also operatively associated with said rotor for de-energizing said motor to halt said rotor when said rotor is thereafter in its fourth position.

9. The depository entrance of claim 8 wherein in said fourth rotor position the trailing edge of said receiving opening is disposed between the leading and trailing edges of said receptacle opening.

10. The depository entrance of claim 9 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

11. The depository entrance of claim 10 wherein said rotation preventing means comprises a pawl carried by said housing and a ratchet wheel rotating with said rotor, the ratchets of said wheel operatively engaging said pawl only through an arc corresponding to said first arc of rotation in order to prevent rotation of said rotor in said second direction.

12. The depository entrance of claim 10 wherein said switch means comprises first and second switches, each of said switches having first and second switch contacts, said first contacts being in parallel circuit relation to said second contacts, the circuit making members of both of said switches being in series with said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch being operatively associated with said closing means aNd engaging its second contact and the circuit making member of said second switch being operatively associated with said rotor and engaging its first contact both when said closing means is in its closure position and said rotor is in its fourth position, the circuit making member of said first switch moving to engage its first contact when said closing means is moved toward its access position, thereby energizing said motor to initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the circuit making member of said second switch moving to engage its second contact when said rotor is thereafter in its first position, thereby de-energizing said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch moving to engage its second contact upon movement of said closing means toward its closure position, thereby energizing said motor to again initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, the circuit making member of said second switch moving to engage its first contact when said rotor is thereafter in its fourth position, thereby de-energizing said motor.

13. The depository entrance of claim 8 wherein said cover aperture and receiving opening are sufficiently commodious to receive therethrough and said article receptacle is sufficiently commodious to contain therein bagged articles for deposit; and wherein said closing means includes a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough of envelopes or the like, said envelope opening being disposed to one side of said receiving opening and said cover aperture and out of communication therewith when said closing means is in its closure position, said closing means being slidable across said receiving opening in a first direction to an envelope depositing position in which said envelope opening is in communication with said receiving opening and said cover aperture and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entire area of said receiving opening is in communication with said cover aperture.

14. The depository entrance of claim 13 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

15. The depository entrance of claim 14 wherein said closing means comprises a door panel and wherein the planes of said receiving opening, door panel and cover aperture are substantially vertical, said door panel being vertically slidably in each of said directions of movement thereof, said envelope opening being disposed below said receiving opening and cover aperture when said door panel is in its closure position, said door panel being raisable in said first direction of movement thereof to said envelope depositing position and lowerable in said second direction of movement thereof to said bag depositing position, and including means biasing said door panel to its closure position.

16. The depository entrance of claim 15 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said receiving opening when said door panel is in its closure position, and including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being accessable from the front of said cover means for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

17. The depository entrance of claim 15 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor; and wherein in said fourth rotor position the trailing edge of said receptacle opening is disposed between the Leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening.

18. The depository entrance of claim 17 wherein said switch means comprises a first switch operated by movement of said door panel and a second switch operated by rotation of said rotor, said switches having interconnected first switch contacts and interconnected second switch contacts in parallel circuit relation, the circuit making members of both of said switches being in series with said motor, the circuit making member of said first switch engaging its second contact and the circuit making member of said second switch engaging its first contact when said door panel is in its closure position and said rotor is in its fourth position; first switch operating means carried by said door panel for causing the circuit making member of said first switch to engage its first contact when said closing means is moved to either its envelope or bag depositing positions, thereby energizing said motor to initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction; and second switch operating means carried by said rotor for causing the circuit making member of said second switch to engage its second contact when said rotor is thereafter in its first position, thereby de-energizing said motor, said first switch operating means causing the circuit making member of said first switch to engage its second contact upon movement of said door panel to its closure position, thereby energizing said motor to again initiate rotation of said rotor in said first direction, said second switch operating means causing the circuit making member of said second switch to engage its first contact when said rotor is again in its fourth position, thereby de-energizing said motor.

19. The depository entrance of claim 18 wherein said second switch operating means comprises a cam rotating with said rotor having a cam surface thereon operating the circuit making member of said second switch effective to cause said circuit making member to engage its first contact during an arc of rotation of said rotor in said first direction thereof from said fourth to said first rotor positions, said circuit making member being otherwise engaged with the second contact of said second switch during further rotation of said disc until said rotor is again in its fourth position.

20. The depository entrance of claim 18 wherein said rotor comprises an integral cylindrical drum and said receptacle comprises a pair of side walls integral with said drum extending inwardly thereof from said receptacle opening parallel to the axis of said drum and intersecting each other, and a pair of end walls integral with said drum and said side walls.

21. The depository entrance of claim 20 wherein each of said article interceptors comprises a sector plate extending from said drum axis radially outwards to substantially the peripheral wall of said drum and between substantially the leading edge of said depositing opening and the trailing edge of said receiving opening, said interceptor apertures comprising a plurality of pairs of slots in said side walls to accommodate said sector plates during rotation of said drum, said pairs of slots being spaced from each other axially of said drum, each pair of said slots joining each other at the intersection of said walls and extending outwards therefrom in respective ones of said side walls substantially to the peripheral wall of said drum.

22. The depository entrance of claim 21 wherein the periphery of said drum is provided with a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves therein, said housing having a set of fixed blocking pins, said pin set being disposed closely adjacent and in leading relation to the leading edge of said housing depositing opening, each of said pins engaging respective ones of said grooves.

23. For use with an after-hours depository entrance having a housing with an upright article receiving opening therein, a closing assembly for such opening comprising: means for mounting said asSembly to such housing over such receiving opening; cover means carried by said mounting means having a front portion with an aperture therethrough effective to receive bagged deposits, said cover means being adapted to spacedly surround such receiving opening with the rear face of said cover front portion in spaced forward relation thereto and said aperture in registry therewith when said assembly is operatively mounted to such housing as aforesaid; and movable closing means overlying the rear face of said cover aperture and carried by said mounting means, said closing means including a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough and through said cover aperture of envelopes or the like, said closing means being slidably movable across said cover aperture in a first direction to an envelope depositing position and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entirety of said cover aperture is available for bagged deposits therethrough, marginal areas of said aperture overlapping marginal areas of said closing means effective to prevent access to such receiving opening by weather elements entering said aperture when said assembly is mounted as aforesaid.

24. The closing assembly of claim 23 wherein said mounting means includes a mounting plate spaced from the rear face of said cover front portion and adapted to be secured to such housing about such receiving opening, said mounting plate having n aperture therein in registry with said cover aperture and sufficiently extensive for the passage therethrough of bagged deposits; and wherein said closing means comprises a door panel carried by said mounting plate and disposed between said mounting plate and said cover means for slidable movement across said cover and plate apertures in said directions to said envelope and bag depositing positions, said cover means being also carried by said mounting plate and closing the front face thereof.

25. The closing assembly of claim 24 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said plate aperture when said door panel is in its closure position; and including means connected to said mounting plate and door panel for biasing said door panel to its closure position.

26. The closing assembly of claim 25 including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being carried by said closing assembly and accessible from the front face of said cover front portion for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

27. The depository entrance of claim 7 wherein said article receptacle also communicates with said depositing opening through said receptacle opening when said rotor is in its second position, said receptacle opening being disposed upon the periphery of said rotor.

28. The depository entrance of claim 27 wherein said cover aperture and receiving opening are sufficiently commodious to receive therethrough and said article receptacle is sufficiently commodious to contain therein bagged articles for deposit; and wherein said closing means includes a restricted opening therethrough suitable only for the passage therethrough of envelopes or the like, said envelope opening being disposed to one side of said receiving opening and said cover aperture and out of communication therewith when said closing means is in its closure position, said closing means being slidable across said receiving opening in a first direction to an envelope depositing position in which said envelope opening is in communication with said receiving opening and said cover aperture and in a second direction opposite to said first direction to a bag depositing position in which substantially the entire area of said receiving opening is in communication with said cover apErture.

29. The depository entrance of claim 28 wherein said closing means comprises a door panel and wherein the planes of said receiving opening, door panel and cover aperture are substantially vertical, said door panel being vertically slidably in each of said directions of movement thereof, said envelope opening being disposed below said receiving opening and cover aperture when said door panel is in its closure position, said door panel being raisable in said first direction of movement thereof to said envelope depositing position and lowerable in said second direction of movement thereof to said bag depositing position, and including means biasing said door panel to its closure position.

30. The depository entrance of claim 29 wherein a portion of said door panel is transparent sufficient to afford visual access therethrough and through said receiving opening when said door panel is in its closure position, and including means for locking said door panel against movement to its bag depositing position, said locking means being accessable from the front of said cover means for locking and unlocking of said door panel, said locking means permitting movement of said door panel to its envelope depositing position independently of said locking means.

31. The depository entrance of claim 29 wherein said rotation preventing means for said rotor permits rotation thereof in either of said directions through a second arc defined by the arc of rotation of said receptacle trailing edge between said third rotor position and substantially at least said first rotor position.

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