The present invention relates to a device for safe custody and transport of valuables, such as, for example, banknotes, and comprising a container which is provided with a lid, which is lockable to the container by means of a lock mechanism.

It is known to use for safe custody and transport of currency notes lockable cassettes provided with locking mechanisms and containing a colouring fluid cartridge which is released upon damage being done to the cassette, whereby the notes are made unfit for use. Such cassettes are intended to replace the flexible so-called bank bags which are used for transport of banknotes from shops and stores to the night depository of the bank, since such bags do not afford'any protection whatever against theft of the content.

One problem inherent to cassettes of the type in considera¬ tion is to achieve a locking of the lid of the cassette, which locking is burglar-proof and thus makes impossible that the cassette is opened in other way than by applying violence in which case the colour cartridge is released. In this connection ±i has been proposed to equip cassettes or bags for transport of valuables with code operatable locks which are opened in a bank or similar establishment by means of a control unit on which the bank staff types the opening code. The drawback inherent to this proposal is firstly that problems arise when the correct code is not marked in the control unit - in which connection it has been proposed that the colour cartridge is released after some few attempts - and secondly that the code becomes known to a plurality of persons in the bank which can involve a security risk. According to another proposal

a coded lock washer is used for the locking of the lid of the cassette and another coded washer is used for releasing the first coded washer and opening the lid of the cassette.

The main object of the present invention is to simplify further the locking mechanism of the cassette while main¬ taining and even increasing the security against unwarranted opening, which is achieved thereby that the device has receive the characteristic features stated in the subsequent claims.

The invention will be described nearer hereinafter with reference to an embodiment shown in the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows the cassette according to the invention with attached lid, i.e. in the position for transport. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cassette of Figure 1 without lid. Figure 3a shows the lid of the cassette viewed from the underside, whereas Figure 3b shows a lateral view of the lid. Figure 4 shows an exploded sketch of the end of the cassette containing an operating member for the locking mechanism. Figure 5 shows a view seen in the direction of the arrows V-V in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a view seen in the direction of the arrows VI-VI in Figure 4. Figure 7 shows a view seen in the direction of the arrows VII-VII in Figure 6. Figure 8 shows a lateral view of a control apparatus for the opening of the cassette. Figure 9 shows a bottom view of the apparatus of Figure 8.

The cassette shown in the Figures 1 and 2 comprises a box- -resembling container 10 which on one end has a raised portion 12 containing a slot 16 for insertion of a corres¬ ponding flange 18 on the lid 20 (Figures 3a, 3b) of the cassette which will be described nearer more below. On its opposite end the cassette is formed with a cavity 14 which contains the operating member to be described nearer more below.

The cavity closed at the top is raised also over the longi¬ tudinal sides of the cassette 10 so that the lid 20 connects with these raised portions when it is put on the container 10 as is evident from the Figure 1. The lid may have a token 22, such as e.g. a founded effigy of a colour spraying cartridge showing that the content of the cassette is protected against stealing by staining. As previously mentioned, the lid 20 of the cassette which is shown in the Figures 3a and 3b, is formed with a flange 18 intended to be inserted into the slot 16 of the container 10, and on the opposite end a flange 24 provided with an opening 26 for the locking tongue 32 (Figure 4) of the locking mechanism, which will be de¬ scribed more below. Embedded in the lid 20 are loops 28 of an electric wire, which loops are connected with sheet metal shields 30 on those parts which are in contact with the container 10, i.e. the flanges 18 and 24 of the lid. Corres¬ ponding sheet metal shields are provided in the slot 16 and on the operating member against which the flange 24 of the lid 20 abuts when the lid is closed. The loops 28 cover the entire surface of the lid and are located so closely together that all efforts to knock holes into the lid by means of tools will result in interruptions in one loop or more loops, whereby the colour cartridge is released.

The container or banknote box 10 of the cassette is equipped also with loops (not shown) of some electricity conducting material so that neither the container 10 can be exposed to exterior force without interruption of the electric circuit of which the loops constitute a part. It is evident from the aforesaid that the container 10 and the lid 20 of the cassette are of a non-conductive material which even must stand to rough manipulation when the cassette is thrown into e.g. a night box of the bank, and a suitable material is rigid plastics,'.-theacurrent carrying loops then being embedded in, or welded on, the plastics container 10 and the lid 20. Of course, it is possible also, if desired,

to manufacture the cassette from metal, such as steel, it then being necessary, however, to insulate the contact syste with its sheet metal shields and loops from the rest of the container.

The cavity 14 of the cassette container 10 encloses an operating member for the locking mechanism and electronics, as is shown in Figure 4. The operating member comprises a casing 34 having such external dimensions that it can be introduced into the cavity 14, where it is retained in place by a screw (not shown), which passes through a hole 36 in the outer side of the cassette and is threaded into a bush 38 in the casing 34. This bush and the screw driven down are connected to the electric circuit so as to cause this circui to become interrupted when the screw possibly is loosened. In the cassette made ready for use the screw head at the exterior surface of .the cassette is concealed by a layer of plastics, lacquer or the like so as to be invisible. Of course, the casing may also be fixed by means of screws from the interior of the container 10, the screws then being connected to the electric circuit of the cassette in the same manner so as to cause the circuit to become interrupted when the screw or screws are loosened or removed so that the colour cartridge is activated. After that the casing 34 of the operating member has been mounted in the cavity 14 and fixed in the bush 38, it is normally not necessary to remove it from the cavity earlier but when service and exchange of batteries shall be performed in the cassette.

The casing 34 of the operating member encloses an electric¬ ally controllable locking mechanism 40, a colour cartridge or colour shell 42, two batteries 44, a microprocessor 46 and an inductance coil 46 and also a radiation receiving diode 50. 52 denotes the conducting system which inter- connects the various components of the operating member.

As is evident from Figure 5, the casing 34 is open at the back so that it is possible when the casing 34 has been removed from the cavity 14 and uncovered, to replace the batteries 44 and also, if desired, the colour cartridge 42 when the cassette- undergoes service or after release of the colour cartridge. There is further on the front side of the casing 34 a notch 58 through which the locking tongue 32 passes into the opening 26 in the flange 24 when the lid 20 has been put on and locked. This notch 58 can also receive the other flange 18 of the lid 20 when the lid has been placed onto the container 10 in a position rotated by 180° relatively to the locking position for transport of the cassette, as will be described nearer more below. The shown lid 20 thus is of the type which is put onto the container from above and is squeezed against the same. Other embodi¬ ments may of course be used, such as, for example, a sliding lid, which is pushed in from one end of the container into two longitudinally extending slots in the sides of the container.

The described cassette for articles of value is operated in the following manner: In the shown embodiment the lid 20 is applied in one of two positions. In the first position, the transport position, the flange 18 of the lid 20 engages the recess 58, whereas the opposite end of the lid is directed against, and lowered in relation to, the raised portion 12. The lid is retained in this position by friction or by means of a spring clip or the like, and in order to facilitate lifting of the lid by the user, the side or sides of the lid are knurled. After that the valuables which shall be protected, such as, for example, banknotes from a shop cash, have been deposited in the cassette, the lid is rotated by 180 degrees so that the flange 18 engages the slot 16 and the flange 24 is lowered to a position adjacent the recess 58 in the casing 34 of the operating member. By contact of

the sheet metal shields 30 with corresponding shields (not shown) in the slot 16 and on the operating member 34 the electric circuit is closed and the locking mechanism becomes automatically operative and the electronics are made active, which is indicated by a buzzing sound or "peep" from the microprocessor 46. Now, the lid cannot be lifted off any longer, and any possible action directed against the cassette will result in that the colour shell 42 is caused to burst so that the banknotes become coloured and unfit for use. This is effected thereby that the electric circuit interrupt¬ ed either by the lid being broken loose under application of violence so that the sheet metal shields lose the contact with the electric conduction system 52 or that the loops 28 are damaged by attempts to penetrate into the interior walls of the container 10 or through the lid 20.

For opening of the cassette, for example in a ban where the cassette has been conveyed in locked condition, it is necess¬ ary, according to the invention, that two operations are performed simultaneously. By means of an external power source the inductance coil 48 for the locking mechanism 40 is acted upon, whereby the radiation receiving diode 50 is supplied with electric energy and is sensitized thereby. In this condition the diode waits for a correct signal which is coded and which is transferred from a transmitter in the bank to the diode 50. If the signal is the right one and agrees with the code stored in the microprocessor 46, the diode emits a signal to the locking mechanism so that the lock is opened and the lid 20 can be removed from the container 10. Thereunder the buzzer enclosed in the micro¬ processor sounds again so that the bankclerk opening the cassette becomes aware that the lid can be opened without the colour cartridge 42 being released.

It becomes clear from the aforesaid that two electric circuit are used for operation of the described cassette. The exchang

able batteries 44 enclosed therein supply the electric circui 52 with energy during the transport of the cassette in closed position, and for this purpose a very feeble current is suffi cient, which affords long endurance to the batteries 44. The locking mechanism and the code reading means must, however, be fed with current from an external energy source via the inductance coil 48 when the cassette shall be opened. In the shown and described embodiment it is assumed that infra-red light is used for sensitization of the code lock of the cassette, and in the embodiment with container of plastics the light passes through the plastics casing to the receiv¬ ing diode 50. In connection with other types of containers, such as metallic ones, and/or certain types of radiation source, there may be provided, in order to render possible that the ray from the emitter can be received by the radia¬ tion reading diode 50, a hole 60 in the end wall of the cassette container 10 straight in front of the diode.

As mentioned, it has been assumed for the described embodi- ment that the source of radiation is infra-red light, but it will be obvious that other sources of radiation are con¬ ceivable, in which connection may be mentioned in addition to infra-red light ultra-sound, laser radiation or combina¬ tions thereof. The exterior energy source for supply of the necessary energy may be constituted by a current supply with direct contact to the cassette or a magnetic alternatic current field or some other supply of energy by induction or magnetism or combinations thereof. In those cases where the supply of energy is effected by induction or magnetism, this supply can also be made in coded manner, so that in practice two coded signals must be transmitted to the casset before the lock can be opened.

In order to in a simple manner create the operations necessa for the opening of the cassette e.g. in a bank, there is pro vided according to still a characteristic feature of the in¬ vention an opening apparatus, which is shown in the Figures

and 9. This apparatus, which appropriately is stationarily mounted in the bank office, for example fastened with screws 62, comprises a bottom 64 and two gable parts 66, 68, of whic one contains a magnetic field generator for that case that the power supply is constituted by a magnetic alternating current field, and a radiation emitter diagrammatically shown at 70 for sensitization of the code lock 40 of the cassette. The current supply emanates from the electric mains over a flex 72 and the sensitization of the apparatus by means of a press button 74 on the top side. Suitably there is provided on the top side also an indication of position so that the cassette can be installed in correct position, whereafter the opening apparatus is sensitized by operation of the press button 74, so that the lid 20 can be removed from the cassett casing 10 as soon as the buzzer has reported that the lock has been opened. Most suitably the opening apparatus is provided with a specific code for each bank office or other financial institution so that cassettes from other banks or similar institutions cannot be opened by means of the same opening apparatus. The code in the opening apparatus and appartaining cassettes are deposited in fixed storages and stored in every cassette and in the apparatus so as to make them unaccessible from outside. The code is produced by e.g. a computer and is stored in the fixed storages and remains in this way concealed to anybody in the bank or other staff members working with the cassettes.

Of course, the embodiment shown and described above is an example only of realization of the invention, and changes may be made within the scope of the following claims. Althoug the invention has been described with reference to a cassette for banknotes, it can, of course, be applied to larger tran¬ sport bags for valuables also.