Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a storing device with a storage space for storing objects that are espe¬ cially liable to be stolen, said device having a closing means, which is movable between an open position and a closed position closing the storage space, a locking means which is settable between a locked position and an unlocked position for locking and releasing, respec¬ tively, the closing means in a closed position, and a staining system which is arranged in the storage space and adapted, in case of an attempted theft, to stain the objects stored in the storage space and has a propellant source which is arranged, when actuated, to expel a puff of propellant to a dye sprayer, which is connected to the propellant source and contains a batch of dye to spray the batch of dye into the storage space when receiving this puff of propellant. Background Art

Some prior-art storing devices have instead of a propellant source an electrically actuatable pyrotechnic unit, which in case of an attempted theft releases a dye cartridge for spraying dye into the storage space. A problem of pyrotechnically releasable dye cartridges is that they can injure people staying in the vicinity of the storing device as the dye cartridge is released.

In an attempt to design a safer system, a storing device with a mechanically actuated staining system has been developed. An air-filled pressure cylinder produces when actuated a pressure surge which in turn actuates a dye sprayer for spraying dye into the storage space in case of an attempted theft. However, it has been found that this storing device is not reliable enough. The mechanical system has a very sensitive trigger mechanism,

which can be activated in connection with authorised, but careless, opening of the storing device. This means that the objects stored in the storage space of the device can be stained by mistake and, thus, be of no value since they can no longer be sold. Summary of the Invention

The object of the invention therefore is to improve this device and provide a storing device which is design¬ ed so that the above problems are eliminated. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a storing device which is of the type stated by way of introduction and characterised in that the dye sprayer is connected to the propellant source via a valve body which has an inlet to which the propellant source is connected, a first outlet to which the dye sprayer is connected, and a second outlet which opens into the storage space, and that a valve element is movably arranged in the valve body and connected to the locking means in such a man¬ ner that the propellant source via the valve body and the valve element is connected only to the first outlet when the locking means is in its locked position, and only to the second outlet when the locking means is in its unlocked position.

By the propellant source being connected only to the first outlet where the locking means is in its locked position, and only to the second outlet when the locking means is in its unlocked position, a safety catch is obtained, which effectively prevents the dye sprayer from being activated when the storage device is unlocked. In a preferred embodiment, the propellant source is an air cylinder assembly with a piston which is arranged in a cylinder and kept in a pretensioned state by means of a trigger mechanism which is arranged, in case of an attempted theft, to actuate the air cylinder assembly by releasing the piston.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front view and shows a storing device according to the invention in its closed position and with a portion of a roll-front broken away.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the internal lower portion of the storing device.

Figs 3a and 3b are enlarged perspective views and show a portion of the storing device with a lock in the locked and unlocked position, respectively.

Figs 4a and 4b illustrate the functional state of a valve when the lock is in the locked and unlocked posi¬ tion, respectively. Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Figs 1 and 2 show a storing device according to the present invention. The storing device here consists of a cabinet 1 with a base plate 2.

The cabinet 1 has an inner storage space 3 and a closing means in the form of a roll-front 4. Instead of a roll-front 4, a door or the like can be used. The roll- front 4 is arranged to be pulled down to close the stor¬ age space 3 (Fig. 1) and to be pulled up to open the storage space 3 and make it accessible. When the roll- front 4 is in its lowered closed position, it can be locked and released, respectively, by means of a key- operated locking means 5. The locking means 5 comprises a lock cylinder 5a and a lock catch 5b to cooperate with a lock lug 5c arranged on the roll-front 4. A safety catch (not shown) which must be pressed down by the roll-front 4 to allow the lock cylinder 5a to be turned, and thus the cabinet to be locked/unlocked, is arranged in connec¬ tion with the lock cylinder 5a.

Moreover the cabinet 1 has a staining system 6 which is mounted in a recess 2a in the base plate 2. The stain¬ ing system 6 is protected and concealed by a floor plate (not shown) which covers the recess 2a. When the floor

plate is mounted, it constitutes part of the base of the storage space 3.

The staining system 6 comprises a propellant source in the form of an air cylinder assembly 7, a dye sprayer 8, a valve 9 and a trigger mechanism 10.

The air cylinder assembly 7 consists of a cylinder and a piston (not shown) arranged therein, which, against the action of a spring (not shown) arranged in the cylin¬ der, is kept in a pretensioned state by means of a wire 11, which is connected to the trigger mechanism 10 and which at one end is provided with a stop ball 11a.

The dye sprayer 8 consists of a tube with a first end 8a, which opens into the storage space 3. In the dye sprayer 8 there is a batch of dye (not shown) , which con- tains colour pigments of a small particle size, prefer¬ ably carbon black.

The valve 9 has a valve body 12 and a valve element 13 arranged therein. The valve body 12 has an inlet 14, a first outlet 15 and a second outlet 16. The inlet 14 is connected to the air cylinder assembly 7 via an air tube 17. The first outlet 15 is connected to the dye sprayer 8, and the second outlet 16 opens into the storage space 3. The valve element 13 is movably arranged in the valve body 12 and connected to the lock cylinder 5a of the locking means 5 to be rotated by the same. The valve element 13 is connected to the lock cylinder 5a in such a manner that the air cylinder assembly 7 via the valve body 12 and the valve element 13 is connected only to the first outlet 15 when the locking means 5 is in its locked position (Figs 3a and 4a) , and only to the second outlet 16 when the locking means 5 is in its unlocked position (Figs 3b and 4b) .

The trigger mechanism 10 consists of a substantially orthogonally bent rocker arm which at one end is provided with a vertical notch 10a and which at its other end is pivotally attached to the upper side of the valve body 12 by means of an attachment 10b.

When the piston of the air cylinder assembly is in its pretensioned state, the wire 11 extends through the valve body 12 into the notch 10a of the rocker arm where it is retained by the stop ball 11a. The trigger mechanism 10 is connected to the lock catch 5b by coupling lugs (not shown) on the rocker arm and the lock catch 5b. When the locking means 5 is in its locked position (Fig. 3a) , the coupling lug engages the lock catch 5b under the coupling lug on the rocker arm. When the locking means is in its unlocked position

(Fig. 3b) , the two coupling lugs are disengaged from each other.

If, when the locking means 5 is in its locked posi¬ tion, the roll-front 4 is snatched upwards, for instance in case of an attempted theft, the lock lug 5c attached to the roll-front entrains the lock catch 5b slightly upwards, whereby the lock catch due to the engagement between the two coupling lugs in turn pivots the rocker arm upwards sufficiently far for the wire 11 to be released, in which case also the piston is released and then makes a striking motion, owing to the spring bias, and expels a puff of air from the cylinder.

When the trigger mechanism 10 is released, i.e. the rocker arm is pivoted upwards, and the cylinder thus expels a puff of air, an empty puff of air can be passed into the storage space 3 or alternatively a batch of dye can be sprayed into the same.

For an empty puff of air to be passed into the stor¬ age space 3, the roll-front can be in a pulled-up or pulled-down position, but the locking means 5 must be in its unlocked position, the valve element 13 being in the position shown in Fig. 4b, in which the second outlet 16 of the valve body 12 communicates with the inlet 14, while the connection between the inlet 14 and the first outlet 15 is broken. If the air cylinder assembly 7 is now actuated, an empty puff of air is thus passed into the storage space 3 through the second outlet 16.

For a batch of dye being sprayed into the storage space 3, the roll-front 4 must be in a pulled-down posi¬ tion, while the locking means 5 must be in its locked position, in which case the valve element 13 is in the position shown in Fig, 4a, in which the first outlet 15 of the valve body 12 communicates with the inlet 14, while the connection between the inlet 14 and the second outlet 16 is broken. If the air cylinder assembly 7 is now actuated, the puff of air is thus passed into the dye sprayer 8 and entrains the batch of dye stored therein, which is then sprayed into the storage space 3 through the end 8a of the dye sprayer 8. Objects that are espe¬ cially liable to be stolen and stored in the storage space 3, such as tobacco articles and lottery tickets, are then stained, thus making it more or less impossible to sell them.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

Cabinet 1

Base plate 2

Recess 2a

Storage space 3

Roll-front 4

Locking means 5

Lock cylinder 5a

Lock catch 5b

Lock lug 5c

Staining system 6

Air cylinder assembly 7

Dye sprayer 8

End of dye sprayer 8a

Valve 9

Trigger mechanism 10

Notch 10a

Attachment 10b

Wire 11

Stop ball 11a

Valve body 12

Valve element 13

Inlet 14

First outlet 15

Second outlet 16

Air tube 17