Adjustable hinge for security enclosure of automated banking machine
View Patent ↗A secure enclosure for an automated banking machine includes a safe chest portion and a moveable door. The door has mounted thereon a locking bolt work mechanism which is operable to secure the door in a closed position. The door is mounted to the chest with the use of hinge assemblies having respective hinge pins. The hinge assemblies enable the door to be selectively adjusted in up-down and right-left directions. The door can be moved in the up-down direction via an adjustable set screw operative to move vertically relative to a hinge pin. The door can be moved in the right-left direction via adjustable set screws operative to engage and pivot the hinge pin. Thus, the door can be aligned with the chest opening.
1. Apparatus comprising:
a secure enclosure including a chest portion and a moveable door, wherein the chest portion includes an opening, wherein the door is sized for closing the opening,
a first hinge component attached in supporting connection with the chest portion, wherein the first hinge component is operative to accept a hinge pin therein,
second hinge component attached in supporting connection with the door, wherein the second hinge component is operative to accept the hinge pin therein, wherein one of the first or second hinge components comprises a bore having a longitudinal axis,
a hinge pin, wherein the hinge pin extends in the first and second hinge components and the bore,
at least one door alignment member, wherein the at least one door alignment member is movable, wherein the at least one door alignment member is positionally adjustable relative to the hinge pin,
wherein positional adjustment of the at least one door alignment member is operative to cause the hinge pin to pivot relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the door is caused to be moved in a first direction relative to the opening.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
an elongated locking bolt attached in supporting connection with the door, wherein the locking bolt includes looking projections, wherein the locking bolt is operative to move between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the door,
wherein the chest portion includes apertures therein, wherein each aperture is adapted to respectively receive an extended locking projection to hold the door in a closed position.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 and further comprising an automated banking machine including a cash dispenser device, wherein the secure enclosure comprises a safe of the automated banking machine.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a further first hinge component attached in supporting connection with the chest portion,
a further second hinge component attached in supporting connection with the door,
a further hinge pin accepted in the further first and second hinge components,
wherein the door is movably mounted on the chest portion when the first and second hinge components are engaged via the hinge pin and the further first and second hinge components are engaged via the further hinge pin.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a first direction door alignment arrangement and a second direction door alignment arrangement,
wherein the first direction door alignment arrangement comprises the at least one door alignment member,
wherein the second direction door alignment arrangement comprises a second direction door alignment member that is movable,
wherein positional adjustment of the second direction door alignment member is operative to cause movement of the door in a second direction relative to the opening, wherein the second direction is different than the first direction.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.
8. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the at least one door alignment member comprises adjustable set screws, and wherein the second direction door alignment member comprises an adjustable set screw.
9. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the second hinge component comprises both the bore and the first direction door alignment arrangement, and wherein the first hinge component includes the second direction door alignment arrangement.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
a first bearing ball, wherein a first end of the hinge pin engages the first bearing ball,
a second bearing ball, wherein the second end of the hinge pin engages the second bearing ball,
wherein the hinge pin is operative to pivot in the bore while in engagement with the first and second bearing balls.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the at least one door alignment member is operative to engage the hinge pin in the bore.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the at least one door alignment member is movable radially in the bore.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the at least one door alignment member comprises two radially opposed set screws located on a common plane containing a first bore diameter.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the first bore diameter is larger than the bore diameter perpendicular thereto on the common plane.
15. A method comprising:
(a) attaching a first hinge component in supporting connection with a chest portion of a secure enclosure, wherein the chest portion includes an opening, wherein the first hinge component is operative to accept a hinge pin therein;
(b) attaching a second hinge component in supporting connection with a moveable door of the secure enclosure, wherein the door is sized for closing the opening, wherein the second hinge component is operative to accept the hinge pin therein, wherein one of the first or second hinge components comprises a bore having a longitudinal axis;
(c) accepting the hinge pin into the first and second hinge components, wherein the hinge pin is accepted into the bore, wherein the hinge pin is operative to pivot in the bore relative to the longitudinal axis responsive to positional adjustment of at least one movable door alignment member relative to the hinge pin, wherein pivoting of the hinge pin relative to the longitudinal axis is operative to cause the door to be moved relative to the opening;
(d) adjusting the position of the at least one door alignment member to cause the hinge pin in the bore to pivot relative to the longitudinal axis to cause the door to be moved in a first direction relative to the opening.
16. The method according to claim 15 and farther comprising an automated banking machine including a cash dispenser device, wherein the secure enclosure comprises a safe of the automated banking machine, wherein (d) includes adjusting the door relative to the opening of the safe.
17. The method according to claim 15 wherein the at least one door alignment member comprises a first direction door alignment member, and further comprising (e) adjusting the position of a second direction door alignment member to cause the door to be moved in a second direction relative to the opening, wherein the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.
18. The method according to claim 17 wherein (a) includes attaching a first hinge component including the second direction door alignment member, and wherein (b) includes attaching a second hinge component including both the bore and the first direction door alignment member.
19. The method according to claim 15 wherein (c) includes engaging a first end of the hinge pin with a first bearing ball and engaging the second end of the hinge pin with a second bearing ball, and wherein (d) includes pivoting the hinge pin in the bore while the hinge pin is in engagement with the first and second bearing balls.
20. The method according to claim 15 wherein (d) includes radially moving the at least one door alignment member to engage the hinge pin in the bore.