IP Library › Patent Application 15345600
Patent Application
App. No. 15/345,600

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED OPENING OF A LOCKED ENCLOSURE

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
15/345,600
Abstract

An apparatus for preventing unwanted opening of a locked enclosure. The enclosure includes a lock, a door and a door bolt. The door is openable when the door bolt is retracted from a structure surrounding the enclosure. The apparatus includes a frangible guard plate, and an arm coupled to the guard plate by a spring. The arm is maintained in a first position under a bias of the spring. When the guard plate is fractured, the arm is free to move from the first position into a second position. The arm is positioned to engage the door bolt in the second position, thereby preventing retraction of the door bolt.

Claims (23)

1 . An apparatus for preventing unwanted opening of a locked enclosure, the enclosure having a lock, a door and a door bolt, the door openable when the door bolt is retracted from a structure surrounding the enclosure, comprising:

a frangible guard plate; and

an arm coupled to the guard plate by a spring, thereby maintaining the arm in a first position under a bias of the spring;

wherein when the guard plate is fractured, the arm is free to move from the first position into a second position;

wherein the arm is positioned to engage the door bolt in the second position, thereby preventing retraction of the door bolt.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the guard plate and the spring are coupled by a pin.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frangible guard plate comprises glass.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the door bolt further comprises a recess to receive a portion of the arm in the second position.

5 . A method of preventing unwanted opening of a locked enclosure having a door and door bolt, the door openable when the door bolt is retracted from a structure surrounding the enclosure, comprising:

maintaining an arm in a first position relative to a frangible guard plate with the arm under a bias of a spring;

freeing the arm for movement from the first position when the frangible guard plate is fractured; and

moving the arm under the bias on the arm into engagement with the door bolt in the second position, thereby preventing retraction of the door bolt.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein a recess of the door bolt receives a portion of the arm in the second position.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the arm is coupled to the frangible guard plate by the spring in the first position.

8 . An apparatus for preventing unwanted opening of a locked enclosure, the enclosure including a lock mechanism, comprising:

a frangible guard plate; and

an arm coupled to the guard plate by a spring, thereby maintaining the arm in a first position under a bias of the spring, the bias in a direction transverse to a surface of the frangible plate;

wherein the arm is positioned to engage with the lock mechanism in the second position, thereby preventing the opening of the locked enclosure.

9 . A method for preventing unwanted opening of a locked enclosure, the enclosure including a lock mechanism, comprising:

coupling a frangible guard plate and an arm by a spring, the arm thereby being under a bias in a direction transverse to a surface of the frangible guard plate;

freeing the arm for movement from the first position when the frangible guard plate is fractured;

moving the arm to a second position;

when the arm is in the second position, engaging the lock mechanism and thereby preventing opening of the locked enclosure.