Lamp bank

The specification discloses a lamp (10) having a base (12) with a pedestal (16) extending upwardly therefrom. A cap (66) or bullet (24) is removably seated on the top of the pedestal (16), and a slot (40) is formed in the pedestal beneath the cap (66) or bullet (24). A circular insert (42) is removably locked to a cylindrical cavity (44) by a locking mechanism (46). Access to a chamber (32) within the pedestal (16) is achieved by removing the insert (42) from the cavity (44).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to personal banks for home use, and 
particularly relates to a bank concealed within a lamp for containing 
money. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Most homes include numerous lamps, including table lamps, for illuminating 
rooms. Typically, these lamps include relatively large pedestals that are 
hollow. In most instances, chambers found within lamp pedestals are 
totally unused. 
However, some uses of the interior of a lamp pedestals are known. For 
example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,739,239, there is disclosed a lamp pedestal in 
a so-called smoker's lamp that includes several doors, compartments and 
chambers for containing smoking paraphernalia, such as cigarettes, pipe 
tobacco, and ashes. Other dissimilar uses of the interior space within a 
lamps pedestal are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,335,650 and 4,079,241. 
None of these patents disclose the concept of providing a hidden bank 
within a lamp pedestal and, specifically, none of these patents disclose 
the lamp bank disclosed herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, the lamp bank for receiving and 
concealing money includes a base for supporting the lamp bank, and a lamp 
pedestal extends upwardly from the base. The lamp pedestal is hollow and, 
thus, has a chamber formed therein for containing money. An access port is 
formed in the lamp pedestal for selectively accessing the chamber so that 
money can be conveniently removed from the chamber, and an input mechanism 
is formed in the pedestal adjacent to the top of the chamber for receiving 
and inputing money into the chamber. An illuminating mechanism, such as an 
electric light socket and bulb, is mounted on the pedestal for producing 
light. 
In accordance with a more particular aspect of the present invention, the 
lamp bank includes a lock mechanism for selectively locking the access 
port to prevent undesired access to the chamber. The access port and lock 
mechanism, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, 
includes an aperture formed in the lamp pedestal adjacent to the base of 
the lamp pedestal and extending through the pedestal into the chamber. An 
insert is dimensioned to fit snuggly within the aperture, and a locking 
mechanism selectively locks the insert within the aperture. 
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the input 
mechanism includes a mechanism for selectively concealing it. Such input 
mechanism may include a recess formed in the pedestal and a slot formed in 
the pedestal within the recess extending through the pedestal and into the 
chamber so that money can be inserted therein. A plug or cap is 
dimensioned for fitting or seating snuggly within the recess to conceal 
the slot. Thus, the plug or cap normally conceals the slot, but may be 
removed so that money can be inserted into the lamp pedestal. 
In accordance with another particular embodiment of the present invention, 
the lamp bank includes a rod extending from the bottom to and through the 
top of said pedestal and extending upwardly from the top of the pedestal 
for a predetermined distance. Illuminating means are mounted on the upper 
end of the rod. A cap is removably seated on the pedestal, and an aperture 
is formed in the cap for receiving the rod so that the cap may be raised 
from the pedestal and slideably translated along the rod. A slot is formed 
in the pedestal beneath the cap so that the cap normally conceals the slot 
but may be moved upwardly along the rod to expose the slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring now to the Drawings in which like reference characters designate 
like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown 
in FIG. 1 a lamp 10 embodying the present invention. Althought the lamp 
disclosed herein, such as lamp 10, are in actuality lamp banks, as well as 
lamps, for purposes of clarity only, they will be referred to in the 
Detailed Description as lamps. 
Lamp 10 includes a disc shaped base 12 having a planar underside 13 for 
resting on a planar surface such as a table. The base 12 includes a switch 
14 for turning "on" and "off" an electrical lamp in the conventional 
fashion. A lamp pedestal 16 extends upwardly from the base 12, and a 
lampshade 18 is mounted on the top of the pedestal 16 concealing the 
illuminating mechanism. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a front view of the lamp 10 with 
the lampshade 18 removed. In this view, it may be appreciated that the 
lamp 10 includes a plurality of electrical sockets and bulbs 20 mounted 
adjacent to the top of the pedestal 16 by tubing 22. Although not shown, 
it will be appreciated that electrical wiring extends from the base 12 up 
through the pedestal 16, and through the tubing 22 to each of the 
electrical sockets and bulbs 20. 
In this embodiment, the pedestal 16 is a brass tube or cylinder, and a 
cylindrical bullet 24 is seated in the top of the cylinder 16. The bullet 
24 has a lower outside cylindrical diameter equivalent to the diameter of 
the pedestal 16 so that the outside surfaces of the pedestal 16 and the 
bullet 24 form a smooth union along a circular interface 25. 
A spire 26 extends upwardly from the top of the bullet 24 and appears to 
function primarily as decoration. However, the spire 26 is useful in 
removing the bullet 24 from its seat on the circular interface 25 without 
touching the electrical sockets and lightbulbs 20, and the spire may 
support a lamp shade such as shade 18. 
In FIG. 3, the bullet 24 is shown in a position removed from the pedestal 
16 and moved upwardly therefrom. It will be apprciated that the bullet 24 
includes a cylindrical plug 27 extending downwardly therefrom and being 
dimensioned to fit snuggly within a recess 28 formed at the top of the 
pedestal 16. Both the plug 27 and the recess 28 have a circular cross 
section. 
Referring now to the lower portion of the lamp 10 in FIG. 3, there is shown 
a section 30 of the pedestal 16 in a broken away view to reveal the 
chamber 32 within the pedestal 16. Tubing 34 is shown in the section 30 
extending a direction parallel to the pedestal 16. The tubing 34 extends 
from the base 12 to the tubing 22 so that electrical wiring may be 
inserted through the tubing 34 to the electrical sockets and lightbulbs 20 
without exposing the chamber 32 to such electrical wiring. In this view, 
it is also shown that the chamber 32 may contain money, such as the coins 
36. 
Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown a top view of the lamp 10 
disclosing the recess 28. The bottom surface of the recess 28 is formed by 
a circular disc 38, and a slot 40 is formed in the disc 38 for receiving 
coins, money and the like into the chamber 32 within the pedestal 16. It 
will be appreciated by reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, that the slot 40 is 
normally concealed by the bullet 24. 
Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a bottom view of the lamp 10. In 
this view, it may be appreciated that a cylindrical cavity 44 is formed in 
the center of the base 12, and circular insert 42 is dimensioned to fit 
snuggly within the cavity 44. Mounted in the center of the insert 42 is 
conventional locking mechanism 46 that includes a keyhole 48. The locking 
mechanism 46 operates to lock the insert 42 in the cavity 44. By inserting 
a key into the keyhole 48, the locking mechanism 46 is unlocked, and the 
insert 42 may be removed to expose and provide access to the chamber 32 
formed within the pedestal 16. 
In FIG. 6, there is shown a lamp 50 that is an alternate embodiment of the 
present invention. The lamp 50 includes a tubular base 52 with a plurality 
of rubber feet 54 mounted on the bottom thereof. Three arched tubes 56 
extend upwardly and inwardly from the base 52 and are attached to the lamp 
pedestal 16 which is substantially identical to the lamp pedestal 16 shown 
in FIG. 1. In this lamp 50, electrical wiring 58 extends into the base 52, 
through one of the tubes 56 and into a tube 60 that extends through the 
length of the pedestal 16 from the bottom to the top thereof, and it 
extends for a predetermined distance above the top of pedestal 16. An 
electric light socket and lightbulb 62 is mounted on the upper end of the 
tube 60, and a bracket 63 is attached to the top of tube 60 for holding a 
lampshade. A section 64 of the pedestal 16 is shown broken away to reveal 
the tube 60, and within the section 64, the tube 60 is shown broken away 
to reveal the electrical wiring 58. 
In this embodiment, a cap 66 is removably seated on the top of pedestal 16. 
The cap 66 is best shown in the detailed view of the top portion of the 
lamp 50 as shown in FIG. 7. In this view, it may be seen that the cap 66 
includes a downwardly extending sleeve 68 that is dimensioned to fit 
snuggly within the recess 28. The outside diameter of the cap 66 at its 
base adjacent to the sleeve 68 is identical to the outside diameter of the 
pedestal 16 so that a smooth interface is formed between the cap 66 and 
the pedestal 16. The cap 66 also includes a aperture 70 dimensioned to 
receive the tube 60. Thus, the cap 66 may be slideably translated up and 
down the tube 60. When the cap 66 is mounted on the pedestal 16, it 
conceals the slot 40 that is contained within the recess beneath the cap 
66. To gain access to slot 40 for the purpose of dropping money and the 
like into the slot 40, the cap 66 is simply raised upwardly along the 
tubing 60. 
Referring now to FIG. 8, there is shown a bottom view of the lamp 50. As 
with lamp 10, lamp 50 includes a circular inser 42 that fits within the 
pedestal 16 and is locked inside the pedestal 16 by a conventional locking 
mechanism 46 having a keyhole 48. To remove the insert 42 to gain acess to 
the chamber 32 within the pedestal 16, a key is inserted into the keyhole 
48, the locking mechanism 46 is unlocked, and the insert 42 is removed 
from the pedestal 16. 
Although two particular embodiments of the present invention have been 
described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood 
that the invention is capable of numerous modifications, rearrangements 
and substitutions of parts without departing from the scope of the 
invention.