TRANSPORT CASE

Abstract: A transport case (1) provided with at least one built in fly-wheel. The fly-wheel(s) may be fitted with a driving device and a dragging device. Further the fly-wheel(s) may be mounted in gimbals connected with damping devices. The handle (7) of the transport case may be constructed in such a way that it breaks or comes off if a force is exercised on it which is somewhat larger than the weight of the filled case (1).

Description: Transport case. The invention relates to a transport case, and more in particular to a transport case for transporting money, securities or precious metals. Transports of money over relatively short distances are generally carried out in protected carriages, for instance armoured cars, due to which the risk of a hold-up is restricted to a minimum. The building from which money is to be despatched or where money is to be delivered may be located such that a protected carriage cannot park in the direct vicinity of the entrance of this building. A person involved in the transport of money will then have to walk with the case in which the money to be transported is contained to the entrance of the bulding, or vice versa, whereby often enough a distance of some hundreds of meters has to be covered. This part of the money transport is the most vulnerable one for a hold-up. It is the object of the invention to procure a transport case for money or other valuables, which case is provided with means making it impossible or at least very difficult for an assailant to snatch away the case, yet neither causing danger to third persons nor hampering the transport by a person regularly involved in the transport. This object is attained with a transport case which is characterized in that it is provided with at least one built-in fly-wheel. The effects which can be caused by a rotating fly-wheel mounted in a transport case are threefold. Firstly, such a transport case opposes angular changes, so that it is difficult for the person carrying the case to take a turn. This seriously handicaps an assailant who has got hold of such a transport case to make off quickly. Secondly, the transport case will nutate, i.e. swing along a conical path when it is put with some force into a different direction. The forces caused by this nutating are so big that the case is likely to be swept out of the hands of a possible assailant. Thirdly, a dragging mechanism can block or at least strongly slow down the fly-wheel. This causes a reaction couple due to which the transport ase is also swept out of the hands of an assailant. It is possible to mount a dragging device which is made in such a way that it reduces the rotation of the fly-wheel step by step. Such a dragging device causes a number of successive impacts due to which the case is sure to be swept out of the hands of an assailant. The above mentioned first two effects of a rotating fly-wheel in a transport case, viz. the difficulty of taking a turn and the nutation of the case, also occur when a person regularly involved in a transport carries the case. He can be taught to carry the case in such a way that these effects will not appear, i.e. to hold the case continually in the same position. However, also measures are conceivable to facilitate a regular transport of the case. Firstly, the fly-wheel in the transport case can be fitted with a driving device which comes into operation only in case of a hold-up and then puts the fly-wheel to full capacity in a very short time. So, the regular transport is carried out with a stationary flywheel. Secondly, the fly-wheel can be mounted in gimbals in the transport case, and the gimbals can comprise damping devices. In case of a slow change of direction of the case the rotating fly-wheel remains in the original position and does not, therefore, exercise a couple on the case. However, in case of a quick change of the direction of the transport case, due to the operation of the damping devices, also the fly-wheel is forced into a different direction and it will exercise a couple on the transport case. Thirdly, the transport case can be provided with two fly-wheels either in the same plane or in parallel planes and rotating in opposite directions, each fly-wheel comprising an independent dragging device. In case of a change of direction of the case, the forces exercised by these fly-wheels on the case will be equally big, but in opposite directions, thus compensating each other. In case of a hold-up one of the two fly-wheels can be dragged, not only causing the mentioned impact to occur, but also causing the other fly-wheel in a change of direction to exercise a forcee on the case, which force is not compensated now. Moreover, by dragging this second flywheel another impact can be caused. The result of the effects of a rotating fly-wheel, as described above, can still be intensified by providing the transport case according to the invention with a handle of such a construction that it breaks or comes off when a force is exercised on it which is bigger than, but in the order of magnitude of the weight of the filled case. This handle is, therefore, so strong that it can bear a filled case during regular transport, but breaks or comes off when the rotating fly-wheel exercises additional forces on the case. The drive of the fly-wheel in the case can consist of an electromotor and batteries, but such a drive is rather heavy, and therefore the use of a clockwork motor is preferable in many cases. When the transport case with rotating fly-wheel is transported, i.e. the fly-wheel does not have to be driven only in case of imminent danger, the driving device can be mounted outside the case, e.g. in an armoured carriage. When the case is kept in this carriage the fly-wheel of the case is coupled with the driving device mechanically, magnetically or electrically until the required number of revolutions is reached. Before the case is taken out the fly-wheel of the case is uncoupled from the driving device and the case with the rotating fly-wheel is taken out of the carriage and carried to its destination, the fly-wheel being kept in rotation as a result of its inertia. This can be promoted by using low friction bearings, e.g. magnetic bearings, and furthermore by placing the fly-wheel in an evacuated space or a space filled with a gas of a lower density than air, e.g. hydrogen. The invention will now be explained by means of an embodiment and with reference to the drawing. The drawing shows a case according to the invention consisting of a rectangular container 1, e.g. made of metal of fibre plates. This container 1 is divided into two compartments 3 and 4 by a vertical partition 2. In compartment 3, which is closed at the top one or more fly-wheels according to the invention are mounted, together with possible dragging and driving devices. Compartment 4 is open at the top. In this compartment a box 5 containing the money or the valubles to be transported can be pushed. By means of a lock 6 box 5 can be bolted in compartment 4. A handle 7 is fixed to the partition 2, which handle can be of such a construction that it breaks or comes off when forces are exercised on it which are considerably larger than the weight of the filled case. Furthermore in the direct vicinity of handle 7 one or more push buttons (not shown) may be fitted for putting into operation a driving device for the fly-wheel and/or for putting into delayed operation a dragging or blocking device. EXAMPLE. A transport case according to the drawing was made with a length and width of 50 cm each. This case, the weight of which was 6 kg, was provided with one fly-wheel with a clockwork motor as drive. The weight of this fly-wheel and motor was 7 kg, so that the total weight amounted to 13 kg. The moment of inertia of the fly-wheel was 0.05 kgm2 and that of the case (without fly-wheel) 0.625 kgm2. It was found that the clockwork motor was able to bring the fly-wheel from standstill position up to 2900 revolutions per minute in 0.8 sec. Starting from this rotation speed is was possible by sudden (partial) dragging of the fly-wheel to generate two impacts, whereby each time a force of about 1000 N was exercised on the handle for about 15 msec. It must be considered out of the question that at such an impact the case can be kept under control by hand. When an electromotor with batteries was used as a drive of the fly-wheel, the case became considerably heavier. On the other hand, a saving of the weight of some 5 kg could be obtained by mounting the drive outside the case, e.g. in the armoured car. The disadvantage of this solution is, however, that the case must be taken out with the fly-wheel already rotating.

Claims: C L A I M S. 1. Transport case, characterized in that at least one fly-wheel is built in. 2. Transport case acording to claim 1, characterized in that the fly-wheel is provided with a driving device. 3. Transport case according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving device consists of a clockwork motor. 4. Transport case according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fly-wheel is provided with a dragging device. 5. Transport case according to claim 4, characterized in that the dragging device is carried out in such a way that it can reduce the rotation speed of the fly-wheel step by step. 6. Transport case according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fly-wheel is mounted in gimbals in the transport case and that the gimbals are provided with damping devices. 7. Transport case according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is provided with two fly-wheels in the same plane or in parallel planes, each fly-wheel being fitted with an independent dragging device. 8. Transport case according to one or more of the preceding claims, provided with a handle, characterized in that this handle is constructed in such a way that it breaks or comes off if a force is exercised on it which is larger than, but in the order of magnitude of the weight of the filled case.

Inventors: SLOOT, HARM HENDRIK
Applicants: VAN GEND EN LOOS N.V.
Application year: 1982
Main classification: A45C13
IPC codes: A45C13