Abstract:
A fee collection device has a tube, a chamber in the tube, a bonnet that covers and locks the top of the tube, and a collection bag that attaches to the bottom of the chamber. The tube is mounted vertically in the ground. The chamber is removable from the tube. The chamber has three vertically spaced, angled plates with serrated lower edges projecting inwardly alternately from the front and back of the chamber. The lower two angled plates are hinged. The chamber has support arms that allow the chamber to rest above the tube while the collection bag is emptied. The bonnet locks with a puck lock.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to fee collection, and more particularly to an unmanned fish proof fee collection device. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Campgrounds, picnic areas and parking areas in remote areas often use unmanned collection devices for fee collection. Generally, a user puts the fee into a provided envelope, writes identifying information on the envelope, such as a site number or a license plate number, and pushes the envelope through a fee slot in such fee collection devices. Prior known fee collection devices have several vulnerabilities and problems. 
     Thieves will attempt to fish envelopes back out of the fee collection device through the fee slot. Some prior known fee collection devices include a downwardly angled plate with a serrated lower edge to prevent such fishing. With fee collection devices with a single plate with a serrated lower edge, thieves are often able to push the line away from the serrated edge and successfully fish envelopes out. U.S. Pat. No. 134,321 to Slawson discloses a fare-box for use in street-cars, omnibuses, and other public conveyances with several plates with serrated lower edges. 
     Some prior known fee collection devices have small fee slots to inhibit fishing. Such small fee slots do not allow the use of coin packed envelopes. Other fee collection devices are locked with padlocks with shackles that are vulnerable to bolt cutters. 
     Some prior known fee collection devices have an interior that is only accessible through the top of the device. Accessing envelopes for collection and cleaning the interior is difficult in these devices. Other prior known fee collection devices have an access door lower on the device for envelope collection. These lower access doors can compromise the device strength and provide a point of vulnerability to thieves. 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     A fee collection device includes an elongated, hollow, vertical tube, a chamber, a bonnet and a collection bag. The tube has an open top end, a front wall and a fee chute in the front wall. The chamber slides into the tube through the top end. The chamber has a front, a spaced back, an upper end and a spaced lower end with the upper end aligning with the top end of the tube. The chamber has a first plate that projects downwardly, rearwardly from the front, below the fee chute, a second plate that projects downwardly, forwardly from the back, below the first plate, and a third plate that projects downwardly, rearwardly from the front, below the second plate. The first, second and third plates each have a serrated lower edge, and the second and third plates are mounted to rotate about the upper edges through selected angles. The bonnet is rotatably mounted to the front wall at the top end of the tube to move between an open position and a closed position. The bonnet covers the top end of the tube and a puck lock rigidly mounted to the bonnet locks the bonnet when in the closed position. The collection bag has an open top end that attaches to the lower end of the chamber and a spaced, closed bottom end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Details of this invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings that bear similar reference numerals in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a fee collection device embodying features of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the fee collection device of  FIG. 1 , with the tube side wall and bonnet side plate removed. 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevation view the fee collection device of  FIG. 1 , with the tube side wall and bonnet side plate removed, and the chamber raised out of the tube. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the fee collection device of  FIG. 1 , with the bonnet top plate removed. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the chamber of the fee collection device of  FIG. 1  with the side plate removed. 
         FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of the chamber of the fee collection device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of the fee collection device of  FIG. 1 , with the bonnet in the open position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , a fee collection device  11 , embodying features of the present invention, includes a tube  14 , a chamber  15 , a bonnet  16  and a collection bag  17 . The tube  14  is elongated and hollow with an open top end  19  and a spaced bottom end  20 . The tube  14  is mounted vertically. The tube  14  shown is mounted in the ground and set in concrete  22 . Alternatively, the tube  14  could be mounted on a base that is then attached to a horizontal surface. 
     The bottom of the tube  14  is sealed with a floor plate  23  near the bottom end  20 . The tube  14  is preferably rectangular with a front wall  25 , a spaced back wall  26  and a pair of spaced side walls  27  that extend from the front wall  25  to the back wall  26 . More preferably, the tube  14  is heavy steel square tubing. 
     The tube  14  has a fee chute  29  mounted to the front wall  25  at the top end  19 . The fee chute  29  includes a bottom plate  30 , a front plate  31 , a pair of outer side plates  32 , a pair of inner side plates  33  and a fee plate  34 . The bottom plate projects forwardly from the front wall  25  below the top end  19 . The front plate  31  extends upwardly from the forward edge of the bottom plate  30  to the level of the top end  19  of the tube  14  and laterally the width of the front wall  25  of the tube  14 . The outer side plates  32  extend forwardly from the front wall  25  of the tube  14  to the front plate  31  and upwardly from the bottom plate  30  to the level of the top end  19  of the tube  14 , and are spaced laterally inwardly a selected distance relative to the side walls  27  of the tube  14 . The inner side plates  33  extend forwardly from the front wall  25  of the tube  14  to the front plate  31  and upwardly from the bottom plate  30  to the level of the top end  19  of the tube  14 , and are spaced laterally inwardly a selected distance from the outer side plates  32 . 
     The front plate  31  of the fee chute  29  has a rectangular chute notch  35  that extends laterally from one inner side plate  33  to the other inner side plate  33 , and downwardly a selected depth from the top of the front plate  31 . The front wall  25  of the tube has a rectangular tube notch  36  that extends laterally from one inner side plate  33  to the other inner side plate  33 , and downwardly from the top end  19  of the tube  14  a selected depth that is greater than the depth of the chute notch  35 . The fee plate  34  is the same width as the chute notch  35  and the tube notch  36 , and extends downwardly, rearwardly from the bottom of the chute notch  35  to the bottom of the tube notch  36 . 
     The tube  14  includes a pair of retaining plates  37 . The retaining plates  37  have a flattened C shape. Each retaining plate  37  is mounted to one of the side walls  27  of the tube  14 , intermediate the front wall  25  and the back wall  26 , and spaced a selected distance below the top end  19  of the tube  14 . The retaining plates  37  each have a top edge  38 , a spaced bottom edge  39  and retaining plate notch  40  that extends upwardly from the bottom edge  39  of the retaining plate  37 . 
     The chamber  15  is sized and shaped to slide into the tube  14  through the top end  19 . The chamber  15  has a pair of laterally spaced side plates  42  that define a front  43 , a back  44 , an upper end  45  and a lower end  46  of the chamber  15 . The upper end  45  of the chamber  15  aligns with the top end  19  of the tube  14 . 
     The chamber  15  includes a first plate  48  with an upper edge  49  and a spaced, serrated lower edge  50 . The first plate  48  extends laterally from one side plate  42  to the other side plate  42 , and projects downwardly, rearwardly from the front  43 . The upper edge  49  is positioned below the tube notch  36 . 
     The chamber  15  has a second plate  52  with an upper edge  53  and a spaced, serrated lower edge  54 . The second plate  52  is spaced below the first plate  48 , extends laterally from one side plate  42  to the other side plate  42 , and projects downwardly, forwardly from the back  44 . A rectangular tab  55  projects from each side edge of the second plate  52  at the upper edge  53 , and each side plate  42  has a plate aperture  56  that has the shape of a portion of a circle. The plate apertures  56  are sized and positioned to receive the tabs  55  and allow the second plate  52  to rotate about the upper edge  53  through a selected angle. 
     The chamber  15  includes a third plate  58 , spaced below the second plate  52 , and having an upper edge  59  and a spaced, serrated lower edge  60 . The second plate  52  extends laterally from one side plate  42  to the other side plate  42 , and projects downwardly, rearwardly from the front  43  with the lower edge  60  of the third plate  58 , extending rearwardly of the lower edge  54  of the second plate  52 . A rectangular tab  61  projects from each side edge of the third plate  58  at the upper edge  59 , and each side plate  42  has a plate aperture  62  that has the shape of a portion of a circle. The plate apertures  62  are sized and positioned to receive the tabs  61  and allow the third plate  58  to rotate about the upper edge  59  through a selected angle. 
     The side plates  42  of the chamber  15  shown are connected together by a front plate  64 , an upper back plate  65 , a lower back plate  66  and a bottom plate  67 . The front plate  64  is spaced below the upper edge  49  of the first plate  48  and extends downwardly to the upper edge  59  of the third plate  58  at the front  43  of the chamber  15 . The upper back plate  65  is spaced inwardly from the back  44  of the chamber  15 , extends from the upper end  45  downwardly to the upper edge  53  of the second plate  52 , and angles slightly rearwardly. The lower back plate  66  extends downwardly, rearwardly from the lower edge  54  of the second plate  52  and supports the lower edge  54  of the second plate  52 . The bottom plate  67  is positioned parallel to and below the third plate  58  and supports the third plate  58 . 
     A cylindrical handle  69  connects between the side plates  42  of the chamber  15 , behind the upper back plate  65 , for lifting the chamber  15 . Hooks  70  are attached to each side plate  42  at the front  43  and the back  44  of the chamber  15 , near the lower end  46 . 
     A spacer block  72  is mounted to the outside of each side plate  42  near the upper end  45  of the chamber. An elongated support arm  73  is attached to the outside of and extends downwardly from each spacer block  72 . The support arms  73  are sized and shaped to fit into and slide in the retaining plates  38  of the tube  14 . Preferably the support arms  73  are metal strap. The spacer blocks  72  rest on top edge  38  of the retaining plates  38  and are positioned such that the upper end  45  of the chamber  15  aligns with the top end  19  of the tube  14 . 
     The support arms  73  extend downwardly a selected distance below the lower end  46  of the chamber  15  to a rounded bottom end  75 . A stop pin  76  projects laterally outwardly from each support arm  73  near the bottom end  75 . The stop pins  76  are sized to fit into the retaining plate notches  41 . The support arms  73  allow the lower end  46  of the chamber  15  to be lifted above the top end  19  of the tube  14  while the stop pins  76  prevent complete removal of the chamber  15  from the fee collection device  11 . 
     The support arms  73  each have an angled support notch  77  spaced above the stop pin  76  and extending upwardly, inwardly. The support notches  77  are sized to receive the top edges  39  of the retaining plates  38 . The support notches  77  allow a user to rest the chamber  15  above the tube  14 . 
     The top of the upper back plate  65  of the chamber  15  has a downwardly extending, rectangular staple notch  79 . A lock staple  80  mounts on the upper back plate  65  and projects upwardly into the staple notch  79 . A plunger aperture  81  extends through the lock staple  80 . 
     The bonnet  16  rotatably mounts to top end  19  of the tube  14  to move between an open position and a closed position. The bonnet  16  has a top plate  84 , a front plate  85 , a back plate  86  and a pair of spaced side plates  87 . The top plate  84  covers the top end  19  of the tube  14  when the bonnet  16  is in the closed position. The front plate  85 , back plate  86  and side plates  87  project downwardly from the top plate  84 , outside of the front wall  25 , back wall  26  and side walls  27  of the tube  14  when the bonnet  16  is in the closed position. Hinge pins  88  project inwardly from each side plate  87  into the outer side plates  32  of the fee chute  29  to rotatably mount the bonnet  16  to top end  19  of the tube  14 . The front plate  85  has an upwardly extending, rectangular fee notch  89  that aligns with the chute notch  35  to define a fee slot  90  for users to insert fees into the fee collection device  11 . 
     The bonnet  16  includes a means for locking  92  the bonnet  16  in the closed position. The means for locking  92  shown includes a puck lock  93  and a channel  94  attached to bottom of the top plate  84 . The channel  94  is sized and shaped to receive the puck lock  93  and attach the puck lock  93  to the top plate  84 . The puck lock  93  has puck shaped body  95  with a slot  96  that extends through the body  95 , and a plunger  97  that extends across the slot  96  when the puck lock  93  is locked. 
     The puck lock  93  is positioned under the top plate  84  such that when the bonnet  16  is closed, the lock staple  80  projects into the slot  96 , and when the puck lock  93  is locked, the plunger  97  extends through the plunger aperture  81  of the lock staple  80 . A rectangular key aperture  98  through the top plate  84  extends forwardly from the back plate  86  for accessing the puck lock  93  with a key. 
     The collection bag  17  has an open top end  100  and a spaced, closed bottom end  101 . The top end  100  is sized to fit around the lower end  46  of the chamber  15  and is removably attached to the chamber  15  by the hooks  70 . The collection bag  17  is preferably made of canvas or other sturdy fabric. 
     The serrated lower edges  50 ,  54  and  60  of the first, second and third plates  48 ,  52  and  54  of the chamber  15  prevent fishing fees out of the fee collection device  11 . The rotatable mounting of the second and third plates  52  and  54  of the chamber  15  enhances the fishing prevention. The use of the puck lock  93  to lock the bonnet  16  eliminates any lock shackle that would be vulnerable to bolt cutters. 
     The removable chamber  15  and collection bag  17 , in combination with the support arms  73 , allow easy fee collection and tube cleaning. The removable chamber  15  and collection bag  17  also eliminate the need for a lower access door that could compromise the device strength and provide a point of vulnerability to thieves. 
     Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.