Patent Publication Number: US-8967741-B2

Title: Ceiling-mounted security apparatus for firearms

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a security apparatus for firearms adapted to be mounted to the undersurface of a structure and more particularly to those adapted to be mounted on the ceiling of an enclosure. 
     2. Prior Art 
     The present invention is intended to provide a security apparatus for safely storing firearms adjacent the ceiling of an enclosure such as a closet. One of the devices disclosed by the prior art comprises a security box assembly adapted to be secured to the undersurface of a table. A parallelogram linkage system consisting of pairs of parallel pivoted links are mounted on each side of the assembly to connect the side walls of the body portion of the side walls of the cover portion of the security assembly. When opened, the lowered body portion will be parallel to the undersurface. The problems inherent in this device stem from the inability to easily access the exposed surface of the body portion of the security assembly when it depends from the ceiling of an enclosure. The present invention resolves these problems by employing a hingedly coupled bottom and front walls that, when opened, provide visual contact with and access to firearms coupled to the surfaces thereof. 
     Another device taught by the prior art comprises a ceiling mounted storage box which is lowerable and retractable on guides attached to adjacent walls. The storage box can be raised or lowered by a rope positioned between the ceiling and the storage box. It is an objective of the present invention to make it appear to be coextensive with the ceiling of the closet, a feature that cannot be accomplished with the ceiling mounted storage box disclosed in the prior art. When the front and lower panels of the present invention are in the closed position, the viewable surfaces appear to be mere extensions of the side and top walls of the enclosure. 
     Security devices specifically to store firearms are disclosed by the prior art. One of the devices comprises a handgun safe that includes a tray to receive a handgun and a lid operatively associated with the tray such that the tray may slide horizontally with respect to the lid to selectively reveal or conceal the interior portion of the tray and the stored firearm. Inadequacies of this device are inherent in its purpose. 
     The present invention overcomes the inadequacies of the devices taught by the prior art. A closable compartment consisting of an upper and lower panel coupled to one another by a rear panel and opposing side panels is adapted to be mounted adjacent the ceiling of an enclosure such as a closet. The lower panel is hingedly coupled to the lower margin of the rear panel. A front panel which may be employed to obstruct entry to the interior of the present invention is hingedly coupled to the lower panel in opposition to the rear panel. In a closed position, the front panel extends between the upper and lower panel and the two side panels within which firearms can be securely maintained. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a security enclosure adopted to be mounted within an enclosed area such as a closet in a manner that makes it appear to be an adjunct of the ceiling of the enclosure. The present invention security apparatus comprises a substantially rectangular enclosure formed by upper and lower spaced panels defining the uniform height of the enclosure. The upper panel is secured to the enclosure ceiling. Opposed side panels and a rear panel depend downwardly from the lateral and rear margins of the upper panel. A lower panel is hingedly secured to the rear panel in opposition to the upper panel, the lower panel being pivotable between a position adjacent the lower edges of the side panel to a position that is in a planar relationship with the rear panel. In its closed position, the lower panel can be detachably coupled to the opposed side panels. 
     To permit access to the interior of the security apparatus and the firearms maintained therein, a front panel is hingedly coupled to the front margin of the lower panel in opposition to the coupling between the lower and rear panels. Firearm retaining brackets may be coupled to the interior surfaces of the front, lower and/or rear panels for the purpose of securely positioning firearms when the front and/or lower panel are in the open position. When in a closed position, the front panel is secured to the top panel creating the illusion of a uniform enclosure ceiling. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved security apparatus for storing firearms. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a ceiling-mounted security apparatus for firearms. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a ceiling-mounted security apparatus that may be easily opened for access to stored firearms. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a ceiling-mounted securing apparatus that can safely store firearms in the form of handguns and rifles. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a ceiling-mounted security apparatus for firearms that is simple and inexpensive to fabricate. 
     The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention security apparatus illustrating an open front panel. 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the present invention security apparatus mounted on the ceiling of an enclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the present invention illustrating open front and lower panels and firearm retaining brackets. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial, cross-sectional view of the present invention security apparatus taken through line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the present invention security apparatus with the lower and front panels in the open position. 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of a preferred form of a firearm retaining bracket to be employed with the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the firearm retaining bracket shown in  FIG. 6  taken through line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in the form of a lockable secure compartment  10  for maintaining the security of firearms that can be mounted on the ceiling of a closet or other form of enclosed area. As can be best seen in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the present invention apparatus is in the form of lockable secure compartment  10  constructed of an upper panel  11  that is configured to the geometrical shape of the enclosure within which the present invention is to be mounted. For the purpose of example only, upper panel  11  is shown to be rectangular. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper surface  12  of upper panel  11  is secured to the ceiling  13  of the enclosed area. 
     Side panels  14  and  15  are secured to the bottom surface  16  of upper panel  11  at opposed margins  17  and  18  of upper panel  11 . Side panels  14  and  15  are in parallel spaced relation to one another, the bottom edges thereof being equidistance from the bottom surface  16  of upper panel  11 . Rear panel  19  is secured to bottom surface  16  of upper panel  11  adjacent the rear margin  20  of upper panel  11 , rear panel  19  being positioned perpendicular to side panels  14  and  15 . Rear panel  19  is adapted to be secured to surface  21  of the rear wall  22  of the enclosed area. 
     To provide access to the interior space of the present invention, secure compartment  10  includes a lower panel  25  and a front panel  26  that may be positioned to expose mounted firearm retaining clips in a manner described in detail hereinbelow. Lower panel  25  is pivotally coupled to the bottom margin  27  of rear panel  19  through the use of hinges  28  and  29 . When lower panel  25  is in its closed position, it will be positioned adjacent the bottom edges  30  and  31  of side panels  14  and  15  respectively in parallel, spaced relation to upper panel  11 . Front panel  26  is pivotally coupled to margin  32  through the use of hinges  33  and  34 , respectively, mounted in opposition to hinges  28  and  29 , respectively.  FIG. 2  illustrates secure compartment  10  in its closed position which bars access to interior space  40 . The open position of the present invention can be best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 . In the open position, lower panel  25  and front panel  26  are rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in  FIG. 2  whereby rear panel  19 , lower panel  25  and front panel  26  are in a coplanar relationship with one another adjacent rear wall  22 . 
     The primary objective of the invention is to provide a secure compartment  10  within which firearms can be safely stored yet be accessible to the user. As can be best seen in  FIG. 3 , firearm retaining brackets  41 - 44  are coupled to the interior surface  40  of lower panel  25 . In a like manner, firearm retaining brackets  46  and  47  are coupled to interior surface  49  of front panel  26 . Using firearm retaining bracket  47  for the purpose of example, the preferred form for a firearm retaining bracket can be best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . To couple firearm retaining brackets to the interior surfaces of lower and front panels  25  and  26 , mounting strips  38  and  39  are secured to interior surface  40  in parallel spaced relation to each other and perpendicular side panels  14  and  15 . In a like manner, mounting strip  48  is secured to interior surface  49  of front panel  26 . As can be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , firearm retaining bracket  47  consists of a substantially U-shaped receiving module  36 . As best shown in  FIG. 7 , a lateral edge  65  of receiving module  36  is extended downwardly and inwardly into a gripping clip  66  that is adapted to impose force upon mounting strip  48  and thereby stabilize the position of firearm retaining bracket  47  at any desired position along mounting strip  48 . It would be understood by those having skill in the art that all other firearm receiving brackets are coupled to the respective mounting strips in the same manner as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Although not shown, the present invention contemplates firearm retaining brackets in the form shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7  to be secured to mounting strips affixed to interior surface  35  of rear wall  19 . 
     It is an object of the present invention for the present invention to be utilized to secure both rifles and handguns. As can be seen in  FIGS. 3 and 7 , a concave recess  67  is disposed in the top surface of receiving module  36  in parallel spaced relation to mounting strip  48 . Concave recess  39  is adapted to accommodate the barrels of the firearms to be stored. Once a firearm is positioned in the concave recess  67  of all firearm retaining brackets then in use, a securing strap  58  is connected across concave recess  39  and thereby securely maintain the position of the firearms relative to the retaining brackets irrespective of whether lower panel  25  and front panel  26  are closed or are in the open position shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     It is an objective of the present invention to permit the present invention to be mounted adjacent the ceiling of an enclosed area and, when closed, the present invention will be disguised appearing to be part of the ceiling of the enclosed area. To accomplish this objective, lower panel  25  is adapted to be pivoted about hinges  28  and  29  until the opposed margins of interior surface  45  are positioned adjacent lower edges  30  and  31  of side panels  14  and  15 , respectively (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). To maintain lower panel  25  in its closed position adjacent lower edges  30  and  31 , interior fasteners  50  and  51  are secured to interior surface  45  in a manner that will place them adjacent inner surfaces  52  and  53  of side panels  14  and  15 , respectively, when lower panel  25  is rotated into its closed position. For the purpose of example only, interior fasteners  50  and  51  employ conventional sliding bolts  54  and  55  that are adapted to engage with detents  56  and  57 , respectively, disposed into side panels  14  and  15 . It would be understood by persons having skill in the art that the form of interior fasteners  50  and  51  can employ other conventional fasteners such as a hasp consisting of a hinged metal strap disposed over a staple and secured by a pin or padlock, the form of interior fasteners  50  and  51  being for the purpose of example only. 
     To prevent improper access to the interior of the compartment  10  and any firearms stored therein, a lock  59  is disposed through front panel  26 , lock  59  employing a slidable shaft  60  adapted to lockingly engage detent  61  disposed into front edge  62  of top panel  11 . It would be understood by persons having skill in the art that lock  59  can be implemented with a conventional key-accessible locking system. 
     The present invention substantially improves upon the structures taught by the prior art for securely storing firearms. Firstly, the present invention secure compartment  10  is adapted to be mounted to the ceiling of an enclosed area. Secondly, when secure compartment  10  is in its closed statement, it will be disguised to appear as part of the ceiling of the enclosed area. The present invention is designed to store both handguns and rifles. To gain access to the interior of the present invention, front panels  11  and  26  can be positioned to permit the user access to firearms mounted and secured to rear panel  19 , lower panel  25  and front panel  26 . Firearm restraining brackets  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  46  and  47  are coupled to the interior surfaces of lower panel  25 , front panel  26  and rear panel  19 . Through the use of mounting strips  38 ,  39  and  60  secured to the interior surfaces of panels  19 ,  25  and  26 , firearm retaining brackets can be adjustably positioned by moving gripping clips  66  along the mounting strips to conform to the size of the firearm being stored within the present invention.