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Title: Key safe apparatus
Claims: I claim: 1. A key safe apparatus comprising: a receptacle box of a volume sufficient to enclose a door key, with four, generally rectilinear, vertical side walls and a bottom wall wherein a vertical side wall is formed with a slot structure running vertically downward from an upper edge of the vertical side wall, which slot structure has vertical edges bevelled in such a way that the slot structure is wider in a plane of an interior face of the rear vertical side wall than it is in a plane of an exterior face of the vertical side wall, a tongued cover structure comprising a plate capable of covering the receptacle box and a bevelled tongue member attached to the plate and extending therefrom, which tongue member is formed with bevelled edges and which tongue member is wider in a plane of one principal face of the tongue member than it is in a plane of another principal face of the tongue member so that the tongue member may be keyed into the slot structure of the receptacle box, a latching projection attached to the plate of the tongued cover structure and extending therefrom, and a code lock structure engaging the latching projection attached to the plate, whereby a door key is securely encased in a receptacle box with a tongued cover structure locked to a receptacle box by means of a code lock. 2. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 wherein the code lock structure is recodeable when the cover structure is removed, whereby a combination code necessary to open the lock is changed by recoding the code lock when the lid structure is removed. 3. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vertical back plate attached to the horizontal plate and extending vertically downward therefrom to which the tongue member is spot welded. 4. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mounting means attached to the tongued cover structure formed in a generally U-shaped configuration and adapted to fit around the edge of a door, said mounting means comprising a first vertical member attached to the tongued cover structure capable of being located next to one principal face of the door, a second horizontal member connecting an upper end of the first vertical member to an upper end of a third vertical member, and the third vertical member of the mounting means capable of being located next to a second principal face of the door, whereby a door key is securely encased in a lockable, slotted receptacle box which may be fitted onto a margin of a door. 5. The key safe apparatus of claim 4 wherein the mounting means comprises a vertical wall attached to the horizontal plate with an aperture so formed that when the tongued cover structure is locked to the receptacle box structure, the receptacle box structure constricts the aperture by obstructing a portion of it, whereby the key safe apparatus is fixed to a door handle and locked in that fixed position by locking the tongued cover structure to the receptacle box structure. 6. The key safe apparatus of claim 5 wherein the vertical wall of the tongued cover structure is formed with an aperture in its principal face above a point of attachment with the horizontal plate of the lid structure and a rear, vertical side wall of the receptacle box is formed with a portion thereof extending vertically upward beyond the lower edge of the aperture when the tongued cover structure is locked to the receptacle box, whereby the key safe may be locked about a narrowed portion of a door handle by passing a door knob through the aperture in the tongued cover structure, by locating the aperture so that it encircles a shaft connecting the door knob to the door, and by constricting the aperture in the tongued cover structure to a size smaller than the door knob by locking the tongued cover structure to the receptacle box structure. 7. The key safe apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: a generally U-shaped bolt extending vertically upward from the horizontal plate of the tongued cover structure comprising a first, vertical leg rotatably mounted to the tongued cover structure and joined at its upper extremity to an upper extremity of a second, vertical leg, generally parallel to the first vertical leg, which second vertical leg passes through the lid structure, an elongated aperture in the horizontal plate of the tongued cover structure extending to an edge of the horizontal plate, through which the second vertical leg of the U-shaped bolt passes, and an annular bushing attached to the lower end of the second vertical leg to prevent the second vertical leg from being withdrawn from the horizontal plate in a vertical direction, whereby the U-shaped bolt may be locked about a shaft supporting a door knob by slipping the U-bolt over the shaft supporting a door knob, by rotating the horizontal plate into a position wherein the second leg of the U-shaped bolt passes through the elongated aperture, and by locking the horizontal plate to the receptacle box so that a vertical side wall of the receptacle box serves as a stop for the second leg to prevent the U-shaped bolt from rotating to a position wherein the second leg no longer passes through the elongated aperture in the horizontal plate. 8. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 wherein the receptacle box is equipped with means for fastening a key to an interior face of a wall of the receptacle box. 9. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tongued cover structure is equipped with means for fastening a key to an interior face of the horizontal plate of the tongued cover structure. 10. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mounting means comprises an aperture in a vertical wall of the tongued cover structure so formed that when the tongued cover structure is locked to the receptacle box structure, the receptacle box structure constricts the aperture in the vertical wall of the tongued cover structure and obstructs the aperture, whereby the key safe apparatus is fixed to a door handle and locked in that fixed position by locking the tongued cover structure to the receptacle box structure. 11. The key safe apparatus of claim 10 wherein the vertical wall of the tongued cover structure is formed with an aperture in its principal face above a point of attachment with the horizontal plate of the lid structure and a rear, vertical side wall of the receptacle box is formed with a portion thereof extending vertically upward beyond the lower edge of the aperture when the tongued cover structure is locked to the receptacle box, whereby the key safe may be locked about a narrow portion of a door handle by passing a door knob through the aperture so that it encircles a shaft connecting the door knob to the door, and by constricting the aperture in the tongued cover structure to a size smaller than the door knob by locking the tongued cover structure to the receptacle box structure. 12. The key safe apparatus of claim 10 further comprising: a generally U-shaped bolt extending vertically upward from the horizontal plate of the tongued cover structure comprising a first, vertical leg rotatably mounted to the tongued cover structure and joined at its upper extremity to an upper extremity of a second, vertical leg, generally parallel to the first vertical leg, which second vertical leg passes through the lid structure, an elongated aperture in the horizontal plate of the tongued cover structure extending to an edge of the horizontal plate, through which the second vertical leg of the U-shaped bolt passes, and an annular bushing attached to the lower end of the second vertical leg to prevent the second vertical leg from being withdrawn from the horizontal plate in a vertical direction, whereby the U-shaped bolt may be locked about a shaft supporting a door knob by slipping the U-bolt over the shaft supporting a door knob, by rotating the horizontal plate into a position wherein the second leg of the U-shaped bolt passes through the elongated aperture, and by locking the horizontal plate to the receptacle box so that a vertical side wall of the receptacle box serves as a stop for the second leg to prevent the U-shaped bolt from rotating to a position wherein the second leg no longer passes through the elongated aperture in the horizontal plate. 13. The key safe apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cover means comprises a lid structure and a mounting means comprising a vertical wall attached to the lid structure with an aperture so formed that when the lid structure is locked to the receptacle box structure, the receptacle box structure constricts the aperture in the vertical wall of the lid structure by obstructing a portion of the aperture, whereby the key safe apparatus is fixed to a door handle and locked in that fixed position by locking the lid structure to the receptacle box structure. 14. The key safe apparatus of claim 13 wherein the vertical wall of the lid structure is formed with an aperture in its principal face above a point of attachment with the horizontal plate of the lid structure, and a rear, vertical side wall of the receptacle box is formed with a portion extending vertically upward beyond a lower edge of the aperture when the lid structure is locked to the receptacle box, whereby the key safe may be locked about a narrowed portion of a door handle by passing a door knob through the aperture in the lid structure, by locating the aperture so that it encircles a shaft connecting the door knob to the door, and by constricting the aperture in the lid structure to a size smaller than the door know by locking the lid structure to the receptacle box structure. 15. The key safe apparatus of claim 13 further comprising: a generally U-shaped bolt extending vertically upward from the horizontal plate of the lid structure, comprising a first vertical leg rotatably mounted to the lid structure and joined at its upper extremity to an upper extremity of a second vertical leg, parallel to the first vertical leg and passing through the lid structure, an elongated aperture in the horizontal plate, extending to an edge of the horizontal plate, through which the second vertical leg of the U-shaped bolt passes, and an annular bushing attached to the lower end of the second vertical leg to prevent the second vertical leg from being withdrawn from the horizontal lid in a vertical direction, whereby the U-shaped bolt may be locked about a shaft supporting a door knob by slipping the U-bolt over the shaft supporting a door knob, by rotating the horizontal plate into a position wherein the second leg of the U-shaped bolt passes through the elongated aperture, and by locking the horizontal plate to the receptacle box so that a vertical side wall of the receptacle box serves as a stop for the second leg to prevent the U-shaped bolt from rotating to a position where the second leg no longer passes through the elongated aperture in the horizontal plate. 16. A key safe apparatus comprising: a receptacle box of a volume sufficient to enclose a door key with four, generally rectilinear, vertical side walls and a bottom wall where a vertical side wall is formed with a slot structure running vertically downward from an upper edge of the vertical side wall, which slot structure has vertical edges bevelled in such a way that the slot structure is wider in a plane of an interior face of the vertical side wall than it is in a plane of an exterior face of the vertical side wall, a tongued cover structure comprising a plate capable of covering of the receptacle box and bevelled tongue member attached to the plate and extending therefrom, which tongue member is formed with bevelled edges and which tongue member is wider in a plane of one principal face of the tongue member than it is in a plane of another principal face of the tongue member so that the tongue member may be keyed into the slot structure of the receptacle box, a latching projection attached to the plate of the tongued cover structure and extending therefrom, a lock structure engaging the latching projection attached to the plate, and a mounting means attached to the tongued cover structure, formed in a generally U-shaped configuration, and adapted to fit around an edge of a door, said mounting means comprising a first, vertical member attached to the tongued cover structure, capable of being located next to one principal face of the door, a second, horizontal member connecting an upper end of the first vertical member to an upper end of a third, vertical member, and the third, vertical member of the mounting means capable of being located next to a second principal face of the door, whereby a door key is securely encased in a receptacle box structure bracketed to an edge of a door. 17. A key safe apparatus comprising: a receptacle box structure of a volume sufficient to enclose a door key with four, generally rectilinear, vertical side walls and a bottom wall where a vertical side wall is formed with a slot running vertically downward, which slot structure has vertical edges extending from a plane of an interior face of the vertical side wall to a plane of an exterior face of the vertical side wall, a tongued cover structure comprising a plate capable of covering the receptacle box slot and bevelled tongue member attached to the plate and extending vertically downward therefrom, which tongue member is formed with bevelled edges and which tongue member is wider in a plane of one principal face of the tongue member than it is in a plane of another principal face of the tongue member so that the tongue member may be keyed into the slot structure of the receptacle box, a latching projection attached to the plate of the tongued cover structure and extending therefrom, a code lock structure engaging the latching projection attached to the plate, and a mounting means attached to the structure, formed in a generally U-shaped configuration, and adapted to fit around an element of a door, said mounting means comprising a first, vertical member attached to the structure, capable of being located next to one principal face of the door, a second, horizontal member connecting an upper end of the first vertical member to an upper end of a third, vertical member, and the third, vertical member of the mounting means capable of being located next to a principal face of the door, whereby a door key is securely encased in a receptacle box structure attached to a door. Other info: Inventors: Law, Jack (Honolulu, HI, US) Application Number: 399739 Filing Date: 1973-09-24 Publication_date: 1976-01-27 Assignee: Primary Class(es): 70/63 Other Classes: US Patent Ref:
Other Refs: Primary Examiner: Wolfe, Robert L. Assistant Examiner: Attorney: Wray; James C. |
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