A night depository or safe deposit apparatus, a control unit and an interface card for the same

摘要

A night depository or safe deposit apparatus for receiving and holding a deposit of money or other valuables comprises a fire- and burglarproof housing defining an internal storage space and having an entrance opening. Besides, the depository comprises inlet means bridging the entrance opening and the internal storage space and permitting the transfer of a deposit from the outside into the internal storage space, code generating means accessible from the outside and serving to generate a code signal by actuating the code generating means, and control means connected to the code generating means and to the inlet means and adapted to perform a verification of a code signal generated by the code generating means prior to actuation of the inlet means for performing a deposit. The control means comprise PC means adapted to perform said verification of the code signal by comparison of the code signal with a code input to the PC means, and the PC means is adapted to communicate with external data processing means for input of control data from the external data processing means, including verified codes, giving access to perform deposits in the internal storage space in the housing of the night depository or safe deposit apparatus, and for output of data for the external data processing means, including data representing the operation and function of the night depository or safe deposit apparatus. In this manner, a night depository or safe deposit apparatus is obtained which may be integrated in an existing data system and be programmed on-line and transmit information on-line, including data regarding the function of the night depository or safe deposit apparatus.