The Irish standard., 1891-04-18
SAFES AND THEIR HISTORY.
James Conner, Tyro- ounder, Made the
First Eirenroof Iron Safe.

WSsAAASS SS>eee~~~S
First Fireproof Iron Safe.
The earliest style of safe known was
made in heavy oak or other hardwood
boxes or chests, says the New York
Saturday Globe. They were bound on
the corners and across the top and
front with iron bands studded with
nails. Iron plates were eventually
made to cover the outside OF the chest
and nailed to the wood. The founda-
ton of the plan upon which irepl'oof
safes are still constructed was laid by
Richard Scott in 1901 The improve
ment previous to 1925 was to make the
chest of soft wood, in thicker body,
soaked in brine; after thoroughly soak
ing both the inside and outside shells
sheets of iron were fastened inside and
outside with large nails or spikes.
The idea and principle was that the
moisture in the wood upon the applica-
ton of heat would produce steam and
prevent the interior and it's contents
reaching temperature OF two hundred
and twelve degrees. Below that point
paper of every description will be pre-
served from damage either to the fiber
of the material or to the writing which
may be upon it's surface. These
principles of the steam-producing
quality and the reliance upon this
quality is the principal element in the
manufacture of all safes of the present
day, though different materials may be
used to produce the same result.
James Connor, a type-founder Of this
city, about 1S2952 invented an iron
strong box with double shell, having
as filling plaster Of Paris mixed with
water. Later the shells were lined
with sheets of mica pasted on paper
and filed with burnt clay or sawdust
and charcoal. Plaster retained the
moisture successfully, but was SO de-
structive to the thin iron shells that it's
use was abandoned. Connor allowed
his invention to lapse and man named
Fitzgerald in 1s43 obtained new letters
patent on the same kind Of a safe.
! William Mari, Of London, in 1884, was
the first to patent method of construc-
ton for safes. In 1888 Charles Chubb,
Of the same city, used concentric Innings
of iron plates filed in between with
wood ashes Or other slow-conducting
materials OF q nature to retard the
transmission OF heat. In 1S43 letters
patent were granted to the Messrs.
Tam for the use of pounded alum and
gypsum, previously heated and cooled,
as d fre-resisting medium. In 1910
Thomas Miner had patented a plan to
fill the jacket: formed by the double
plates, with sawdust, in which were
packed a number of small tubes filled
with an alkaline solution and hermeti-
cally sealed, or crystals Of alum Or soda
combining from forty to sixty per cent.
water capitalization.
! In cases of fire and the safe heating
the tubes would burst or the crystals
would melt and saturate with water the
sawdust. Steam thus produced by the
heat would pass into the inner safe and
protect it's contents, if infiammable, for
long time. George Price, of Wolver-
hampton, Eng, in 1855, tried the plan
;of coating metal surfaces exposed to the
filling with composition to prevent
corrosion, and then used powdered alum
and sawd11st as a filler. Previous to
this, in 1849, dry plaster and a common
grade of alum Or potash alum was
found to be of value as a nonconductor
of heat Plaster was used for its non
conductor quality and alum for the
large proportion of water it contains in
disqualification. The same heat which
produced steam also fused Or disinte-
grated alum, releasing the moisture and
producing the requisite steam qualities.
Most of the tireproof safes of the
present day are made Of wrought-iron
plates and angles on the outer and
inner frames The usual thickness Of
the walls is from five and half to six
inches. Combination locks are used al
most universally; key locks are the ex-
'ception. The number of safes produced
by the manufacturers has largely in
creased in later years. Factories are to
be found in every part of the country,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
The increase began with the Chicago
fire of 1871, and steadily advanced with
the opening Of the great northwest.
use large numbers of safes for terminal
office facilities; also for the transmission
of valuable packages by rail.
jewelers. safes of late years have
been improved by the addition of an
inside lining of drill-proof material
Extra strength and security is given to
the doors by heavy bolt-work on the
interior.
Burglar-proof safes are distinct from
fireproof safes in material, construc-
ton and the object for which they are
built. The walls are composed of high
and low grades of steel, which when
tempered will resist the most powerful
drill. But it is an error to suppose that
safe which provides security from the
burglars drill is for that reason suff-
GENTLY protected from burglars who
are properly fitted for an attack upon a
bank safe or vault.
Recent experience has demonstrated
that other methods are more expedi-
tious, involving less risk for the oper-
ators, and are frequently more certain
of success. Wedges inserted across one
edge of door and driven home by re-
peated blows.Qf a hammer retain on