Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-16
BAFFLING BURGLARS
SAFES AND LOCKS WHICH ARE PROOF
AGAINST TAMPERERs.

Each Bank Of England Lock Costs 9375
and Has 362, $50 Different Combinations.
Elaborate Mechanism to Protect Treasure
Vaults.
There is no denying the fact that the
burglar of today, who aims at high
game, displays amazing ingenuity in
the manufacture of scientific tools and
apparatus and also in the practical work.
ing of the same.
But he is completely out Of the run
ming when pitted against our safemak-
ers and locksmiths, even though he peri
odically buys their wares for expert
mental purposes.
While the present writer was being
personally conducted" over the prem
ises of the greatest firm Of lockmakers
in the world he acquired much interest
ing information concerning those WON
drous pieces Of mechanism which pro-
tect the vast riches of palaces, banks
and strongrooms, and which render it
absolutely impossible for thieves to
break in.
Perhaps the most interesting depart
ment was that one in which an exhibit
tion of the highest form of the burglars
craft was being given. Skilled workmen
were seated before locked safes and
were using the almost irresistible fusing
apparatus on the door in order to reach
the locks or were forcing gunpowder
through the keyholes by means of tiny
pair of bellows.
Others were squirting corrosive chem
icals into the locks and noting the ef-
feet, while sturdy artisans were using
the drill and the wedge with scientific
force and skill that showed they could
be dangerous enemies to society if they
were criminally inclined
The fusing apparatus consists Of
cylinder of compressed oxygen gas,
which supplies short section Of pipe
terminating in an iron cup. The latter
is pressed firmly against the door after
light has been applied, and stream
of fame issues from the end Of the pipe
in its bottom. So fierce is this flame
that it melts the metal in the safe door
and eats jagged hole through it in
remarkably short space of time.
I'VE turn out about 28S, 900 locks ev-
cry year." remarked the manager of the
works, land they range in weight from
a quarter of an ounce-including key.
to 228 pounds, the respective values of
these extremes being IL sents and ST..
500.
Foremost among those 'ocks which
protect enormous wealth come those on
the treasury doors of the Bank of Eng
land The making of each of these mar
vels of mechanism occupies three men
for six weeks and costs 1915.
"Those little f1uted pieces Of steel in
the head of the key-technically called
steps are nine in number and are ca
pable of 362, $50 different combinations
eff banker whose safe was fitted
with this lock CHANGED to lose his key, or
if he had reason to suppose that wax
impression of it had been made, all
that would be necessary in order to baf-
file burglarious designs would be to un-
lock the safe with the duplicate key,
unscrew the head and change the posi-
tion of the steps and then relock the safe
or strongroom.
"The mechanism of the lock would
instantly adapt itself to the changed
combination and could never be un-
locked by the former key.
''This, however, is not an unmixed
blessing. One afternoon certain city
merchant was amusing himself by un-
screwing the steps of both his keys
when it suddenly occurred to him that
he had forgotten the combination.
"As the keys in question were capa.
BILE of thousands of combinations, there
was nothing for it but to set to work or
a system of numbered tables and tick
off each combination as it were tried.
"'But that may take months, OBJ
jected the merchant ruefully. WE'LL as
the only other alternative was to builC
furnace round the door Of the safe il
was decided to try the combination first
"We sent two men and an apprentice
with the printed tables-great sheets o.
paper several yards long-and after Mint
, days labor, during which about 13, 00(
: different combinations were arranged
and tried, the right one was hit upon by
accident, and the door opened. Needless
, to say, there was pretty big bill
against the customer who gave US al
this trouble.
"The treasury doors at the Bank O
England measure feet 8 and weigl
, about az tons. Besides being fittet
with the above mentioned changeabl,
locks they have violence locks fee
! long, each of which weighs 400 pounds
and gunpowder proof locks, having
& blowholes on every side, even through
the massive bolt. These blow holes al
, low the gunpowder pumped in to escap
and reduce the force Of q possible explo
> sion to mere harmless puff.
''It is worthy of note that there ar
/ more than 10000 locks fitted in tn
Bank Of England. Then comes the Sa
voy hotel with 1, 800, controlled by on
\ master key. The manager Of each of th
r six floors at the Savoy, however, has
master key which controls the lock J
= every room under his supervision.
"Her majesty's safe at Windsor cas-
tie in which the gold plate is KEEP
y weighs eight tons and is protected b
= violence lock 18 inches long, a change
:. able lock and a gunpowder lock, all G
;. which can be mechanically covered b
= an undrillable steel plate, which ren
!, , ders it impossible to insert even a hail
:. :. pin into any Of the keyholes. "-Londo
:, Answers.
- Esthetics Run Mad.
|. O'Kief-Why did the Newsplice
q. move?
ia McEll-The wall paper on their ol