Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-04-20
BURGLAR PROOF SAFES,
THE MAXI G. A COMPLICATED AND
EXPENSIVE OPERATION.
Alternate Plates of Steel and Iron -
Fire PROBING n Trade Secret
Combination Locks.

I
and vaults are magnificent
specimens of skilled work
I, manship. Although the doors
often weigh tons they swing rs easily
on their hinges rs window shutter
After the first great door is thrown
back and displays its glittering array
of bright locks, its glass incased clocks
and its smooth steel bolts there IS
another door almost rs strong, with
bolts and locks OF its own. When this
is open it reveals three other doors.
The upper two are OF thin steel and
have no locks. Only papers and books
are to he kept in the little pockets or
pigeon holes which they inclose. I'm
der them and shutting in the cash
drawer there Is the third door with its
own lock and bolts. In this safe the
size of the cash repository bears about
the same relation to the size OF the
whole safe as pumpkin seed does to
the pumpkin. And it is not only bur-
nlar proof but 6reproof warranted,
in fact, to stand for at least seventy
five hours the greatest amount OF heat
that any burning building could give
it.
The making of safe OF this kind is
a complicated and expensive opera
ton. All the steel used comes in the
form of plates from the works. After
having the necessary screw-holes
bored in them they are heated to
high temperature, and then tempered
by suddenly immersing them in water
When they come out they are often a
little twisted and warped and have to
be rolled cold and sometimes polished
clean by swiftly moving emery
wheel. The noise OF the operation is
eor.splitting and so rasping that a man
with ordinary nerves can hardly en-
lure it. When the plate is perfectly
level it is transferred to another ma
chine, where it is clamped tight, and
an emery wheel shaves of the edges.
The plates are now put together,
first one of hard steel, then one of
wrought iron or soft steel, and so on
until the necessary thickness is Mt.
tanned. From the iron the safe receives
its tenacious qualities-it cannot be
cracked or broken as easily as steel,
aud the steel imparts n hardness which
dehes the burglars drill The screws
are also made of combined steel and
iron. Each OF them is only long
enough to reach through two plates,
and the screws which join the third,
fourth and fifth plates to the first ones
are never directly under any other
screws, 50 that there is no chance for
burglar to bore down through row
of screws. The plates are also drawn
very close together, Tor if any space
w, left between them a safeblower
might succeed in getting his dy-
namite into it. Between the in
terror and exterior walls of
the safe large amount of hydraulic
cement, combined with other in
gradients, usually according to a
secret recipe, is packed solidly. In
case Of fire the theory is that the water
in the cement about forty-three per
cent. will, owing to the heat OF the
outside covering, become steam,
partially at least, and be driven close
to the inner wall. Hereit will remain
and furnish a blanket impervious to
heat All the bolts are cylindrical
and from an inch up to two inches II
diameter. Combination locks are now
used exclusively. The mechanism o.
most of them is extremely simple. II
one lock there are number OF rounC
brass disks or "tumblers, " each piyotej
at the center on n small shaft which
runs through the safe door and con
meets with the lock knob Eacl
tumbler has slit in it just the size o
the steel arm which controls the bolts
and reaching nearly back to the centre
When all these Sits are together ant
pointing in exactly the right direction
the arm slips iuto them and the bolt
can be thrown. But if the slit in
single one of the tumblers is even
thousandth Of an inch out of line tn
arm will not slip back. The disks ar
set q short distance apart and sma
screws with big heads are fastened q
random over them. As these strik
together in turning the tumblel
whirl, and a man might turn the loci
knob thousand years without ono
getting the Sits in all the tumblers tc
gether. But the man who knows ju'
= how far to turn one may and the
how far back again according to IL
E combination numbers has no troub
I at all.
| The combination and numbers al
8 easily changed by changing the screw
in the disk. Many of the best safe
, and vaults are now provided with tin
locks. Two and sometimes thrt
= clocks are inclosed in g lass cases iu
inside of the safe door. When I'll
door is locked no one can open
again until the clock hands ha
travelled the set distance around til
dial aud touched little trigger whic
releases the bolts. More than OF
l clock is used, so that if one runs dow
the others will go on and perfor
! their duty. In the big banks t
vaults are closed about 5 o'clock
9 the evening and set to open lit
v before 8 o'clock in the morning.
L is a general impression that an expe
h burglar can open combination lo
). by listening to the clicking sound
re but dealers say that it is not possib
|, for any one to do it. II n safe.own
y forgets his combination the safe b
to be bored into there is no 9th
g way of opening it.-Ohicsgo Recor
~ Fur OF the Weasel Family.
" The fur of the weasel family is
b. great demand by the dealers becau
of its beauty and adaptability in ma
- classes Of wearing apparel. What
known rs ermine is produced by
r. little animal called the stoat in Ell