IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE AND BURGLAR PROOF SAFES, MORE PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION WITH SHOP WINDOWS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Percy Holt, of Royal Insurance Buildings, Leeds,
in the County of York, Civil Engineer, and William Denison, of West Street,
Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FIRE AND BURGLAR PROOF SAFES, MORE PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION
WITH SHOP WINDOWS, AND IN THE APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
יע
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Percy Holt. and
William Denison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd
February 1877.
HENRY PERCY HOLT, of Royal Insurance Buildings, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM DENISON, of West Street, Leeds, in the County
of York, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE AND BURGLAR PROOF SAFES, MORE
PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION WITH SHOP WINDOWS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention consists in forming a safe or strong room in most cases below the
level of the ground, and in lowering a cage having a strong top or lid into the safe,
which when the cage is down forms the door or lid to the strong room or pit.
The cage may be of any suitable form for the purpose for which it is used, and
be fitted up as a case with shelves, and when desirable may be enclosed by glass
and dust-tight doors. The top of this caso or cage being made of suitable material
drops into a strong frame and forms an impregnable door when the cage is in its
lowest position. The cage, which in many cases may form a shop window for
exposing goods on sale or show cases within the shop, is raised and lowered by a
ram or rams worked by the admission or release of hydraulic pressure or by other
mechanical appliances, worked by hand or motive power. This pressure may be
obtained either from pumps (worked by motive-power engines or by manual labour),
or from a natural head when available.
In most cases we prefer to form a pit under each window of a shop, the walls of
which may be of brickwork, or iron surrounded by masonry, or concrete. On one
side of this we carry down slides which may form the pillars for supporting the
beam or girders carrying the front walls over the shop. These slides rụn from the
•
'

page_text: bottom of the pit up to the top of the window, and have a foot or sole plate at the
bottom of the pit which carries the plunger, which is hollow to admit the motive
pressure. This plunger works through a cup leather into a cylinder having flanges
top and bottom, on to which the top of the safe (which forins the strong door), and
likewise the bottom of the cage or window board are attached. This cylinder forms
a stay to hold the top and bottom of cage stiff and parallel, between which the glass
front, sides, and back doors are fixed in any suitable manner.
The weight of the cage may be counterbalanced by a weight and chain running
between the slides, or by pressure acting on a different ram. The admission or
release of pressure on the rams for raising or lowering the windows or cages is
regulated by a valve protected inside by a reliable safe, the pipes forming the con-
nections being also protected by masonry or concrete. In some cases where a hand
pump is used it may be placed inside the sinall safe.
The regulating valve may be of any suitable form, having an escape nozzle and
pipe to convey the exhaust pressure away either to be re-used or to waste, as the
case may be. In order to prevent pressure being communicated through the escape
pipe to raise the cages a thin diaphragm or escape valve is fixed on it, which would
burst or blow off at an insufficient pressure for that purpose.
In order to render the raising of the cages or windows impossible without
breaking open the regulating valve safe we use strong catches (which can only be
drawn back from the inside of the safe by means of a chain), for locking or holding
down the cages, so that the top door cannot be lifted out of the strong frame with-
out releasing the catches.
In some cases the locks or catches are drawn back by a weight and held into
locking gear by a chain, as above; in others we prefer to lock them by means of a
weight, and unlock by pressure on a subsidiary ram or rams, which work at a
pressure insufficient to raise the main rams.
. As the windows go down into the tanks or pits when the safes are closed it is
necessary to provide shutters to replace them. This may be most conveniently
done by attaching a flexible shutter to the safe top or door, which is wound on to
a barrel having a counterbalance weight to wind it up when the cage or window
rises, and is unwound by the weight of the cage going down.
It is evident that mechanism such as screws, racks, or gearing may be used to
raise and lower the cages, but in most cases we prefer to use rams worked by
pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Henry Percy Holt and William Denison in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd August 1877.
HENRY PERCY HOLT, of Royal Insurance Buildings, Leeds, in the County of
York, Civil Engineer, and WILLIAM DENISON, of West Street, Leeds, in the County
of York, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE AND BURGLAR PROOF SAFES, MORE
PARTICULARLY IN CONNECTION WITH SHOP WINDOWS, AND IN THE APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
This Invention consists in forming a safe or strong room (in most cases below the
level of the ground), and in lowering a cage having a strong top or roof into the
safe, which when the cage is down forms the top or door of the strong room or pit.
The cage may be of any suitable form for the purpose for which it is used, and
be fitted up as a case with shelves, and when desirable may be enclosed by glass
and dust-tight doors. The top of this cage or cage being made of suitable material
drops into a strong frame and forms an impregnable door or top when the cage is
in its lowest position. The cage, which in many cases may form a shop window
for exposing goods on sale, or show cases within the shop, is raised and lowered by
a ram or rams worked by the admission or release of hydraulic pressure. This

page_text: pressure may be obtained either from pumps (worked by motive-power ongines or
by manual labour), or from a natural head when available.
In most cases we prefer to form a pit under each window of a shop, the walls of
which may be of brickwork (or iron) surrounded by masonery or concreto. On one
side of this we carry down slides, which may form the pillars for supporting the
beam or girders carrying the front walls or roof over the shop. These slides run
from near the bottom of the pit up to the top of the window, and have a foot or
sole plate at the bottom of the pit which carries the plunger, which is hollow to
admit the motivo prossure. This plunger works 'through a cup leather or packing
into a cylinder having flanges top and bottom, on to which the top of the safe
(which forms the strong door), and likewise the bottoin of the cage or window
board are attached. This cylinder forms a stay to hold the top and bottom of cage
stiff and parallel, between which the glass front, sides, and back doors are fixed in
any suitable or convenient manner.
The weight of the cage may be counterbalanced by a weight and chain running
between the slides, or by pressure acting on a differential rain when desirable. The
admission or release of pressure on the rams for raising or lowering the windows or
cages is regulated by a valve, protected inside a reliable safe, the pipes forming the
connections being also protected by masonery or concrete. In some casos where a
hand pump is used it may be placed inside the small safe.
The regulating valve may be of any suitable forın, having an escape nozzle and
pipe to convey the exhaust pressure away, either to be re-used or to waste, as the
case may be. In order to prevent pressure being communicated through the escape
pipe to raise the cages a thin diaphragın or escape valve is fixed on it, which would
burst or blow off at an insufficient pressure for that purpose.
In order to render the raising of the cages or windows impossible without
breaking open the regulating valve safe we use strong catches, which can only be
drawn back from the inside of the safe by means of a chain for locking or holding
down the cages, so that the strong or top door cannot be lifted out of the strong
frame without releasing the catches.
In some cases the locks or catches are drawn back by a weight and held into
locking gear by a chain, as above; in others we prefer to lock them by means of a
weight, and unlock by pressure on a subsidiary rain or rams, which work at a
pressure insufficient to work the main rains.
The cages or windows are supported in the position for show by means of strong
bolts or bars passed under or engaging them. These may be inserted for supporting
and withdrawn for lowering either by hand or motive power.
As the windows go down into the tanks or pits when the safes are closed it is
necessary to provide shutters to replace them." This may be most conveniently.
done by attaching a flexible shutter to the safe top or door, which is wound on to
a barrel, having a counterbalance weight to wind it up when the cage or window
rises, and is unwound by the weight of the cage going down.
It is evident that mechanism such as screws, racks, or gearing may be used to
raise and lower the cages, but in most cases we prefer to use rams worked by
pressure.
In order to make the foregoing more clearly understood we append Drawings, in
which the letters of reference are as follows:-
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.-A, pressure pipe; c, c, pressure cylinder; b, power or
lifting ram working in cylinder; d, sliding cage lifted by ram b; e, sliding cage top,
forming top or lid of safe; f.f.f.f, safe formed by concrete walls and bottom, and
sometimes lined with plate iron or steel, and having strong cast-iron frame f¹,
strongly fastened down to form jamb for top or lid e; f, cast-iron top frame of safe;
g, g, cast-iron guide frame for sliding cage d; h, h, chains connecting sliding cage to
balance weight i, i, and passing over pulleys j, j; l, l, latticed steel ribbon shutter
attached to top of sliding cage and roller m; m, roller for winding shutter 1, l;
n, guide roller for shutter 1, 7; o, chain passing round pulley on roller m for the
purpose of winding shutter I, I, on roller m by means of a balance weight or other

page_text: suitable means; p, rocking hook for locking down sliding cage d; p¹, locking hook
weight; 9, loops for engaging hook p; r, chain attached to rocking hook p for the
purpose of locking the same from inside sinall safe or any other suitable position.
Fig. 6 shews an isometrical projection of window safe and appliances, and the
letters refer to the parts the same as in preceeding Figures.
Having now described and particularly ascertained and shewn the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not confine or restrict ourselves
to the precise details which we have shewn, described, or referred to, as many
modifications and variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principals or main features of the said Invention; but what we consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The combined arrangement of window safe and show case worked by
pressure, substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The mode of locking or holding the same in position both when closed
and open, substantially as described and illustrated.
Thirdly. The modes of preventing pressure being applied through the exhaust or
waste pipe to open the safe, substantially as described.
Fourthly. Vertically raising and lowering cases from safe or strong rooms by
means of suitable appliances, as described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Henry Percy Holt and William Denison, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.