IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON SAFES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Hipkins, of Kate's Hill, in the Parish of
Dudley, and County of Worcester, Iron Safe Manufacturer, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON SAFES."
Sealed the 8th July 1873, and dated the 15th January 1873,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Hipkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1873.
I, EDWARD HIPKINS, of Kate's Hill, in the Parish of Dudley, and
County of Worcester, Iron Safe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON SAFES," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is the improved construction of iron safes.
for the successful resistance of drills, wedges, crowbars, and every
description of burglar's tools, and my Invention is carried into effect in
the following manner :-The safe is made wedge proof by the adoption
of a frame of strong T iron round the inside of the safe, and which said
frame is firmly screwed to a strong wrought-iron band, and then to the
outer plates of the body, one angle of the T iron coming level with the.
front edge of the safe, and the middle angle forming the front of the fire

page_text: resisting chamber. There is also a strong band of wrought iron firmly
rivetted to the outer corner of the T iron frame, which forms a rebate,
and there are strong cramps at each corner, leaving a deep groove
between them and the strong band, and also a space of several inches
between each of the cramps.
On the door are fixed two strong bands, the outer one of which falls
into the grooves between the cramps and the strong band, leaving a
rebate which shuts on to the strong band, the inner one falling between
the cramps and the lock case, thus firmly rabbiting the safe to the door,
and rendering the insertion of a wedge impossible.
The lock case is made of strong angle iron, and the bolts (which are all
round) shoot under the T iron frame. It is made drill proof by fixing
hardened steel plates between plates of wrought iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Hipkins in the Great Seal Patent Office ]
on the 12th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
HIPKINS, of Kate's Hill, in the Parish of Dudley, and County of Wor-
cester, Iron Safe Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters, 2
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Hipkins, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Hipkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 2
I, the said Edward Hipkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, usé, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ircland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of 3
Man, an Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN IRON SAFES," upon the condition.
(amongst others) that I, the said Edward Hipkins, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was 3

page_text: to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Hipkins, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is the improved construction of iron safes
for the successful resistance of drills, wedges, crowbars, and every
description of burglar's tools, and my Invention is carried into effect in
the following manner :-The safe is made wedge proof by the adoption
of a frame of strong T iron round the inside of the safe, and which said
frame is firmly screwed to a strong wrought-iron band, and then to the
outer plates of the body, one angle of the T iron coming level with the
front edge of the safe, and the middle angle forming the front of the fire
resisting chamber. There is also a strong band of wrought iron, firmly
rivetted to the outer corner of the T iron frame, which forms a rebate,
and there are strong cramps at cach corner, leaving a deep groove
between them and the strong band, and-also a space of several inches
between each of the cramps.
On the door are fixed two strong bands, the outer one of which falls
into the grooves between the cramps and the strong band, leaving a
rebate which shuts on to the strong band, the inner one falling between
the cramps and the lock case, thus firmly rabbiting the safe to the door,
and rendering the insertion of a wedge impossible.
The lock case is made of strong angle iron, and the bolts (which are
all round) shoot under the T iron frame. It is made drill proof by fixing
hardened steel plates between plates of wrought iron.
That my Invention may be better understood I have annexed Drawings
thereof, which I now proceed to describe.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, shewing the door opened, and Fig. 2 is a
sectional plan, shewing the door closed of a safe constructed according
to my Invention. Similar letters of reference refer to the same parts in
both Figures.
a is the body of the safe which, when required to be drill proof, is
composed of two thicknesses of iron b, b, separated by a plate of hard-

page_text: ened steel c; d is a rectangular frame of strong Ț iron, surrounded by
and screwed to a strong band e, which is fitted within the inner plates b
of the body of the safe, and is securely screwed thereto. The outer edge f
of the flange of the T iron forms part of the front edge of the safe, whilst
the rib g of the T iron forms the front of the fire resisting chamber ½, E
and also the bottom of the recess into which the door m shuts. A rec-
tangular band i is fixed in the anglo of the T iron frame, and cramps k
are fixed upon the face of the rib of the T iron frame. The spaces left
between the said band i and cramps & form grooves or recesses, into
which the projecting bands 7 of the door m fit when the door is closed; 1
n, n, are the lock bolts, which shoot behind the rib g of the T iron frame,
as shewn in Fig. 2.
Having now fully described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be carried into effect, I desire it to be understood that
what I claim by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the 1
Tiron frame, with the bands and cramps fitted thereon, and also the
projecting bands of the door, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Hipkins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
G. R. HOLLAND,
Birmingham.
EDWARD HIPKINS. (L.S.)