Improvements in Safes or Strong Boxes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 24th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Oct., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safes or Strong Boxes.
I EMILE PETIT of St. Denis, Seine, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
naturo of this invention to be as follows:-
and
In the Specification of a former invention of mine patented on the 4th October
1884, No. 13179 there is described a safe or strong box in the form of a column
and in which the box or chest is protected by a revolving casing capable of moving
up or down and of being held in its upper position by a suitable safety arrangement.
Now according to the present invention the casing is arranged to move up
down by a rectilinear instead of by a revolving motion. This rectilinear movement.
can be effected by any suitable mechanism such for example as by nuts operated by
screws which can be worked by means of a key or spanner. The invention comprises
the adaptation of similar mechanism to raise or lower a cage or receptacle lodged in
the lower part of the column whereby this part of the column can be utilized for
containing articles of value.
The safety mechanism for holding the movable casing of the safe in its raised
position can be such as is described in the Specification already referred to or any
other suitable arrangement. But whatever arrangement is employed I provide it
with a spring wedging piece serving as a stop to the bolts when the safe is closed and
which only allows of the movement of these bolts when it has been raised by a cam
or projection actuated by the lock that controls the bolts. And in order that the movable
casing may not be shifted when the lock of the safe is closed I arrange on the axis of
the lock that controls the bolts a lever which can displace a toothed sleeve, whereby
the mechanism that controls the movable casing can be disconnected from the
intermediate parts connected to this casing.
I will proceed to describe a safe in which my present improvements are embodied.
A central hollow column forms a chest or box whose lower part constitutes a cage or
receptacle which can be raised or lowered as required so that any articles deposited
therein can be removed. The chest or box is closed by a door fitted with a lock. At
the upper part of the box is a cap or cover in which the upper end of the movable
casing lodges. This casing is of steel and is moved by means of a handle or spanner.
fitted to the square of a spindle; this spindle carries a bevel pinion meshing with
1 Pine 877

page_text: another pinion on the upper end of a vertical screw shaft. At the lower end of this
shaft is a pinion which through the intermediation of a wheel and pinion actuates
another vertical screw shaft diametrically opposite the first described screw shaft. The
screws of the two shafts work in nuts fixed to the lower part of the casing. In my
present arrangement of the safe its whole height is utilized because the lower part
occupied by the movable cage or receptacle already mentioned; this receptacle is fitted
with shelves. In order to raise the receptacle to a sufficient height to allow the
objects therein to be removed I employ mechanism similar to that used for raising
the casing, that is to say-toothed gearing actuates two vertical screw shafts that
work in nuts fixed to the movable receptacle. This gearing is operated by a key and
the receptacle can only be moved when the casing is in its lowest position. At the
upper part of the safe is a shelf supported by, two brackets movable in vertical guides;
in raising the receptacle its upper part meets the ends of the brackets which project
beyond the guides and thus cause the shelf to participate in the upward movement.
When the receptacle is again lowered the brackets return to position and rest on the
bottom of the grooves in the guides.
When the casing is raised it is retained by means of a locking arrangement similar
to that described in the Specification before referred to, that is to say-by means of
three bolts whose ends engage in openings formed in the upper part of the casing.
But the fastening is according to the present invention completed by a spring piece
which wedges or holds the three bolts so as to prevent their being forced inwards if a
thief attempted to push them by getting at them through holes formed in the cap or
cover. When the lock is opened a cam or projection is moved which raises the spring
piece and thus frees the bolts.
The screw shaft which effects the upward and downward movement of the casing
is provided with a disengaging device which only allows the screws to be actuated
when the lock is open. For this purpose the axis of the lock carries a cam or projection
which raises a forked lever that at the same time lifts a piece which acts as an engaging
device. When this device is not in gear the pinion on the screw shaft turns loosely
thereon and therefore has no effect.
The safe can be of cylindrical, square, hexagonal or other desired form.
The means described for wedging or holding the holts are applicable to the safe
described in the Specification before referred to and so is the mechanism for raising
and lowering a cage or receptacle placed in the lower part of the column.
The door for closing the chest or box can be arranged in any desired manner but I
prefer to use a vertically sliding door; the door slides in grooves and is fitted with
à lock whose parts are lodged in the thickness of the door and whose bolts engage
in the grooves when the door is closed. The vertical movement of the door can
be imparted by gearing similar to that already described for moving the casing and
the cage.
Dall
1007

page_text: 1 EMILE PETIT of St. Denis, Seine, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In the Specification of a former invention of mine patented on the 4th October 1884
No. 13,179 there is described a safe or strong box in the form of a column and in which
the box or chest is protected by a revolving casing capable of moving up or down and
of being held in its upper position by a suitable safety arrangement.
Now according to the present invention the casing is arranged to move up and down
by a rectilinear instead of by a revolving motion. This rectilinear movement can be
effected by any suitable mechanism such for example as that shewn in the annexed
drawings by which the rectilinear movement is effected by nuts operated by screws
which can be worked by means of a key or spanner. The invention comprises the
adaptation of similar mechanism to raise or lower a cage or receptacle lodged in the
lower part of the column whereby this part of the column can be utilized for containing
articles of value.
The safety mechanism for holding the movable casing of the safe in its raised
position can be such as is described in the Specification already referred to, or any
other suitable arrangement. But whatever arrangement is employed I provide it with
a spring wedging piece serving as a stop to the bolts when the safe is closed and which
only allows of the movement of these bolts when it has been raised by a cam or
projection actuated by the lock that controls the bolts. And in order that the movable
casing may not be shifted when the lock of the safe is closed, I arrange on the axis of
the lock that controls the bolts a cam working a lever which can displace a clutch
whereby the mechanism that controls the movable casing can be disconnected from
the intermediate parts connected to this casing.
I will proceed to describe with the aid of the drawings a safe in which my present
improvements are embodied. Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line A---B of
Figure 2, Figure 2 is a horizontal section, and Figure 3 a vertical section on the
line CD of Figure 2. A central hollow column A forms a chest or box B whose
lower part contstitutes a cage or receptacle which can be raised or lowered as required so
that any articles deposited therein can be removed. The chest or box is closed by a
door Cfitted with a lock. At the upper part of the box is a cap or cover D in which
the upper end of the movable casing E lodges. This casing is shown as cylindrical
but it may be of other suitable form; it is of steel and is moved by means of a
handle or spanner fitted to the square a of a spindle; this spindle carries a bevel
pinion b meshing with another pinion c on the upper end of a vertical shaft F having
a square threaded screw d. At the lower end of this shaft is a pinion e which through
the intermediation of a wheel and pinion g actuates another vertical screw shaft d'
diametrically opposite the first described screw shaft. The screws of the two shafts
work in nuts G, G fixed to the lower part of the casing E. In my new arrangement

page_text: of the safe its whole height is utilized because the lower part is occupied by the
movable cage or receptacle H already mentioned; this receptacle is fitted with shelves.
In order to raise the receptacle to a sufficient height to allow the objects therein to be
removed I employ mechanism similar to that used for raising the casing E, that is to
say, toothed gearing b₁ c'e¹f gl actuates two vertical screw shafts d² d² that work in
nuts G¹ G¹ fixed to the movable receptacle H. This gearing is operated by a key
inserted into a hole of corresponding form in the axis of the pinion and the
receptacle E can only be moved when the casing is in its lowest position. At the
upper part of the safe is a shelf j supported by two brackets k, k movable in vertical
guides 1, 1; in raising the receptacle H its upper part meets the ends m, m of the
brackets which project beyond the guides 1, 2 and thus cause the shelf; to participate
in the upward movement. When the receptacle is again lowered the brackets return
to position and rest on the bottom of the grooves in the guides; these grooves do not.
extend beyond a given point.
When the casing E is raised it is retained by means of a locking arrangement
similar to that described in the Specification before referred to, that is to say, by means
of three bolts K K K whose ends engage in openings formed in the upper part of
the casing. But the fastening according to the present invention is completed by a
spring piece L Figures 1 and 4 which wedges or holds the three bolts so as to prevent
their being forced inwards if a thief attempted to push them by getting at them
through holes formed in the cap or cover D. When the lock is opened a cam or
projection n is moved which raises the spring piece L and thus frees the bolts.
The screw shaft F which effects the upward and downward movement of
the casing E is provided with a clutch or disengaging device which only allows the
screws d, d to be actuated when the lock is open. For this purpose the axis p of the
lock carries a cam or projection similar to that marked n, which raises a forked lever o
Figures 3 and 5 that at the same time lifts a piece y which acts as a clutch. When
this device is not in gear the pinion c on the screw shaft F turns loosely thereon and
therefore has no effect.
The safe can be of cylindrical, square, hexagonal or other desired form.
The means described for wedging or holding the bolts are applicable to the safe
described in the Specification before referred to and so is the mechanism for
raising and lowering a cage or receptacle placed in the lower part of the column.
The door C for closing the chest or box B can be arranged in any desired manner
but I prefer to use the vertically sliding door represented in Figures 6 and 7; the
door C slides in grooves at t, t and is fitted with a lock whose parts are lodged in the
thickness of the door and whose bolts engage in the grooves t, when the door is
closed. The door lodges in the lower part of the casing when the casing is open.
The vertical movement of the door can be imparted by gearing similar to that already
described for moving the casing and the cage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim, in respect
of safes or strong boxes of the kind herein referred to, is:-
1. A safe or strong box of columnar form in which the box or chest is protected by
a casing which can be raised and lowered by a rectilinear motion, this motion being
effected either by means of nuts actuated by screws which are worked by a key, or by
other suitable mechanism, substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination with a safe or strong box of columnar form having a casing
that can be raised or lowered by a rectilinear or a revolving motion, of a cage or
receptacle lodged in the lower part of the column the said cage or receptacle being
capable of being raised and lowered by a rectilinear motion when the casing is in its
lowest position, such rectilinear motion being imparted either by means of nuts
actuated by screws which are worked by a key, or by other suitable mechanism,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. As part of the safety mechanism for holding the movable casing of the safe in
its raised position, a spring wedging piece serving as a stop to the bolts when the safe

page_text: is closed and which only allows of the movement of these bolts when it has been raised
by a cam or projection actuated by the lock that controls the bolts, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
4. As means of preventing the shifting of the movable casing when the lock of the
safe is closed, a clutch actuated by the lock in such manner that the mechanism for
moving the casing is thrown out of gear when the lock is closed, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
5. In a safe or strong box of columnar form having a casing that can be raised or
lowered by a rectilinear or a revolving motion, a vertically sliding door provided with
mechanism for raising and lowering it and with a lock whoso bolts engage in grooves
when the door closed, substantially as hereinbefore described.
6. The improved safe or strong box hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawings.
1
1
1302
J. C. MEWBURN,
169, Fleet Street, London,
Agent.