provements in Burglar and Fire-proof Safes or Boxes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVIDIONAL OFFCIFICATION
Improvements in Burglar and Fire-proof Safes or Boxes.
I, EDWIN MARSHALL Fox, of 34, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its chief object to so construct burglar and fire-proof
safes that they will not only be much less in weight but also very much cheaper
and easier to manufacture than heretofore.
According to my invention my improved safe consists of a metallic box or
receptacle enclosed in a casing composed of uninflammable wood. The inner
metallic box may be made of steel plates in their ordinary condition or carburized
and chilled on one or both surfaces and would then constitute the burglar-proof
portion of the safe, the outer casing of uninflammable wood acting as the fire
proof portion thereof.
By reason of the metallic portion of the safe not being required to withstand
fire it is unnecessary for the walls thereof to be of such great thickness as those
of safes as heretofore constructed nor need such walls be composed of built up
or compound plates. The outer casing of uninflammable wood may be constructed
in an analogous manner to that of an ordinary strong wooden box, suitable means
being provided for enabling the key of the safe to be readily inserted into the
key hole of the metallic portion of the safe which is provided with the lock. If
desired the said casing may be permanently connected to the inner metallic box
by bolts or other means.
If found necessary the said casing may be strengthened by tie-bolts passed
through its walls so that in the event of the safe falling from some considerable
height, as might happen in a burning building, the concussion resulting from
the fall would not cause the casing to be broken away from the metallic part of
the safe and expose the latter to the heat of the flames.
In some cases I may provide the interior of the metallic portion of the safe
with a lining of the aforesaid uninflammable wood and then the strengthening
of the outer casing by tie-bolts might be dispensed with because even if the
outer casing became detached, there would still exist the inner lining of unin-
flammable wood to resist the heat and prevent the contents of the safe being
injured by fire.
Where it is unnecessary to make the safe burglar proof as well as fire proof,
the inner metallic box may be made of some thin metal such as tin or may be
omitted.
The aforesaid outer casing of uninflammable wood, may be carved, moulded
or otherwise embellished to impart thereto an attractive and ornamental appearance.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: provements in Burglar and Fire-proof Safes or Boxes.
I, EDWIN MARSHALL Fox, of 34, Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster,
Gentleman, 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:-
This invention has for its chief object to so construct burglar and fire proof
safes that a safe of any given capacity will weigh much less than any other safe
of the same capacity and strength and can be very much more cheaply and easily
manufactured than has heretofore been practicable.
According to my invention I construct a safe or box with a metallic portion
enclosed in or lined with non-flammable wood, that is to say wood which has
been treated with chemical substances that prevent its inflammability, or I
construct the said safe of any desired number of layers or thicknesses of metal
and non-flammable wood. The metallic box may be made of steel plates in their
ordinary condition or alloyed or supercarburized and chilled on one
or both
surfaces and constitutes the. burglar-proof portion of the safe, the outer casing
or inner lining of non-flammable wood acting as the fire-proof apparatus thereof.
By reason of the metallic portion of the safe not being required to resist the
action of fire it is unnecessary for the walls thereof to be of such great thickness
as those of safes heretofore constructed, nor need such walls be composed of built
up or compound plates.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of my safe.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof and Figure 3 is a horizontal
section taken on the line 1, 1 of Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevation and a vertical section of a
modified construction of the safe.
Figures 6 and 7 are similar views of a further modified construction of the
safe.
In all these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is the metallic or burglar-proof portion of the safe. B is an outer casing
of non-flammable wood constituting the fire-proof portion of the safe. This
outer non-flammable wood casing B may, in the case of small safes, be constructed
in an analogous manner to that of an ordinary strong wooden box; but I prefer
to connect the casing B permanently to the metal portion A. In Figures 1, 2
and 3 I have for this purpose shewn the metallic portion A provided with a
number of screw-studs a projecting from its surface through the outer casing B
of non-flammable wood, outside of which are placed ornamental frames b of nickel,
brass or other metal. These frames are provided with holes for the screw-studs a
to protrude through and are securely held in place by nuts screwed upon the
said studs. Angle plates b¹ may also be provided for protecting the corners of the
safe. The burglar-proof or metal portion of the safe is provided with a lock
of any suitable kind which is located in the space 6* of the door, as is usual in safes,
and an aperture 62 is made for enabling the key to be readily inserted into the
key-hole in the said burglar-proof portion of the safe.
In Figures 4 and 5 I have shewn the metal portion A of the safe furnished
with flanges a¹ to which the non-flammable wood is attached by screws a³. Such

page_text: a construction is advantageous for safes of small size or when the fire-proof
covering of non-flammable wood is not liable to become displaced.
In Figures 6 and 7 I have shewn a construction in which the non-flammable
wood is retained in place by metal bands or straps a³, so that in the event of the
safe falling from a considerable height, as might happen in a burning building,
the concussion resulting from the fall would not cause the non-flammable wood
to be broken away from the metal portion and expose the latter to the heat of
the flames. A similar result might be obtained by the use of tie-bolts passed
through the walls of the non-flammable wood casing.
I prefer to provide the interior of the metal portion A with a lining C of the
non-flammable wood, so that, even if the outer casing B became detached, there
would still exist the inner lining of non-flammable wood to resist the heat and
protect the contents of the box from injury by fire. When such lining of non-
Hammable wood is employed I may in some cases dispense altogether with the
outer non-flammable casing A.
Where it is unnecessary to make the safe burglar-proof as well as fire-proof,
the inner metallic box may be made of some thin metal such as sheet iron or tin
or may be omitted and the box be entirely of non-flammable wood.
The aforesaid outer casing of non-flammable wood, may be carved, moulded
or otherwise embellished or ornamented.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A safe or box consisting of a metal portion enclosed in or lined with non-
flammable wood or constructed of alternate layers or thicknesses of metal and
non-flammable wood for the purpose specified.
2. A safe or box constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.