IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES."-A commu-
nication from abroad by Judson W. Warner, of Oneida, New York,
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th January 1873.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES," a
communication, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention in to increase the fire resisting qualities
of safes. The filling in of safes with non-conducting materials has
proved not to be a sufficient protection in case of a prolonged exposure
to an intense heat. I therefore construct a safe in such a manner that
spaces are provided in the top, bottom, sides, and door of the same,

page_text: through which is maintained a constant flow of water, whose tempera-
ture cannot be raised above 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
In addition to the spaces or compartments in the top, bottom, back,
and sides of the safe, the door is also made hollow, or provided with a
compartment. The hinges carrying the doors are made hollow, and a
groove and hole are cut in the staples of these hinges by which commu-
nication is obtained between the compartments in the safe and those in
the door. An inlet pipe introduced through the bottom into one of
these compartments connects with a water reservoir, and conducts water
into all of the compartments in the safe, as well as into the compart-
ments in the door. An outlet pipe for carrying off the water is provided
inside one of the compartments; it has an elbow, and extends through the
bottom of the safe into a sewer or other convenient channel. The ends
of the pipes have a bell-shaped mouth in the interior of the compartment,
and will be closed in case the heat should injure the lead or composition
joint which forms a connection of these pipes. In case this load or
composition joint should be displaced a rod connected with a valve and
spring will drop, and thus close the bell-shaped mouth or valve seat of
the inlet pipe. At the same time a rod and lever will close a valve in
the mouth or valve seat of the outlet pipe, a spring pushing it against the
seat, and thus preventing the escape of the water from the compartments
and the door, and by evaporation if the safe should be exposed to a high
heat. To guard against explosions under such circumstances a safety.
valve (by preference a spring safety valve) is placed in the top of the
safe
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th July 1873.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth 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

page_text: and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special license
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES," a communication to me from abroad by
Judson W. Warner, of Oncida, New York, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert
Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-.
The object of this Invention is to increase the fire resisting qualities.
of safes. The filling in of safes with non-conducting materials has
proved not to be a sufficient protection in case of a prolonged exposure
to an intense heat. I therefore construct a safe in such a manner that
spaces are provided in the top, bottom, sides, and door of the same,
through which is maintained a constant flow of water whose temperature.
cannot be raised above 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.

page_text: compartment F. The hinges R carrying the door are made hollow, and a
groove a and hole 6 are cut in the staples T of these hinges, by which
communication is obtained between the compartments A, B, C, D, and
compartment F in the door E. An inlet pipe G, introduced through
the bottom into one of these compartments connects with a water
reservoir, and conducts water into all the compartments in the safe, as
well as into the compartment in the door. An outlet pipe H for carrying
off the water is provided inside the compartment; it has an elbow c,
and extends through the bottom of the safe into a sewer or other con-
venient channel.
The ends of the pipes G and H have bell-shaped mouths in the interior
of the compartment, and will be closed in case the heat should injure
the lead or composition joint d, forming a connection for this pipe,
which would naturally first be displaced or broken before the iron pipe.
In case this lead or composition joint d should be displaced the rod e
connected with the valve I and spring f will drop, and thus close the
bell-shaped mouth or valve seat g. At the same time the rod h, con-
nected by a lever wo to the rod o, having a valve i on the opposite end,
will close the mouth or valve seat j; the spring k pushes it against the
seat, and thus prevents the escape of the water from the compartments a
and the door, and by evaporation, if the safe should be exposed to a
great heat.
་
To guard against accidents or explosions under such circumstances a
safety valve (by preference a spring safety valve) is placed in the
opening, or in any other convenient place in the top of the safe. By 2
this arrangement a constant flow of water is provided through all com-
partments in the top, bottom, back, sides, and the door, which will carry
off the heat as fast as it is communicated to any part of the safe as long
as the water supply is kept up. As many of the safes in present use
may be made permanent or be supported on masonry, rendering the
detachment unnecessary, it is obvious that a greater degree of safety
will be attained in constructing safes after the manner herein set forth.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, the water-tight compart- 3
ments A, B, C, and D, in the top, bottom, back, and sides, and the
compartment F in the door E, with the hollow hinges R and staples T,
with the grooves a, holes 6, inlet pipe G, oulet pipe H, lead or composi-

page_text: tion joint d, rods e, o, and h, valves I and i, springs fand k, valve scats g
and j, and lever w, in combination with the safe 8, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
Witness,
HENRY J. NOONE,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)