IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROOF SAFES AND IN LOCK MECHANISM THEREFOR"
Year: 1885

page_text: 2
I EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER of 36 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of the invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROOF SAFES AND IN LOCK
MECHANISM THEREFOR" (a communication to me from abroad by Henry Gross of
Chicago, Illinois, in the United States of America Gentleman) and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
In the construction of lock mechanism for the doors of burglar-proof safes or
vaults, as at present commonly practised, it is customary to provide the permutation
or other suitable lock controlling the movement of the bolt-work with a time lock
upon the inside of the safe which acts as a guard to prevent the operation of the
bolt-work of the safe during a predetermined period and until the time, lock is
automatically released and ceases to act as a guard. In lock mechanism of this
description a number of serious difficulties aree ncountered. For example, it
sometimes bappens that in setting the time lock the hand of the dial or the
indicator pointer is moved too far and in such case, as this hand cannot be turned
back, the safe must necessarily remain locked longer than is desired, thereby
occasioning serious inconvenience. One of the objects of the present invention is
to provide improved means whereby mistakes of this kind can be corrected and the
delay in the opening of the safe can be avoided.
In the time locks at present commonly employed it is also customary to provide
two separate clock movements, each with a tripping device for releasing at the
desired time the guard that checks the operation of the bolt-work so that in case
either of said movements stops the other will release the guard. As these separate
clock movements are independent of each other it is necessary to set each
separately, and if, through carelessness or accident one is not set and the other
stops it becomes necessary to drill or break open the safe. The present invention
has for its further object to provide means whereby two lock movements can be
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page_text: simultaneously set and will move in unison so that in case the spring of either
movement fails to act, that of the other movement will with certainty operate the
guard releasing device.
In a construction of time lock heretofore practised provision was made whereby
the guard of the time lock could be brought into action to check the operation of
the bolt-work at a time subsequent to the setting of the time lock, so that in case it
was desired to use the safe a short time after the setting of the time lock, as in the
evening, the bolt-work could be operated until such hour as the guard of the time
lock should be automatically thrown into action. In such construction, however,
the two clock movements were independent of each other so that, in case of any
accident to the movement that carried the tripping device for automatically
bringing the guard into action the time lock would serve no useful-purpose. By
the present invention the tripping device that throws the guard of the time lock
into action at any desired hour subsequent to the setting of such lock, is caused to
operate with certainty so long as either of the clock movements is effective.
"
Again in the usual construction of lock nechanism the arbors or spindles of the
permutation lock and of the knob for operating the bolt work, extend through the
door or wall of the safe and constitute its weakest point, as by knocking off or
driving in or drilling these arbors the burglar obtains a ready opening through
which explosives can be introduced into the safe, or the bolt-work can be moved:
To overcome this last difficulty it has been proposed to apply to the inner face of
the safe door lock mechanism the bolts of which shall be shot the instant the safe
door is closed and shall be automatically retracted at the desired hour by the action
of the time lock. With this kind of lock mechanism it is evident that the safe
when closed must remain locked until such time as the time lock shall operate to
retract the bolts, after which the safe will be open. This form of lock mechanism is
noticeably defective in two particulars. In the first place, it is frequently desirable
to use the safe in the evening, in which case the time mechanism must not come
into operation until after such use-a result that cannot be attained by this last
described mechanism without leaving the safe open until the evening, or by setting
the time lock for a short period with the expectation of re-setting it thereafter.
It is evident, however, that neither of these ways of using such lock mechanism is
secure, as may happen that from some cause no one will return to use the safe
and set the time lock in which event the safe will remain open all night. It will
therefore be seen that it is desirable to provide mechanism whereby, without
forming any weak point in the door or wall of the safe by running an arbor through
the same, the safe can be locked independently of the time lock which shall be
automatically thrown into operation to guard the bolt work at some pre-determined
time subsequent to its setting and to accomplish this is one of the objects of the
present invention.
This invention therefore consists in providing improved mechanism whereby the
time lock may cease to check the operation of the bolt-work before the expiration
of the time for which the time lock has been set, so that any mistake in setting
the time lock may be thus corrected and all delay in opening the safe by reason of
such mistake may be avoided. Also in providing mechanism whereby the bolt-
work of the safe may be automatically thrown by the time lock to lock the safe.
Also in providing means whereby the bolt-work of the safe may be automatically.
thrown and retracted by the time lock to lock and unlock the sale. Also of certain
details of construction of the lock mechanism and safe which will be hereinafter
described and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view of a time lock of the
improved construction. Figure is a similar view of the time lock a portion of
the top plate being broken away, and the plate or disc that carries the tripping.
devices being removed for better illustration of subjacent parts. Figure 3 is a view
in horizontal longitudinal section on line x-x of figure 1. Figure 4 is a view in
longitudinal vertical section on line y-y of figure 3 showing in inverted elevation
the mechanism on the underside of the top plate. Figure 5 is also a sectional view

page_text: on line y-y of Figure 3 showing in elevation the mechanism on the face of the
bottom plate. Figure 5 a. is an enlarged sectional view in detail of the plate
carrying the tripping device. Figure 6 is a view of the inner face of a safe door and
frame having the improved time lock mechanism applied thereto parts being broken
away for better illustration. Figure 7 is a view in borizontal section on line x-x
of Figure 6.. Figure 8 is a view of the inner side of a portion of a safe door and
frame, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section. Figure 9 is a
detail front view (somewhat enlarged) of the time lock in connection with the parts
directly operated thereby. Figure 10 is a similar view of a somewhat modified
form of time lock a part of the top plate being broken away and the plate that
carries the tripping devices being removed. Figure 11 is a plan view of this last
form of time lock detached.
In Figure 1 the improved time lock is shown as applied in connection with a
permutation lock and in Figures 6, 8, and 9 in connection with mechanisın that
co-operates therewith to automatically shoot and retract the bolt-work of the safe.
A designates the top plate and A¹ the bottom plate of the tiine lock, these plates
being suitably connected together by posts or standards a. In this time lock two
distinct clock movements are employed and these movements are provided with
driving springs, B and C, that serve respectively to operate the indicator pointer
or dial hand and the tripping devices for controlling the guard of the time lock.
The driving springs are covered as shown by the caps b and c attached to the
underside of the bottom plate. To the springs B and C are connected the driving
arbors B¹ and C₁ that pass through the top and bottom plates A and A¹ and have
loosely held thereon the gear wheels b and c that will be placed in gear with
suitable escapement mechanism and will receive movement from their driving
arbors through the medium of the ratchet wheels 62 and c³ and ratchets b³ and c³ in
manner well known in the art. To the arbor B¹ is keyed the ring D having an
arm d adapted to strike the stud e on the underside of the gear wheel E that has
an extended hub el passing through the top plate A and fitting loosely on the
arbor B. The reduced upper portion of the hub e¹ is squared and receives the
washer e and the indicator pointer F which in connection with the hour dial F'¹,
serves to determine the length of time for which the lock shall be set.
The driving arbor C is provided with a ring G having an arm g, adapted to strike
the stud / depending from the face of the gear wheel H, the extended hub h¹ of
which passes through the top plate A, fits loosely on the arbor C and is provided
with a squared end that carries the slotted revolving plate or disc I that sustains the
tripping devices K and L for throwing the guard M. of the time lock respectively.
into and out of operation. The tripping device K which serves to throw the
guard M out of action is adjustably held beneath the circular slot i of the plate I
by means of the threaded shank k which passes through the slot and is furnished
with the small clamp nut ke by which the tripping device may be fixed at any
desired point along the slot, its position being determined by the scale or dial at
the side thereof. The guard M is pivotally held on the top plate A by means of
the journal screw or pin M' and is provided with the lug or shoulder m that
extends a sufficient distance beneath the plate I to be struck by the tripping
device K-as the plate revolves. The lower portion of the guard M is furnished
upon its inner side with a lug (shown in dotted lines Figures 1 and 2) which when
the guard is swung downwards will catch beneath the stud n of the pivotal latch
bar or lever N that is provided with the angle bar n¹ adapted to drop into the
ordinary notched tumblers of a permutation lock. The latch N is slotted as shown
to receive the pin o of the driving lever O, by which movement is imparted from
the drive wheel O¹ to the bolt-work of the permutation lock.
Beneath the circular slot of the plate I the tripping device L which throws
the guard M into operation to check the bolt-work is held by means of its threaded
shank which extends through the slot and is provided with the clamp nut that
retains this tripping device at any desired position along the slot. Pivotally
connected to the top plate A is the dog or pawl P, the rear end of which is

page_text: provided upon its upper side with the cam-faced lug p, that projects beneath the
slot and in position to be struck by the tripping device L as the plate revolves.
The forward end p¹ of the pawl is held by the spring p² normally in position to
engage with the shoulder m¹ of the guard and serves to temporarily retain the
guard in a retracted position so that it will not affect the operation of the
bolt-work until the pawl is released by the tripping device L striking the lug p.
A knot pa projecting from the face of the pawl P serves to retract this pawl by
hand as will hereinafter appear.
Between the gear wheels E and H and mashing therewith is placed the gear
wheel H¹ keyed to the winding post H³ journalled in the top and bottom plates
and having a squared projecting end over which the winding key will fit. By
means of this gear wheel the two clock movements are caused to work in unison
and are simultaneously wound and set.
The operation of the mechanism thus far defined is as follows;-Let it first be
assumed that the tripping devices K and L are at the zero points of their
respective slots i and that the indicator pointer is at the zero point of its hour
dial and that the guard M. is turned down so that its lug catches under the stud n
of the latch bar N and holds the same suspended and the bolt-work out of
operation. If now a winding key be applied to the post H2 and be turned
towards the left the driving springs of the two clock movements will be wound
and the indicator pointer F and plate I may be simultaneously set for the desired
number of hours. The indicator pointer and the plate will then move in the
direction of the arrows (figure 1) until the tripping device K strikes the lug or
shoulder m of the guard M and causes this guard to swing backward so that the
latch bar N will be released and the bolt-work of the permutation lock can be.
operated; at this time the indicator pointer will have returned to the zero point of
the hour dial.
It is evident that if the tripping device K is moved forward in the slot i of the
plate I and there clamped it will strike the shoulder m of the guard sooner than if
it were at the zero point of such slot; and will retract said guard before the
indicator pointer reaches its zero point. Hence it will be seen that if in the
operation of setting the time lock the indicator pointer has by mistake been turned
too far it is only necessary in order to correct such mistake to move forward the
tripping device K a distance in the slot i corresponding to the number of hours
the indicator pointer has been overset. For example if it is desired to close the
safe at three o'clock in the afternoon so that it cannot be opened until nine
o'clock the following morning the indicator pointer should be turned to the point
"18" on the hour dial but if through mistake it has been turned too far as to the.
"24" point the mistake can be readily corrected and the delay in opening the safe
can be avoided by fixing the tripping device K at a position in its slot i opposite
the point "6" of the slot scale as by this means the tripping device will throw
back the guard M six hours sooner than were it in. at the zero point of the slot
and hence in eighteen hours after the time the time movement started.
•
If it is desired that the time lock shall automatically come into operation. to
check the bolt-work at a time subsequent to the setting of the time lock, for
example, if it is desired to close the safe at three o'clock in the afternoon and have
the time lock automatically come into operation at nine o'clock in the evening the
bolt-work of the permutation lock being unchecked in the interim, the indicator
pointer will be set as usual for the hour at which the safe is to be opened the next
morning but the guard M will be swung back and held by pawl Pas shown in
figures 1 and 2 and the tripping device L will be moved forward and fixed at such.
point in the slot that at six hours after the starting, of the clock movement it
will strike the cam-lug p and by so doing will release the pawl P and allow the
guard M to swing forward to catch the stud n of the latch bar and thus check the
operation of the bolt-work until the guard is forced backward by the tripping
device K at the end of the period for which the time lock has been set..

page_text: In figure 1 of the drawings the guard M is shown as held back by the pawl P
the indicator pointer has been set for twenty two hours the tripping device K is
fixed in its slot opposite the point "4" and the tripping device L is fixed in its
slot opposite the point "16." With the parts in this position (assuming the clock
work to start at 3 pm) the bolt work of the permutation look will remain free
until the tripping device L strikes the lug p and allows the guard M to swing
forward (which will occur at 11 pm) and will then remain checked by the guard
until the tripping device K throws back the guard at nine o clock in the morning
or four hours earlier than the time for which the indicator point was set.
In figures 6 to 11 of the drawings the invention is shown as applied for auto-
matically throwing and withdrawing the bolt-work of a safe. R designates the
front wall of the safe and R¹ denotes the door upon the inner face of which is the
usual framer for sustaining the bolt-work consisting of the bolts R₁ connected
together by the tie plate R³. Upon the inner face of this tie plate are formed the
bearing flanges 7 through which passes the sliding rods that carries the coiled
springs 8 and 8 and is loosely held in a suitable seat in the bolt-frame and the
bearing sleeve s that is bolted to the door. A hand lever T pivotally held upon a
stud t serves to move forward the rod and it will be seen that as this rod is forced
forward by the action of the hand lever the pin s' bearing upon the spring s³ tends
to compress this spring while at the same time the pin s³ of the rod bearing upon
the end of the spring & forces the same against the rear flange 1 of the tie plate and
tends to force this tie plate and its connected bolt work forward. Upon the inner
face of the tie plate is formed a stop or lug as shown by dotted lines in figure 6 and
full lines in figure 8 and this stop is so placed upon the tie plate as to catch against
the square shoulder u of the pivotted trigger of the stop lever U when the latter is
in elevated position, as shown in figure 6. If therefore the trigger be elevated at
the time the sliding rod S is thrust forward by the hand lever T the spring S* will
be pressed by the pin s¹ against the frame work r and the spring S2 will be pressed*
by the pin & against the rear flange 1 of the tie plate as this tie is prevented from
moving forward by the resistance of the triggers and the only effect of the sliding
rod under such condition will be to compress the springs without moving the bolt-
work. Pivotally connected to the door at the point is the releasing lever V the
short arm of which rests upon the arm u¹ projecting from the trigger U and the
long arm of which projects within the path traversed by the tripping device L of
the time lock. From this construction it will appear that if after the springs S¹
and S have been compressed by the sliding rod S as just above described the
tripping device L strikes the lever V. It will force the long arm of this lever
upward which will in turn depress the trigger U thereby causing it to release the
tie plate K³ and allow the compressed spring S¹ to force the bolt-work forward
to automatically lock the safe. At a suitable point as w on the door is pivotted
the latch bar W the free end of which is provided with the small friction roller w
adapted to bear against the bottom edge of the time lock guard M when the latter
is in position to check the operation of the bolt-work after it has been thrown
forward. Upon the under side of the latch bar W is the depending lug w the
inclined face of which bears against the rear end of the sliding rod S¹ and serves to
hold this rod pressed forward so long as the end of the latch bar is beneath
the guard.
It will be seen by reference to the detail figs. 9, 10, and 11 that the time lock
forming part of this last described automatic bolt working mechanism is the same
as that heretofore described with the exception that the lug on the inner side of
the guard and the rear end of the pawl P and its lug are dispensed with as
unnecessary in this construction although it will be readily understood that the
form of lock having such features may be employed in both cases.
The operation of this last described time lock mechanism is as follows:-Let it
be assumed that the parts are in the position shown in fig. 6 the safe door being
shut and locked by an independent permutation jamb lock to be presently described.
The indicator pointer F and the revolving plate I will turn backward in the

page_text: .
direction of the arrows, the tripping device L will after a predetermined period
depending upon its position in the slot i strike the end of the releasing lever V.
which in turn will depress the trigger U thereby allowing the compressed spring S
to shoot the bolt work to lock the safe and bringing the front flange of the tie
plate R against the pin s¹ of the sliding rod as seen in fig. 8. The bolt-work
remains thus in its forward position until the tripping device K of the time lock
strikes the lug m and releases the guard M at which monent the compressed
spring S2 will force backward the sliding rod S (no longer held by the lug w of
the latch bar) which will carry with it the bolt work and hence leave the safe free.
to be opened save for the permutation jamb lock. It will be seen that by this last
described mechanism. the main bolt-work can be automatically thrown forward to.
lock the safe at any desired hour subsequent to the setting of the time lock and
after remaining guarded for a predetermined period can be automatically withdrawn,
to unlock the safe. The advantages of this construction have been hereinbefore
set out.
The jamb lock forming as it does a portion of the subject matter of a separate
application for Letters Patent filed by me concurrently therewith on behalf of my
aforesaid foreign correspondent need be but briefly referred to here. It consists
essentially of a series of tumblers X of usual construction carried by the casing x
that is removeably held within a suitable recess of the door jamb of the safe. To
the casing is pivotted as at y the bolt-plate Y which is provided with the angle
bar or lever y adapted to enter the notches of the tumblers and the notch of the
drive wheel formed on the end of the tapering arbor of the dial knob Z-The bolt
plate Y when thrown forward by the drive wheel enters the space y2 formed in the
front edge of the safe door and securely locks this door. It will be noticed that
the arbor of this permutation lock does not extend through the wall of the safe
and lience an opening for the introduction of explosives or moving the main bolt.
work cannot be obtained by drilling the arbor as is possible with safes having
arbors extending through the wall.
In order to provide a tighter joint between the rear edge of the safe door and
the frame so as to prevent the introduction of explosives a long groove 1 is formed
in the inner face of the door near its rear edge and a like groove in the inner face
of the door frame into which grooves will snugly fit the flanged edges 2 and 3 of
the protecting plate 4 pressed normally outward by the flat spring shown in dotted
lines. A retaining plate 5 sustained by the screws 6 bears against the rear portion
of the plate 4 and holds the flange 2 within its slot. On the rear ends of the
bolts R2 are formed the cam-lugs 7 which when the bolt work is shot will bear
upon the forward portion of the plate 4 and force the flange 3 into the groove 1.
In this position the protecting plate 4 covers the joint between the rear edge of the
safe door and the door frame and will securely guard against the introduction of
explosives through such joint into the safe.
It is obvious that some of the features of the said invention may be employed
without the others or in connection with other forms of lock mechanism.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work and a suitable indicator pointer of a revolving adjustable
tripping device for releasing said guard and gear wheels connecting said tripping
device with the pointer substantially as described.
2. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work and a suitable indicator pointer of a revolving plate in
gear with said pointer and a tripping device for releasing the guard adjustably
held in said plate substantially as described.
3. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the.
operation of the bolt-work of an indicator pointer a slotted revolving plate in gear

page_text: with said pointer a tripping device for releasing said guard and means substantially
as described for adjusting the tripping device at different points, along the slot of
said plate substantially as set forth.
4. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work of an indicator pointer a driving spring for said pointer
a tripping device for releasing the guard, in gear with said pointer and a separátě
driving spring for said tripping device substantially as described.
5. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for, checking the
operation of the bolt-work of an indicator pointer a driving spring for said pointer
a tripping device in gear with said pointer a separate spring for said tripping.
device and a key post common to both the pointer and tripping device whereby
they may be simultaneously set substantially as described.
6. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work of an indicator pointer, a supplemental adjustable
tripping device or catch for throwing the guard into action and gear wheels
connecting said tripping device with the indicator pointer substantially as
described.
7. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt work of a dog for holding said guard temporarily out of
action an adjustable supplemental tripping device for throwing the dog out of
engagement with the guard a main tripping device for throwing the guard out of
action a driving spring for said tripping devices and an indicator pointer and gear
wheels connecting said tripping devices with the pointer substantially as described.
8. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work, of a dog or pawl for temporarily holding said guard out
of action, an indicator pointer, a supplemental tripping device for throwing the dog
out of engagement with the guard having a supporting post separate from that of
the indicator pointer, a main tripping device for throwing the guard out of action
and gear wheels connecting the tripping devices and the pointer substantially as
described.
9. In a time lock the combination with a guard for checking the operation of
the bolt-work and an indicator pointer of a dog or pawl for holding the guard
temporarily out of action an adjustable supplemental tripping device for throwing
the dog out of engagement with the guard a main tripping device for throwing the
guard out of action and a revolving plate or disc for carrying said tripping devices
substantially as described.
10. In a time lock for safes the combination with a guard for checking the
operation of the bolt-work of a single indicator pointer a revolving plate having
two slots therein two tripping devices adjustably held in said slots, two clock
movements and gear wheels for connecting said pointer and revolving plate
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In time lock mechanism for safes the combination with the bolt-work of
mechanism substantially as described whereby the bolt-work may be automatically
thrown by the time lock to lock the safe substantially as set forth.
12. In time lock mechanism for safes the combination with the bolt-work of a
spring for throwing said bolt-work to lock the safe, a trigger or stop for temporarily
restraining the action of said spring and a tripping device operated by suitable
clock work to release said trigger and automatically lock the safe substantially as
set forth.
13. In time lock mechanism for safes the combination with the bolt-work of a
spring for automatically throwing said bolt-work to lock the safe, a spring for
automatically withdrawing the bolt work to unlock the safe, a trigger or stop for
temporarily restraining the action of said locking spring, a guard for temporarily
checking the action of the unlocking spring, and tripping devices for said trigger
and guard, whereby the safe can be automatically locked and unlocked substantially
as set forth,

page_text: 14. In time lock mechanism for safes the combination, with the bolt-work of the
sliding rod, the coiled springs upon said sliding rod, the trigger the releasing lever,
the latch bar, the guard, and tripping devices for acting upon said guard, and the
releasing lever substantially as described.
15. In a burglar proof safe the combination with the door the door-frame and
the bolt-work of the protecting plate for covering the joint between the rear edge
of the door and the door-frame substantially as described.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Fel. Inst. P. A.