Improvements in Safes and in Locks therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Mar., 1893-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safes and in Locks therefor.
We, HARRY WITHERS CHUBB, A.M.I.C.E., Lock and Safe Engineer and
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM HENRY CHALK, Engineer, both of 128 Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of our
said invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of the internal parts of safes and more
especially to the internal parts of what are known as "safe deposit safes or cells,"
and to the locks employed in such safes.
manner :-
Heretofore the internal metallic parts or framing composing the cells or divisions
of safes, used as safe deposit receptacles, have been made of plates of iron or steel
connected to the back, top, bottom, and side, plates by tenons in the horizontal and
vertical division plates, taking into and rivetted into slots or mortises in the said
back, top, bottom, and side plates, whilst the front ends of such horizontal and
vertical plates are secured together by being rivetted or screwed to bars running
vertically from top to bottom through slots in the horizontal plates. This is an
expensive arrangement and the object of one part of our invention is to construct
such safe deposit receptacles in a simpler and more economical manner; and for
this purpose we connect the horizontal and vertical plates together in the following
We form slots in the horizontal division plates at distances apart corre-
sponding to the desired widths of the cells or compartments and extending from
the back about halfway across the plates towards the front, and we form slots in
the vertical division plates at distances apart corresponding to the desired heights
of the cells or compartments and extending from the front about halfway across
the plates towards the back; we then pass the horizontal plates into the slots in
the vertical plates and the vertical plates into the slots in the horizontal plates
whereby a series of cells or pigeon-holes is produced by the horizontal and vertical
plates crossing each other, the front edges of vertical plates and the back edges of
the horizontal plates being secured by any suitable means, for example, a series of
holes may be formed in the horizontal plates and a vertical bar may be threaded
through such holes and the bar rivetted or otherwise attached to the vertical
plates. Or if the material is thick and stiff enough to support its own weight,
those edges may remain unsecured to their adjacent horizontal or vertical plates or
otherwise as may be preferred. The back, top, bottom, and side plates may be
secured to the horizontal and vertical division plates by tenons, rivets, screws, or
otherwise. The doors may be arranged to turn on pivots or hinge pins on or in
the front edges of the horizontal partition plates which are preferably left pro-
jecting beyond the vertical plates for this purpose.
The locks of the doors of safe deposit receptacles are generally constructed in
such manner that before the lessee of the compartment or receptacle can gain
access thereto, it is necessary for an attendant to apply a master key, called a
"check "-key, to withdraw a bolt, dog or shield to enable the lessee to unlock the
lock proper of the door, and the arrangement generally employed for these
purposes consists, practically, of two separate locks, one the lock operated by the
attendant and the other by the lessee, the former preventing the latter from being
opened without the intervention of the attendant. Now the second part of our
invention relates to improvements in safe locks whereby the security incidental to
the coöperation of two separate persons or of two separate keys is obtained in a
single lock provided with a single key-hole only.
For this purpose we employ a lever lock having a main bolt provided with a
stump which passes into the gates of the levers in the usual way when the latter

page_text: are raised to their proper heights by the bits of the keys employed; but we
employ also a secondary sliding bolt which carries a stump that takes into certain
secondary gates of one, two, or more, but not all, of the levers. Assuming now
that the lock is one having eight levers, the first and third of these levers for
example are raised by the master or check key to a height suitable for the passage
into their main gates of the stump of the main bolt but the said stump cannot pass
into them at that time because the other six levers have not been raised by the
master or check key to the proper height, the secondary sliding bolt however is
moved back by one of the bits of the master or check key when the said first and
third levers have been raised by the said master or check key, so that its stump
takes into the secondary gates of the first and third levers, holding them elevated
in readiness for the operation of the lessee's key on the remaining six levers.
When the master or check key is withdrawn from the lock, the said first and third
levers are left suspended on the stump of the secondary sliding bolt. The lessee's
key is then introduced at the same keyhole as that through which the master or
check key had been operated and the remaining six levers are raised to bring their
gates in line with those of the first and third, and consequently with the stump of
the main bolt. A talon or lever on the barrel which receives the key, or one of
the bits of the lessee's key, then moves the main bolt inwards, its stump taking
into the gates of the eight levers, and the door is thus unlocked. As the main bolt
is drawn inwards, a stud on it presses against one end of a lever, the other end of
which is connected with the secondary sliding bolt and the latter is thereby moved
in the opposite direction so as to withdraw the stump on the secondary bolt from
the secondary gates of the first and third levers so as to leave the latter free again
except as they are held up by the main stump. When the lessee again locks the
door, the main stump is withdrawn from the gates of the eight levers and all fall
back to their normal position and the lessee's key not being adapted to raise the
first and third levers the lock cannot be again unlocked until the master or check
key has again been used to raise the first and third levers and to hang them up
again by the stump of the secondary bolt.
It will be understood that these arrangements are applicable to locks with any
number of levers more than one, and that any one, two, or more, of the levers may
be assigned to the purpose of forming the check by the aid of the master or check
key, and further that any suitable mechanical arrangement may be substituted for
the lever above described for moving forward the secondary sliding bolt so as to
release the check levers as the main bolt is drawn inwards.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1902
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safes and in Locks therefor.
We, HARRY WITHERS CHUBB, A.M.I.C.E., Lock and Safe Engineer and
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM HENRY CHALK, Engineer, both of 128 Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 accompanying two sheets of drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to the construction of the internal parts of safes and more
especially to the internal parts of what are known as "safe deposit safes or cells,"
and to the locks employed in such safes.
Heretofore the internal metallic parts or framing composing the cells or divisions

page_text: of safes used as safe deposit receptacles have been made of plates of iron or steel
connected to the back, top, bottom and side plates by tenons in the horizontal and
vertical division plates, taking into and rivetted into slots or mortises in the said
back, top, bottom and side plates, whilst the front ends of such horizontal and
vertical plates are secured together by being rivetted or screwed to bars running
vertically from top to bottom through slots in the horizontal plates. This is an
expensive arrangement and the object of one part of our invention is to construct
such safe deposit receptacles in a simpler and more economical manner; and for
this purpose we connect the horizontal and vertical plates together in the manner
shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, which is an isometric projection
of part of a set of safe deposit receptacles constructed in accordance with our
invention. We form slots A' in the horizontal division plates A at distances apart
corresponding to the desired widths of the cells or compartments and extending
from the back about halfway across the plates towards the front, and we form
slots B' in the vertical division plates B at distances apart corresponding to the
desired heights of the cells or compartments and extending from the front about
halfway across the plates towards the back; we then pass the unslotted parts of
the horizontal plates A. into the slots B¹ in the vertical plates B and the unslotted
parts of the vertical plates B into the slots A¹ in the horizontal plates A, whereby
the said plates are interlocked and a series of cells or pigeon holes is produced by
the horizontal and vertical plates crossing each other, the front edges B2 of the
vertical plates B and the back edges A' of the horizontal plates A being secured
by any suitable means; for example a series of holes A³ may be formed in the
horizontal plates A and the vertical bars C may be threaded through such holes
and the bars be rivetted or otherwise attached or secured to the vertical plates B.
The said bars C may be formed with rebates C¹ into which the edge of the door of
each cell or compartment shuts so as to bring the face of such door flush with the
front edge of the vertical plate.
Similarly a series of holes B³ may be formed in the vertical plates B and
horizontal bars D may be threaded through such holes and the bars be rivetted or
otherwise attached or secured to the horizontal plates A whereby the back parts
of the latter are supported. Or if the material is thick and stiff enough to
support its own weight, those edges may remain unsecured to their adjacent
horizontal or vertical plates or be otherwise secured or supported as may be
preferred. The back, top, bottom and side plates, not shown in the drawing, may
be secured to the horizontal and vertical division plates A and B by tenons, rivets,
screws, or otherwise. The doors may be arranged to turn on pivots or hinge pins
taking into holes E in the front edges of the horizontal partition plates A which
are preferably left projecting beyond the vertical plates B for this purpose as shown
in the drawing.
It will be obvious that if preferred the slots A¹ in the horizontal plates may be
made in the front parts thereof and those B¹ in the vertical plates in the back
parts thereof, instead of the converse as shown in the drawing, and in that case the
front bar C would be placed horizontally and the back bar D vertically.
The locks of the doors of safe deposit receptacles are generally constructed in
such manner that before the lessee of the compartment or receptacle can gain
access thereto, it is necessary for an attendant to apply a master key, called a
check key, to withdraw a bolt, dog or shield to enable the lessee to unlock the lock
proper of the door, and the arrangement generally employed for these purposes
consists, practically, of two separate locks, one the lock operated by the attendant
and the other by the lessee, the former preventing the latter from being opened
without the intervention of the attendant. Now the second part of our invention
relates to improvements in safe locks whereby the security incidental to the
co-operation of two separate keys is obtained in a single lock provided with a
single keyhole only.
For this purpose we employ a lever lock constructed as shown in Figures 2 to 8
of the drawings; Figures 2 to 7 inclusive being views of the lock with the front

page_text: plate and various other parts removed to show those behind, and Figure 8 is a
section of the complete lock taken on line 1-1 of Figures 2 to 7.
A is the lock case, B the front plate, C a boss on the front plate which projects
through to the face of the door. D is the barrel having a slot D' formed therein
to receive the keys which are shown at Figures 9 and 10. E is the main bolt
provided with a stump F which passes into the gates G of the levers in the usual
way when the latter are raised to their proper heights by the bits of the keys
employed; but we employ also a secondary sliding bolt H which is guided by the
fixed studs H* and I* and carries a stump H' that takes into certain secondary
gates of one, two, or more, but not all, of the levers. Assuming now that the lock
is one having eight levers I to 18 as shown in Figure 8, the first, I', and the
third, 13, of these levers for example are raised by the bits 1 and 3 of the master
or check key, shown in Figure 9, to a height suitable for the passage into their
main gates G of the stump F of the main bolt E but the said stump cannot pass
into them at that time because the other six levers I2 1 1* 1* I' I have not been
raised by the master or check key to the proper height, the secondary sliding
bolt H however is moved back by one of the bits H2 of the master or check key
(see Figure 9) acting upon the part H³ of the secondary sliding bolt H when the
said first and third levers have been raised by the bits 1 and 3 of the said master
or check key, so that its stump H' takes into the secondary gates G¹ G² respec-
tively of the first and third levers, holding the latter elevated with their main
gates G opposite the stump F of the main bolt E in readiness for the operation of
the main or lessee's key (Figure 10) on the remaining six levers.
When the
master or check key is withdrawn from the lock, the said first and third levers are
left suspended by their secondary gates G' G2 on the stump H' of the secondary
sliding bolt H. The lessee's key (Figure 10) is then introduced at the same key-
hole or slot D' in the barrel D as that through which the master or check key had
been operated and the remaining six levers are raised to bring their gates G in line
with those of the first and third, and consequently with the stump F of the main
bolt E. A talon or lever K on the barrel D, which receives the keys, or in some
cases one of the bits of the lessee's key, then comes in contact with the part Ex of
the bolt E and moves the latter inwards, its stump F taking into the gates G of the
eight levers and the door is thus unlocked. As the main bolt E is drawn inwards,
that is from left to right in the figures, a stud or pin E', projecting from its back,
presses against the lower end of a lever L the upper end of which is connected
with the secondary sliding bolt H by means of a pin M on the back of the
latter, passing through a slot M' in the main bolt E and taking into a slot N in
the upper end of the lever L and the secondary sliding bolt H is thereby moved
in the opposite direction-that is from right to left in the figures-so as to with-
draw the stump H' on the secondary bolt H from the secondary gates G' G2 of the
first and third levers I and I³, leaving the latter free again except as they are
held up by the main stump F. When the lessee again locks the door, the main
stump F is withdrawn from the main gates G of the eight levers and all fall back
to their normal position and the lessee's key not being adapted to raise the first
and third levers, the lock cannot be again unlocked until the master or check key
has again been used to raise the first and third levers and to hang them up again
by the stump H' of the secondary bolt H.
In Figure 2 of the drawings, all the working parts are supposed to be removed
except the barrel D, the main bolt E and the lever L. In Figure 3 the main bolt E,
the secondary sliding bolt H and the lever L are shown. In Figure 4 the main
bolt E, the secondary sliding bolt H and the first lever I are shown. In Figure 5
the main bolt E, the secondary sliding bolt H and the second lever I are shown.
In Figure 6 the main bolt E, the secondary sliding bolt H and the third lever I³
are shown, and in Figure 7 the main bolt E, the secondary sliding bolt H and the
eighth lever 18 are shown, the other seven levers being supposed to be in place
behind the lever I as shown in the section Figure 8.
It will be understood that these arrangements are applicable to locks with any

page_text: number of levers more than one, and that any one, two, or more, but not all,
levers may be assigned to the purpose of forming the check by the aid of the
master or check key, and further that any suitable mechanical device, such as a
lever for example, may be substituted for the secondary sliding bolt H for carrying
the stump H or other device taking into the secondary gates of the levers ¹ 1³,
also that any suitable mechanical device may be substituted for the lever L above
described for moving back the secondary sliding bolt H, or its equivalent device, so
as to release the check levers as the main bolt is drawn inwards.
The improvements above described in reference to safe locks are applicable to
locks for other purposes where it is desired to have the security afforded by
two keys neither of which can open the lock without the co-operation of the
other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First The improvement in the construction of safe deposit receptacles which
consists in connecting together the horizontal and vertical division plates by forming
slots partly across the same, and inserting the unslotted parts of the vertical plates
into the slots in the horizontal plates, and the unslotted parts of the horizontal
plates into the slots of the vertical plates, substantially as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.
Second-In safe deposit receptacles the combination with vertical and horizontal
division plates connected together by slotting and interlocking in the manner
hereinbefore described, of securing or supporting bars passed through slots in the
horizontal plates and rivetted or otherwise secured, or not, to the vertical plates,
or through slots in the vertical plates and rivetted or otherwise secured, or not,
to the horizontal plates, substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in
Figure 1 of the drawings.
Third In a lock in which the main bolt cannot be withdrawn by the main key
without the previous application of a master or check key the mechanism which
consists of a main bolt E having a main stump F adapted to engage in the main
gates G of all the lock levers when the same are raised to the proper height for
withdrawing the main bolt, certain levers such as I' I³ for example, operated upon
by the master or check key only, and provided with secondary gates such as G'G'
respectively, a secondary sliding bolt H, or other equivalent device carrying a
stump H' or other equivalent instrument taking into the said secondary gates G¹ G
when the levers l' and 13 are raised to the required position, the said secondary
sliding bolt or other equivalent locking device being operated by the master or
check key, a series of lock levers such as I2 I I I I7 and 18 for example operated
only by the main key, and a lever L or other equivalent mechanism operated by
the main bolt as the latter is withdrawn by the main key, so as to unlock the
levers I¹³, combined, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described, and illustrated in Figures 2 to 10 of the drawings.
Fourth In a lock in which the main bolt cannot be withdrawn by the main key
without the previous application of a master or check key, the improvement which
consists in arranging one or more, but not all, of the lock levers to be raised by the
master or check key and locked in their raised positions by means of a secondary
sliding bolt, a lever or other equivalent device carrying a stump or other equivalent
instrument which takes into secondary gates in the said levers substantially as
hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 2 to 8 of the drawings.
Fifth In a lock in which the main bolt cannot be withdrawn by the main key
without the previous application of a master or check key, and in which certain
check levers are raised and locked in their raised position by the action of the said
master or check key, the mechanism for unlocking or releasing the said check
levers when the main bolt is withdrawn which consists of a lever or other
equivalent instrument connected with the locking mechanism and disengaging the

page_text: same from the check levers when operated by the main bolt as the same is moved
inwards, substantially as herein before described, and illustrated in Figures 2 to 8
of the drawings.
Sixth-The improved lock constructed and operating as hereinbefore described,
and illustrated in Figures 2 to 10 of the drawings.
Dated this und 1
Ը ML 1000
H. W. CHUBB,
W. H. CHALK,
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, Agent.