IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Blackman, of Gravesend, in the
County of Kent, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FIRE-PROOF SAFES."
Sealed the 18th March 1866, and dated the 21st December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Blackman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st December 1865.
I, JOHN WILLIAM BLACKMAN, of Gravesend, in the County of Kent,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to render safes or strong rooms for the
protection of property from fire perfectly fire-resisting. To this end the safe
(which is constructed of wrought iron) is made with a lining, so as to leave
an empty space between the walls of the safe and the inner lining; this
space is to be filled with water by means of a supplying pipe fitted and
screwed to a hole on the side of the safe; this pipe will let in water from
the street or any other place, but the cistern ought to be outside of the house.
The supply pipe may be provided with a cock, so that in case of fire water
may be let into the empty space surrounding the safe, but no water should be
let into the space except in case of fire. An overflow pipe is fitted to the
water space, so that while the water is turned on there may be a continuous.

page_text: flow of cold water through the safe, and thus the interior may be kept com-
paratively cool. The thinnest writings, notes, or any other things contained
in the safe would then remain, unhurt with the fiercest fire raging, even if the
fire entirely surrounded the safe. The water which is in the space surrounding
the safe will boil, and will prevent the fire from burning the writings, but no
steam or water must be allowed to get to the contents of the safe. The
steam when generated in the water space will escape therefrom through an
aperture provided for the purpose. After a fire the writings would be found
in the same state as if no fire had happened. It will be evident that as fast
as the water steams out of the safe more cold water will run into the space
from the water main or cistern outside.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John William Blackman in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 21st June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM BLACKMAN, of Gravesend, in the County of Kent, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John William Blackman, Her special licence that I, the said John
William Blackman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John William Blackman, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John William Blackman, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John William Blackman, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
The object of this Invention is to render safes or strong rooms for the
protection of property from fire perfectly fire-resisting. To this end the safe
(which is constructed of wrought iron) is made with a lining, so as to leave
an empty space between the walls of the safe and the inner lining; this
space is to be filled with water by means of a supplying pipe fitted and
screwed to a hole on the side of the safe; this pipe will let in water from
the street or any other place, but the cistern ought to be outside of the house.
The supply pipe may be provided with a cock, so that in case of fire water
may be let into the empty space surrounding the safe, but no water should be
let into the space except in case of fire. An overflow pipe is fitted to the
water space, so that while the water is turned on there may be a continuous
flow of cold water through the safe, and thus the interior may be kept
comparatively cool.
In the accompanying Drawing is represented a vertical section taken
through an iron safe constructed according to my improvements. a, a, is
the inner safe, which is enclosed within an outer casing b, b, leaving a space c
between them. Into this space water can be admitted by the pipe d from the
water main or any other suitable supply. If it be desired this space need not
be kept charged with water, but the supply pipe being always charged a cock
may be adapted to the supply pipe, either inside or outside the house in any
convenient position, so that in case of danger it will only be necessary to turn
the cock on the supply pipe, and the space c will be quickly filled with water.
An overflow or waste pipe e is adapted to the upper part of the casing to carry
off the superfluous water when the space c is filled, and to cause a circulation
of water through the space so as to keep down the temperature. When the
safe is surrounded by or exposed to the action of fire the water will perhaps
boil, and the steam evolved will escape from the casing or space c through the
steam pipef. When it is desired to empty the water out of the space or casing c
it may be run off through the cock g, which is provided for that purpose. In
the Drawing I have shewn the two pipes d and e as placed outside the outer
casing, but it will be obvious that if preferred the overflow or waste pipe e
may be placed within the space c, and thus protected from the action of the
fire.
It will be obvious that if it be simply required to render a safe fire-

page_text: resisting it will not be necessary to make it very ponderous or massive, and
that comparatively thin sides made of sheet iron will (if protected by water in
the manner already explained) be sufficient to protect the contents of the safe
from injury by fire. From experience it is not found necessary to supply the: space
in the lid or door with water, but if it be considered advisable to do so with vertical
doors they may be filled by hand through a hole at top and kept constantly
charged. The thinnest writings, notes, or any other things contained in a safe
constructed in the manner above described would remain unhurt therein with the
fiercest fire raging around it, even if the fire entirely enveloped the safe. The
water which is in the space surrounding the safe will boil and will prevent
the fire from burning the writings, but no steam or water must be allowed to
get to the contents of the safe. The steam when generated in the water
space will escape therefrom through the pipe f, provided for the purpose, as
before mentioned. After having been exposed to the action of fire for many
hours in a safe of the kind above described the writings would be found in the
same state as if no fire had happened. It will be evident that as fast as the
water is converted into steam, and in that form passes out of the space c,, more
cold water will run into the space from the water main or cistern outside, and
thus keep the space constantly charged.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in Fire-proof Safes,
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as
the Invention' secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, constructing safes
with an empty space all round, into which water is admitted from the main
water supply, or any other supply, so that in the event of fire the water
surrounding the inner safe will prevent the contents of the safe from being
consumed by fire, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Blackman, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twentieth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JOHN WILLIAM BLACKMAN. (L.B.)