CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR SAFES, WHICH.SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO LOCKS IN GENERAL
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Milner, of Liverpool, in the County of
: A
Lancaster, Fire-proof Safe Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR SAFES, WHICH.SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE
TO LOCKS IN GENERAL"
And and dated
10 A
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Milner at the
...Office. of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th
February 1854.
I, WILLIAM MILNER, of Liverpool; in the County of Lancaster, Fire-proof
Safe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS FOR SAFES, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE TO LOCKS IN GENERAL," to be as follows:-
This Invention is designed for the purpose of protecting locks, of whatever
construction they may be, from the destructive effect of gunpowder or other:
explosive compound or agent, and is more particularly intended to be applied
to safes or such strong 'depositories as are required to be secured from the
invasion of burglars or others.
My improvement in locks consists in filling up all the open space or spaces
usually left around the "tumblers "and other working parts of locks, leaving
only sufficient space for the turning of, the key, the slight lift of the tumblers,

page_text: and the slight action of the springs, &c., thus leaving what has commonly
been the "box" of the lock almost a solid block of metal. This filling may be
effected either by casting or forming the lock solid, with the exception. only of
exactly the open space required for the working of the lock; or it may be made
so as to be formed upon the "cap" of the lock and fit into the ordinary box of
the lock, and thus leave only the sufficient space required for working.
It will be evident, therefore, that the space which has ordinarily formed a
receptacle for a large and destructive quantity of gunpowder being by my
Invention reduced to the smallest possible capacity, and the resistance also
thus afforded to the effect of explosion, will preserve the lock from destruction
by any such means, and will cause the discharge of the violence through the
keyhole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Milner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
August 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MILNER, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Fire-proof Safe Manufac-
turer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Milner, Her especial license that I, the said William
Milner, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said William Milner, 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 of years 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS FOR SAFES, WHICH SAID IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO LOCKS IN
GENERAL," upon the conditions (amongst others) that I, the said William
Milner, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 William Milner, 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
and accompany Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention is designed for the purpose of protecting locks of whatever
construction they may be, from the destructive effect of gunpowder or other
explosive compound or agent, and is more particularly intended to be applied
to safes or such strong depositories as are required to be secured from the
invasion of burglars or others.
My improvement in locks consists in filling up all the open space or spaces
usually left around the "tumblers" and other working parts of locks, leaving
only sufficient space for the turning of the key, the slight lift of the tumblers,
and the limited action of the springs, &c., thus substituting for what has
commonly been the "box" of the lock almost a solid block of metal. This
"filling" may be effected either by casting or forming the lock solid, with
the exception only of exactly the open space required for the working or
operative portions of the lock; or it may be made so as to be formed upon the
"cap" of the lock and fitted into the ordinary box of the lock, and thus also
leave only the sufficient space required for working, or opening and closing the
lock. It will be evident, therefore, that the space which has ordinarily formed
a receptacle for a large and destructive quantity of gunpowder being by my
Invention reduced to the smallest possible capacity, and the resistance also
thus afforded to the effect of explosion, will preserve the lock from destruction
by any such means, and will necessarily cause the discharge of the violence
through the keyhole. But in order that my Invention may be perfectly under-
stood and explained in detail, I have hereunto annexed two Sheets of Drawings,
the three first Figures being shown about full size, and the fourth Figure
being about one half the actual size.
In Sheet 1, Fig. 1 represents a front view (the "cap" being removed) of a
lock of the ordinary construction and at present in use; Fig. 2 exhibits a
front view of a similar lock with my improvements represented as applied
thereto; Fig. 3 represents a sectorial elevation of the same lock. with my
improvements, and illustrating the mode of placing over or in front of the cap
of the lock a solid block of steel, which is encased in solid wood work, occupy-
ing the entire space between the first or outer iron plate of the door and the
chamber of the safe.
In Sheet 2, Fig. 4 illustrates in elevation a door of an iron safe or chamber
with my improved lock attached, having the bolts thrown and secured by the
lock; the solid hard wooden packing is also shown. In Fig. I, A shows

page_text: the space colored, which under the present arrangement and construction of
locks forms at receptacle for gunpowder or other explosive materials, and
called "the "box" of the lock. In Fig. 2, B-represents my improvement
attached, which consists of a solid block of metal, with just so much métal
only removed as will allow.sufficient and proper room for the action of the
tumblers, springs, and other working parts employed. The extreme amount of
space it is possible to pack ör: fill with gunpowder or any other explosive">
material is shown by being colored black, which space may be reduced to the
minimum, if preferred, by filling up also the greater part of the space for
the key, as shewn by the dotted line across the keyhole. In Fig 3, c illustrates
a solid block of steel placed in front of the lock, and by which drilling or
cutting into the lock would be materially impeded or prevented, and showing
by the perforation of the keyhole the outward course by which any explosion
must find vent without injuring the internal works." In Sheet 2, Fig 4 repre-
sents a door of a fire-proof safe, the inner plate' being removed, and showing
the solid packing of hard wood, whereby any space left wherein a deposit-of
gunpowder or any other explosive material is entirely prevented, and drilling
or otherwise perforating the face plate for the purpose of inserting gunpowder
or any other explosive material rendered ineffectual!
Having thus fully and particularly described my improvements in locks, I
wish it to be distinctly understood that I claim the peculiar construction 'or
formation of locks (of whatever arrangement or principle they may be,) whereby
the destructive effect of gunpowder or other explosive agent or compound is
rendered inoperative, defeated; or prevented by the means above particularly
set forth and described, and clearly exhibited in the Drawings attached to these
Presents, but 'more particularly in Fig. 2, by the letters B, B, 'B,' B, which
represent the solid impregnable metallic "filling" of the lock in place of the
ordinary "box" or hollow chamber of the lock, as heretofore usually constructed,
and shewn only by way or contrast in Fig. 1 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Milner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four..
WM MILNER. (L.S.)