Improvements in Burglar Proof Safes and Screens therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Burglar Proof Safes and Screens therefor.
I, ANTHONY PINKERTON PRICILARD, of 518, N. Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, County
of Pierce and State of Washington, United States of America, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of this 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 drawings, and to letters of
reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification:-
This invention relates to improvements in burglar proof safes and screens there-
for, its object being to provide electrical connection with a safe or vault by pipes
and wires in such manner that the connections could not be cut, sawed or burned
without instantly causing an alarm.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a safe embodying my improvement, showing the
metallic screen open;
Fig. 2, a similar view, the screen being closed;
Fig. 3, a detail section through a portion of the screen and door, showing the
manner of locking the screen door;
Fig. 4, a similar view, showing the safe door, knob and the screen. locking plate
embracing the same;
Fig. 5, a vertical section of the safe, showing one manner of attaching the circuit
wires and tubes thereto;
Fig: 6, a similar view of a portion of the safe, showing the preferred manner of
attaching said wires and tubes;
Fig. 7, a section of the tubes;
Fig. 8, illustrates an arrangement of wires at a break in the pipes for a cut-off
loop, extra alarm loop, or both;
Fig. 9, a detail section, showing an arrangement for protecting the safe without
a shell, or where only a metallic screen door is used;
Fig. 10, a perspective of a safe thus protected;
Fig. 11, a diametrical view thereof showing the electrical connection
Fig. 12, a central vertical section of the forward portion of a double door safe,
and
Fig. 13, a diagram of an open and closed circuit wiring.
In Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, A represents the safe proper, B the door to the safe,
the usual combination lock C, and handle D for actuating the plates. E is a casing
which is placed around the safe, and is separated therefrom by nonconducting
material and having flanges G.
His a metallic gate screen hinged at I to the casing so as to be in electrical
onnection therewith, J is the tube which acts as an electric conductor, and is

page_text: passed through the outer casing and insulating material F, and screwed into the
A second or outer
safe A, as shown in Figure 5, or as indicated at K in Figure 6.
tubing L surrounds the inner tube and is insulated therefrom by a thin layer of
material, shown at M; and this outer tube is connected with the casing by being
threaded therein; and as a further precaution a wire N is connected with the inner
wall of the casing at f and passes through the inner tube, and is connected with
the outer tube by a branch wire O at the end thereof. This is likewise true of the
wire P, which passes through the inner tube and is connected to the inner end
thereof at Q in Figure 6, and to the interior of the safe in Figure 5; this wire
being also attached to the outer end of the inner tube by the branch wire R.
These two wires N and P lead to a battery and an alarm at a convenient point-
say a station-house, sleeping room or both. The metallic screen H has a door S
hinged thereto, in which is a slot T to fit over the handle D of the safe door, when
the screen and this door are closed; and the door S has a plate U held thereon by
guide rolls U¹, so as to revolve about an axis; and this plate has a slot U2 which
corresponds with the slot T when the plate is in one position, but lies at right
angles thereto when the plate is turned through 90 degrees, thus when the metallic
screen and the door thereof is closed, the turning of this plate will lock the screen
door and the metallic screen, so that they cannot be moved but slightly independent
of the safe door.
V is a contact spring upon the safe door, and a projection W carried by the
plate U is arranged to come in contact with said spring should the plate be
revolved to disengage it from the handle of the safe door; a knob X projecting
through the groove a in the door S serves to operate the plate.
It will thus be seen that should an attempt be made to tamper with the safe, as
by drilling, as soon as the tool touch the body of the safe proper an electric current
would be caused to flow through the circuit on account of the connection made
between the outer casing and the safe, each of which are in one portion of the
circuit. This would sound the alarm b. Should an attempt be made to cut, saw
or burn the tubes at any point throughout their length, the electrical crossing of
the tubes would invariably take place and the alarm be sounded. This is likewise
true should any attempt be made to cut, saw or burn the metallic screen, since
the slightest movements thereof in either direction would close the circuit between
the outer casing to which the screen is hinged, and the safe door through the
contact spring V, the knob or handles, or by the screen contacting with the com-
bination dial, and thus sound an alarm. As the alarm is instantly sounded by a
slight inner or outer movement of the screen, I provide a small wooden or rubber
pin to balance the screen one way when it is in place (between safe handle and
screen door S), the screen cannot be opened without removing the pin and sliding
the knob X in the groove, and either of these operations will sound an alarm.
It being understood that the door normally contacts with the knob D, and is only
held out of said by the pin. The pin should be wedge shape so as to fall by touch
of the screen; by the connection of the screen wire N with the outer tube, and the
safe wire P with the inner tube, two circuits are formed, one by wires and the other
by the tubes.
In Figure 8 an arrangement is shown which provides for the cut off loop or
extra alarm loop, in which case the tubes are separated, and the ends of the outer
tubes are connected by wire g which branches to the wire N, while the outer wires
lead to the switch or alarm but branch to ends of inner pipe.
In Figure 9 an arrangement of wiring is shown for use in connection with a safe
or vault not having a shell, and consists in extending a metallic band A', insulated
from the safe, around the back and in contact with the hinges of the metallic
screen, and connecting the wire B' with this band and passing said wire through
the inner tube, and also connecting it therewith by a branch wire C. Also a
wire D is connected with the safe and passes through the inner tube and is con-
nected by the branch wire E¹ to the outer tube,

page_text: 4 are
In Figure 10, 11, and 12, in which an ordinary safe is shown as protected by
my improved screen, 1 is the screen stretched upon the bars 2, 2¹ and 3.
rubber strips covering the cracks around the doors and prevent the insertion of
liquid or other explosives. 5 are the small bars hinged at 6 to the screen, and
having pivoted thereto the metallic slides 7; when the slides are in the position
shown a slight movement of the screen inward or outward will sound an alarm by
the slides making electrical contact with the handles, or the doors making a similar
contact with the knobs of the safe. S are two spring locks which receive latches
on the slides, thus holding said slides in their normal position. 9 are short angle
arms attached to the inner side of the screen, and 91 are corresponding arms
attached to the safe door; all of said arms being kept out of contact with each other,
so that the slightest movement of the screen will bring these arms into contact,
thus causing the current to flow, sounding an alarm.
14 are
10 are the top hinges of the screen, and 101 a metal band connected therewith
and insulated from the body of the safe and extends around said safe. 11 are the
lower hinges, 12 the metallic pieces secured to and insulated from the safe, and
13 two short pieces also secured to the safe but not insulated therefrom.
conducting pieces secured to the lower hinges, so that when the screens are swung
open these pieces will come in contact with the pieces 13 and sound an alarm.
Referring to Figure 11, 16 is an outer pipe extending into the safe; 18 is an inner
pipe insulated by the rubber 15; 19 a wire extending through the inner pipe and
connected therewith; 17 is a wire also passing through the inner pipe and con-
nected to the outer pipe by the branch 20. This arrangement premits the sound-
ing of the alarm when the circuit is closed by any movement of the screen, as
before set forth.
In Figure 13 a method of wiring is shown which utilizes an open and closed
circuit in combination for sounding either one or both bells, by either the making
or breaking of the circuit, thus doubly insuring the protection of the safe. In
this method of wiring i represents a third wire which passes to the safe door
through any suitable arrangement and extends through the inner tube j, while k
is a wire leading from the screen and also passing through the inner tube and to
the two bells, while leads from one of the bells, as the wire i leads from the other,
by which arrangement either or both bells will be called into action when the safe
or its connections are tampered with. An adjustable contact screw m is passed
through the screen and adapted to bear against the terminus of the wire i, indi-
cated at so that should the screen be moved outward in the least degree it
would open this circuit, causing the closed circuit bell 12 to ring. The operation
of the double circuit system is as follows:-
The screen circuit wire k being insulated from the body of the safe serves as a
return wire for both the open and closed circuit, leading to both the closed circuit
bell and open circuit bell 3, so that when the closed circuit is opened by the
breaking of contact between the screw m and the point ¹, this closed circuit bell
will be sounded. The open circuit is completed by the wire leading from the
bell and the battery through the tubes to the body of the safe, and thus to the
safe door so that when this circuit is closed through the handles, projection W,
plate U and spring V, the open circuit bell 23 will be sounded. Should the wires
be tampered with so as to cross any two thereof, the closed circuit bell will ring,
and the crossing of another two will ring the open circuit bell, while the crossing
of the three will ring both bells.
When the screen is closed for the 'night, and the pin d placed in position, it
keeps the closed circuit closed; the removal of this pin causes the screen to move
forward a slight distance, breaking the closed circuit and closing the open circuit
through the handles, as before stated. A suitable button or switch may be pro-
vided to stop the ringing of the closed circuit bell during the day when the screen
is open.
Of course I am aware that other forms of wiring might be used without depart-
ing from the spirit of my invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In combination with a safe, an outer casing surrounding the same and
insulated therefrom by suitable material, an electric circuit, one portion of which
includes the safe proper and the other the casing, and an alarm included within
said circuit whereby when an attempt is made to gain access to the safe by drilling
or otherwise the alarm will be sounded, as specified.
2. In combination, a safe, an outer casing surrounding the same, suitable
material interposed between the safe and casing for insulating one from the other,
a tube connected with the safe, an outer tube insulated from the first named tube
and connected with the casing, a wire also connected with the safe and leading
through the inner tube, a second wire connected with the casing and likewise lead-
ing through the inner tube, a battery and an alarm included within the circuit
whereby when the circuit is closed by the two portions thereof being crossed an
alarm is sounded, as specified.
3. In combination with a safe, an outer casing inclosing the same, insulating
material separating the casing from the safe, a tube connected with the safe, a
second tube surrounding the first named tube and connected with the casing, the
tubes being insulated from each other, a battery and an alarm included in the
circuit, a metallic screen hinged to the casing and adapted to close over the door
of the safe in such manner as to close the circuit when tampered with, as specified.
4. The herein described combination of a safe, a casing surrounding the same
with the exception of the front thereof, suitable material interposed between the
casing and the safe for insulating one from the other, an electric circuit, one
portion of which is connected with the safe and the other with the casing, a
metallic screen in electric connection with the casing, and means for closing the
circuit through the metallic screen and the safe door, when the former is tampered
with, as shown and described.
5. In combination with a safe having a casing surrounding the same and
insulated therefrom, of a tube connected with the safe, a second tube surrounding
the first named tube and connected with the casing, insulating material arranged
between the tubes, a wire connected with the safe and leading through the inner
tube, a second wire connected with the casing and also leading through the inner
tube, a battery and an alarm included within the circuit, and a loop formed in the
circuit, as shown and described.
6. In combination with a safe, or vault, a screen, doors in the screen provided
within openings or cut-away portions, whereby they are permitted to fit over the
knobs or handles of the doors, pivoted slides lying across openings, said slides being
adapted to come in contact with the handles or knobs by a forward movement of
the screen and sound an alarm, substantially as described.
7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a door or doors
of a vault or safe, of a metallic screen covering said door or doors and the crevices
between said doors and the jam, said screen being insulated therefrom and having
doors hinged therein permitting the same to be closed over the projections on the
safe or vault doors, spring locks mounted on the doors of the screen, pivoted catches
or slides on the doors adapted to make contact with the safe handles and sound an
alarm when the doors are opened or when the screen is moved, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
8. The combination with the screen and door or doors of a safe or vault, wires
connected thereto and extending through a pipe passing into the safe, said pipe
being formed of an inner and outer pipe insulated from each other, branch wires
connecting the screen wire with the inner pipe, a branch wire connecting the pipe
from the door with the outer pipe, whereby the circuit is completed when con-
nections between the outer and inner pipe are established, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.

page_text: 9. In combination with a metal screen for the protection of the doors of a safe,
an open and a closed circuit, each of which includes a bell and battery for sounding
an alarm either by opening one circuit or closing the other, or by changing both,
as specified.
Dated this 26th dow of T1 1000
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, London, W. Agent for Applicant.