IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES, STRONG ROOM DOORS, AND THEIR FASTENINGS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry James Scott, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the
County of the samo Town, Safe and Lock Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES, STRONG ROOM DOORS, AND THEIR FASTENINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry James Scott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th February 1880.
HENRY JAMES SCOTT, of Newcastle upon Tyne, in the County of the same
Town, Safe and Lock Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES, STRONG ROOM DOORS,
AND THEIR FASTENINGS.'
My Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of safes, and
is chiefly intended to make safes and similar constructions more secure against the
attacks of skilled burglars armed with wedges, crowbars, and other instruments
used by thieves.
For that purpose I construct the framework of the safe of steel or other hard
metal of a like nature and of a peculiar shape, calculated to resist any manual force
brought to bear against it by a thief.
In order to render the bolts and lockwork of the door more effectual in bearing
the strain of forcing open by means of wedges or crowbars I make the bolts in
two pieces working upon pivots, which by the action of the handle actuating the
bolts throw them forward into recesses cut in the solid steel framework. By one
movement of the handle they are thrown into slots cut in the double frame, and
are held fast in their position between its two solid sides, and simultaneously
entering into the slots prepared to receive them they throw out grippers, which
grasp the vertical sides of the frame, thereby effectually preventing the sides of the
safe from being forced from the door by means of wedges or crowbars.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry James Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
August 1880.
HENRY JAMES SCOTT, of Nowcastle upon Tyne, in the County of the same
Town, Safe and Lock Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES, STRONG ROOM DOORS,
AND THEIR FASTENINGS.'
My Invention has for its object improvements in safes, strong room doors, and
their fastenings, is intended to make safes and similar structures more secure
ngainst the attacks of skilled burglars armed with wedges, crowbars, and other
instruments used by thieves.
For this purpose I construct the framework of the safe of steel or other suitable
hard metal, but by preference of cast steel, and of a shape as hereinafter described
calculated to resist any manual forco brought to bear against it by a thief. In
order to render the bolts and lockwork of the door more effectual in bearing tho
strain of forcing open by means of wedges or crowbars I make the bolts in two
plates or pieces working upon pivots, which by the action of the handle actuating
the bolts throw the bolts forward into sockets or slots cut in the frame, and at the
same time cause the two plates to expand, so that grippers at their outer ends
grasp or hook into the frame at the ends of the said slots, and thereby effectually
prevent the sides of the safe being forced from the door by means of wedges. I
employ these double or expanding bolts by preference at the top, bottom, and both
sides of the door, so that the frame is held to the door all round, and a double
obstruction is thus presented to the forcing open of the door by means of wedges.
The lock is constructed in the usual manner, so as to throw out the bolts simul-
taneously on all four of its sides, or on such of its sides as bolts may be provided
for. The bolts hold the rim of the lock to the frame, and in locking the safe one
movement both prevents the door coming forward and the sides leaving the lock.
I employ sliding bars of any usual construction inside the lock case for throwing
out and drawing in the bolts, the inner end of each pair of plates forming a bolt
being pivotted to one of the sliding bars. Each plate of a bolt is slotted noar the
middle of its length to allow it to slide upon a fixed stud near the lock. The slot
in one plate leans about 40° in the one direction, while the slot in the other plate
of the pair leans about 40° in the other direction. The effect of these slots and
stud is that when the bolt is thrown out by the locking of the safe the inner end
of the two plates turning upon the same pivot while sliding forward upon the fixed
stud are inclined in reverse directions, whereby the outer end of the two plates
assumes the dovetail or expanded form, and the grippers on their outer end hook
themselves into the sockets or slots formed for them in the frame of the safe. I
make the frame of bridge form, with the sockets or slots cast or made in the crown
of the bridge to receive the bolts. It may be made either all in one casting or in
parts, and be secured to the body plates of the safe by means of rivets or screws in
any usual manner.
In the annexed Drawings Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the front of
the safe with the door removed; Figure 2 is a view of the back of the door
showing the inside of part of the lock with the bolts expanded; Figure 3 is a
horizontal section of the safe; Figure 4 is a section of the bridge frame; Figure 5,
a soction of a modification of the same; Figure 6 shows a frame of ✓ section,
which may be substituted for the bridge frame if desired; Figure 7 shows one of
the pair of plates of a bolt with slot inclined in one direction, and Figure 8 the
other of the pair of plates with slot inclined in the other direction; Figure 9 shews
the pair of plates closed as they aro when the door is opened, and Figure 10 shews
them expanded as they are when the door is locked. A is the bridge frame;

page_text: B, B, are the body plates, to which the frame A is rivetted or screwed. The frame
A has a projecting flange C, which projects over the body plates in front, as seen
in Figure 3, the said plates being sunk their own thickness into the frame, and not
appearing in the front of the same. D is the door, and E, E, are fixed dogs pro-
jecting from the back thereof, so as to take in the usual manner into holes F, F, in
the frame; G, G, are the slots or sockets in the crown of the bridge frame to
receive the bolts; H, H', are the two plates forming each bolt. These plates have
slots I, I, inclined in reverse directions, as shown. K is the pivot, by which the
pair of plates is attached to the sliding bar, which is not shewn in the Drawings,
but may be of any ordinary construction; L is the fixed stud, which takes into
the slots I', I; M, M, are the grippers or hooks at the outer ends of the plates.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Constructing the bolts or fastenings of safes and strong room doors each
of two slotted plates or pieces moving upon a fixed stud, so that when the door is
locked they assume a dovetail or expanded form, and hook or take into sockets or
recesses in the door frame, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in
the annexed Drawings.
Second. The combination with such bolts or fastenings of door frames con-
structed of bridge form in cross section, and having sockets or slots in the crown of
the bridge to receive the said bolts or fastenings, substantially as herein before
described and shewn in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry James Scott, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty.
Witness,
THOMAS EDWIN WHITE,
Sol*.,
Newcastle un Tyne.
HENRY JAMES SCOTT. (L.S.)