IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR SAFES, STRONG ROOMS, AND THE LIKE USES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company,
Patent Solicitors, at Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS FOR SAFES, STRONG ROOMS, AND THE
LIKE USES." A communication from Otto Zarge, of Egeln, in the Empire of
Germany.
Sealed the 16th December 1879, and dated the 19th June 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1879.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOOKS
FOR SAFES, STRONG ROOMS, AND THE LIKE USES." [A communication from Otto
Zarge, of Egeln, in the Empire of Germany.]
This Invention relates to that description of locks that are known as " combina-
tion locks," which are opened without the use of a key. According to the present
Invention such locks are constructed as follows:―
Through the door of the safe passes a rotatable spindle, the outer end of which has
fixed on it an index, which can be turned to any desired division on a dial so as to
bring a pin on a disc on the inner end of the spindle into a corresponding position.
On the inner face of the door behind this disc is a plate having firstly, a number
of holes arranged in a circle in such positions that by pushing the spindle with its.
disc inwards the pin of the latter can pass through one or other of the holes;
secondly, the plate has a number of studs, on each of which is mounted loosely a
small cylinder, having a circular groove at a point of its height nearer to the one
end than to the other. Behind the said plate is a second disc, on which is a slide
that can be moved upwards by means of a finger on the spindle when this is turned.
The slide fits with slots over the beforementioned cylinders, the slots being formed
Barrow at the lower part, so that in order to enable the slide to be raised by the
spindle the cylinders must be in such positions that the narrow parts of the slots
can pass into the grooves of the cylinders. The slide carries the bolt of the lock, so
that by raising it by the spindle as described the lock is opened. Before closing

page_text: .
the door of the safe the cylinders are slid on their studs so as to bring their grooves
out of line with the slide, so that this cannot be moved to open the lock until the
cylinders have been slid back into the position in which their grooves are in line
with the slide. To effect this motion of the cylinders the spindle has to be first
turned into a predetermined variable position, and then pressed inwards, for which 5
purpose the following devices are employed:-The back plate of the lock opens on
hinges, and has a rotatable circular disc, on the inner or front face of which is a plate
kept up against it by means of springs, but capable of being pressed away from it
by means of a lever carried by the circular disc. An intermediate plate has a circle
of holes corresponding in position to those in the plate carrying the cylinders, into
any one of which holes, before closing the back plate of the lock, a loose pin is
inserted, note being carefully taken of its position, and the disc, together with its
loose plate and lever, are then turned so as to bring the tail of the lever, and a hole
in the loose plate opposite such pin, the door being closed and locked by the bolt
of the locking slide (such bolt being made to act as a spring catch); then in order 1
to unlock the door the spindle has first to be turned into such a position that its
external index and internal pin correspond in position with the above mentioned
loose pin; the spindle is then pressed inwards, whereby the pin on its disc in
pressing against the loose pin causes this to press against the tail of the lever, the
other end of which pushes forward the loose plate, which thereby inoves the grooved 2
cylinders so as to bring all their grooves in line with the locking slide. The spindle
is then again turned so as to cause its finger to raise the slide, and thus to unlock
the door. In order to afford still greater security against picking the lock some
of the grooved cylinders may be placed in inverted positions on their studs, so that
when the cylinders are pushed home their grooves are not all in line with the slide. 2
The operator knowing the position of those cylinders that have been inverted turns
the spindle so as to bring its pin consecutively into positions corresponding there-
with, so that on then pushing the spindle inwards he can consecutively move each
of the cylinders so as to bring its groove in line with the locking slide. The index,
with its graduated dial on the front of the door may be made to resemble a clock, 3
a second pointer or hand being provided, connected to and rotated from the other
hand by means of clockwork, this arrangement serving both as ornament and to
mislead any person trying to pick the lock.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th December
1879.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
5 Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany. IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
FOR SAFES, STRONG ROOMS, AND THE LIKE USES." A communication from Otto
Zarge, of Egain, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to that description of locks that are known as "combina-
tion locks," which are opened without the use of a key.
According to the present Invention the locking is effected by means of a bolt
which can only be raised or slide back after turning or bringing a disc with stud,
consecutively into different definite positions, and pressing upon the said stud at
such points by means of a knob, and thereupon turning a spindle in a certain
direction which acts on the locking bolt by means of a tappet. The order of the
positions into which the stud has to be brought can be altered at each opening of
the lock, so that only the person who possesses a knowledge of the secret can open
the door. The lock has in front the form of a clock, but it is no time lock, as the
clock only serves as ornament and to deceive burglars as to the nature of the lock.
In the following description of the construction of the lock those surfaces of the
O plates and discs that face towards the outer dial plate are designated as "front,"
and the other surfaces as "back." The clockwork and lock are on the inner side of
the safe door, and are enclosed in a casing, the dial and its pointers being on the
outer face, with the pointer spindle and a hollow spindle surrounding the same,
passing through a hole in the door, as indicated in the front and aide views, Figs. 1
3 and 2; these spindles serve to effect the opening of the door, as will be hereafter
described. Directly against the inner face of the door is fixed the clockwork,
Figs. 4 and 5, of which only the outer dial serves any actual purpose in the lock.
Behind the clockwork is a peculiarly shaped disc E with 48 notches, as shown in
Figs. 16 and 17. This disc E has on its back surface a stud a, and at its centre a
short spindle F, with square part and round part d. Behind this disc E is a
plate G fixed on small supports, Figs. 12 and 13; this plate is, however, such a
distance from the stud a of the disc E that a small space exists between the two.
In the plate G are 48 round holes f, at the same radial distance from the centre as
the stud a of disc E, so that if the disc E and stud a be pressed inwards by means
3 of the knob B¹ the stud a can enter one or other of the holes f. In order to ensure
that the stud shall always be exactly opposite one of the 48 holes a spring b (shewn
in dotted lines in Fig. 5) is so arranged that its point always engages in one or
other of the 48 notches on the circumference of E.
On the back of the plate G are 12 pins e, on which are loose rollers H that are
all provided with annular grooves at the same distances from their ends, such
grooves, however, not being in the middle of their length. Behind the plate G,
and connected therewith by small standards, is a disc K, Figs. 18 and 19, so arranged
that its back surface lies in the same plane with the front faces of the annular
grooves of the rollers H, in order that a plate lying upon K. can be slid so as to
enter the grooves. The disc K has 12 round holes at the same radial distance from
the centre as the holes of the plate G; it has furthermore the notched hole i and
two rectangular guide pieces g. On this disc K slides the disc L, Figs. 14 and 15,
being guided by slots & fitting over the pieces g of disc K so as to alide vertically
up and down. The disc L is somewhat thinner than the width of the grooves of
the rollers H, and it has a number of holes of peculiar shape, as shown in Fig. 14,
each of which fits over one of the rollers, and is so formed that when the disc is in
its lowest position the rollers are quite free in the holes; assuming the grooves of
the rollers all to be lying in one and the same plane the disc can be raised up so

page_text: that the narrow parts of its holes pass into the grooves of the rollers, the width
of such parts being very slightly larger than the diameter at the bottom of the
groove.
Under ordinary circumstances the disc L is in the lower position, with the rollers
passing freely through the round parts of its holes.
The narrow openings are of such form and position that they leave the 12 holes
of the disc K uncovered, in whatever position the disc L may be.
On the square part o of the spindle B, Fig. 17, is fixed a disc M, with tappet m,
Fig. 6, this disc being situated in the space between the plate G and the disc K.
On the front face of the disc L is fixed a piece n, to which is hinge-jointed the
piece o in such manner that o can only be turned downwards, it being prevented
by a butt-joint from moving upwards, and being held in the raised position against
such joint by a spring. If now the pointer B¹ be turned in the contrary direction
to the movement of a clock hand the consequent rotation of the spindle B will
cause the tappet m in bearing against the under side of o to raise the disc Lagainst
the action of two springs g, which bear against the top of the casing. The disc L
has a stud N at bottom which takes into a slot in the locking bolt P, so that by
raising the disc the bolt is also raised and the lock opened. The bolt P is formed as a
spring bolt, with bevilled edge, so that when the door is closed the bolt will be
pushed upwards and then spring back into its notch, so as to lock the door.
Behind the disc L is a plate Q, Figs. 10 and 11, which is fixed to the plate G by
small standards, and which has, firstly, holes d', through which the rollers H can
pass; and secondly, 12 small holes corresponding in position with the 12 holes of
the disc K. The plate Q has also a central recess S, in which is a helical spring t,
Fig. 6, which acts on a collar on the extension d of spindle B, pressing this
outwards.
Behind the plate Q is the lid or door of the casing, which can be closed by any
suitable fastening; it consists of a plate R, shewn in back view at Fig. 3, and in
front view at Fig. 7, in which is a circular disc S, capable of being turned in its
bevilled sent, and prevented from falling out by the pressure of four springs W,
having pins a¹, and fixed to plate R. The pins a' fit into small recesses in S so as
to prevent this from shifting in R except when moved by hand.
On the disc S is a forked double ended lever T, turning on its fulcrum at u, so
that if pressure is exerted on its end at in the direction from front to back this
pressure will be transmitted from back to front by the two ends of the fork w.
On the front side of the disc S is a plate V, Figs. 8 and 9, which is pressed against
by two springs X, X', and is guided by two holes y, fitting over two studs on the
disc S. Thus it will be seen that the two ends of the fork in pressing against the
plate V will move this forward. This plate has 12 holes, which, when the lid
of the casing is closed, are exactly opposite the above described 12 holes of the
other plates. One of these holes H' is larger than the others, and directly behind
this hole is the tail v of the lever T. As before described the disc L, with bolt P,
can be raised by turning the pointer B and spindle B, provided the rollers H are
all in such positions with their grooves in one and the same plane, that the disc L
in rising can pass with the narrow parts of its holes into such grooves. In order
now to prevent the lock from being opened except by the initiated all the rollers
are slid forward somewhat on their pins o before closing the lid of the casing, so
that the grooves thereof being no longer in the same plane with the disc L, this
cannot be raised for the purpose of raising the locking bolt after the door has been
closed.
For effecting the opening of the lock under these conditions a loose pin Y, Fig. 20,
is provided, by means of which, and by the stud a on disc E, the rollers H are
brought by the initiated, by the aid of certain combinations, into the correct posi-
tions relatively to the disc L.
The pin Y is fitted, before closing the casing and door, with the part k in one of
the small holes of the plate Q, being prevented by a shoulder from passing in too
far. Assuming now that this pin be inserted between 10 and 11, then the plate S
•
1

page_text: must also be turned so that the hole H¹ is between 10 and 11. If the pointer B¹
be turned to the middle division between 10 and 11 of the dial (half past ten) the
disc E fixed to its spindle B will also be turned so as to bring the stud a between
10 and 11, so that if the button be pressed inwards the stud a will be made to
press against the pin Y, which in its turn will press against the tail v of the lever T,
causing the forked end of the latter to act on plate V so as to push the rollers
back against the plate G, thus bringing their grooves into proper position for
opening, which is then effected by turning the pointer B¹ and spindle B in the
contrary direction.
In order to render the operation of opening more difficult any one of the rollers H
(for instance, the one at 3, Fig. 10) may be placed in reversed position on its pin, so
that its groove is not in the same plane with the others when all the rollers are
pressed against the plate G, as described, and consequently plate L cannot be raised
for unlocking. In this case, after having performed the operation for unlocking, as
above described, the pointer is turned to III. on the dial, and the knob is pressed
inwards, thereby causing stud a of disc E to pass through opening ƒ of disc G,
Fig. 12, and press against the roller H at that point, this being the one that was
previously reversed; the roller is by this means moved forward the required dis-
tance for bringing its groove in line with the others, such distance being accurately
determined by the length of the pin Y. In order to render the opening still more
difficult two or more of the rollers may be reversed and the operation of setting
them performed consecutively by turning the pointer to corresponding positions
and pressing the button inwards.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my correspondent, I
claim,―
First. The construction of combination lock opening without a key, wherein a
series of grooved or notched rollers are brought into position for allowing the
motion of a sliding unlocking plate, such bringing into position of the rollers being
effected by a shiftable pin and forked lever operating in combination with a stud
carried by a spindle that is capable both of rotation by an external handle and of
being pressed inwards after having been turned into a certain position, substantially
as berein described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In combination locks arranged and operating in the manner set forth in
the preceding claim, constructing the handle by which the stud is brought into
position as a pointer on a clock face, with which is combined clockwork mechanism,
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine: