IMPROVE- MENTS IN IN FASTENINGS FOR SAFE OR STRONG ROOM DOORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I CHARLES SAMUEL PHILLIP WOOD of Birmingham in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN IN FASTENINGS FOR SAFE OR STRONG ROOM DOORS, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :—
My invention relates to improvements in what are known as fire and thief proof
safes and strong rooms.
In safes and doors for strong rooms as hitherto constructed the bolts of the lock
have generally been shot into bolt cups fixed or formed in the sides of the lining or
interior of the safe or door frame of the strong room the bolts being contained in a
lock case screwed to the outer plate of the door and it has frequently happened
that this outer plate has been forced away leaving the lock case with all the bolts
and the lock exposed; and it was then only necessary to remove the lock case
which was easily effected, to gain access to the interior of the safe.
Now according to my invention safes and strong rooms are rendered more secure
against violence by so constructing the various parts of the frames and doors as to
prevent the doors from being forced open by means of wrenching instruments such
as wedges or crowbars.
In carrying out my invention I employ an arrangement of bolt cups and plugs
of peculiar construction hereinafter described; the bolt cups are fixed immediately
behind the front portion of the interior frame of the safe; they are formed hollow
and are provided with an opening to receive the bolt plugs and with a hole for the
purpose hereinafter described; the bolt plugs are fixed to the door and are also
foruned with holes corresponding to those in the bolt cups; when the door is closed
the bolt plugs enter the bolt cups and the bolts of the lock can be then shot and
will pass through the holes in the bolt cups and plugs respectively and will
effectually bind the door to the frame until they are withdrawn.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, represents a
plan partly in section of a safe constructed according to my invention the door of
the safe being closed; figure 2, is a similar view shewing the door of the safe open;
figure 3, is a horizontal section of part of the body and door of a safe (the door.
being closed) and the section being taken through the centre of the bolt cup;
figures 4 and 5, are vertical sections on the lines A B and C D respectively of

page_text: figure 3; figures 6, 7 and 8 are similar views to figures 1, 2 and 3, but shewing a
somewhat different arrangement of door frame. Figures 3, 4, 5 and 8 are drawn
full size, the other figures are drawn to a smaller scale. Similar letters in all the
figures represent similar parts.
a, shews one of the bolt cups formed hollow as shewn, and fixed immediately
behind the front portion of the interior frame b, of the safe and within the fire
proof chainber c; the interior frame b, is rivetted to the door frame j, and has
openings corresponding to the openings of the cups; the bolt cup a, is provided
with a hole d, and a recess e, for the purpose bereinafter described; f, is the bolt
plug which may be rivetted into the outer plates g, of the door as shewn in
figures 3, 5 and 8, or be let into a bar or plate rivetted or screwed to the outer
plate; the plug f, is provided with a hole, corresponding with the hole d, in the
cup a, the said holes d, and h, in each cup and plug receiving one of the bolts i, of
the lock case k, when the safe is shut and the bolts shot by the usual handle
or knob.
By this construction the door of the safe being open as shewn in figures 2 and 7,
if the door be closed as shewn in figures 1, 3, 6 and 8, each plug f, will be caused to
enter its corresponding cup a, and the axes of the holes d, and h, in each cup and
plug respectively will coincide; if the knob or handle of the safe be now turned
the bolts of the lock case will be shot and will pass through the said holes d, and h,
and into the recesses c, and the key of the safe being turned the door will be
securely fastened and the bolt plugs being rivetted into the outer plates will afford
great strength and security against the attacks of burglars or the like. Also the
bolt cups being placed within the fireproof chamber behind the interior frame of
the safe are well protected from violence.
The door frame j, of the safe may be constructed of T iron as shown in
figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in which case the bolt plugs would pass through the said
frame when the door is closed as well as through the interior frame b, or I may
construct the door frame j, as shewn in figures 6, 7 and 8, in which case the bolt
plugs would not pass through the door frame j.
Although I have shown the sliding bolts of the lock case of a circular shape in
cross section as the shape I prefer to employ, it is obvious-that-other-shaped-bolts-
may be used to fasten the plugs f, into the cups-a, behind the frame b, of the-safe.
In all cases the bolts are constructed and operated in the usual manner by a
spindle and knob and secured by the bolt of the-lock.
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:-
Firstly. The method herein described of fastening the doors to the frames of
safes and strong rooms by the employment of bolt cups and plugs such as
those described substantially as herein before described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.
Secondly. The peculiar construction of bolt cups and their use in combination
with bolt plugs such as those described in the manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein before described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.