IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Isaac Billing, of Handsworth, in the County
of. Stafford, Photographer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SAFES."
Sealed the 15th January 1867, and dated the 1st August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Isaac Billing
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 1st August 1866.
I, EDWIN ISAAC BILLING, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Photo-
grapher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE
.MENTS IN SAFES," to, be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in
safes whereby great strength and security are obtained.
In making safes according to my Invention I give the safe by preference a
spherical figure, but do not limit myself thereto, as other forms may be
adopted with nearly equal advantage as berein-after explained. I make the
safe double, that is, of two hollow spheres, one smaller than the other, the
smaller one being situated concentrically within the larger one, and capable
of rotating or partly rotating therein; the smaller hollow sphere has two
pivots or centres, which turn in bearings in the outer hollow sphere When
'the safe is fixed in its place these pivots or centres are situated in a vertical
line. Each of the hollow spheres has an opening and door of a circular form,
the said doors being connected with their respective spheres by means of an
Price 8d.j

page_text: arm jointed at one end to the sphere, and at the other end to the door. By
this arrangement the door of the outer sphere can be turned aside, and the
door of the inner sphere opened and withdrawn at the opening of the outer
sphere; the edges of these doors and the openings in the spheres in which they
fit are cylindrical. By adopting this shape great obstruction is offered to the
successful use of wedges. The doors when closed complete the spherical
figures of the outer and inner spheres, and are fastened by locks, which simul-
taneously shoot four bolts at right angles with each other; these bolts are
shot against the inner surfaces of the spheres respectively. The outer sphere
or both the outer and inner spheres, may be provided with a lining, the space
between which and the sphere may be filled with any of the ordinary fire-proof
compositions. By means of the rotary motion which the inner sphere is
capable of within the outer sphere; the door of the inner sphere may be turned
from opposite that of the outer sphere. I prefer to give the necessary motion
for effecting this in the following manner-In a hole in the outer sphere is
an axis which may be turned by a key. The inner end of this axis carries a
pinion, which takes into a rack on the inner sphere, by the use of a key the
requisite motion may be given to the axis carrying the pinion to bring the
door of the inner sphere opposite that of the outer sphere, or to remove it
therefrom; or the requisite motion of the inner sphere may be effected by
the locking and unlocking of the door of the outer sphere. Although I prefer
to make the inner and outer shells or parts of the safe of a spherical figure,
yet I do not limit myself thereto, as other forms may be adopted with nearly
the same effect. For example, a spheriodal or cylindrical figure may be given
to the two shells or parts of the safe without interfering with the facility with
which the inner one may rotate in the outer one, or without materially
affecting the strength of the safe. I prefer to make the inner and outer
parts or shells of the safe of cast or wrought iron.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Isaac Billing in the Great Seal Patent Office on S
the 29th January 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
ISAAC BILLING, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Photographer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of August, in the year of our Lord One

page_text: thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edwin Isaac Billing, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin Isaac Billing,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edwin
Isaac Billing, 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 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edwin Isaac Billing, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly 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 uext and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edwin Isaac Billing, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists ofthe improvements herein-after described in safes,
whereby great strength and security are obtained.
In making safes according to my Invention I give the safe by preference a
spherical figure, but do not limit myself thereto, as other forms may be adopted
with nearly equal advantage, as herein-after explained. I make the safe double,
that is, of two hollow spheres, one smaller than the other, the smaller one being
situated concentrically within the larger one, and capable of rotating or partly
rotating therein. The smaller hollow sphere has two pivots or centres which
turn in bearings in the outer hollow sphere. Each of the hollow spheres has an
opening and door of a circular form, the said doors being connected with
their respective spheres by screwing, or by means of an arm jointed at one
end to the sphere, and at the other end to the door. By this arrangement
the door of the outer sphere can be turned aside, and the door of the inner
sphere opened and withdrawn at the opening of the outer sphere. The edges
of these doors and openings in the spheres in which they fit are cylindrical,
either plain or screwed. By adopting this shape great obstruction is offered
to the successful use of wedges. The doors when closed complete the
spherical figures of the outer and inner spheres, and are fastened by locks
which simultaneously shoot four bolts at right angles to each other. These

page_text: bolts are shot against the inner surfaces of the spheres respectively, or into
recesses or staples in the edges of the openings in the spheres. The outer
sphere, or both the outer and inner spheres, may be provided with a lining
or casing, the space between which and the sphere may be filled with any of
the ordinary fireproof compositions. By means of the rotary motion which
the inner sphere is capable of within the outer sphere, the door of the inner
sphere may be turned from opposite that of the outer sphere. I prefer to give
.the necessary motion to the inner sphere by bevilgearing worked by an axis, so
as to bring the door of the said inner sphere opposite that of the outer sphere,
or to remove it therefrom; or the requisite motion of the inner sphere may
be effected by the locking and unlocking of the door of the outer sphere.
Although I prefer to make the inner and outer shells or parts of the safe of
a spherical figure, yet I do not limit myself thereto as other forms may be
adopted with nearly the same effect. For example, a spheroidal or cylin-
drical figure may be given to the two shells or parts of the safe without
interfering with the facility with which the inner one may rotate in the outer
one, or without materially affecting the strength of the safe. I prefer to
make the inner and outer parts or shells of the safe of cast or wrought iron.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation; Figure 2, a horizontal section, and
Figures 3 and 4 vertical sections, taken in planes at right angles to one
another, of a safe constructed according to my Invention. The same letters
of reference indicate the same parts in each Figure of the Drawing. The
said safe consists of an outer rectangular frame or casing a, within which
are the two hollow spheres or shells b, c,of different diameters, the smaller
one c being situated concentrically within the larger one b, and capable of
partly rotating therein. The outer sphere or shell 6 is made in halves, and is
fixed to and supported in the rectangular frame a by the screws and bearings
d, e, as illustrated in Figure 4. The inner sphere c constitutes the truc safe,
and is furnished with two pivots or centres f, g, which pass through the fixed
sphere or shell b, and work in bearings h carried by the outer frame or case a.
Each of the spheres has a circular opening in it, the said openings being
closed by circular doors marked respectively 62 and c², the said doors 62, c²,
screwing into the said openings. The doors 62, c², may be removed from the
spheres or shells by means of keys, one of which, marked i,is represented in
Figure 3 working in an under-cut depression in the said doors, a projection
on the key engaging against a shoulder in the said under-cut depression. In

page_text: order to prevent the detaching of the doors from the safe, and also to support
the key during the unscrewing of the doors, I prefer to use on the outside of
the saf: a saddle piece or bar (shown separately in Figure 5) sliding in
dovetail grooves 1, 2, in the said safe. When it is required to gain access to
the safe ca sliding saddle bar k is placed in the dovetail grooves 1, and the
hole m in it brought opposite the hole n in the door 62 of the outer fixed
sphere or shell b. The key i is inserted through this saddle bar and into the
under-cut holen in the door, and turned so as to unscrew the door from the
sphere or shell b. After the door has been unscrewed the saddle piece or
bar k is moved in its grooves l to the side of the safe, carrying with it the
key i and door 62. By now giving a partial rotation to the inner sphere or
shell c, in the manner herein-after described, the door c2 can be brought
opposite the opening in the fixed sphere or shell b, and by means of a second
key and a saddle piece or bar similar to that represented, but of greater
depth in the saddle the door c² can be removed through the opening in the
sphere b, and moved aside on the said saddle bar, access can now be gained
to the safe. By screwing the doors 62, c, into their respective openings in the
spheres or shells b, c, and giving a partial rotation to the inner sphere so as
to remove its door from opposite the door of the sphere the safe is closed,
the parts assuming the positions represented in the Drawing. The motion of
partial rotation necessary to bring the door c³ of the inner sphere or shell c
opposite that in the outer sphere or shell or remove it therefrom is effected
by means of a bevil pinion p on one of the pivots g on which the sphere c
turns, and a bevil pinion q gearing with the said pinion p. The pinion q is
fixed on the axis r turning in a bearing s, and passing into the outer case a.
By means of a key introduced into an opening in the end of the axis r motion
in the proper direction can be given to the axis r, and through the pinions
2,2, to the sphere or shell c. Instead of making the door in the outer fixed
sphere or shell close the opening therein, and that in the outer rectangular
frame or case a the said outer frame or case may have a separate door.
This arrangement of my Invention is represented in horizontal section in
Figure 6 of the Drawing, and one of the doors is represented separately in
Figure 7. In this arrangement of my Invention in addition to making the
doors t, u, of the fixed outer sphere band outer frame a screw in their
respective openings 1 hinge or joint them to the said openings, so that they
may move outwards. I joint the door t to the arın v, the said arm carrying
the central knuckle of the joint, which is fitted between the outer knuckles
on the door (see Figure 7), and I joint the door u to a similar but shorter
arm w; these arms v, w, are capable of sliding on dovetail beds x, x, (one

page_text: of which is shown separately on a larger scale in Figure 8) at the edge of the
doors; each of the doors is constructed in the following way-I will
describe the construction of the door u. On the said door u a ring u² is
placed, the said ring being capable of rotating thereon; this ring carries the
knuckles u³, u³, of the joint. Upon this ring is a covering plate y, which is
fastened to the door u by screws as represented. By this arrangement the
door u is capable of rotating without the ring u². As the door u is turned to
unscrew it from its opening in the frame or case a the said door turns upon
the ring 2 drawing the said ring with it, and carrying down the arm w upon
its dovetail bed x. When the door a has been completely unscrewed from
the opening in the frame the said door can be turned aside upon the jointed
arm w and thereby opened. The door t of the sphere or shell b can then be
unscrewed and turned aside upon its jointed arm in a similar manner.
Access to the inner sphere or shell c is obtained in the manner herein-before
described. Each of the doors in the arrangements represented is fastened by
means of a lock of the construction represented in Figure 9 of the Drawing;
the said lock consists of four radial bolts 2, 2, sliding in the door, which are
shot simultaneously into recesses or staples in the edges of the openings in the
doors; the said bolts are simultaneously shot and withdrawn by means of a
disc or cam 3, which is turned by the key; this disc or cam is provided with
curved slots or recesses 4,in which pins or studs on the inner ends of the bolts
engage in the manner represented. By turning the disc or cam 4 in a
direction proper to shoot the bolts 2, 2, the pins on the said bolts are carried
to the ends of the slots furthest from the axis of the disc 4, and in so doing
simultaneously shoot the bolts. By turning the disc or cam in the opposite
direction the bolts are simultaneously withdrawn. I do not limit myself to
the use of the lock described, as locks of other constructions may be employed.
Instead of employing an outer case or frame to contain the fixed and move-
able spheres or shells, the said outer frame or case may be dispensed with,and
the two spheres or shells only be used. The space between the fixed shell
and outer case may be filled with a fireproof composition, and the outer and
inner spheres or shells may be provided with linings, between which and
the spheres a fireproof composition may also be put..
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated in the
Drawing, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of
my Invention; but I claim as my Invention the improvements in safes herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say

page_text: making safes of two shells, one within the other, the inner one being
capable of rotating or partly rotating within the other or outer one, so as
to bring its door opposite to or remove it from the door in the outer shell,
substantially in the manner herein-before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Isaac Billing have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
EDWIN ISAAC BILLING. (L.S.)