IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR SAFES BOXES AND STRONG ROOMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM SMITH of The Breach Villa, Hugglescote Road, Ashby-de-la-Zouch
in the County of Leicester Mechanical Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature
of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR SAFES BOXES AND
STRONG ROOMS" to be as follows:-
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My Invention consists in constructing and arranging and working in the manner
herein after described the bolts and fastening appliances of safes, boxes and strong
roons.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a safe. On the inner side of
the door of the safe are three or other number of horizontal bolts, extending from
side to side of the safe. These bolts have not the sliding motion of ordinary bolts,
but are connected to the door of the safe by pins passing through them at their
middles and upon which pins they turn as centres. It will be understood that the
said bolts have only an angular motion about the said centres and that when one
end of a bolt descends, the other end ascends and the reverse.
The several bolts are connected together by a connecting rod so that they move
simultaneously. Besides the horizontal bolts described thero is a vertical bolt
extending from top to bottom of the safe. This vertical bolt is connected with
the horizontal bolts by means of a pin on its underside taking into a slot in an
arm on the top or bottom bolt. The motion of the horizontal bolts thus produces
a like motion in the vertical bolt, that is, a motion upon its centre.
The simultaneous motion of all the bolts is produced by turning a knob or
handle on the outside of the door of the safe. The axis of this knob or handle
passes through the door and has on its inner end a crank, the crank pin of which
takes into a slot in one of the bolts. Hence by turning the knob on the door of
the safe through about a quadrant, the whole of the bolts on the inner face of the
safe may be made to turn on their centres. The extreme ends of all the bolts are
bent at right angles. On the inner edge of each side of the safe as well as at the
top and bottom of the safo are undercut projecting snugs or staples of a depth
about equal to the depth of the ends of the bolts. These snugs or staples are in
pairs, that is, each one at one side of the safe is opposite to a similar one at the
opposite side of the safe and the pairs of staples are respectively situated at the
Enme heights or levels as the bolts when the latter are in a horizontal position.

page_text: The action of the parts is as follows:-In shutting the door of the safe; the
knob or handle working the bolts is turned so as to incline the bolts from their
horizontal position and to incline the vertical bolt from its vertical position. The
door can now be closed the ends of the bolts on one edge of the door being at a
higher level than the snugs or staples with which they have to engage and the
ends of the bolts on the other edge of the door being below the snugs or staples
with which they have to engage. The door being closed and the handle moved in
a reverse direction, the several bolts are turned upon their centres and their hooked
ends engaged behind the anugs or staples. The door cannot now be opened and
by shooting the bolt of the lock on the door of the safe, the handle actuating the
fastening bolts described is fixed in its position and the door of the safe is securely
fastened. The action of the upright bolt is the same as the horizontal bolts.
When the bolts are in their fastening positions they not only prevent the
unfastening of the door but they tic or bind together the opposite sides of the
safe, one end of each horizontal bolt engaging with a snug or staple on one of
the vertical sides of the safe and the other end of the said bolt engaging with a
snug or staple on the opposite vertical side of the safe. The top and bottoin of
the safe are tied or bound together in a similar way.
By this arrangement the action of a burglar when introducing a wedge shaped
instrument between the edge of the door and the side of the safe is rendered
nugatory for as the opposite sides of the safe are bound together any force he
applies between the edge of the safe and the edge of the door only produces
tension or strain on the bolts which bind the opposite sides of the safe together.
The number of bolts, both horizontal and vertical, may be varied to suit safes,
boxes and strong rooms of different sizes.
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page_text: .I WILLIAM SMITH, 79 Ladypool Road, Sparkbrook, Aston in the county of
Warwick, Mechanical Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS FOR FASTENINGS FOR SAFES, BOXES, AND STRONG ROOMS
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
I will describe my invention in connection with a Safe:-on the inner side of
the door of the Safe, are three or other number of horizontal bolts, extending
from side to side of the Safe, these bolts have not the sliding motion of ordinary
bolts, but are connected to the door of the Safe by pins passing through them at
their middles and upon which pins they turn as centres. It will be understood
that the said bolts have only an angular motion about the said centres, and that
when one end of a bolt descends, the other end ascends, and the reverse. The
several bolts are connected together by a connecting rod so that they move
simultaneously. Besides the horizontal bolts described there is a vertical bolt
extending from top to bottom of the Safe; this vertical bolt is connected with the
horizontal bolts by means of a pin on its underside, taking into a slut in an arm
on the top, or bottom bolt. The motion of the horizontal bolts thus produce a like
motion in the vertical bolt: that is, a motion upon its centre. The simultaneous
motion of all the bolts is produced by turning a knob or handle on the outside of
the door of the Safe. The axis of the knob or handle, passes through the door and
has on its inner end a crank the crank pin of which takes into a slot in one of
the bolts; hence by turning the knob on the door of the Sale through about a
quadrant, the whole of the bolts on the inner face of the Safe may be made to
turn on these centres. The extreme ends of all the bolts are bent at right angles,
on the inner edge of each side of the Safe as well as the top and bottom of the
Safe are undercut projecting snugs or staples at a depth about equal to the depth
of the end of the bolts. These snugs or staples are in pairs, that is each one at
one side of the Safe is opposite to a similar one at the opposite side of the Safe,
and the pairs of staples are respectively situated at the same heights or levels as
the bolts, when the latter are in a horizontal position.
The action of the parts is as follows-In shutting the door of the Safe, the
knob or handle working the bolts is turned so as to incline the bolts from their
horizontal position and to incline the vertical bolt from its vertical position. The
door can now be closed, the ends of the bolts on one edge of the door being at a
higher level than the snugs or staples with which they have to engage, and the
ends of the other edge of the door being below the suugs or staples with which
they have to engage. The door being closed and the handle moved in a reverse
direction, the several bolts are turned upon their centres and their hooked ends
engaged behind the snugs or staples: The door cannot now be opened and by
shooting the bolt of the lock on the door of the Safe. The handle actuating the
fastening bolts described is fixed in its position and the door of the Safe is securely
fastened the action of the upright bolt is the same ns the horizontal bolts. When
the bolts are in their fastening positions they not only prevent the unfastening of
the door but they tie or bind together the opposite sides of the Safe, one end of
each horizontal bolt engaging with a snug or staple on one of the vertical sides
of the Safe and the other end of the said bolt engaging with a snug or staple in
the opposite vertical side of the Safe; the top and bottom of the Safe are tied or
bound together in a similar way. By this arrangement the action of a burglar
when introducing a wedged shaped instrument between the edge of the door and

page_text: the side of the Safe is rendered nugatory, for as the opposite sides of the Safe are
bound together, any force he applies between the edge of the Safe and the edge of
the door only produces tension or strain on the bolts which bind the opposite
sides of the Safe together.
The number of bolts, both horizontal and vertical, may be varied to suit Safes,
Boxes, Strong Rooms of different sizes.
In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1, represents a Safe in front elevation
shewing bolts when engaged, and bolt casing with door removed; Figure 2, is a
sectional plan thereof section taken on line A, B, Figure 3 is a side sectional
elevation thereof: section taken on line C, D, Figure 4, represents a Safe in front
elevation, shewing bolts when disengaged, and also bolt casing with door removed.
A is the horizontal bolt extending from side to side of Safe with an arm, and slot
in arm to receive the pin of vertical bolt by which the vertical bolt gets its motion,
A, B, B, are horizontal bolts extending from side to side of Safe and which
engage with the the snugs or staples on sides of Safe. C is the vertical bolt
extending from top to bottom of Safe, and which engages with the snugs or staples
on top and bottom of Safo. D is the connecting rod for connecting the horizontal
bolts. E. F. E are the pins on which the horizontal bolts turn. F is the pin on
which the vertical bolt turns. G is the pin in the vertical bolt, which goes into
-the slot of-the-arin-in-the horizontal-bolt-A. -H-are-the-pins-in-tho-horizontal.bolts.
for the connecting rod. J is the pin in the connecting rod, which goes into the
slot of the crank. K is the crank with a slot in it to receive the pin of the
connecting rod. L is the pin, or bar for the crank and knob, or handle. N are
the snugs or staples on sides and ends of Safe.
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 The fastening for Safes, Boxes, and Strong Rooms, constructed substantially-
as herein described and illustrated by Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
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2nd The method of throwing the-balts-for-fastening-Safes, Boxes, nnd-Strong-
Rooms: that is to say: each-bolt-turning ou one centre, -substantially as herein.
herein described and illustrated by Figures 1. 2. 3 and 4 of the accompanying
1