IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAPES OR STRONG BOXES."
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Sandell Mappin, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAPES OR STRONG BOXES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Sandell Mappin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd February 1865.
I, WALTER SANDELL MAPPIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SAFES OR STRONG BOXES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in making safes or strong boxes from plates
of iron or steel having flanges or ribs on one side, which said plates are made
into safes in the manner herein-after explained. I prefer to make the flanges
or ribs of a depth equal to about three times the thickness of the other part
of the plate, the said ribs or flanges being situated at right angles to the plane
of the plate and parallel to each other and to opposite edges of the plate.
The said ribs or flanges are made by preference in one piece with the other
part of the plate, and are formed by the rolling process by which the plate is
made; or the ribs or flanges may be made separately and afterwards attached
to the plate. In making a safe from the said plates I connect the plates
together by means of the said ribs. I will describe the manner in which two
sides of the safe are connected together at right angles :-I cut away from the
edge of one of the plates a strip somewhat greater in width than the thickness
of the plate to be joined to it, but without cutting away the ribs, the said ribs

page_text: are thus left projecting over the edge of the plate. I will call this the top
plate. In the other plate, which I will call the side plate, holes are cut, into
which the projecting ends of the ribs on the top plate engage. The ribs on
the side plate are made to engage in holes in the top plate by cutting away a
portion of the under part of each rib so as to leave the upper part of the said
rib projecting, the said projecting parts engaging in the holes in the top plate.
The two plates when thus engaged together cannot be separated by any force
exerted in the direction of either of the sides of the said plates, excepting such
a force as will tear the ribs from the plate. Three sides of the safe are joined
together in the manner described, the fourth side may be fixed by the ends of
the ribs or flanges, on the fourth plate passing through holes in the third
plate and being riveted therein, and the back may be fixed by rivetting. The
ribs or flanges described are also useful for attaching the lock of the safe to,
as well as the hinges.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the following improvements in rivetting
together parts of safes. This part of my Invention may be applied to fixing
in the plates necessary to complete the safes, partly made according to the
first part of my Invention, as well as to rivetting together the parts of other
safes, and also connecting together double plates for safes. This part of my
Invention consists in making a flange or enlargement at the middle of the
shank of the rivet, the rivet having no head. In using this rivet the flange
or enlargement is situated between the flange and plate, or between the two
plates to be secured together, and prevents the said rivet from being driven
either inwards or outwards. In an ordinary rivet, the only obstruction to the
driving of the rivet inwards is the expanded portion or head of the rivet on
the outside. But in rivets made according to my Invention the flange or
enlargement at the middle of the rivet engages between the two surfaces to be
joined together, and prevents the rivet from being driven inwards when the
two surfaces to be joined are required to come into contact; countersunk
depressions may be made to receive the flange or enlargement on the middle
of the rivet.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Walter Sandell Mappin, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER 3
SANDELL MAPPIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Walter Sandell Mappin, Her special licence that I, the said Walter
Sandell Mappin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Walter Sandell Mappin, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the terin 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF SAFES OR STRONG BOXES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Sandell Mappin, 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 next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Sandell Mappin, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what mauner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in making safes or strong boxes from plates
of iron and steel, having flanges or ribs on one side, which said plates are
made into safes in the manner herein-after explained. I prefer to make the
flanges or ribs of a depth equal to two or three times the thickness of the
other part of the plate, the said ribs or flanges being situated at right angles
to the plane of the plate and parallel to each other and to opposite edges of
the plate. The said ribs or flanges are made by preference in one piece with
the other part of the plate, and are formed by the rolling process by which
the plate is made; or the ribs or flanges may be made separately and after-
wards attached to the plate. In making a safe from the said plates I connect
the plates together by means of the said ribs. I will describe the manner in
which two sides of the safe are connected together at right angles;
I cut
away from the edge of one of the plates a strip somewhat greater in width
than the thickness of the plate to be joined to it, but without cutting away the
ribs, the said ribs are thus left projecting over the edge of the plate. I will
call this the top plate. In the other plate which I will call the si, plate,

page_text: holes are cut into which the projecting ends of the ribs on the top plate
engage. The ribs on the side plate are made to engage in holes in the top
plate by cutting away a portion of the under part of each rib so as to leave
the upper part of the said rib projecting, the said projecting parts engaging
in the holes in the top plate. The two plates when thus engaged together
cannot be separated by any force exerted in the direction of either of the sides
of the said plates excepting such a force as will tear the ribs from the plate.
Three sides of the safe are joined together in the manner described, the fourth
side may be fixed by the ends of the ribs or flanges on the fourth plate
passing through holes in the third plate, and being rivetted therein, and the
back may be fixed by rivetting. The ribs or flanges described are also useful
for attaching the lock of the safe to as well as the hinges.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the following improvements in rivetting
together parts of safes. This part of my Invention may be applied to fixing
in the plates necessary to complete the safes partly made according to the first
part of my Invention, as well as to rivetting together double plates for safes.
This part of my Invention consists in making a flange or enlargement at the
middle of the shank of the rivet, the rivet having no head. In using this
rivet the flange or enlargement is situated between the flange and plate or
between the two plates to be secured together, and prevents the said rivet
from being driven either inwards or outwards. In an ordinary rivet the only
obstruction to the driving of the rivet inwards is the expanded portion or head
of the rivet on the outside. But in rivets made according to my Invention
the flange or enlargement at the middle of the rivet engages between the two
surfaces to be joined together and prevents the rivet from being driven
inwards. When the two surfaces to be joined are required to come into
contact countersunk depressions may be made to receive the flange or
enlargement on the middle of the rivet.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 illustrate my improvements in making safes or
strong boxes from plates of iron or steel, having flanges or ribs on one side.
Figures and 2 represent plates with flanges or ribs to be made into safes
according to my Invention; a, Figure 1, represents a cross section of one of
the said plates, the ribs being marked 6 in this and the other Figures; c,
Figures 1 and 2, shows the said plate in front elevation; d, Figures 1 and 2,
represents the said plate in end elevation. The ribs 6 may be made on the
plate by the rolling process by which the plate itself is made, or they may be

page_text: made separately and afterwards attached to the plate by welding or otherwise.
In making a safe from the said plates I connect the plates forming the top,"
bottom, and sides of the safe by means of the said flanges or ribs, which I cut
away and shape for that purpose in the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2,.
and 3. For joining two of the plates together I cut away from the edge of:
one of the plates a strip somewhat greater than the thickness of the plate to
be joined to it, but without cutting away the ribs, the said ribs are thus left:
projecting over the edge of the plate. A plate of this kind thus prepared is
represented at c, d, e, in Figure 1, the projecting ends of the ribs being
marked b. The projecting ends 63 of the ribs may be left square and of thei
full size, but I prefer to give them the figure represented in Figure 1. I will:
call the plate, Figure 1, the top plate. In the top plate holes e² are made>
in which the ends of the ribs of the side plate herein-after described are made
to engage; Figure 2 represents in front elevation at c, and end elevation at f,
the plate which I will call the side plate to be joined to the top plate, Figure 1.
In this plate, Figure 2, boles marked 9 are cut, into which the projecting:
ends of the ribs b, of the top plate Figure 1 engage. The ribs of the side
plate, Figure 2, are cut away in the manner represented, that is, a portion of:
the under part of each rib is cut away so as to leave the upper part of each
rib projecting; the said projecting ends or parts are marked 63. The said:
projecting ends of the ribs of the side plate engage in the holes e² in the
top plate; Figure 3 represents in elevation the top and side plates engaged.
together by means of their ribs, the ends of the top plate and 63 of the side
plate being indicated in dotted lines. Three plates, constituting the top and
two sides of the safe, are engaged together in the manner described and
represented with respect to the top and side plates. One edge of the fourth
side or bottom of the safe may also be fixed to one side plate in the manner
already described, the other edge of the fourth or bottom plate being fixed by
the ends of the ribs or flanges passing through holes in the other side plate
and being rivetted therein. The back of the safe may be fixed to the top,
bottom, and sides by rivetting. The ribs or flanges 6 of the plates are also
useful for attaching the lock and hinges of the safe door to. When the sides
and top and bottom of safes are engaged together according to my Invention,
they cannot be separated by any force exerted in the direction of either of
the sides, excepting such a force as will tear the ends of the ribs froni the
plates.
Figure 4 represents in front elevation and plan a safe made according to my
Invention, and illustrates the manner in which I make use of the ribs to
cause the door of the safe to engage with the top and bottom plates of the

page_text: safe. In the elevation, Figure 4, the door is marked m, and is represented
open at right angles to its closed position; the said door is consequently seen
in edge view; h and k represent the top and bottom plates respectively. In
the front rib 6 of each of these plates a series of holes 1, 1, is made, and the
top and bottom of each of the ribs b of the door m is cut away in the manner
represented at n. When the door m is shut the projecting pieces o at the
tops and bottoms respectively of the ribs b of the door engage in the holes l, 1,
of the ribs on the top and bottom plates h, k, and prevent the springing of
the said top and bottom plates from the top and bottom of the door by the
insertion of a wedge between the closed door and the top and bottom of the
safe. The ribs may be situated horizontally, and in this case the wrenching
of the sides of the safe is prevented.
Safes made according to my Invention may be strengthened by means of
strong iron or steel belts inserted between the ribs as illustrated in Figures 5,
6, and 7 of the Drawings. Figure 5 represents in vertical section one of the
said belts; Figure 6 represents in horizontal section a portion of a safe in
which the said belts are fixed; and Figure 7 represents a vertical section of
a safe having the said belts.. The belts are marked p in the several Figures.
By an examination of Figure 6 it will be readily seen how the said belts are
situated between the ribs b. The said belts are represented rivetted in their
places by the improved rivets constituting part of my Invention, but they may
be rivetted or fixed in their places by ordinary rivets, or in any other convenient
way.
Figure 8 represents in elevation a rivet made according to my Invention.
I make a flange or enlargement q at the middle of the shank of the rivet, the
shank being without a head at either end. The manner in which this rivet
is used will be understood by an examination of Figures 5, 6, and 7, in which
Figures it will be seen that one of the two plates or parts to be rivetted
together has rivet holes in which countersinks or depressions r are made to
receive the flanges or enlargements 9 of the rivets. Where however the two
plates to be rivetted together are not required to come into contact, the said
countersinks need not be made, the flanges q occupying the space between
the two plates or surfaces. In Figure 6 it will be seen that the flanges of the
rivets employed at the angles are not let into countersinks in the plate and
rib rivetted together, but occupy a space between the said plate and rib. In
an ordinary rivet the only obstruction to the driving of the rivet inwards is
the expanded portion or head on the outside, but in rivets made according to
my Invention the flanges 7 prevent the rivets being driven inwards.
Figure 9 represents an elevation of the belt represented in Figure 5, with

page_text: countersinks or depressions r for the reception of the flanges or enlargements q
of the rivets, but instead of making a series of separate countersinks or
depressions r, a continuous slot down the middle of the band or belt as repre-
resented in Figure 10 and marked 8, may be made for receiving the flanges q
of the rivets. The said continuous slot instead of separate countersinks
may be employed in all cases where my improved rivets are used. The
rivets, Figure 8, being put in their places the ends are rivetted in the ordinary
manner.
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 accompany-
ing Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention.
But I claim as my Invention, firstly, making safes or strong boxes from
plates of iron or steel, having flanges or ribs on one side, and connecting or
engaging the said plates together by means of the said flanges or ribs essen-
tially in the manner herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Secondly, rivetting together the parts of safes or strong boxes by means of
rivets having flanges or enlargements at or near the middle of the shanks of
the said rivets, the said flanges or enlargements preventing the rivets being
driven out of the rivet holes as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Sandell Mappin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
WALTER SANDELL MAPPIN. (L.S.)
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.