IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF IRON SAFES AND DOORS FOR STRONG ROOMS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Chubb, of Saint Paul's Churchyard, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF IRON SAFES AND DOORS FOR STRONG ROOMS."
Sealed the 5th February 1858, and dated the 25th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Chubb, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th September 1857.
I, JOHN CHUBB, of Saint Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF IRON SAFES AND DOORS FOR STRONG ROOMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of iron
safes and doors for strong rooms, in order to render safes and strong rooms
more secure than those heretofore constructed. Iron safes and strong room
doors have sometimes been opened by drilling holes, by means of a strong drill,
through the iron plate which covers the lock, and in this way access has been
obtained to the tumblers of the lock, and by raising these by an instrument
inserted through the hole the bolt has been set free and the lock opened.
Now the object of my present Invention is to render it very difficult if not
impossible so to cut a hole through the iron wall of the safe or door, and for
this purpose I tap holes at a short distance from one another into the back of
the iron plate, and into these holes I screw plugs of hardened steel. When

page_text: an attempt is made to drill through a plate so arranged, the drill soon comes
in contact with one of these hardened plugs and is broken by it. In place of
screw plugs plain pegs of hardened steel kept in their places by a second plate
at the back may be employed, In some cases also I place behind the exterior
plate of the safe or door a plate of corrugated and hardened steel which also
will break the drill and render it useless. With a similar object I sometimes
fasten at the back of the exterior plate a series of steel strips at a short
distance apart.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Chubb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN CHUBB,
of Saint Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Chubb, Her special licence that I, the said John Chubb,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John.
Chubb, 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 THE CON-
STRUCTION OF IRON SAFES AND DOORS FOR STRONG ROOMS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Chubb, 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 In-
vention, 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 John Chubb, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof. that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of iron

page_text: the first at intervals by means of screws: Figures 4, show a portion of the
exterior plate of a safe or door lined with a plate of corrugated and hardened
steel. The parts are so clearly shown by the Drawing, that no detailed descrip-
tion will be required. The two plates are held together by screws at intervals.
I would remark that in place of corrugating the plate regularly like that
shown in the Drawing, the same object will be attained by the use of a steel
plate having projections arranged irregularly over its surface, but the pre-
paration of such a plate will be more difficult. I would further remark, that
I am aware that flat plates of hardened steel have before been attached at
the back of the exterior plates of safes and doors, I therefore do not make any
claim to the use of flat plates of steel in this manner. Figures 5, show a
portion of the exterior plate of a safe or door to which strips of hardened
steel are affixed at intervals by screws.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Chubb, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
E. BARKER.
JOHN CHUBB. (L.S.)