IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROof Safes AND STRONG ROOM DOORS AND FRAMES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Price, of Cleveland Safe and Lock Works,
Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Iron Safe and Lock Manu-
facturer, and William Dawes, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROof Safes
AND STRONG ROOM DOORS AND FRAMES."
Sealed the 29th August 1863, and dated the 3rd March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Price and William
Dawes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents; with their Petition,
on the 3rd March 1863.
We, GEORGE PRICE, of Cleveland Safe and Lock Works, Wolverhampton,
in the County of Stafford, Iron Safe and Lock Manufacturer, and WILLIAM
DAWES, of Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROOF SAFES
AND STRONG ROOM DOORS AND FRAMES," to be as follows, and which consists of
three branches or sections, videlicet:-
First, of an improved construction or arrangement of the details generally.
Secondly, of an improved means of rendering the doors or other parts drill
and tap proof, or screw-proof.
And, thirdly, of a means of protecting the works of the small lock of the
safe door from injury by chemicals, &c.
In constructing iron safes or iron doors and frames we dispense with the
large lock and lock case hitherto employed, and in lieu thereof we construct

page_text: the door with a series of notches or openings and claws round the inner edge,
which notches or openings communicate with a space round the middle
portion of the edge of the door; then round the front face of the safe or
door frame we construct a groove or channel parallel and continuous, and into
this groove or channel we fit longitudinally sliding bars, so as to project
inwards equal or nearly so to the depth of the notches or openings round the
door, and also notched out similarly to the edge of the door plate, and so
arranged that whilst the door is opening or closing the claws or projections of
the one are opposite to the notches or openings of the other, and thus they
will pass through each other, and allow of the claws on the sliding bars
entering into the space round the middle portion of the edge of the door, and
in locking the same the sliding bars are caused to move longitudinally in the
grooves a distance equal or thereabouts to the length of the notches or
openings, and thus bring the claws or projections opposite each other to
prevent the opening of the door, in which position they are secured by a
small unpickable and gunpowder-proof lock or locks, similarly to the works or
bolts of the ordinary large lock now in use on the doors of iron safes and
strong rooms. The small lock or locks may be inserted in the door as
mortise locks, the bolts shooting out between the claws, so as to prevent their
being moved backwards, and at the same time the small bolt of the small
lock being supported or "backed" by the claws upon the door.
claws constituting the large lock may be actuated by a knob or
the door in the usual manner. In some cases we prefer stopping or securing
the bolts by one or more cross bolts thrown by a knob or handle, and which
are also secured by a small lock or locks in any convenient part of the door.
The second part of our Invention has for its object the rendering of the
door or other portions of the safe or the strong room door drill-proof, and we
in some cases obtain the desired degree of hardness by casting upon a wrought-
iron plate a "facing" of any required thickness of white or hard iron, the
wrought plate being furnished with projections, such as screws, rivets, dogs,
claws, or Z-iron, round and amongst which the white iron is poured, and will
unite the plates together. We also in some cases drill the wrought plate,
and countersink on the back or inner face to allow the white iron to pass
through the same, and form rivets for assisting in uniting the plates. The
wrought plate may or may not be heated whilst the white iron is being cast
upon it, and the white iron may or may not be "chilled" on the outer face,
as may be found desirable. In some cases we prefer casting the white iron
separate from the wrought plate, with perforations on the inner face, in which
we insert pieces of hard "pot" or other hard mineral substance before
The bolts or
handle upon

page_text: securing the wrought and cast plates together, the object of these. being to
break drills or other tools which may be used in any attempt to drill the door
or other portion of the safe, or the strong room door.
The third portion or section of our Invention consists of protecting the
works of the small lock from the action of acids or other chemicals applied
through the keyhole, and to effect this we "electro-gild" them, or coat them
with a considerable thickness of gold or other suitable metal for resisting the
action of the acids or other chemicals.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Price and William Dawes in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st September 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE.
PRICE, of Cleveland Safe and Lock Works, Wolverhampton, in the County.
of Stafford, Iron Safe and Lock Manufacturer, and WILLIAM DAWES, of
Clarence Street, Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Engincer, &c., send.
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George Price and William Dawes, Her special licence that we, the
said George Price and William Dawes, our executors, administrators, and.
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Price and William Dawes, our,
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 the Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURGLAR-PROOF SAPES.
AND STRONG ROOM DOORS AND FRAMES," upon the condition (amongst others).
that we, the said George Price and William Dawes, our executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Price and William Dawes, 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 and accompanying Drawings thereof, that is
to say:-
Our Invention consists, firstly, of an improved construction or arrangement
of the details of iron safes and doors and frames whereby greater strength
and security are obtained, and on reference to the Drawing, Figures 1, 2,
and 3, it will be seen that we dispense with the ordinary large lock and lock
case heretofore employed, and in lieu thereof we construct the door with a
series of permanent or stationary notches or openings a, a, and claws or pro-
jections b, b, Figure 3, round the inner edge thereof, which notches or
openings communicate with a space or channel c, c, round the middle portion
of the edge of the door; then round the front face of the safe or door frame
we construct a groove or channel, as shewn in section in Figure 1, parallel
and continuous, and into this groove or channel we fit longitudinally sliding
bars d, d, Figures 1, 2, and 3, so as to project inwards equal or nearly so to
the depth of the notches or openings a, a, round the door, and also notched
out similarly to the edge of the door, as shewn at e, e, and f, f, Figures 2
and 3, and so arranged that whilst the door is opening or closing the claws or
projections of the one are opposite to the notches or openings of the other, and
thus they (the claws and notches) will pass through each other, and allow of
the claws f, f, on the sliding bars d, d, entering into the space c, c, round the
middle portion of the edge of the door, and in locking or securing the same
the sliding bars d, d, are caused to move longitudinally in their grooves &
distance equal or thereabouts to the length of the notches or openings a, a,
and e, e, and thus bring the claws or projections b, b, and f, f, opposite each.
other, the stationary ones upon the door being behind or inside those of the
bars, and thus prevent the opening of the door, and in this position they are
secured by a small unpickable and gunpowder-proof lock or locks similar to
the method employed in the ordinary large lock now in use on the doors of
iron safes and strong rooms. The small lock or locks may in some cases be
inserted in the door as "mortise locks," the bolt or bolts "shooting" out between
the claws, so as to prevent their being moved backwards, the bolt of the small
lock or locks being "backed" or supported by the claws upon the door. The
bolts or claws f, f, and sliding bars d, d, thus constituting the "large lock
may be actuated by a lever, (g, Figure 3,) or any other convenient method,
and a knob or handle upon the door with a spindle and "follower" in the
usual manner. In some cases we prefer securing the bolts f, f, by one or

page_text: more "cross bolts "thrown by a second small knob or handle, and which
are also secured by a small lock or locks placed in any convenient part of the
door. The sliding bars d, d, may be coupled or united at the corners of the
safe or door frame by the "quadrants" and "racks" h, h, and i, i, Figure 2,
and thus made to work simultaneously on all or any of the sides of the safe or
door. For the purpose of forming the groove or channel (for the bolt
bars d, d,) round the safe "body" or door frame, we prefer using strong
"angle iron" (as shewn in section at j, j, Figure 1, and in perspective at j, j,
Figure 3,) "dovetailed" at the corners, and well rivetted or screwed to the
safe body or door frame, the angle iron being "bevilled" on one edge,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 3; and we also prefer using this same angle
iron" round the back outer edges or angles of the safe (see Figure 3) for the
better securing of the back and sides thereof.
"
"
The second part of our Invention has for its object the rendering of the
doors or other portions of the "bodies" of safes or strong room doors "drill-
proof," "tap-proof," or "screw-proof;" this we effect in some cases by the
employment or application of a "coating" or "facing" of hard cast iron k, k,
Figures 4, 5, and 6, technically known as "hard pig" or "white pig" iron,
so united to the "wrought-iron" door or "body plate" that all attempts to
"break it away" would be useless; to this end we, in some cases "run or
"cast" the "hard" or "white" iron k, k, upon the wrought plate 1, 1,
Figures 4 and 6, the latter being furnished with projections, such as screws,
rivets, "dogs," claws, or Z-iron (see Figure 4), round and amongst which the
"white" or "bard" iron k, k, is poured or cast, and thus the plates k, k,
and I, 1, will be firmly held or united together. We also in some cases drill
the wrought-iron plate l, l, with a number of holes, which we "countersink "
deeply on the inner face, as at m, Figure 4, and thus cause the "hard" ог
"white" iron to rivet itself to the wrought-iron plate or plates by filling or
running into the said countersunk holes. The wrought-iron plate 1, 1, may
or may not be heated whilst the "hard" or "white" iron is being "cast
upon it, and the latter may or may not be "chilled" on the outer face, as
may be desirable. In some cases we prefer casting the "hard" or "white"
iron k, k, separate or apart from the wrought-iron plate 1, 1, in which case we
insert wrought-iron rivets into the sand or "mould," so that the "hard" or
"white" iron may surround and encase the "heads" thereof, the body or
"shank" of the rivet being afterwards used to secure the cast and wrought
plates together, as shewn at n, n, Figure 6; and we also in some cases cast
the "hard" or "white" iron with perforations or recesses on the inner face
or side, (sec o, o, Figures 5 and 6,) these we sometimes fill with hard
"

page_text: mineral or other substance before uniting the cast and wrought iron plates
together; or in some cases we omit this, and leave the empty perforations or
recesses, our object in both cases being to break or destroy drills or other
tools which may be used in an attempt to drill or open the door, &c. of the
safe or strong room.
The third part or section of our Invention consists of protecting the inside
or works of the small lock from the action of "acids" or other chemicals
applied through the "keyhole," and to effect this we "electro-gild" them, or
coat them to any desirable thickness with gold or other suitable metal for
resisting the action of "acids" or other chemicals.
Having now described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not
limit ourselves to the precise details or arrangements herein described and
represented, as the same may be varied or modified without departing from
the nature of our said Invention; but we claim,―
First, the method or principle of dispensing with the large lock and bolts
upon the door, and using in lieu thereof the movable security portions or
"works" in the body or frame of the safe or door, as herein-before described.
Secondly, the use, application, and methods of employing "hard pig" or
"white pig" iron, for the purpose of rendering safes and strong room doors
"drill-proof."
And, thirdly, the method of protecting the interior of the small lock by
"electro-coating" from the action of acids.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Price and William Dawes, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirty-first day of August,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
three.
Witness,
BENJ. T. BECK.
GEORGE PRICE.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM DAWES. (L.S.)