US1688849A - Safe construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 23', 1928.

D. H. BELLAMORE ET AL SAFE CONSTRUCTION Filed June 8, 1925 o o o o oo o z .Wwww

ing the weight of the filling.

UITE STATES DAVID I-I. BELLAIVIORE, OF NEW YORK, N.

PATENT OFFICE.

Y., AND CARL P. BARTELS, OF HALMILTON,

OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE MOSLER SAFE COMPANY, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, A COR- IPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SAFE CONSTRUCTION.

Application led June 8,

This invention relates to safes, and more particularly relates to heat insulating lhngs therefor, including the composition of such fillings and the manner of their application.

It is well known that moisture is of great advantage in a fireproof safe filling, for the purpose of retarding heat conduction. Such moisture may originate from chemically coinbined wat-er (which term includes both water of crystallization and water of constitution), or from free water, or from both. The percentage of combined water and free water present usually varies with the character of the materials used. Frequent attempts have been made to utilize a filling or insulation that has very little or no free water, with the idea of avoiding corrosion and of reduc- No great success has been met heretofore, however, in finding a dry insulation that will resist the heat as well as one containing a high percentage of free water and combined water in its composition. Furthermore, dry fillings usually come in one of two classes-pressed bricks or slabs, and powdered or granulated substance. It also has been found that a form of insulation that will set into a solid mass or integral body is preferable not only to the powdered or granulated substance, which will hang loose in the safe wall, but also is preferable to pressed bricks set in the wall. The reason for this is that when a safe is subjected to a fire, the steel body expands under the heat, forming empty pockets between the actual steel walls andthe insulation. A dry filling will settle into these cavities, leaving the upper section of the safe almost entirely unprotected by insulation. Therefore, a powdered or granulated form of filling is very undesirable. The pressed block or brick form of insulation is also undesirable in view of the many joints where the bricks or blocks abut each other, providing passages for heat penetration, and, furthermore. it is difficult to fit blocks or bricks back of the Corner jambs of the front of the safe so that proper contact is made around these sections. Furthermore, bricks or blocks are costly to handle and are subject to breakage. Therefore, it is expedient to construct an insulating filling that has certain inherent structural strength and that can be easily inserted between the walls of the safe. It should combine all the advantages of a. dry insulation 1923. Serial No. 644,090.

and the advantages of an insulation having a high percentage of moisture in combined and free water form. Evaporation of the free water should not take place, but the water should be held in suspension or reserve until it is called upon to perform its functions under a fire test.

Accordingly, although the principal object of this invention is to provide a safe which is highly resistant to fire and heat, one which is structurally strong, and one which retains such qualities almost indefinitely, other objects of this invention include the provision of fillings for safes, which fillings are highly resistant to penetration by or disintegration under the influence of fire and heat, which are structurally strong, which retain such qualities almost indefinitely, which may easily and readily be incorporated in a safe as a solid mass, if desired, and which do not have corrosive or harmful action upon the walls of a safe in which the filling is used. Other objects of this invention, and certain advantages thereof, will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

Such a filling may assume several modified forms. It may consist of a poured-in filler, of suitable insulating material, such as cement, plaster of Paris, gypsum, or the like, which fills the space between the safe walls in a homogeneous mass, or such filler material may be used in combination with a built-in core. Also, in either case a wall coating may be added or not as desired. The filler niay consist of cement mixed according to standard formula, or may consist of suitable insulating material combined with suitable chemical mixtures, such as ferrie hydroxide, or the like, or may consist of a combination of granules composed of porous insulating material, such as diatomaceous or infusorial earth combined with heat insulating material, a binder and water. The core may comprise prepared pressed slabs of porous absorptive insulating material, such as diatomaceous or infusorial earth, or the like, which slabs may or may not have been chemically treated to create a waterproof coating thereon, or the slabs may or may not have been saturated with water and then coated with an evaporation-preventing substance, such as varnish, shellac, or the like. The wall coating may comprise a solution of chemical mixtures, such as ferrie hydroxide, or the like, with or without a suitable binder, such as varnish, or the like. The filling may comprise any one of the modified forms of fillers, used alone or in combination with any one of the modified forms of cores, although the use alone 0f the standard cement, untreated, is not claimed as new. The wall coating may be used as an additional element in any one of the above fillings.

In order that a clearer understanding of our invention may be had, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application and illustratingl several possible embodiments of this invention. Referring to the drawings` Fig. l is a diagrammatic, horizontal, sectiona view of a safe embodying the invention; F ig. 2 is a fragmentary section of a safe wall incorporating a filling of one type; and Figs. 3 and 4 are similar to Fig. 2 but show llings in other modified forms. Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the safe is of usual construction. including, as shown, outer Walls l, inner walls 2 spaced from the outer walls, and filling 3 filling the space between the outer and inner walls.

In one illustrative modification of our invention we provide a combination filling, utilizing` a filler of suitable, poured-in insulating` material 1l, such as cement, and a core 5 consisting of prepared, pressed slabs or blocks of suitable porous, absorptive, insulating material, such as diatomaeeous or infusorial earth, from which slabs all, or nearly all, free water has been excluded, but in which there is a certain/j percentage of chemically combined water. The blocks are preferably formed under pressure, thereby causing the blocks to be compact, and to have considerable inherent structural strength. The filler may be poured into the safe between the outside and inside walls, until the space between these walls is filled to a certain point, say one-third full, or thereabouts, and then the pressed slabs 5 may be placed between the walls of the safe in the filler solution in such a way as to form a core in the filler completely surrounded thereby. The blocks are built to convenient size and thickness, the latter being preferably between twenty and sixty per cent of the thickness of the space between the outside and inside wall of the safe. The thickness of the blocks may be decreased or increased according to the results it is desired to obtain. Zhen the pressed blocks have been inserted in the filler, if necessary, additional filler material is poured between the walls of the safe to cover them. The opening of the safe through which the pouring took place is then covered up in the usual way.

Such. a filling provides a lighter weight filling than the standard cement filling as4 heretofore used, but is slightly heavier than an all dry filling. It possesses practically all of the structural strength of an all cement filling and can be placed or inserted in the Walls of the safe at practically no more. labor cost than an all cement filling. The core of compressed bricks or blocks of porous. absorptive, comparatively dry material, acts as a sponge and absorbs a very large portion of the free water in the surrounding poured-in filler. By reason of the nature of the material and the method of' its construction it is capable of absorbing` several times its own weight of water. rlhe surrounding filler material is thus left practically devoid of free water, yet it contains a considerable quota of chemically combined water. This combined water, however, will not evaporate until the filling is subjected to a temperature sufficiently high to break up the chemical combination, and this does not usually occur at a temperature below two hundred and twelve degrees Fahrenheit. The coating of filler material surrounding the core impregnated with moisture absorbed from the filler material thereupon acts as a blanket, retarding the natural evaporation of this moisture from the core to such an extent that the filling will last over an indefinite period without appreciable loss of this free water from the core, and, at the same time, the filler being practically devoid of free water, will not corrode the metal safe walls which are in Contact therewith. When a safe thus filled is subjected to a fire, the combined water in the cement is liberated as soon as the temperature increases sufficiently to break down the chemical combination, thus assisting in retarding the penetration of the heat and the breaking down of the poured-in filler. In the meanwhile, the free water held in suspension in the pressed-block core begins to exert its influence, feeding into the filler at the psychological time, and bringing into play the full force of this heat resist-ing moisture. In addition to these reactions, the core of pressed material itself acts as a heat baffle. lts composition is such that it is a good nonconductor of heat as well as a fire resistant, and in addition, it has a certain amount of combined water, which creates released moisture under high temperature and which assists in preventing heat from penetrating through its body. This heat baffle assists in preserving the filler material back of the core (next to the inside wall of the safe) and in addition, in view of its solid construction, stops any heat penetration which may come through cracks, checks or shrinkage formed on the outside face of the surrounding filler by the intense heat of a fire.

It is obvious that a filling of this nature can be inserted more satisfactorily in safes than either a dry granular filling or a filling made up solely of blocks, since the filler material may be inserted into the safe body in a semiliquid state, being easily pourable and filling G. if i" t-he corners and pockets with a compact mass. By reason of the filler material being poured in the safe in a semi-liquid form, there are no crevices, cracks or joints allowing heat penetration through the walls of the safe. 'There is a minimum danger of the iron parts of the safe corroding because of the free water in adjacent filler material having been absorbed to a lai'ge extent by the compressed absorptive core embedded therein. Evaporation of the free water in the filling is reduced to a negligible quantity because practically all of the free water has been absorbed by the core inside the cement, and is confined there by the surrounding filler material which acts as an evaporation preventing coating about the core. Theoretically, the action of the core in absorbing the water carries to the pores of the outside surface of the core itself a certain percentage of the cement granulations, which have a tendency to form a skin and seal up the outside surface of the coi'e after the free water has been absorbed from the cement. A filling constructed in this manner has practically the same amount of structural strength as a lilling made up of solid cement, and a great deal more structural strength than any light-weight dry filler heretofore used.

In a second illustrative modification of our invention the filling is constructed on-the basis of that described in the above modification of our invention, i. e. a core 5 of pressed7 porous, insulating material, embedded in a poured-in filler of insulating material which completely surrounds the core. This core 5, however, may be chemically treated before being embedded in the filler, for the purpose of assisting in forming a homogeneous skin or coating 6 over the sui face of the core to prevent evaporation of the water which the core absorbs from the filler, or which has been otherwise introduced therein, up to the time the filling is subjected to a heat or fire hazard. In addition7 this chemical coating can be so made as to react under heat to exude itself through the surrounding filler walls and to form a gelatinous or cohesive substance on the outside surface of said filler walls which tends to fill up any cracks, crevices or shrinkage checks that may appear under the action of intense heat, and thus to prevent the filtration or conduction of the heat through said cracks. Furthermore, this coating tends to neutralize any hydrogen gas, which may have been formed, as through the oxidization of the steel walls of the safe in contact with steam resulting from moisture in t-he safe Vaporizing` under high temperature.

To prepare the core and to produce said coating the core is impregnated with water, and also with solutions of suitable metallic salts, such as ferrie or ferrous sulphate, or aluminum sulphate or the like, and is then treated with a suitable alkaline hydroxide, such as ammonium hydroxide. Upon removal, the block is allowed to stand until a gelatinous coating 6 is formed over the entire exposed surface of the block. It is thereupon inserted in the liquid iiller material which is being poured into the safe, in the manner above described. The object of thus chemically treating the core is to provide an additional means for guarding against evaporation of the free water which the core absorbs from the surrounding filler, or which has otherwise been introduced therein, so as to preserve this water over an indefinite period and until called upon for use under a tire or heat hazard. This chemical treatment will very considerably assist the insulating values of the materials employed i. e., the filler and compressed core.

As one possible example of treatment, the compressed core may be immersed in a five per cent solution of sugar and water for a sufficient length of time to allow the pressed block to absorb said sugar solution to an amount approximately not more than onethird of its absorptive capacity, and then, preferably immediately thereafter, immersed in a saturated solution of ferrie or ferrous sulphate, and allowed to remain in this solution from 30 to 60 seconds; immediately thereafter being immersed in a. diluted sol ution (about 30%) of ammonium hydroxide, and allowed to remain in this solution from 30 to 60 seconds.

The introduction of the sugar solution into the core before the coating is formed thereon accentuates and increases the absorptive power of the core above its normal power and sufiiciently to cause the core to attract and absorb water from the surrounding iiller material through the gelatinous coating which is formed thereon by the above process.

In a third illustrative modiiication of our invention we provide a filling consisting of suitable insulating material l, such as cement, plaster of Paris, gypsum, or the like, in which is incorporated a suitable substance, such as ferrie hydroxide or the like, which will react under high heat temperatures, to produce a substance that will exude from the .solid insulating material and will from a coating on the outer' surface thereof, the exuded substance preferably being so con stituted that it will neutralize any hydrogen gas which may be formed and, at the same instance, will flow into and fill any heat cracks, checks or crevices which form by reason of the breaking down of the outside Wall of the cement, and will fill any space, opening or crevice that might be created as a result of expansion of the metal in the safe under heat, such expansion being apt to create pockets between the metal walls and the outside wall of the cement insulalill) tion. Furthermore, the exuded substance thus formed is preferably constituted to give off a certain percentage of moisture under high temperature and thus is adapted to enhance the heat insulating value of the filling. As one suitable substance to be incorporated in the filler l mention ferrie hydroxide, which is a precipitate of ferrie sulphate and ammonium hydroxide. Ferrie hydroxide, under heat, Will give off moisture to a certain per cent of its Weight and, furthermore, frequently will form a substance Which vvill exude from the filler in which it is incorporated and Willspread on the surface thereof which is subjected to heat, thus materially assisting in the heat insulating value of said filling. Other materials, however, Will react in a similar manner when incorporated in the filling, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. lf cement is used it may be compounded according to standard formula. rllhe combined insulating material and ferrie hydroxide. or the like, may be used alone as the safe filling, or may be used in conjunction With cores, such as 5, of suitable material disposed therein.

A mixture of ferrie hydroxide, or similarly reacting substances, and a| binder, such as a quick-drying varnish, applied to the inside iron or steel Walls of the safe structure, in combination with a cement or other' heat insulator, mixed with ferrie hydroxide, or similar material, Will secure similar results to those just described. The purpose of so coating the inside Walls of the safe with ferrie hydroxide, or similar' material, is to insure a more positive and a more extensive coating of the substance Which results from the reaction under heat. rlhe said material may be applied as a slushing, as at 7, Fig. 3, which may be quite thick, or merely in the form of a coating, as at 8, Fig. 4. The binder is unnecessary except to secure adhesion to the surfaces desired to be coated.

In another modification of our invention We provide a filling comprising a combination of cement or other similar fire insula tion, and a core of pressed blocks of diatomaeeous, infusorial earth or other porous insulating materials such as are described in connection Wit-h the modification first mentioned, except that the pressed blocks are first impregnated with Water, until the blocks have taken up the full capacity of Water that they are capable of absorbing, and then the blocks are coated With aA suitable substance or substances, such as heavy shellac or varnish or other preparation which, on drying, vill form a Waterproof coating over the blocks or core. After such treatment, the coated blocks are immersed in a plastic filler of cement, or the like, contained between the Walls of the safe, and the free Water contained in the filler is evaporated therefrom by means of constant heat, such as an oven heat, applied on the outside, Which heat should be lower than the melting point of the shellac or other coating on the core but of sufficient degree and of sufficient length of application to insure practically all of the free Water, or at least all of the harmful free Wat-er, being evaporated from the surrounding filler Walls. The purpose of this construction is first to concentrate a given amount of free Water in the core as a reserve supply to be called upon when the insulation is subjected to a heat or fire test; second, to evaporate the free Water from the surrounding cement to insure a dry condition and prevent corrosion of the metal parts of the safe which are in contact With the filler; and thirdly, to reduce the Weight to some extent. Moreover, by confining the free Water in the core under a protective coating, and by covering the core With the filler, said Water will remain in the filling indenitely and Will not be subject to evaporation such as takes place even under normal conditions, when the Water is in the cement. rihe filling combines these three important features; i. e., it is practically dry, fairly light in Weight, and will last over an indefinite period Without appreciable impairment of its excellent fire insulating efficiency. It has been found that a compressed block of dry insulated material, such as diatomaceous or infusorial earth, or similar substance, will absorb several times its Weight of Water, and that by coating such a satura-ted block With a Waterproof substance, such as heavy varnish or shellac, the block Will be impervious to evaporation over a. protracted period of time. llVhen a filling of the character just described is subjected to a. fire or heat, the high temperature will cause a breaking down of the coating and Will liberate free Water previously held in suspension in the block, which water will exert its influence as a heat resistant throughout the Whole mass of insulation.

In a further modification of this invention We provid-e a filling consisting of a combination of granules consisting of diatomaceous or infusorial earth or other suitable material, and a certain percentage of either gypsum, cement or other heat insulators, functioning as suitable binders, these materials being mixed with Water to form a semi-liquid composition, the granules, however, being first treated chemically With ferric hydroxide or other similar agents. Filling material compounded in this manner can be prepared easily and can be poured in a plastic or semiliquid condition between the Walls of a fireproof safe or other fire-resisting structure, and Will produce a filling having fire-insulating characteristics similar to those referred to in the second modification described above. Such a filler is shown at 9, Fig. 4.

The above illustrative modications are by no means the only combinations of the above fillers, cores and Wall coatings that may be had. It is obvious that the filling may comprise a Wall coating in combination with any one of t-he lillers above described used either alone or With any one of the cores above described. Also any one of the above fillers may be used with any one of the cores Without a Wall coating. Any one of the fillers may be used Without a wall coating or without any of the cores, and, if it is desired to provide a filling consisting of cores Without a ller, any of Vthe above described cores may be used therefor either with or Without a Wall coating.

For the above purposes it has been found suitable to use for the various fillers hydraulic cement, which is a composition of suitable grades of cements, such as Louisville or Lisbon, but it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the exclusive use of cement, since other heat insulating materials, such as gypsum or plaster of Paris, or the like, Will serve as Well. rIhe term impregnated as used herein covers both saturation and less than saturation.

As many changes could be made in the above construct-ion and many apparently Widely dierent embodiments of this invention could be made Without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What We claim is:

1. In safe construction, a filling including a core embedded in heat insulating material, said core containing moisture and having a surface coating preventing loss of moisture from the core under normal temperatures.

2. In safe construction, a filling including a core embedded in heat insulating material, said core of compact pieces of heat insulating material, containing moisture and having a surface coating preventing loss of moisture from the core underl normal temperatures.

3. In safe construction, a filling including a core embedded in heat insulating material, said core of compact pieces of heat insulating material, containing moisture in the free state and having a surface coating preventing loss of moisture from the core under normal temperatures.

4. In safe construction, a filling including a coreegmbyeddedLinheat insulating material,

the core containing moisture and painted With a Waterproof substance, such as shellac.

5. In safe construction, a iilling including a core embedded in heat insulating material, said core also being of heat insulating material chemically treated to have increased capacity for absorbing moisture, the core being saturated With moisture and having a surface coating preventing evaporation of moisture from the core under normal temperatures.

6. In safe construction, a iilling including Compact blokaef diateinaseassarthcseated with a waterproofsubstance and embedded in cement.

7. In safe construction, a filling comprising a core of heat insulating material chemically treated to have increased capacity for absorbing moisture, said core being saturated with moisture, a surface coating enveloping said core to prevent evaporation of moisture from the core under normal temperatures.

8. In safe construction, a filling including compact slabs embedded in heat insulating material, said slabs having a coating of a gelatinous nature on the outer surfaces thereof adapted to flovv and iill any cracks in said insulating material under abnormally high temperature conditions.

9. In safe construction, a iilling including a core embedded in heat insulating material. said core containing moisture, a surface coating on said core of such a nature as to remain in a compartively rigid state under normal temperature conditions to conne the moisture in said core, but adapted to fioiv and fill any cracks in said insulating material under abnormally high temperature conditions, liberating said conned moisture.

This specification signed this 14 day of May, 1923.

DAVID H. BELLAMORE. This specification signed this 14th day of May, 1923.

CARL P. BARTELS.

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