US2270274A - Safe protection - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 20, 1942.

c. R. DAVIS 2,270,274 I SAFE PROTECTION Filed Nov. 19, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INYENTOR. 0/1 5 DOV/6 ids ATTORNEY.

Jan. 20, 1942. I

C. R. DAVIS SAFE PROTECTION Filed NOV. 19, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITE D STAT ES PAT E'N T OFFICE SAFE PROTECTION Charles R. Davis, Rochester, N. Y.

Application November 19, 1936, Serial No. 111,670

7 Claims.

My present invention relates to burglar resisting and detecting devices and more particularly to their embodiment in safes and/orstrong boxes in which valuables are stored. In. my companion application, now Patent No. 2,203,675, I have disclosed completely such a safe protected by a plurality of instrumentalities resisting and announcingthe attempts of thieves to remove the safe in its. entirety or attack it to reach its interior by any known method. The present invention has for its object to provide simple and efficientmeans for similarly protecting the door of the safe as a unit to be used with or without certainfeatures ofthat construction. The improvements are directed in part toward protecting the safe door against drilling therethrough or knocking the combinationthereof without setting off an alarmor equivalent protective means and to produce similar results if the favorite method of pulling out the spindle of the combination by means of a wheel puller or punching the spindle through the combination is resorted. to,

and toward arrangements whereby authorized usersof the safe after the combination has been properly worked will not be able to set off the protective means by either accident or even intent. To these and other ends, the invention. resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a steel safe provided with a door constructed in accordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a much enlarged horizontal section through the safe and door in the plane of the combination lock taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation on the scale of Fig. 2 of the safe door partially broken away and partially in section with an adjacent portion of the safe or strong box wall also shown in fragmentary section, the cover plate of the lock and bolt mechanism of the combination being removed to reveal the inner parts;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged rear view in detail of the locking bolt element removed, and

Fig. 5 is a diagram of the circuit arrangements of the alarm system in combination with a semicylindrical physical showing in section of the general safe elements arranged in proper relation thereto.

Similar referen'ce numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

its combination. and locking mechanism, is really a unit in. itself and the task of protecting it adequately involves a separate problem from that of the strong box itself due largely to thepresence of the combination therein which is perhaps the most favored lavenueof attack by cracksmen.

With my present invention and in the embodiment shown, the mutilationof the combination, as by knocking off the dial or dial handle with a sledge toget at the spindle; cutting the dial off by means of a cold chisel inserted between the dial. and the dialring; displacing the spindle by driving ,orpulling, or drilling through the wall of the door around the combination, inevitably resultv in each instance-inclosing the electrical cirn far asthis invention is concerned, may be considered to conventionally represent any fire-resisting or protective material that is desired. Within'the double wall, however, is a protective material that entirely surrounds the safe body and consists, in the present instance, of a copper plate or fine mesh copper screen 4. This is thoroughly insulated from the shell and all similarly grounded parts by coverings 5 ofrubber or equivalent material. The safe door, the outer shell of which is'indicated at 6 and its inner and rear wall at 1, being mounted'on the safe or strong box on suitablehinges I0, is similarly constructed with a fillings and an inner conducting protecting plate 9 insulated in the same way, as clearly appears in Fig. 2.

It isobvious that, because of the necessary displaceability-of the door on its hinges, plate 9 cannot-be physically joined to plate 4 although this connection would be desirable in the embodiment shown to put both'plates land 9 on the same positive side of the electrical circuit hereinafter explained. The following constructionhas, therefore, been contrived to effect the latter result.

At the. forward end of the left side wall of the safe body or strong box, therev is provided a narrow vertical .chamber ll into which the main locking bolts l2 on a crosshead l3 within the door project as wellas do a pair of plungers l4 As above-.intimated the safe it door, including 5 a -m n ed nan insulated crosshead l6 connected with the bolt of the combination, as will also be hereinafter described. Plunger I4 is part of a knife switch or circuit breaker which, when the safe is locked and the combination idle, cooperates with a knife contact II in the chamber on the positively connected inner protecting plate or screen 4 of the safe body to close a circuit at this point. The plunger I4 is electrically connected on the opposite side of the insulated cross head I6 with a binding post I8 from which leads a wire I9 (Fig. 3) that goes to plate 9, although this connection is not physically shown in Figs. 3 or 4. Thus, current supplied to the safe wall plates 4 will be similarly supplied to the door protective plate 9 while the door is locked, but not otherwise.

While plunger I4 is thus established as a circuit making and breaking conductor, plunger I on the same crosshead I6 is electrically inert. Its only function is, when the door is closed and locked, to close a master spring switch, indicated generally at 20, also arranged in chamber II, the spring contacts of Which are respectively connected to wires 2I and 22 of a main circuit. Therefore, when the safe is unlocked and the plungers I4 and I5 withdrawn, this main circuit goes dead with the break at switch 20 which automatically opens.

Before fully describing the locking mechanism and its control of the plungers under the control of the combination and before describing what the circuits are for, it is convenient to pass to a description of the combination elements themselves. These consist, primarily, in the present instance, of a dial 23 provided with a knob 24 arranged for cooperative reading with a dial ring 25 in much the usual manner. Also, as usual, the dial plate and knob are carried on a spindle 26 which extends through the safe wall to the controlling and locking mechanism. This spindle is grounded (Fig. 2) to the safe structure by the latter but it turns in a fiber or other insulating bushing 21 by which the positively charged protective inner plate or screen 9 is protected from grounding at this point. It also protects the dial ring 25 through which it passes from grounding. The dial ring 25, however, is insulated from the shell 6 of the door and from the ground of the safe structure by an insulated mounting ring 28. The dial plate 23 also turns out of electrical contact with it. The two are spaced sufliciently for this purpose only, but otherwise cooperate as closely as this will allow. The dial ring is connected to the positive side of the circuit by means of an insulated binding post 33 on the ring extending into the interior of the door and connected by a wire 34 with the binding post I8.

The inner end of the spindle 26 passes through a bridge plate 29 on the inside of the door. It is insulated in its mounting from the ground of the general structure and is connected to binding post I8 of plunger I4 by a wire 30. This inner end of the spindle passes through such bridge in an enlarged opening without electrical contact. It is provided, however, with outer and inner contact pins 3I and 32 both normally spaced from the bridge and holding the circuit open. If, however, a wheel puller is applied to the knob 24 and the attempt is made to pull the spindle through, as soon as it moves longitudinally contact pin 32 will engage the bridge on the other side of the circuit, and close the same. Conversely, if it is attempted to punch the spindle, as

with a drift, the same result occurs through pin 3|.

While these constructions and arrangements are fresh in mind, it is thought best to here, and before explaining the energizing of the circuit, review the mechanical and electrical functions of this door equipment categorically with reference to the various methods of attack upon the door.

If it is attempted to drill through the door, as in an effort to drill out the combination, as soon as the drill has penetrated to this plate 9 and made electrical contact therewith, it completes the circuit on the ground of the casing or outer wall 6.

If the dial plate 23 or knob 24 is mutilated by a blow in any direction, it will contact the dial ring 25 on the positive side of the circuit and thereby ground it. If the blow is axially of the spindle, it will make both that contact and a contact through pin 3| with the electrically positive bridge 29 also, and if the knob is removed in any way and the spindle punched, the same thing will occur.

Pulling the dial off will make ground contact with the bridge 29, as just explained.

As soon as a chisel is inserted between the dial plate and dial ring, the latter is immediately grounded on the dial plate closing the circuit even before a blow can be struck.

Referring to Fig. 5, I will now explain the complete circuit arrangements, the source of energy and the connection with the alarm. These instrumentalities may be all housed in a similarly protected metal base 35 upon which the safe rests in accordance with the disclosure of my said companion application, but it is to be understood that for the purposes of this case and this invention the bell 36, conventionally shown in Fig, 5, represents any inside or outside alarm signal, gas liberation or other medium put to work as a protective device of any nature that is used or can be devised to discourage or trap the person attacking the safe. This protective device or alarm, as we will call it for convenience, is in the secondary circuit 3'! of a relay 38 and energized by its own battery B. The relay is obviously employed for the purpose of establishing a constant circuit through the alarm as a result of a momentary closing of the circuit through the relay and, in the case of the bell 36 of this embodiment, the bell will continue ringing for a long period after the momentary contact is made in the primary circuit as a result of mutilation.

Referring to this primary circuit and assuming first that the safe wall is being drilled, the connections are as follows: battery A, wire 2|, switch 2%] (closed when the safe is locked), wire 22, relay coil 39, wire 40, plate 4, knife switch I'I, plunger I4, wire I9, door plate 9, through the drill to ground on casing I. From ground, indicated by wires 4| and 42, it returns to the negative side of the battery. The relay being thus operated, the alarm circuit 31, is, of course, permanently closed until manually released or reset.

In the case of mutilation of the dial, bringing the dial and dial ring in contact, the same circuit at plunger I4 instead of passing through wire l9, passes through wire 34 to dial ring 25 to dial plate 23 and hence to ground, represented by wire 43 on the casing I.

In case the spindle 26 is diven or pulled longitudinally, the circuit is the same except that from plunger I4, it branches through wire 30 to bridge 29 to: contact pins! on Hand hence toground represented by wire 44.

It is' to be noticed that: the plunger 14, while not insulateditopreventa normal ground from the casing wall l2 and'theshellof the'door throughwhich it passes, nevertheless the registeringopenings formedtherein forthe plungerplunger l4- w ill'thenbe bent and grounded on the walls of'opening -55and the alarms and protective devicesaset off aswith any oth'ermode of been illustrated in no great detail. Sufiice it to say that the crosshead l3 of the locking bolts I2 (Fig. 4) has an extension 45 thereon provided with a verticalslot 46" anda horizontal slot 41 with anadjacent fia'ngeforming a cam shoulder 48. The bolt handle 49 by which the [leverage is obtained to throw the bolts either way is provided with a crank pin 5|] engaged in slot 46.

This is the locking bolt mechanism. In horizontal slot 41 engages a limiting guide pin 5| integral with a mounting 52 separating the fire insulation from the electrical insulation. Latch 53 falls into and engages the cam 54 on the spindle 26 when the proper combination is dialed, and withdraws the bolt 52. The crosshead [6 of the circuit closing plungers I4 and I5 is mounted on this bolt. When the safe is locked, as in the figures, a shoulder 55 on bolt 52 engages behind cam shoulder 48 on extension of the locking bolt crosshead and prevents the bolt handle 49 from withdrawing the locking bolts. When, however, the proper combination is dialed, 'by means of the dial knob and the latch 53, the combination bolt 52 is shifted by an extra movement of the dial so that shoulder is separated from extension 45 (which, incidentally, opens the circuit at I! and 20) and the handle 49 may be turned and the locking bolts withdrawn.

A safe door constructed and equipped in accordance with my invention is so simple that it can be produced at low cost for popularly priced safes, yet it is certain in its operation when so intended and is thrown out absolutely when the safe is in daily legitimate use. With the door open or closed and the locking bolts drawn or retracted, there is no danger of a false alarm occurring through the routine actions of authorized persons.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box, an electrically actuated protective device associated therewith, a source of electrical current supply, and a circuit connect ing the latter with the protective device, of a displaceable door to said strong box, electrical conducting mediums on said door and said strong said circuit-arranged in the box, atcombination lock, and means on the door and operable by movement of the combination lock for closing said switch only when the door is closed and said combination lock is moved into positionto hold the door-in lockedposition, said lock also having conductorsassociated therewith and out of contact therewith but operated by mutilation of said' lock before the mutilation is suflicient to render the lockinefiective for also closing'sai'd circuit to said protective device. 2. In a-burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box, an electrically actuated proit tective device associatedtherewith, a source of electrical current supply, and a circuit connecting the latter with the protective device, of adisplaceabledoor to said strong box embodying outer and 'innerelectrical conductance mediums protecting the door and arranged on opposite sidesof said" circuit, said mediums being adapted to close the circuit when the door is mutilated as by drilling into the same, bolts movable for bolting said door to said box, whensaid door is in closed position, a combination lockon the door for'holding said bolts in bolting position, a circuit breaker in saidcircuit including an element in the box and a movable element on the door electrically connected to'the inner conductance medium and controlled by the combination lock, said movable element on the door being adapted to energize the inner medium and to close a circuit only when the-door is closed and the combination lock turned to locking position, said movable element on the door being adapted to close the circuit only when the door is closed and also looked, and means within said door and operable by mutilation of said combination lock before said mutilation is sufficient to render the lock ineffective, for also closing said circuit to said protective device.

3. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box, an electrically actuated protective device associated therewith a source of electrical current supply, and a circuit connecting the latter with the protective device, of a displaceable door to said strong box embodying outer and inner spaced electrical conducting mediums protecting the door and arranged on opposite sides of said circuit, said mediums being adapted to close the circuit when the door is mutilated as by drilling into the same, contact means in said circult arranged to be in engagement only When said door is locked to connect said conducting medium in said door to said circuit, and a master switch in said circuit arranged to be closed only when said door is locked, to prevent actuation of said protective device when said door is unlocked.

4. In a burglar resisting safe, the combination with a strong box, an electrically actuated protective device associated therewith, a source of electrical current supply, and a circuit connecting the latter with the protective device, of a displaceable door to said strong box, electrical conducting mediums on said door and said strong box and connected to said circuit to close the same when tampered with, a master switch in said circuit arranged'in the box, a combination lock having an insulated dial ring, bolts for said door, means on the door connected with said combination lock for opening and closing the switch by actuating said combination look when the door is closed and the bolts are in securing position, whereby when the door is unlocked, the

box andconnectedwtoi said circuit, toiclosezthew same when tampered with, a master-switch in circuit to said protective device is open and means operable bymutilation' of said lock and effective before mutilation is sufiicient to release said bolts, for closing said circuit through said dial ring to said protective device.

5. In a burglar resisting metal safe, the combination with a strong box and a door therefor, an electrically actuated protective device for said safe, a source of electric current supply, of electrical conducting mediums in said box and said door and insulated from said box and said door, an electrical circuit including said protective device, said source of current supply and said medium of said box, a lock for said door, means actuated by said lock for connecting said medium of said door in said circuit when said door is locked and for disconnecting said medium of said door with said circuit when said door is unlocked, said circuit being completed when the door is locked and a medium is connected electrically with the metal of said safe, and means within said door and operable by mutilation of said lock before mutilation is sufficientto render said lock ineffective, for also closing said circuit to said protective device.

6. In a burglar resisting metal safe, the combination with a strong box and a door therefor, an electrically actuated protective device for said safe, a source of electric current supply, of electrical conducting mediums in said box and said door and insulated from said box and said door, an electrical circuit including said protective device, said source of current supply and said medium of said box, a switch in said circuit. a lock for said door, and a pair of plungers in said door movable into and out of said box by the actuation of said lock to respectively lock and unlock said door, one of said plungers actuating a switch in said circuit to close the same when said plunger is moved into said box and the other plunger when moved by said lock into said box establishing an electrical connection between said circuit and said medium of said door.

7. In a burglar resisting metal safe, the combination with a strong box and a door therefor, an electrically actuated protective device for said safe, a source of electric current supply, of electrical conducting mediums in said box and said door and insulated from said box and .said door, an electrical circuit including said protective device, said source of current supply and said medium of said box, a switch in said circuit, a bolt for bolting said door in closed relation to said box, a lock for locking said bolt in bolting position, means actuated by said look when moved into bolt locking position for connecting said mediums into said circuit and, when moved into bolt releasing position, to open said circuit to prevent actuation of said protective device, whereby said door may be opened, closed and bolted while said switch is open, said circuit being completed when said switch is closed and a medium is electrically connected with another conducting part of said safe, and means within said door and operable by mutilation of said look before mutilation is sufficient to render the lock ineffective, for closing said circuit to said protective device.

CHARLES R. DAVIS.

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