US39920A - Improvement in fire-proof safes or chests - Google Patents

Description

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UNrrEn STATES Search ttoom PATENT @Erica EBEN N. HORSFORD, OF CAMBRIDGE,WIASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-PROOF SAFES OR CII-IESTS.

[o all whom it may concern,

Beit known that I, EBEN NORTON Hons- FORD, of Cambridge, in the county ot' Middlesex and State ot'Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Proof Safes or Chests, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which make part ot' this specieation, and in which- Figure l represents a view in perspective ot' a tire-proof sate embracing my improvements, the door being shown as open in order to illustrate the details or" its construction; Fig. 2, avertical section thrt ugh the same atthe line w :l: of Fig. l; Fig. 3, asimilar section at the line y g of Fig. l; and Fig. 4, a view in perspective ofthe inner shell or casin g of the safe detached, showing more especially the manner in which the shells are constructed.

Fire-prooi' sat'es as heretofore constructed have been found by experience to be defective in many respects. They usually have been filled with some material which is a bad conductor of heat, which is put in in a wet state. The sat'e is consequently liable to be burst from the freezing ofthe water. The moisture, moreover, exhales through the joints of the safe and injures its contents, besides depriving it of its tire-resistir] g qualities and corroding the casing. Furthermore, when exposed to a high temperature the steam or vapor expelled from the Jfilling forces its Way into the papers or other valuables in the safeI and injures them.

It is one of the objects of my invention to obviate the disadvantages incident to safes oi' this class, and to provide a safe which shall preserve its contents under any ordinary circumstances; and to these ends the improvements claimed under this patent consist, first,

in forming cavities or spaces in the filling of a tire-proof safe in order that when exposed to a freezing-temperature the water may he driven into these cavities by its expansion, and thus prevent the bursting ot' the sat'e or the straining or opening of its joints or seams; secondly, in the use of a composition of guttapercha and paratline varnish for coating the joints and surfaces ot the easings, which prevents corrosion and renders the joints tight.

In the accompanying drawings, which exemplify one mode of carrying out the objects ot' my invention, the safe is shown as consisting, mainly, of two shells or casings, A lf. In order to render these casings perfectly air or water tight., I take a sheet otmetal and bend it into the torni of a rectangular tube or box open at both ends and with its edges abutting against each other, as shown in Fig. 4, which represents the inner shell, A. rlhe seam thus formed is covered with an overlapping plate 0r bar, a, and fastened with a double row of rivets like a steam-boiler. A sheet, b, of metal is cut accurately to tit one end of this tube or casing A, and strips c ot' angle-iron are then riveted around its outer edge. (See Fig. 2.) rlhe plate is then slipped within the end ot' the casing and securely fastened by rivets passing through the angle-iron and the edges ofthe casing, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The other end ot' the tube or box at which the door is situated is likewise encompassed by angle-irons d, which are riveted to its outer side in such manner that their edges project within the casing and t'orin a liange, to which the batting-bar c ot' the door may be attached, as shown in Fig. 2.

The outer casing,l3, is constructed in a man ner similar to theinner one. ln this instance, however, the back plate,f, instead of titting inside the outer easing, abuts against it, and has its angle-irons g riveted to a bandV or hoop, It, which encompasses the back end ofthe sate, and the bar b', which overlaps the joint, is ri veted on the inner side of the shell. The saie is to be strengthened externally' by bands or straps in the most approved manner. The joints and seams in every instance are to be made air and water tight and securely fastened in any suitable and Well-known way. 'lhe front hoop, i, is attached to the outer shell by means of angle irons 7c, instead ot' the knees usually employed for that purpose, tirmly riveted to both hoop and shell. The batting-bar e is in like manner firmly riveted to this hoop near its inner edge, and, as the flange d of the inner easing, A, is likewise riveted to this batting-bar, the two shells are securely united. A hoop, l, similar to the back hoop, h, encompasses the front end of the safe and protects the joint between the casing B and the hoop The door M is made ot' a plate ot' metal suitably strengthened by hoops and bars in the usual manner. rEhe back plate, m, ot' the door is east in one piece with slots or grooves n in its edges for the insertion ot screws by which to secure it to the lpla-te M. A strip, o, of vulcanized-rubber packing is interposed between the two plates in order to form a tight joint. The doortmay be hung in any approved way, and an internal door may be provided if deemed necessary.

In order to prevent corrosion or the escape of moisture, I coat thoroughly all the internal portion ot' the filling-compartments with a varnish composed of one part by weight ot gutta-percha and three parts ot' paratline van nish prepared in the following manner Iheat the. varnish in a suitable vessel and while heated introduce little by little small pieces ot'lhe gutta-percha until the whole quantity is dissolved and thoroughly incorporated With the varnish, stirring the mixture all the time. This varnish is to be applied while hot with a brush or swab several hours before the tlling is poured in.

Before lilling the sate I turn it face or door downward and insert into the compartments to be occupied by the iilling rods or bars of wood or metal. These rods are made slightly tapering, and may be wrapped with paper in order to facilitate their removal at'ter the till ing t is poured in. l prefer to arrange these rods parallel to the sides ofthe sat'e and equi-` distant from each other. This, however, is not a matter of essential iml'iortanee. The rods should be long enough to reach from the trout to the back ot the safe, and it is best to have not less than eight ot' them and arranged as shown in the drawings. They should likeisc be ot'snch dimensions that when with- (rawn from the filling the aggregate capacity or' area ot' thecavities s, formed by them, will notv be less than one twell'th ot' the entire space embraced in the compartments occupied by the iilling. The iilling is poured into its compartments in a plastic or iiuid state, and when it has set77 sufficiently the rods are withdrawn, leaving cavities s in the compartments. The office ot' these cavities is to prevent injury to the sate from exposure to low temperatures, for it' the water contained in the .a en

safe should t'reeze the freezing would naturally commence on the outer sides, and the expansion thus caused would force a portion of the water into the cavities, and thus afford room for the necessary expansion, and thus prevent the bursting of the safe or the opening ot'its joints either internally or externally. After the plaster has set, the outer baclgf, is put on and securely riveted, as hereinbefore. described. The cavity of the door M is filled in a manner similar to the other compartment beforey the plates are screwed together, and a strip, o, ot' vulcanized rubber is interposed to make a tight joint.

The advantages ot my improved safe are such that it is equally well adapted to resist great extremes ot' either heat or cold. When exposed to cold sufficient to freeze the filling, the bursting of the safe is prevented by the water being driven into the cavities, as above described.

I deem it unnecessary here to describe in detail the mode otl constructing'tlie safe and preparing the tilling, as such details form no part ol" the subject matter herein claimed, and are moreover fully shown and described in two other patents issued simultaneously with this one.

lVhat I claim under this patent as my iuvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Forming cavities in the tilling ofa tireproof sate substantially in the manner described i'or the purposes of providing for the expansion of the water to prevent the bursting ot' the sate by treezin g, as set forth.

2. Covering those portions of the safe exposed to contact with the lilling with a mixture of gutta-pereha and parat'tine varnish compounded in the proportions or thereabouts and substantially in the manner described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name. y

E. N. HORSFORD. Witnesses:

A. PoLLoK, LAWRENCE A. SUEDEN.

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