Untitled record

Application filed May 21,1892, SerialNo.433,876. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, George L. Damon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of 5 Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Effecting Solid Seating of Doors and Jambs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide io means automatically operating during or after the shooting of the bolts to compensate for, obstruct, or avoid the lost motion or back, lash between the holding bolts and jamb of a vault, safe or other receptacle and thereby 15 preventing the door being slightly drawn back and leaving a space for the admission of tools or explosives.

My invention may be carried out in numerous ways all of which embrace a common 20 idea of combining with the vault and locking mechanism, means operating independently of the locking movement of the bolts for drawing and holding the door closely to its seat and thereby taking up the back-lash and 25 holding the stepped sides of the door in contact with the jamb throughout their meeting faces.

In the accompanying drawings: Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent a transverse section through 30 a portion of a door and jamb, Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating the back-lash to be overcome and Fig. 3 illustrating the manner of overcoming it. Fig. 4 represents in elevation the interior face of· a door and a portion of the sur35 rounding jamb to which one form of my invention is applied. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a portion of Fig. 4, showing a wedge inserted. Fig. 6 represents a section through the contiguous portions of a door and jamb 40 just above a bolt, and illustrates a simplified form of my invention. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views in elevation and plan respectively illustrating a further modification, which operates similarly to the form shown in Fig. 4. 45 Figs. 9,10, and 11 represent a further modification in which fluid pressure is utilized for interposing and withdrawing the filling between the bolts and jamb, Fig. 9 being a view of the inner face of the door and a portion of 50 the jamb to which the system is applied, Fig.

10, a detail view of the fitting medium and Fig. 11 a sectional detail view of the valve.

Figs. 12, and 13, represent a further modified system and detail forming part, thereof, the plan being similar to that of Fig. 4 but ap- 55 plied to a circular door. Figs. 14 and 15 illustrate a further modification.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is represented a section through the jamb 5 of a safe or vault, of ordinary construction. Clearance at point 1 60 Fig. 1, is necessary for the proper working of the bolts 8. The bolt work being locked, and the door 6 drawn outward to the full amount of clearance 1, produces an. opening or space between the door and jamb as shown 65 in an exaggerated form at 3, in Fig. 2. Through this opening, as is well known, it is possible to force liquid or other explosive substances, wedges, &c., whereby the destruction of the door may be effected. This has always 70 been a serious weakness in all so-called burglar-proof doors. My invention consists in various ways and means for preventing or overcoming this back-lash as by interposing an obstacle or filling such as wedge 4, Fig. 3, or 75 by other means to be hereinafter specified.

Fig. 4 represents one system for automatically introducing behind the locking bolts of a vault or safe door at the time of locking, a series of wedges and of automatically with- 80 drawing same at time of unlocking. 5 represents the inside face of the jamb, 6 the door, 7 bolt work of any ordinary well known design, 8 the locking bolts in locked position, 9 a combination or other lock, 10 a time lock, 85 and 11, 12 lock connection of ordinary construction. 13 is a weighted frame suitably mounted to be raised and to drop. 14 are wedges mounted so as to move freely in a vertical plane upon studs 15, and designed 90 to fall of their own weight behind the locking bolts 8 and fill tightly the spaces between said bolts and jamb 5. 16 represents balanced levers pivoted on studs 17 one end of each of which has a projecting lug 18, Fig. 5, 95 which is engaged by projections 19, 20, of frame 13; the other end being in line with and engaged by projecting lugs 21 oh wedges 14. Frame 13 is supported upon and guided by studs 22. 23 are wedges pivoted at 24 100 weighted at 25 and having cam projections 26 which engage with, projecting pins 27 on the frame 13. 28 is a pinion journaled on jamb 5 and this pinion has a square head 30

522,153 adapted to receive a key or wrench. The pinion 28 is in engagement with rack 31 which is fast to and a part of frame 13. By this means the frame may be raised to set 5 position. To retain the frame in raised position, a shoulder 32 on a rod 33 having a horizontal movement through bearings 34, is adapted to be projected by a spring 35 into engagement with a notch 36 in the frame 13. io The spring 35 is confined on said rod 33 between the shoulder 32 and outer bearing 34. 29 isashoulder projecting inward from frame 13. 37 and 38 are extensions of the bolt 39 of time lock 10 and bolt 40 of combination or i5 other lock 9. 41 is a bolt pivoted at 42 to yoke 43 which is in turn pivoted at 44, 45 to extension pieces 37, 38.

The operation of this device is as follows: Before the door is closed for locking, pinion 2o 28 is turned by a wrench in the proper direction for raising the frame 13 whose projecting lugs 4G engage with lugs 21 of wedges 14 and carry said wedges up to the upper limit of their movement, indicated in Fig. 4, 25 (see also Fig. 5.) At the same time pins 27 engage cams 26 of weighted and pivoted wedges 23 and cause said wedges to swing away from the positions to be occupied by locking bolts 8 when door is closed. Upon 50 reaching this upper position, frame 13 is caught and held by lug 32 which engages beneath the shoulder 3G by reason of its spring 35 as soon as said shoulder passes above said lug. The frame being thus set, the door may 35 now be closed and forced tightly to its seat by means of the usual pressure handles. The holding bolts are then either shot by hand or automatically, the lock bolts are thrown and the locks locked. As the holding bolts are 40 thrown, the rod 33 is engaged by theend of one of them and moved outward thereby disengaging lug 32 from the shoulder 36 and permitting the frame 13 to fall by its own weight, until checked by the projection 29 striking the bolt 45 41 in which position it is held until the locks are unlocked. The frame in falling disengages its projections 46 from lugs 21 of wedges 14, also pins 27 from cams 26 of pivoted wedges 23, thus permitting said wedges 50 14 and 23 to fall by their own weight and force themselves tightly between the holding bolts 8 and the jamb 5, making it impossible to move the door outwardly at any point. All wedges remain in this position until the 55 door is unlocked. The operation of unlocking is as follows:—Time lock 10 through its bolt 39 withdraws the obstruction to the bolt work 7 and through lever 37, and yoke 43 partly withdraws sliding bolt 41 from be60 neath projection 29. Lock 9 is then unlocked and through its bolt 40 withdraws obstructions 12, and through lever 38, and yoke 43 completes the withdrawal of sliding bolt 41 and through it the release of projection 29 of 65 frame 13. Frame 13 then completes its downward movement and in so doing the upper lugs 19 engage lugs 18 of pivoted levers 16, rocking said levers on their pivots 17 and through the inner ends of said levers, raising wedges 14 and withdrawing them from their 70 positions behind locking bolts 8. Pins 27 of frame 13 simultaneously engage cams 26 of weighted wedges 23, withdrawing said wedges 23 likewise from behind bolts 8. The bolts 8 being thus released, are easily withdrawn 75 and the door opened in the usual way.

Fig. 6, shows a simplified form of the wedge principle. The bolts 8 being beveled as at 50 and corresponding wedge-shaped blocks 51 being made fast to jamb 5 directly in the line 80 of said bolts, the door 6 is closed, the bolts are thrown as far as possible and they ride upon the wedge-shaped seats 51, thus drawing the door tightly into its jamb and leaving no clearance or back-lash. 85

Figs. 7 and 8, show a modified form of the drop frame shown in Fig. 4. 52 is a weighted rod corresponding to frame 13, in Fig. 4, and intended to have similar movements, adjustments, guides and trips. 8 is the locking bolt. 90 53 is a wedge-shaped cam, thick at point 54, thin at point 55, and having an arm 56. This cam is pivoted at 57 to jamb 5. At or near the point 55 the cam 53 carries a projecting pin 58, while the arm 56 carries a projecting 95 pin 59. The rod 52 has made fast to it, arms 60 and 61. In operation the rod 52 is lifted, dogged, tripped, caught by lock bolt, released, &c., precisely like frame 13 in Fig. 4. As the rod 52 is raised arm 61 engages pin 58 and too causes cam 53 to swing upon its pivot 57 until the thin part 55 is directly under the bolt 8, so that said bolt may be readily shot into locked position. Uponreachingsuch locked position, the bolt 8 trips the rods 52 as here- 105 inbefore described with reference to the frame in Fig. 4 and the rod 52 then falls to position indicated in Fig.7. Weighted cam 53 is thereby released and it also falls and wedges itself tightly between bolt 8 and jamb 5. In no unlocking, rod 52 completes its fall, and arm 60 engages pin 59 in its downward path, and withdraws cam 53 through pivot 57 and arm 56 from behind bolt 8, thus releasing said bolt which may then be easily withdrawn. 115

Fig. 9, Sheet 4, shows a system for using fluid pressure for inserting and removing a filling between the bolts and jambs, the filling in this case being screws located in the jamb directly in line with the locking bolts. 120 5 indicates the inside face of a vault or safe jamb, 6 is the door to same and 7 represents bolt-work of any ordinary construction. 62 is a lock of any kind. 63 is an air compressor or pump of ordinary construction, secured at 125 points 64 to jamb 5. 65 is a large tank or receiver having pipes 66, 67, connecting it respectively with the pnmp and with the system. 68 is a valve, having a controlling lever 69 and rod connections 70, 71, with lock 62, 130 said rod 70 being connected by a pivot 72 and having a guide 73. 74, 75, 76, 77 are pipes leading from valve 68 to locking cylinders 78, 79, 80, 81, while pipes 82,83,84,85, lead from

522,153 valve 68 to unlocking cylinders 86, 87, 88, 89. 90, are piston rods connected with pistons in the respective cylinders and having connections 91 at center with pins 92, which are 5 fast to and made a part of levers 93, which are in turn attached to screws 94. 8 are the locking bolts of the door.

In Fig. 10 is shown an enlarged view of the' screws 94.

to In Fig. 11 is shown a section through valve 08 on an enlarged scale, 97 being the inlet, 98 the outlet to pipe 74, 99 the outlet to pipe 82, and 100 the escape vent.

The operation is as follows:—Before clos15 the door, the receiving cylinder is filled with compressed air by means of the pump 63 which maybe operated by hand, foot, electric or other power. The door is then closed and the bolt-work locked. The operating levers 20 70, 71 interlock at point 103 at the time of closing the door, thus putting lock 62 in direct communication with the valve 68. Said lock is then thrown into locked position, by which movement the valve 68 is thrown into 25 position indicated in Fig. 11, when air will pass through pipe 67, valve 68, pipes 74, 75, 76 and 77, into cylinders 78, 79, 80 and 81, forcing the piston rods 90, downward, to their lower limit of movement. This move30 ment is transmitted to screws 94 through pins 92, and levers 93, turning said screws until they seat themselves positively against holding bolts 8, where they remain until the door is unlocked. The operation of unlock35 ing is as follows:—Lock 62 is unlocked, and moves the valve 68 into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 11. This allows the air to escape from cylinders 78, 79, 80, 81, back through the same pipes by which it en40 tered them and out at the vent 100 of the valve, and at the same time allows the air from the cylinder 65 to pass through pipes 67, valve 68,pipes 82,83,84 and 85, into large cylinders 86, 87, 88, and 89 which forces pis45 tons 90, upward, and reverses the locking motion of the screws 94, thereby releasing the holding bolts and permitting the door to be opened.

Fig. 12, shows another system for the use 50 of wedges similar in principle and operation to Fig. 4, but combining the use offsprings and electricity. 5 is the inside face of the jamb and 6 is the door, which are in this case, circular in shape. 7 represents bolt55 work of any ordinary construction, 8 are the locking bolts and 62 is a lock of any kind. 105 is a frame supported by and having a limited revolution upon studs 106, and 107 are wedges moving freely upon studs 108. 109 60 are spiral springs, one end of each of which engages a wedge 107 while the others are sustained by lugs 111 on the jamb 5. 112 are lugs on frame 105, and 113 is a shoulder, likewise on said frame and designed to engage 65 the end 114 of lever 115 which is pivoted at 116 to jamb 5, and has another end 117 which engages one of the bolts 8. 118 is a rack cut in the outer periphery of frame 105, and 119 is a pinion meshing with rack 118 and made fast to shaft 120. 121 is a gear wheel also 70 made fast to shaft 120 and meshing with a pinion 122 upon shaft 123 of armature 124 of electric motor 125. The motor 125 is made fast at 126 to jamb 5. 127 is an insulated contact arm and 128, 129 are contact points. 75 The contact arm is carried by the bolt of the lock and the contacts 128, 129 are connected by wires 130, 131 with a source of electricity 132 and the motor 125 in such a manner as to make a complete circuit when the contact arm 80 is on both contact points.

The operation of this system is as follows:— The door is closed and the bolt-work is thrown and locked in the usual manner. The action of throwing the bolts disengages the hook end 85 114 of the pivoted holding lever 115, from the projection 113 of frame 105. Springs 109, force the wedges 107 (shown enlarged in Fig. 13) tightly between the holding bolts 8 and jamb 5, at the same time carrying frame 105, 90 by means of engaging lugs 112 around with them. The operation of unlocking is as follows:—Lock 62 is unlocked, electrical contact points 128 and 129 are connected by means of contact arm 127 which is made fast to but in- 95 sulated from lock bolts 8. This completes the circuit from generator 131, which energizes motor 125. The armature 124 of the motor 125 revolving in the proper direction rotates the frame. 105, through pinion 122, gearwheel 100 121 and pinion 119 and through the frame 105 and lugs 112 withdraws the wedges, so that the bolts are free and the door may be opened.

Figs. 14 and 15 show another form of accomplishing the same result. The bolt 8 is 105 made with an enlarged eccentric end 135. In operation the bolts are first thrown as in ordinary construction and then revolved by any well known mechanical device until the cam or eccentric end takes positive bearing on the no jamb 5.

It will be seen that in all the above four forms, the backdash is effectively taken up and the door held to its seat. Many otherforms of mechanism might be devised for ac- 115 complishing the same result. Therefore while preferring some one or more constructions for various reasons, I do not limit myself to any particular form of apparatus.