DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1327#0398
402
THE CRYSTAL PALACE AND ITS CONTENTS;
LOCKS AND SAFES.
THE collection of Locks exhibited was very nume-
rous ; but wo shall not be expected to detail their
peculiarities.
First, were several historical illustrations of lock-
making, in Roman, old French, Mediaeval, and old
English specimens.
A contrivance by Aubin, of Wolverhampton, con-
tained the movements of the most celebrated locks (37
specimens), which, with their connected mechanism,
contained upwards of 3000 parts, all put in motion by
the awn of a lever communicating by hidden works.
Bramah's Locks were represented by the padlock,
which for many years has been exhibited in the- win-
dow of Messrs, Bramah's shop- in Piccadilly, with a
promise of 200 guineas to any artist who would make
an instrument that would pick or open the lock.
J There were also.other specimens of Bramah's locks :
I the principle consisting in an arrangement of slides,
i with a peculiar motion, which fall into notches
iu a shot-bolt, and detain it there; and as each slide
will do this, it ensures great security.
Elizabeth as KEY. Messrs. Chubb contributed specimens of their
FEiTHAJT, _.\ patcut Detector Locks and Latches. Each look con-
sists of six distinct tumblers (except iir the very
smallest sizes), working on a centre pin; all of which require lifting
to various heights by the key before the lock can be opened or shut;
and not until each tumbler is lifted to its proper position can the
stud, which forms a part of the bolt, pass through the slots in the
tumblers. A " detector," forming the peculiar feature of Chubb"a
lock, is added: and, in the event of cither of the six tumblers being
Messr;
means
ars. Chubb also exhibited a model of their Patent"Wi^
jiiwms of which a safe containing any valuable property iT^h»
to any distance below the surface of the ground, and se™ i !°v,'6ri
proof door and framework at the mouth of the well. ^y a ^
In the United States department was exhibited 'No well's Pi
t'mtie Bank Lock, by the proprietor, Mr. A. C. Hobbs {t, ent p^«.
tant feature is that the owner can, with the greatest faeilH UW?* '"W
interior arrangement to a now and more complex one at anv' BS°flu
pleases, simply by altering the arrangement of the bits of th^l"1^ ^
this is accomplished without removing the lock, or any navt i■*$> H
its iiti.vitiou on the door. Its operation is as 1^1 lows ■— U i ° , ' fr,»H
locking of the lock, whilst the bolt is projecting, the moveable Kw
lion parts assume precisely the position prescribed to them b C?mbife
according to (he particular arrangement of its bits at the timeV"'- "'■'
turned. The combination parts do not consist iu one tefc nf £ **
only, such as are found in most other locks, but there are ihwSS*
sots or component parts, fitting into each other. When tho bolt '^
jectcd, it dissolves tho mutual connexion of tho constituent ml ^ pr°"
carries along with it such as arc designedly attached to it and w^
assume the particular positions given them by the key in its vevoU-
These parts are rendered permanent in their given form by mcal f
lever adapted for tho purpose, while the parts not united wit* the b!i
IliilllTlipMiii
^:
4,U;
(iNTEKIOll).
overliftcd, in an attempt to open it by a false key or picklock, one of them
is caught by a detecting spring in such a manner as to render it impossible
to open the lock on the application of its own key. Notice is thus given
of the attempt, and the lock may be sot right by turning its key iu a contrary
direction, as iu locking.
In design the locks were of various styles. Norman, Ciothic, Klt^ihethan,
&c,, with appropriate steel and ormolu mountings, and richly ornamented,
keys.
Tho Patent Quadruple Lock for a banker's strong-room door, consists of
a combination of four separate and distinct leeks in one, all being acted
upon at the same time by a single key with four bits. For further secu-
rity, there is a check lock in addition, throwing a hard steel plato over the
large key-hole. The patent rim lock contains eighteen tumblers, with
three different detectors, each acted on by six of the tumblers, and has
been constructed to show the principle of'Chulb's three different patents,
djited 1824,1833, and 1847.
, 'The Patent Fireproof Banker's Safe is made of wrought iron, the iron
of tiio body being half an inch thick at the thinnest part, and the doors
1 inch thick, the
piv
■ent
iriliiiig.
ndor
ed thr
igliout with hard steel plates to
separate and distinct chauib
ductors of heat. Tho interior u fitted np
in a manner suited to bankers' or meeehWb
secured by two patent detector wheel locks
out all round, and are further fitted with i
locks over the key-holes of the principal loci
0 incus? uighj I '' ct wide, and ;: feet deep, a
>of, it is liu
rich tw.
Situ dried
-ors. cupboards, &e,,
ic folding-doors are
■ twenty-eight bolts
tied iron scutcheon
itiousiotM are 6 foot
jut is j tons 5 cwt.
PATEXT PAEiUTOrilO BAHK LOCK.—HBWEIiij'HEW YORK,
are pressed down by their springs to their original places. If noicthe
holt is to he returned agaiu—in other words, if the lock is to be unlocS?
—the constituent pieces, or tumblers, which are in their original saw,
must, by means of tho key, be again raised iuto that position m wiuen
they wore when the lock was closed; otherwise, tho constituent pare
attached to the holt would not lock in with thp former, and the I*,
could not be returned. ■ Nothing, therefore, but the precise key W»
had locked the lock can effect the object. This lock is said to w>
another peculiar feature, one of considerable value, that ic will witliA-
the action of gunpowder. , ij,|
Oue of the results of the Kxhibition has been tho picking of a ^
Chubb's make, and Bramah's Padlock, by Mr. Hobbs. A long 0Q4™?!*^
ensued as to the actual compliance with the conditions of _piwi^'
ease of Messrs. Braraah was referred to a Committee of mbiti-atoi^ ^,
having witnessed certain experiments, decided that Mr. Hobbs hac P -^
tho lock without iujuriug it, and Messrs. Bramah according!} l1,l:^,,j
the '200 guineas; though be had used three or four instounents,
of one, stated in tho challenge. „ ,l may
The Safe for the Koh-i-noor Diamond, tho work of Mess^. V'0"0' ^
be described here. It consists, first, of an octagon table- <&°. A^
sides of half-inch wrought-irou plates, rebated together w;th n;u° j[1(,i„s
In the interior is a fire-proof safe, 12 inciies square, and £ iee° ,,fl s&
deep, the wrought plates boiug 1 inch thick. In the oenti-9 0l \ lUltl
is a platform, !) inches square, on which the velvet cushion- J^jLj to
sotting are fixed. A hole is cut out of the table to allow th^Snll
di------id UiS ) ''■, i .-'. ■ hi order to secure tho diamonds at in'S1"'L^cA
door, a iiiehes square, in one of the panels of the table, wn'11"',^
and, bv turning a winch, tho platform gradually sank into the.*1"';,,, tfi;
sliding iivn door was drawn oyer the opening at tho top. Tb?5^
secured to the table by j, pieces at the bottom ring dropping ir' ^;
ponding boles, and tboso were locked by two separate detecfcrWj]i$ii
tho keys of these locks wore hold by the crown officers ; and wit*'
THE CRYSTAL PALACE AND ITS CONTENTS;
LOCKS AND SAFES.
THE collection of Locks exhibited was very nume-
rous ; but wo shall not be expected to detail their
peculiarities.
First, were several historical illustrations of lock-
making, in Roman, old French, Mediaeval, and old
English specimens.
A contrivance by Aubin, of Wolverhampton, con-
tained the movements of the most celebrated locks (37
specimens), which, with their connected mechanism,
contained upwards of 3000 parts, all put in motion by
the awn of a lever communicating by hidden works.
Bramah's Locks were represented by the padlock,
which for many years has been exhibited in the- win-
dow of Messrs, Bramah's shop- in Piccadilly, with a
promise of 200 guineas to any artist who would make
an instrument that would pick or open the lock.
J There were also.other specimens of Bramah's locks :
I the principle consisting in an arrangement of slides,
i with a peculiar motion, which fall into notches
iu a shot-bolt, and detain it there; and as each slide
will do this, it ensures great security.
Elizabeth as KEY. Messrs. Chubb contributed specimens of their
FEiTHAJT, _.\ patcut Detector Locks and Latches. Each look con-
sists of six distinct tumblers (except iir the very
smallest sizes), working on a centre pin; all of which require lifting
to various heights by the key before the lock can be opened or shut;
and not until each tumbler is lifted to its proper position can the
stud, which forms a part of the bolt, pass through the slots in the
tumblers. A " detector," forming the peculiar feature of Chubb"a
lock, is added: and, in the event of cither of the six tumblers being
Messr;
means
ars. Chubb also exhibited a model of their Patent"Wi^
jiiwms of which a safe containing any valuable property iT^h»
to any distance below the surface of the ground, and se™ i !°v,'6ri
proof door and framework at the mouth of the well. ^y a ^
In the United States department was exhibited 'No well's Pi
t'mtie Bank Lock, by the proprietor, Mr. A. C. Hobbs {t, ent p^«.
tant feature is that the owner can, with the greatest faeilH UW?* '"W
interior arrangement to a now and more complex one at anv' BS°flu
pleases, simply by altering the arrangement of the bits of th^l"1^ ^
this is accomplished without removing the lock, or any navt i■*$> H
its iiti.vitiou on the door. Its operation is as 1^1 lows ■— U i ° , ' fr,»H
locking of the lock, whilst the bolt is projecting, the moveable Kw
lion parts assume precisely the position prescribed to them b C?mbife
according to (he particular arrangement of its bits at the timeV"'- "'■'
turned. The combination parts do not consist iu one tefc nf £ **
only, such as are found in most other locks, but there are ihwSS*
sots or component parts, fitting into each other. When tho bolt '^
jectcd, it dissolves tho mutual connexion of tho constituent ml ^ pr°"
carries along with it such as arc designedly attached to it and w^
assume the particular positions given them by the key in its vevoU-
These parts are rendered permanent in their given form by mcal f
lever adapted for tho purpose, while the parts not united wit* the b!i
IliilllTlipMiii
^:
4,U;
(iNTEKIOll).
overliftcd, in an attempt to open it by a false key or picklock, one of them
is caught by a detecting spring in such a manner as to render it impossible
to open the lock on the application of its own key. Notice is thus given
of the attempt, and the lock may be sot right by turning its key iu a contrary
direction, as iu locking.
In design the locks were of various styles. Norman, Ciothic, Klt^ihethan,
&c,, with appropriate steel and ormolu mountings, and richly ornamented,
keys.
Tho Patent Quadruple Lock for a banker's strong-room door, consists of
a combination of four separate and distinct leeks in one, all being acted
upon at the same time by a single key with four bits. For further secu-
rity, there is a check lock in addition, throwing a hard steel plato over the
large key-hole. The patent rim lock contains eighteen tumblers, with
three different detectors, each acted on by six of the tumblers, and has
been constructed to show the principle of'Chulb's three different patents,
djited 1824,1833, and 1847.
, 'The Patent Fireproof Banker's Safe is made of wrought iron, the iron
of tiio body being half an inch thick at the thinnest part, and the doors
1 inch thick, the
piv
■ent
iriliiiig.
ndor
ed thr
igliout with hard steel plates to
separate and distinct chauib
ductors of heat. Tho interior u fitted np
in a manner suited to bankers' or meeehWb
secured by two patent detector wheel locks
out all round, and are further fitted with i
locks over the key-holes of the principal loci
0 incus? uighj I '' ct wide, and ;: feet deep, a
>of, it is liu
rich tw.
Situ dried
-ors. cupboards, &e,,
ic folding-doors are
■ twenty-eight bolts
tied iron scutcheon
itiousiotM are 6 foot
jut is j tons 5 cwt.
PATEXT PAEiUTOrilO BAHK LOCK.—HBWEIiij'HEW YORK,
are pressed down by their springs to their original places. If noicthe
holt is to he returned agaiu—in other words, if the lock is to be unlocS?
—the constituent pieces, or tumblers, which are in their original saw,
must, by means of tho key, be again raised iuto that position m wiuen
they wore when the lock was closed; otherwise, tho constituent pare
attached to the holt would not lock in with thp former, and the I*,
could not be returned. ■ Nothing, therefore, but the precise key W»
had locked the lock can effect the object. This lock is said to w>
another peculiar feature, one of considerable value, that ic will witliA-
the action of gunpowder. , ij,|
Oue of the results of the Kxhibition has been tho picking of a ^
Chubb's make, and Bramah's Padlock, by Mr. Hobbs. A long 0Q4™?!*^
ensued as to the actual compliance with the conditions of _piwi^'
ease of Messrs. Braraah was referred to a Committee of mbiti-atoi^ ^,
having witnessed certain experiments, decided that Mr. Hobbs hac P -^
tho lock without iujuriug it, and Messrs. Bramah according!} l1,l:^,,j
the '200 guineas; though be had used three or four instounents,
of one, stated in tho challenge. „ ,l may
The Safe for the Koh-i-noor Diamond, tho work of Mess^. V'0"0' ^
be described here. It consists, first, of an octagon table- <&°. A^
sides of half-inch wrought-irou plates, rebated together w;th n;u° j[1(,i„s
In the interior is a fire-proof safe, 12 inciies square, and £ iee° ,,fl s&
deep, the wrought plates boiug 1 inch thick. In the oenti-9 0l \ lUltl
is a platform, !) inches square, on which the velvet cushion- J^jLj to
sotting are fixed. A hole is cut out of the table to allow th^Snll
di------id UiS ) ''■, i .-'. ■ hi order to secure tho diamonds at in'S1"'L^cA
door, a iiiehes square, in one of the panels of the table, wn'11"',^
and, bv turning a winch, tho platform gradually sank into the.*1"';,,, tfi;
sliding iivn door was drawn oyer the opening at tho top. Tb?5^
secured to the table by j, pieces at the bottom ring dropping ir' ^;
ponding boles, and tboso were locked by two separate detecfcrWj]i$ii
tho keys of these locks wore hold by the crown officers ; and wit*'