COMPLETE LISTS OF PATENTS FOR LOCKS AND SAFES 142
Fire-Escape and Steam Fire-Engine in action _Frontispiece_
Chubb’s Patent Diagonal Safe; action of bolts 33
Chubb’s New Patent Safe, 1874, corner section 35
Chubb’s Patent Drill-Preventive; hole made by cutter 38
Reward Label for recovery of Lost Keys 42
Chubb’s Gunpowder-proof Lock for Safes 53
Dennett’s Fireproof Construction; treatment of columns 79
Shand, Mason & Co.’s Steam Fire-Engine 127
Fireproof Warehouse, plan and section _facing_ 138, 139
When it is known that cash and securities to the value of upwards of six millions are almost constantly kept in the strong-room of one only of the London banks, it will be understood that the safe custody of valuables is a subject of very great importance. Unfortunately it is a matter that has hitherto been greatly neglected by the general public and professional men; and the ignorance on the part of the majority of people as to what is real security, has given rise to this attempt to place a few facts together that will be of general use. The incidents relating to fires, burglaries, &c. are gathered from authentic sources, and from private records that have been compiled during many years.
Although before the last ten years there were but few persons who employed their skill to foil the increasing attempts of safe-breakers, the subject of locks had long been thoroughly considered. The great interest taken in the lock controversy at the time of the Exhibition of 1851 showed that there were many persons not indifferent to the efforts then made to improve the quality of locks; but it was not until the great burglary at Cornhill, in 1865, that safe-making was fairly investigated by the public. Sufficient proof of this is that in the sixty-four years preceding 1865 only twenty-eight patents for safes were registered, while in the nine years following there were no less than 122. Being myself engaged in the manufacture of locks and safes, I have, of course, some knowledge of their construction; and shall endeavour to state facts that apply to the work of every maker, and my opinions formed by practical acquaintance with this manufacture, and guided by others who have previously written on various branches of the subject.