Bolt Motor Identification

**jacobrules** · 15-06-09 11:05 PM

I have this bolt motor that I am trying to identify. The guy I got it from says he thinks it is a Burton Harris but I have no way to know for sure. I do know it came out of a Diebold safe and someone had retrofitted a 3 movement Mosler timelock on top of it. I think it must have had a glass door that had the makers ID but that is missing now. This look farmiliar to anyone. Takes a 1/2" drive to wind it.

**jacobrules** · 17-06-09 10:06 PM

Here is a better picture, maybe this helps.

**Doug MacQueen** · 18-11-09 06:06 PM

Early Burton Harris patented late 1880's

**jacobrules** · 18-11-09 09:24 PM

Thanks for the info Doug. I have been told Burton Harris before but wanted a second or third opinion. The only thing that throws me about it is that every other Burton Harris I have seen had either a square or round pin that protruded out like it took a giant timelock winding key to set it or had a protruding round pin with gear teeth on top to wind up the motor.
Jacob

**Doug MacQueen** · 19-11-09 07:59 PM

I recently did a job on one of the later versions like you are describing. Still in use on a vault door outside Pittsburg. So the patents were still fairly fresh in my mind. It is definitely a Burton Harris.

**Doug MacQueen** · 05-01-10 08:10 PM

This is a later model Burton Harris after S&G bought out the company. There are two sets of springs. One to extend and one to retact. Each set has its own trigger, related lingages and sear or catch. The overnight timer and a short delay timerto get the door shut. When the unit is cranked up all the springs get compressed. There is a heavy block which is mounted to the doors boltwork. Extending out of the auto case are two sping blocks. One of these (the extension block) butts up against the boltwork block and the other extends past the boltwork block and its lip extends inward. Both of these blocks have a pin which are caught by their respective linkage catches. At rest ( unlocked) the boltwork block is captured between these two auto spring blocks. After the overnighter is wound up, cranking the auto causes the retraction block to extend out moving away from the boltwork block. Now it is already set to retract. After the door is shut the delay timer releases the central spring block to extend the boltwork. After the the overnighter winds down the retraction block pulls in carrying the extension block with it. Whew! Hope that makes sense. Is it me (probably) but I can't get the pics to come up when I hit Manage attachments.