Not dated but the article “19th century safe beats 20th century fire” dates it to 1976
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Not dated but the article “19th century safe beats 20th century fire” dates it to 1976
Attachment 22123
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[QUOTE=Huw Eastwood;32080]Not dated but the article “19th century safe beats 20th century fire” dates it to 1976.
Huw, seeing the name of my old company again has wakened me out of hibernation. These old publications look their age but they were really intended for their Agents at home and abroad.
I was interested to read the piece on the 19th Century safe. The name of the safemaker has been mis-spelled. There were quite a few generations of the Awbury family from 1863 right up until the 1960s.
I cannot certain as to which generation this attachment refers.
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John, i Didn’t even know I had that tann leaflet until it turned up in a pile of random papers destined for the shredder. The fact that ones showed up makes me think there may be more, in which case I will put them aside ready to awaken you from next years hibernation :P:
Before I drop off again Huw I have a few items relevant to the Tann Times. I'd never heard of this one before -Quote:
Originally Posted by Huw Eastwood
Attachment 22126Attachment 22127 Quite a few overseas agents to be 'impressed'?
Attachment 22128 Attachment 22129 For as many years as I can remember this safe has been on display in the the Silver Vaults in Chancery Lane. Worth a visit.
Zzzzzzz ....
Any idea what the Tannsteel safe is with the stepped door in the third paper John? Very impressive looking unit that, combination plus two key locks and a very thick stepped door plate— very impressive.
Meant to add it looks a possible old contender from Tann for the ultimate and one-off safes category— be interesting to know more about it.
The first reference to a Tann Bankers Cash Safe is 1954. I don'f have an original brochureQuote:
Originally Posted by Huw Eastwood
so it is not possible to say how this illustration differs from the norm.
The Mark 3 and 4 were still in the pre-Stratford years. The safe shown appears as you say to be of a stronger design having a double rebate on the door and possibly a KC control key-way blocker.
This stirred the memory bank again Huw as I suddenly remembered that the Clydesdale Bank 72" Bankers required a higher specification with a ⅜" copper plate in front of the slab.
This could account for the extra step in the door to give AB protection over the whole width
and the vulnerable front bolts.
The records show that they were made in the years around 1961. The Premises Manager of the Clydesdale, Jim Miller, took security to a higher level than any other. For instance, having learned through having witnessed tests by acid attack at the Danish Test Authority he had me carry out separate tests on the Kromar Novum lock. He had test slabs of AB and AA protection provided by Chubb and Tann which were submitted the Yarrow Shipbuilding yard to be proven, or otherwise before accepting their Strongroom Doors. The lance tests as attached are of a Tann anti-lance slab being tested by BOC with two operators working in close succession before acceptance for their new Cash Centre.
It was also he when learning that one of his Ranalloy Branch safes had resisted a heavy explosive attack by virtue of the Ratner Automatic 'Safety Bold', that he had simillar protection retro-fitted to all the suitably constructed existing cash safes.
Lastly, after attending a seminar where Harry Miller of Sergent & Greenleaf explained that combination locks could in fact be manipulated, he had every Branch cash safe fitted with a time lock.
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Many thanks John always an interesting response and read ! That BOC lance test photo is a good illustration of the ferocity of the tool, not for the faint hearted operator.
The Tann safe with the stepped door locks fantastic.
Amazing information and knowledge as always thanks Safeman.
Just a quick question about the Ratner Automatic 'Safety Bold'. Is that a cover that blocks the key-way?
Redoubt,Quote:
Originally Posted by Redoubt
With much embarrassment I apologise for my typo error which should have been 'bolt' not bold.
It was the actual term that Ratner used for their automatic relocking device as can be seen at the top of the lockcase in the attachment. They, along with some other makers used a passive version of the anti-explosive device from around 1913 then Ratners came up with the fool-proof live pre-locked version around 1918 to counter blowing attacks where the opening handle was pre-stressed using a tyre inner tube and which worked fine if an old dead re-locker was slow acting. i.e.(Bottom left, deformed by lock debris)
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