1931(?) Bank Vault Door

I own an old bank building built around 1885 that has a bank vault on the first floor and a 15,000# Corliss safe in the basement. Both are missing components which I'd like to try to replace, at least for display purposes.

I don't know much about the history of the bank or modifications/upgrades to the vault and safe(s). However, I do have an article that documents that the Dillinger gang came into town one evening in 1931, blew the vault door, and blew a small safe inside. (Apparently Dillinger was in jail at the time and they were looking for money to get him out!) The vault is now used as a walk-in closet. It had a lot of pock marks in the walls!

I suspect that the vault door was repaired or replaced after that (about 1931) and the Corliss probably acquired. There is evidence that the first floor joists were cut and the Corliss dropped down into the basement.

If you look at the back of the vault door, you will see that the locking components have been removed and are now missing. It looks like there were a series of metal bars with holes around the perimeter of the door and the center. The circular holes and spacers in the upper part of the door look like they might have held gears, and the upper square bars with the two holes look like they might have held the lower end of the locking bars, which probably meshed with the gears mentioned.

I'd like to learn who the manufacturer of this door was. I haven't started attempting to remove the white paint to see what lettering might be underneath.

I'd also like to fabricate the missing pieces, to the extent possible, if I can determine what the original design was. Fabricating with 3D printing is an option. This value door will never be used as a vault and would not be particularly secure anyway, so 3D printed parts would be fine.

You can also see that there were pins to hang an internal 'day' door made of bars, about a foot back from the main vault door.

Would appreciate any information on the manufacturer and the design of the mechanism for this door.

The Corliss has been discussed previously on this web site. If you happen to know of parts to make the Corliss whole again, or of another Corliss that I could use to measure the original parts to 3D print them, I'd be most appreciative.

That is a Diebold plate door and could be rebuilt by a metal fab shop, but it would have to be pulled off and the work done at the shop. Mostly round bar and long rectangular sections. As long as the door lays flat against the jamb all the way around, the only critical measurements prior to removal are bolt throw, and depth from the back of the door to the jamb were the bolts will lay behind when extended. Again this not a 3D job, just one for a regular old fashioned machine shop. I have a couple picture of similar door boltworks.

My thoughts entirely. Making up new boltwork isn't a complicated job, just careful measuring and good welding. Some of it can be bolted together. Ideal thing would be if you could get to look at an original set of boltwork and copy that.

At risk of being accused of vandalism, you might be able to make a better job of it that the original.

Attachment 18207

Very good.

Add interlocking corners and a couple of AEDs and you are good to go.

Here is a picture showing a similar door. Note that 2 of the horizontal bolts attached to the right side bolt carry bar are not attached to the left side bolt carry bar, while the other 4 bolts show attachment at both sides. These 4 bolts are actually 8 short bolts, 4 attached on the left and 4 attached on the right. The first 2 bolts I spoke of are full length going across the door operating on toggles hidden under the left hand carry bar. This is the mechanism that forces the 4 left hand bolts to move in unison but in the opposite direction of those on the right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen

Here is a picture showing a similar door...

---

Doug, thanks. I've seen that picture but did not realize it was similar to my door. I was expecting gears where the top round mounting bosses for the pivots are.

So the inner ends of the 8 short bolts just ride in the center bar then?

What does the toggle look like?

Does the handle then operate directly on the left carry bar?

Do the bolts typically have a flat on one side? Do they have a bevel?

Was there an inner cover over the mechanism? Doesn't look like it.

I can now account for all of the holes except for the four on the right...

Yes just like the door in the picture, yours has a 4 direction boltwork, with the 8 horizontals meeting in the center frame. The bolts themselves are round except for the channels machined into the horizontal bolts which allows the vertical carry bars to fit snuggly into the bolts. This tight fit is important to keep everything in alignment. Covers are not typically seen on doors of this type and vintage. Yes the handle works directly on the left hand carry bar. The 2 hidden toggles would be bolted to the 2 round mounting bosses on the right side of the door and attach to the 2 horizontal bolts immediately above and below them or possibly the carry bar. I have accounted for all the holes in your door and I don't understand which 4 holes you are questioning.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Doug MacQueen

.... I don't understand which 4 holes you are questioning.

---

Ok, I understand the toggles now. Only thing left is the two threaded holes to the right of the lock....

I also am confused about the "carry bars fitting into the bolts"... I was assuming the bolts just go through a round hole in the carry bars and are bolted in place...

By the way, the vault door is probably original to the 1885 building and certainly not from 1931. So you have the boltwork frame attached around the perimeter of the door. 2 horizontal and 2 vertical sections drilled through for the attaching bolts and drilled through for the movable boltwork. Included in the framework are the 4 very short sections for the vertical bolts. Then there are the 4 bellcrank toggles for the 4 vertical bolts, which transfers motion 90 deg. The 2 hidden toggles which transfers motion 180 deg. to the one side of the horizontal bolt work. The last two bellcrank toggles act "Packman" style on the combination lock bolt. That's the last 2 holes you were questioning. The 2 large rectangular carry bar plates which unite the horizontal bolts together are set into the flat channels milled on each horizontal bolt. Without the inset of the carry bars, you would be relying on the carry bar attaching bolts alone to hold everything in position. Learned from experience, it would not be long before the boltwork would start to twist and shift out of alignment which would then probably jamb up, resulting in a possible lockout.

Doug, nice explanation of bolt-work operation.

-------------------------------------------

Greg, if you can post or send me a clear full resolution pic of the lock-case, I may have the combination lock parts you need to get it operational.

DH