Chatwood lock cover

[Parautoptic]

One of the odd bits I have picked up along the way....

[Brian Morland]

Hi Phil

This item certainly extends my knowledge.

Are you saying it’s a cover for a lock – do you have sizes and a picture of the lock as well.

[Parautoptic]

Sorry Brian, this is all that I have of it. About 200mm high made of thin steel and as you can see a bit tatty. I sort of assumed that it was from the inside of a safe door to allow access to the lock or boltwork for servicing. Perhaps another member can shed some light?

[Tom Gordon]

I suspect that it covers the lock area on the inside of a fire resisting door

[Angusbuddy]

Hi Phil, It's been bugging me and not to sound as a smart ass I wanted to correct your signature motto following your posts. I appreciate all you have posted but clarificatin needs to be made. Seems you have left out the "s" in the latin phrase, correct spelling follows:

In Latin, the college motto is Et Cognoscetis Veritatem Et Veritas Liberabit Vos meaning And you shall know the truth: and the truth shall make you free.[In Latin, the college motto is Et Cognoscetis Veritatem Et Veritas Liberabit Vos meaning And you shall know the truth: and the truth shall make you free.[

As it says "and you shall know the truth"

Regards, Angusbuddy

[Russell Stoner]

Hi Guys.

Gut reation tells me that this plate was the back pan for a salespersons mini show sample demo safe.

More than likely used to advertise a new lower grade model.

Regards
Russell

[Tom Gordon]

I dont think so-safe salesman's samples in the UK were of a far higher standard than those used in the US. Chatwood's sample safes had the corner cutaway to show the quality of their product's barrier materials ie why it differed from other makes. They mainly sold to banks and railways and governments and quality was everything to them.

[Parautoptic]

[QUOTE=Angusbuddy

//// not to sound as a smart ass ////

Absolutely not, I appreciate the input.

Amazing how a simple typo can remain undetected for so long.... but as someone more clever than I once said "the man who never made a mistake never made anything" :-)

[safeman]

Better late than never in my response - I hope.

This type of plate was fitted as an access to the lock on the rear door pan of a range of fire-resisting products which Chatwood produced just prior to the last war to counter the successful imports from the US of the "Library Bureau" range of fire resisting equipment.

The new products included book room doors, document cabinets, filing cabinets, fall-front cabinets (Kardex), planfiles etc. These differed in design from anything they had previously produced. They were constructed of light bent steel outer casings and door skins using 'pressed steel corner bindings' to give greater resistance to impact in building collapse. The inner casing was of a heavier construction.

The fire-resisting material was in the form of aerated cement with wire mesh reinforcement.

The doors and frames were double rebated as a fire seal. They were usually finished in black.

The principal was covered by their 1933 Patent 429628 which also included an improved boltwork system (espagnolette type) to help prevent the doors from bursting open on impact.

Safeman.

[Dean Nickel]

A response is ALWAYS welcome!