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  1. #71
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    Nov 2013
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    Gilbert, AZ 85298
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    I found a automatic bolt motor vault door with combination dials on the jamb. I thought automatic bolt motor vault doors didn't have combinations?

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #72
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    Oct 2009
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    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Without more info on that particular door, it is difficult to say exactly what is going on. However on many U
    .S. made cannonball safes from the early 1900's, combination locks were often used for a " daylocking function".

  3. #73
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    Dec 2009
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    That is an interesting door. I wonder where in Wilmington (Delaware) it lives?

    It seems to be a Hollar door. In the first image, the right-hand circled object is the motor bolt winding tool. What is the circled object on the left?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    In the next image, aside from the nice beveled glass, notice there is a handle in the inside of the door. I assume this is to assist in closing the door when it's up against the wall. This is an unusual feature, I've only seen this on the doors at the Trinity Restaurant (New York City), and one other picture which I have not yet placed.But then there is another feature, circled in red (below). My guess is that it's some sort of interlock. To the left of that (circled in black) is a "ding" that is likely related.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The almost-face-on image shows the bolt rollers nicely. There is some sort of bell-crank lever to the right of the time lock, above the bolt motor, that I don't understand.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Let's look at the outside of the door:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    There are two dials on the left. The upper one seems to be in about the same location as the bell-crank. Could these be indicator dials to show the condition of the bolt motor? If so, doesn't drilling holes through the door go against all that an automatic door is supposed to represent?

    Here is the similar door of unknown location (from the Wells Fargo archives). It has the inside handle but not the bell-crank thing. And it's more clear that there are two rollers per bolt.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #74
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    Oct 2009
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    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    Although that bellcrank does not appear to be connected, having the capability of checking the operation of the timelock/bolt motor with the door open is an important function in vault maintenance. So my guess is that explains the extra features.

  5. #75
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    Nov 2013
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    Gilbert, AZ 85298
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    I was informed (on another Safe/Vault forum) that the combinations are 'one of Hollar's upgrades'. I assume the combinations unlock a device inside the vault that disengages the latch, shown above the 3 o'clock locking bolt. That ding may have been caused by the interior latch device.

    The outside pic shows a left-hand reverse swing door but the Hollar is a right-hand reverse swing door. Interestingly, this door has pad locked combination covers.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #76
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    Dec 2009
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    Good spotting on the door's handedness. I was looking at Alamy's web site for the images originally posted, and the exterior image was in the same group but is clearly not the same door. The dials were obscured in that image but in the latest image they are recognizable as locked combination dials.

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