There are two forms of oval-shaped Home Safe boxes. They were issued by banks, building societies and a few utilities. However, most utilities simply used pre-payment meters — and their padlocks are another story.With the exception of the Post Office, Lewis’s Bank, (not to be confused with the John Lewis shops), and a small number of others, most have a case with a warded lock on the top.
The more complex construction has a warded lock in the outer case, which slides over a base which carries several open tubes. The outer case has a plurality of slots for different coins. This form of oval-shaped Home Safe box is stamped on the base with the Patent Number 168 828 and is dated June 11, 1921. This patent was granted to The Automatic Recording Safe Co. Ltd of London and B’ham, England —but based in Chicago. The oval safe has separate compartments with coin slots for PENNY OR HALF CROWN, SHILLING, SIX PENCE (2x slots), THREE PENCE, there is also a closed slot on the side stamped INSERT NOTES THROUGH BASE with a round hole in the base to post the notes through. Earlier versions had a side slot for notes. The top has an enamelled oval plaque riveted in place around the lock, it reads e.g. : LLOYDS BANK LIMITED with the account/safe number, e.g. NO. 34874 engraved.
These locks are warded, and there are a few patterns. It is not clear whether the variations are intentional, or result merely from several makers being used to make the great number of boxes supplied. One variation is that there are keys of different thicknesses. It is possible to make a skeleton key which will probably open all or most of these boxes. Firstly, it is necessary to have a blank thin enough to enter the thinnest trunnion. Then a slit from the tip is needed. Once the key enters the trunnion, 2 T-shaped steps are needed to operate the lock.
The other, simpler, type of oval Home Safe boxes have a door on the bottom with a lock which in many is a 3-lever lock, but in others a smaller warded lock similar to that used in most book Home Safes. Earlier versions were of heavier, stronger construction. Some have a balanced shutter mechanism to prevent extraction of coins through the coin slot if the box is inverted. The interior is a single, uncompartmentalised container. Many have a folding handle on top, earlier ones cast or stamped, later ones of wire.
Close inspection of the door on the bottom might reveal the ends of some rivets which show the small size of the lock. These locks can generally be opened by the L-shaped skeleton included in the common set of 5 or 6 skeleton keys intended for warded padlocks. This also works on most of the bank-issued book-style Home Safes.