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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    19
    Country: United States

    Default 1914 Mosler Strong room? Vault?door

    In need of help with a Mosler "Vault?-Safe?" door. Probably not a high security door as it was probably used for file storage. The room had an inner double (Day?) key lock door. I have the dial ring and wheel but no lock. The serial number on the handle would make this door manufactured in 1914.I really need the type of lock that was used on it or a replacement that would match. I have searched for many hours looking for pictures of the inside and nothing can be found so a am now here asking the experts. I am posting pics and hope I covered everything. One unusual thing about this door is it is a left hung door. I think i have seen only one pic online of this unless it is a double door. I am presently making a frame and building a secure room in my shop. The frame for this door is encased in concrete in an existing building but the door had been removed some 45 years ago and was sitting in the back of the room. I may have to write 2 posts to show all of the pics but want to be thorough.

    #1 &2 are showing the inner door and frame the door came from
    # 3 and 4 are the outside width and inner width of the reinforcement bars.
    #5 and 6 are the outside height and inner height of the reinforcement bars.
    # 7 distance between reinforcement bars and showing one of the locking bolts
    # 8 Inner locking handle( Bolt Locker?)
    #9 Serial # (Circa 1914)
    #10 Same
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 1.jpg   2.jpg   3.jpg   4.jpg   5.jpg  

    6.jpg   7.jpg   8.jpg   9.jpg   10.jpg  

    11.jpg   12.jpg   13.jpg   14.jpg   15.jpg  

    16.jpg   17.jpg   18.jpg   19.jpg   20.jpg  

    21.jpg   22.jpg   23.jpg   24.jpg   25.jpg  


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    19
    Country: United States

    Default Follow up to above Post

    Pic#11 Inner lock mounting holes that have been filled in, of the other 3 there are only 2 that are threaded
    #12 full length of door from bottom
    #13 and 14 Top Hinge
    #15 and 16 and 17 Top locking bolt. There was only one each for top and bottom so making 2 more and fabricating a mounting plate to join them
    #18 and 19 Dial and plate showing stamped number. Not sure if this is the correct plate as I have 2. the second one is stamped 2051
    #20 Showing the inner lock part of the handle and 3 holes, the 2 on the right are threaded
    #21 and 22 Measurement of holes and in relationship to the lock handle and spline hole
    #23 Lock handle
    #24 Closest pic of door I could find online, but mine is a left hung.
    #25 Closest inner working I could find.
    The inner workings are no problem The missing vertical bar tying the lock bars are no problem.
    Problem.... WHAT LOCK was on this door? Will a modern Combo work. I need the specs on an original (measurements etc) to see. I cannot believe in the at least 100 hours searching under different terms I cannot find anything about this door. Thanks very much for any ones time and Knowledge in advance.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,754
    Country: Wales

    Default

    What a great post and photos OP, if only everyone requesting information could be as thorough as this! Well done, I'm sure the members your side of the pond can help with the lock info, it might be a while though as some arent online very often.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    19
    Country: United States

    Default

    Thanks Huw. I just do not understand that the 130 plus years Mosler was in business that there is so little info about them. I can find info on the government items but nothing commercial. Found a couple of great de-classified PDF's on the different locks for the DOD but of little use.You can see from the photo that the bolt is almost 1 3/4 inches wide. I may have to modify the bolt or locking handle with a modern lock. From what I have found it seems that most spindles are are interchangeable. There is about 5 layers of paint that I will be removing on the face of the door and restoring to black enamel with pinstripes.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    I hate to disagree with Huw, but I must. Your post is overly complicated with way too many extraneous pictures. Adding pictures of other doors, which are not the same as yours is not helpful. Anyway so you are looking for a lock and your door is left hand. Yale/ Mosler flipper or friction fence locks will work with either hand door. Since I don't pay a whole lot of attention to models numbers, let's use dimensions and pictures instead. I am sending a picture of an incomplete lock as a starting point. Also important measurement is door thickness but it looks like yours is about 1/2" with another 1/2" mounting plate,. so the mounted tube that goes through the large hole should not be so difficult to find. This lock does not have the tube mounted and I am not sure I have it or any tube for that matter. Most tubes will be longer and cut to fit. The 3 smaller holes are for 1. Tapped hole for bolt backup stop bolt. 2. Untapped hole for pin sticking out back of lock. 3 Tapped hole for case mounting screw. Not sure why this one was there as the tube mounted lock versions did not use the case screws. Pictures to follow.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    Well I was going to send pics from my phone but they are too large to upload so I have to try and remember how to reduce.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
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    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    Well pictures may not happen today but I did find a tube that measures just shy of 1-1/4" so measure your door thickness through the large hole. There are 2 possible locks but the more common one is the most likely. In Yale it is a 024/025.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    Here you go. Yes many parts missing but probably have everything except wheel pack. The tube is on a different lock.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_4623.JPG   IMG_4620 (1).JPG   IMG_4621 (1).JPG   IMG_4622 (2).JPG  

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    19
    Country: United States

    Default

    Hi Doug, the door thickness is 1/2 in but will have to measure through the wheel mounting plate. It is at my brother in laws welding /machine shop building a frame. Will not be able to get to it until tomorrow. I will take specific pics of that tomorrow. I would love to make it as "original" as possible but is there not another lock that Mosler used for this door?
    The door sheet is 1/4 in. thick with 1/4 in strips welded around the outside and across the center (where the lock is mounted.) I had found a book listed as
    ANTIQUE MOSLER LOCK CO BANK LOCKS CATALOG B COVINGTON KY ...

    but missed the auction.
    Why is it so hard to find info on locks Mosler used on thin doors? Why is it so hard to find anything about Mosler? I found lock numbers but no info. Example #5H,10,10 1/2,120,1830. Of course 302 and 402 which are replaceable. Sorry for so may questions but frustrated after so many hours of research.
    Thanks and will post something tomorrow.
    David

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    Well now you have me confused. I am showing the exact type of lock that would have been used on the door. I am not trying to sell you my lock specifically as you may find a complete one. They are not that rare. Any other lock will require some mounting alteration. As to finding info, I have a fair amount of Mosler info. Then again I have worked on lots of Mosler safes over the years.

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