Welcome to our world exploring the Historical, Political and Technological aspects of Locks, Keys and Safes

Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default need informations on chatwood-milners safe.

    Hi guys, as he had written milners on the plaque, impossible to resist to collect this safe. some regrets during the very hard pick-up mission with obstacles but now happy with. the heavier i managed and pray to never have an issue with the lock in locked position ! i think this the late milners, probably more a chatwood. after some google look like a "duplex" but not sure. size is 63cms X 50cms X 50cms. human size, but damn it, the weight !!!!. so details on period, real manufacturer, weight and level of security are welcome. thanks in advance.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails chatwood.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default

    [QUOTE=stephane; i think this the late milners, probably more a chatwood. after some google look like a "duplex" but not sure. size is 63cms X 50cms X 50cms. human size, but damn it, the weight !!!!. so details on period, real manufacturer, weight and level of security are welcome. thanks in advance.[/QUOTE]

    Stephane, the Duplex Minor was originally made by Chatwood in the mid 30's selling at around £35 and sold to all the main Milk retailers in the country and Branches of the Cooperative grocery chain. Having such heavily radiused corners makes it very difficult at 355 kgs to handle. It's big brother the Major was produced shortly afterwards.
    Chatwood and Milners merged in 1956 and sold on to Chubb in 1958 which gives you a date of manufacture.
    The attachment provides the main specification.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Duplex Minor.JPG 
Views:	10 
Size:	201.4 KB 
ID:	21679 Insurance Cash Cover used to be around £6,000.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    thanks safeman for details and beautiful technical fiche. i would have thought heavier. probably due to the round shape angles.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,755
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Stephane, i have brochures for the Duplex Minors and majors, I will post when I can sometime next week.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    Thanks Huw. I will be very happy with relative documents !

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Aberdeenshire
    Posts
    697
    Country: Great Britain

    Default The Duplex Minor

    Quote Originally Posted by stephane View Post
    Thanks Huw. I will be very happy with relative documents !
    Stephane, to add some interest to the latest addition to your collection I have a little historical background for you.


    It was the brainchild of H S Brucksaw the brilliant head of design at Chatwood. (attachment 1) He turned conventional safe design on it’s head with the Duplex by putting the materials of strongest resistance on the inside of the body where it would be not only be the last line of defense when fatigue was taking effect but would be difficult to access with tools unless much more barrier material was first removed to give access to the application of the tools available. (see attachment 2) where most of the back of the safe had to be removed to allow the disk cutter to be applied to the inner lining plate).


    The outer body was 3/16 inch steel and the inner body 1/4 inch thick. The door was a hollow steel casting incorporating the lockcase and filled with alag concrete. It had a curved face at the edges and incorporated Chatwood’s Curvilinear patent to prevent the insertion of wedges. The hinges were concealed which meant that it was not possible to determine whether it was right or left handed, The boltwork was one way.


    The first vulnerability to attack was that the cast steel concealed hinges shattered if explosives were detonated on the door face which quickly resulted in the addition of a back shooting bolt. (attachments 3 & 4). There was another apparent weakness which was to the benefit of a legitimate opening after an explosive attack on the keylock in that the un-cross-locked re-locker was close enough to the keyhole plug the allow it to be disengaged with a simple probe. Never exploited by criminals to my knowledge.


    Future developments after amalgamation included the addition of one top and bottom bolt.

    This must qualify as the most successful commercial safe of all time.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Duplex 1930's.jpg 
Views:	12 
Size:	10.8 KB 
ID:	21683 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Duplex disked.jpg 
Views:	13 
Size:	21.8 KB 
ID:	21684 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Early Duplex blown.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	855.5 KB 
ID:	21685 Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Duplex back bolt.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	59.8 KB 
ID:	21686

    I hope that you have recovered from your exertions.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    Thanks Safeman for all details. i print all your docs and put them into each safe concerned. this safe is intended to received all keys of others safes. so think they will be in a good place. however i removed the extra security mechanism : a plug link by a cable inside the door. if this plug fall in the hole the safe will be impossible to open so not really confident with that and sure never common burglars be able to open it. merci beaucoup mon ami.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,755
    Country: Wales

    Default

    Stephane, je suis désolé mais je ne peux pas les trouver :-(
    So far I can only find the C-M Duplex brochure for the Major version with the top deposit feature and a brochure for the later version duplexes badged Chubb, but will keep looking when I can and post when I find them.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    137
    Country: France

    Default

    Bonjour Huw. No problem. I know you do your best. This is a real game of patience before to collect all original parts and details on a safe. A gentleman sent me the original hi def photo of original transfert for the back door, so long way to achieve the project.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •