Expert: Terry V Andreasen (Andy) - 1/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: Our museum has a mosler safe as shown in the attached photos.  We have the combination to the outer door and have it open.  I believe the sequence to open the main door is to insert the crank and rotate the inner locking mechanism  to release the door.  Then use the top lever to open the door.  The problem is that the crank will not rotate.  First is the opening sequence correct? Second can we gain access to the inner mechanism to lubricate or free up by removing the 4 screws and the lock ring (shown in attached picture).  Third do you know what the safe model is or where to find information on it.

ANSWER: Bob,

Well, it is a Mosler Cannonball Safe, I don't have any model numbers but they were usually refered to by size, as in a size 3 or size 5.  I have pictures of similar safes, but with extra safe compartments in the base.  I haven't looked at one in quite a while, but I believe these were automatic locking mechanisms, controlled by the time lock inside of the safe.  If your door is not opening, it may be because of a malfunctioning time lock, or rust.  These doors sealed so tightly, that a minor amount of rust would and could jam it shut.  The doors were around 12" thick and extremely heavy.  The outer sectin and the lock don't allow any access to the interior locking mechanism.
If I remember correctly, the outer lock basically jams the handle so that it can not be turned.  With the combo dialed, and the time lock run down, the door could be unscrewed and then retracted from the body.
You have a nice safe, I would need much better quality pictures to try to get deeper into operation, unless the safe is in northern California where I could look at it "hands on".

Andy

17Dec2008
Bob,

More info on the operation of your safe:

The safe is a Mosler Manganese Screw Door, model OS 110.
The door turns CCW to open.  It uses a Mosler triple movement 72 hour timelock.  The lock on the face of the safe would be used as a day lock.  The time locks are what hold the main door closed, after hours.  The lock on the face of the safe is probably a Mosler model 5H combination lock.
If your safe had the lower chest, built into the skirt of the safe, it would have a Mosler No. 1 combination lock.

Hope this helps also.

Andy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: After reviewing a similiar safe (that is open) in the Brazos Valley museum and checking the operation of ours, I beleive the problem is that the internal lock tab, which is raised when the door is rotated closed, is "stuck" in the extended position.  Our door rotates about a 1/4 inch and then feels as if it hits a solid object (i.e. the lock tab).  Based on the position of the "lock tab" when closed (upper right quadrant)and the door/frame construction it is unlikely to be able to get a penetrating oil into that area without filling up the whole safe.  Any other suggestions for confirming the problem and or a solution?  I do appreciate the information provided.

Answer
Bob,

I wish I could be more specific concerning your safe problem, but I believe this is going to have to be a hands on diagnosis.  Because of the lack of this type of safe, most safe men only get to work on them once every 5-10 years, or rarely.  Because of this lack of "familiarity", it is difficult to diagnose through an email.

The nice thing about being a safe technician is that, mechanically, it is fairly easy to figure out what a particular problem is even if you haven't seen a particular safe for years.  Hands on operation or diagnostics is much more accurate than trying to "imagine" a problem in your mind.

Unfortunately, you have a problem that is going to have to be looked at to determine what the cause of the malfunction is.  It may be a mechanical problem or it may be an operator problem.  
The picture you included of the door edge shows the locking bolt that you have mentioned, but it does not show any of the mechanical apparatus that causes the bolt to extend.  Without seeing the internal mechanism, all I would be doing is guessing.

I'm not sure where you are exactly, but B&L Lock & Safe is not that far from Brazos Valley Museum in Bryan, TX.  You may want to have them take a look at it.

B & L Lock and Safe Co.
10638 Almeda Genoa Road (at i-45) · Houston, Texas 77034
713.947.0237
281.481.0234
(fax) 713.947.0238

Andy