Expert: Terry V Andreasen (Andy) - 4/10/2009

Question
QUESTION: Mr Andreason....could you please tell me the function of the wheel & long bolt pictured here. I know the wheel turns a gear that is attached to the bolt and, consequently, turns the bolt. But don't understand what the purpose or function is.The door closed & 'locked', but the dial does not turn. As if bolts are not thrown completely. Noticed that the hinge-side of door is protruding, not flush, about 1/4 of an inch. If you could just briefly explain I would be VERY GRATEFUL.    Thanks....Jim Mendenhall

ANSWER: Jim,

Sorry, but your picture doesn't really show me anything, except I suppose the edge of the door protruding slightly.

However, I assume that you have a "Pressure System" door.  To give a brief description and story, back in the day. . . . .

During the late 1800's and early 1900's, explosives were fairly common and easy to obtain.  Unfortunately, some lazy individuals decided it was easier to steal money than honestly earn it.  And so, blowing up safes became a past time to some.
To thwart, this vocation, manufactures had to develope safe and vault doors that were more "resistant" to these types of attackes.

Most of the safes built from the 1840's to the 1880's were basically of cast iron construction with laminated plates or sheets of steel.  Many of these were a double wall construction with concrete, masonry, plaster of paris or other types of insulation.  This made the safe heavy and hard to break into.  However, the use of "explosives", while maybe not blowing a safe open, would at least destroy enough of the safe, to allow it to be "peeled" open.  Cast Iron being fairly brittle would shatter during these attacks.

The manufactures started designing newer safes that were made from solid sheet or cast steel.  Other materials were mixed into the steel to make it harder.  Steels like Chromium Steel and Manganese Steel were developed.  The frames and doors were built and machined to extremely fine tolerences, so that when the doors would close it would create an air tight fitting.  Unfortunately square doors don't close well when the edges are square to the face of the door and tolerances are tight, so the pressure system was designed to help close the door.

When the square door is closed, you will notice that it stops short of the face of the safe.  The face of the door is parallel to the face of the safe.  The pressure system would then "press" the door into the frame in a perpendicular direction, not a swinging motion.  (I wish I could include drawings with this).  When the door seats firmly, the handle could then be thrown, extending the bolts behind the door frame to lock the door in place.
Opening the door would be the opposite.  After unlocking the lock, the handle would be thrown to retract the locking bolts.  The "wheel" would be turned, operating the pressure system which would withdraw the door from the door frame.  When the door is fully withdrawn it could then be swung open.

Some pressure systems are a very simple bar, pivot and press, others are more elaborate gear systems.

We are currently in the process of restoring three 104 year old, 36 ton vault doors with elaborate pressure systems.  These massive doors are so large that the floors in front of the doors have to be dropped 10" to allow the doors to swing open or closed.  The floors would then be raised for normal traffic when the door is fully open or closed.

It sounds to me like your door is unlocked but either the bolt work is partially thrown and jammed, or the door and pressure system are partially jammed.  Rust and debris in between the frame and door can jam them up.  If you cannot figure out the problem or get it opened, you should call a reputable safe company to have it repaired.  Check its operation completely before attempting to close and lock the door.
Hope this has answered your questions

Andy

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

QUESTION: Yes, I believe it is the pressure type you mentioned. This picture is the one I meant to send. After talking on the phone previously with the 'best' person available, he insinuated this could be $1,000 or more to open door. Does this sound right?  I hope not.  thanks again, Jim
Also, the end of the long bolt fitting into the slot on the left side was bent & has broken off. About an inch long.

Answer
Jim,

Yes, this is a light weight, crane hinge, pressure bar door.  It looks like a Hall's Safe & Lock Co., door pre-1892, but I would need to see more pictures to really Id it.  It has a really unique dial.

Based on your pictures, I would have to say that the door is in the open position (unlocked).  But the door is jammed in the frame.  Someone may have slammed it shut.

The first thing I would do is get rid of this "best" person available - never speak to him again - save your $1000 bucks.  I do recommend that you have a trained professional safe company service the door.  Do not use a locksmith as they generally don't know anything about safes or vault doors.  If you do decide to do this yourself please read the disclaimer at the bottom.

Second thing - open the door yourself.  Come on, you girlie man, pull that door open.  (sorry, that's the best insult I could come up with!)

Get yourself a large deadblow hammer, and several pry bars of different sizes.  Obviously, the more tools that you have available, the fewer you will actually need, but sounds like you need the exercise!  Oops, my bad, again!

Where I would start would be to remove the main pressure bar (accross the center of the door), remove the compressor lugs on each side of the frame and door.  Mark the gears so that you can reengage them in the same place.
Fabricate blocks to pry against, and bolt them into the spots on the edge of the door where you removed the compressor lugs.  This will give you something to pry against.  If you are really creative you could make something that a small hydraulic car jack could press against.
It won't take much for the door to become unstuck, so becareful that your "rig" doesn't drop off the door and land on your foot.
Once the door opens, re-install the compressor lugs and the pressure bar system.

Total time to fabricate, and unjam the door shouldn't take more than 1-2 hours.

Find out what was jamming the door, fix it, clean all of the surfaces off, test operate the bolt work, pressure system and lock.  If everything works ok, you can try to "carefully" shut the door.  Completely shut and open several times before locking.

Note:  We have no way of ensuring that you will understand or follow the above instructions correctly.  This is a job for a trained safe technician that is proficient in vault door service and repair.  By deciding to attempt this repair, you assume all responsibility for any damage or injuries that may occur.  Please use common sense, and any necessary safety precautions to avoid injury.

Now enjoy yourself and the $1000 bucks that you are going to save.

Andy