Diebold Full Automatic Bankers Safe

jacobrules · 2009-06-17T22:27:46+00:00

Just so Vlad doesn’t get to have all the fun here are some pic’s of mine.

Doug MacQueen

One thing to remember when operating an automatic bolt motor with the door open, is to always remove the crank handle. On the larger vault models, the handle could break an arm as it spins back. Given the close proximity of the little timer control handle to the overnight timer release, the hole may be so a pencil or pen could be used instead of your finger. Also the two different Burton models shown in “American Genius” are earlier pre-S&G versions. The one I worked on was, like yours, an S&G but a larger model. According to one catalog page they came in 4 sizes.

wylk

Could that hole be for an optional linkage that, if installed, would start the timer when the door is closed?

Doug MacQueen

That’s a thought. Unfortunately there are so few out there, it’s hard to find pictures of them installed on safes or vaults. Most of the vault doors I have seen with autos were either Yale’s or Diebolds. Speaking which, I don’ t think that Yale time lock is original to the door. A larger S&G would have on there like in this Burton patent, showing an S&G time lock and auto on a Diebold door. Also a catalog picture.

Gordon Huse

wylk wrote
Could that hole be for an optional linkage that, if installed, would start the timer when the door is closed?

Optional linkage is an interesting thought. My other Diebold Automatic, typically, does not use a timer. Once you cock it the bolt throw is activated by a lever hitting the sill when the door is sufficiently closed. This seems a more direct approach to locking the safe. Why have a timer with just a 25 second delay? And then, if you elect to use a timer why have a linkage to activate the timer when the door is completely closed? Once you cock it, you ought to be able to close the door in 25 seconds. Maybe someone can turn up some operating instructions and/or a catalogue with a picture.

The only thing I would bet money on is if there is a hole in the lever it must connect to something.

[unknown]

Gordon Huse

Doug MacQueen wrote
One thing to remember when operating an automatic bolt motor with the door open, is to always remove the crank handle. On the larger vault models, the handle could break an arm as it spins back. Given the close proximity of the little timer control handle to the overnight timer release, the hole may be so a pencil or pen could be used instead of your finger. Also the two different Burton models shown in “American Genius” are earlier pre-S&G versions. The one I worked on was, like yours, an S&G but a larger model. According to one catalog page they came in 4 sizes.

I have been removing the handle immediately but, to be honest, even though I knew that the pin spun when operating, I didn’t put two and two together to realize a handle left in place would be a dangerous weapon.

Doug, what were the four sizes in the catalogue?

[unknown]

Doug MacQueen

Not sure how well the catalog page can be read. A hit by this Yale No.1 handle would be a knockout.

Gordon Huse

Doug MacQueen wrote
Not sure how well the catalog page can be read. A hit by this Yale No.1 handle would be a knockout.

That handle is several sizes larger than mine. Either one would do some severe damage if it was spinning and/or flying across the room.

I am able to read the catalog specs for the various Bolt Activating Devices and, presumably, they are all a different model than the Burton Harris (made for Yale). For the record, the B-H Device has a ⅞″ bolt throw and the unit measures 3 9/16 × 8 × 3 ⅛″ . The sizes listed in the catalog and those I provided include the “side flange” in a retracted position (ie. that portion of the device which attaches to the bolt connecting plate).

Doug, is there a good source for a pictoral comparison, with specs, of the various Diebold Automatic sizes and configurations? Gordon

[unknown]

Doug MacQueen

This is the best I can do on the Diebold sizes. I am not sure if there were only these 3. The time lock movements are all the same size in the pictures.

Jerzy

Here are some pics of an 1890s ’s Diebold Banker’s safe

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