70 • SAFES
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Safes – Are We Playing
Catch-Up With The Criminals?
Mike Palmer FSyI has been involved in the safe industry for more
than four decades, in 1995 receiving the accolade of the ABIS Award
for “outstanding achievement in security and crime prevention”.
»»I have always maintained that
the decline of British safe making was
caused by it becoming a victim of its own
success. Commercial rivalry between the
three leading protagonists; Chubb, John
Tann and SLS had led to a creative hothouse where they all strived to develop the
new locking systems and security barriers
that would give them the competitive edge
over their rivals.
‘explosive attacks
on safes’
Chubb invented the isolator bolt-work
system in which the action of locking
the safe completely disconnected any
link to the bolt-work. Once the safe
was locked the handle spun freely, so
no tension, pressure or force could be
applied to the locking mechanism. They
also pioneered ‘bell casting’ where four
sides and the back of the safe were cast in
moulds flooded with molten aluminium
mixed with oxide nuggets – so called TDR
(torch and drill resistant) alloy. With
a bell cast safe there were no seams of
joints to be exploited – all five sides were
homogenous.
locksmithjournal.co.uk | SEP/OCT 2015
Sponsored by TradeLocks
CLEVER CONCRETE BARRIERS
Meanwhile, John Tann was working
hard to produce new ‘super concrete’
barriers. By combining chilled iron
shot with concrete and adding special
plasticisers, the patent Adamantium
concrete could be poured into the body
of the safe in an ultra-fluid state, allowing
the mix to reach every nook and cranny.
SLS was also experimenting with special
inclusions to mix with their aggregates,
including carbon fibres and metal
needles. They developed revolutionary
ceramic pegs placed over vital areas to
protect against drilling.