Sargent & Greenleaf, Rochester, New York - 2 movements, Model #6 and #6 advertising, 6280 & misc.

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From its 1874 introduction of its Model 2, Sargent & Greenleaf sought to expand its market by adapting the basic Model 2 movement to ever smaller formats. By 1900, however, Sargent's trademark cello-bolt has been whittled down to minimum dimensions and it seemed this reducing trend would come to a halt with the Model 4. In order to reduce size requirements further, Sargent would have to make a dramatic departure from what had been possibly the most successful time lock bolt design ever. The result was the Model 6, a small two-movement seventy-two hour time lock and the first bolt-dogging Sargent time lock to abandon the cello-bolt since its inception in 1877. This was the smallest format time lock Sargent made for manual bolt boltwork.

The new bolt was moved to the top of the case behind the movements, with a coil spring that forced it up to the locked position after the door's boltwork is thrown shut. This required that the movements be wound and the bolt be cocked prior to locking. The cocking mechanism evolved over the production life of the Model 6, beginning as a key-turned arbor located between the movements at the center top of the case. This arbor was quickly replaced by a simpler button inside the the case and finally grew to the two-lobe button that could be finger-set with the door opened ot closed, as seen here.

Detail surrounding Sargent's Model 6 production is not as well known or documented as other models, but case and movement serial numbering suggest that it was first seen between 1900 and 1903, and was available until at least 1929 in three different sizes. (1) The other two sizes had a bottom release, also known as the Cleoh for use with a combination lock, and these look virtually the same, the Cleoh having only 1/32" in additional height, and the other with a conventional drop bolt which is basically a Model 4 since the Model 6 and Model 4 both share the same movement. Total production is estimated to have eventually exceeded two thousand, however only a hundred or so are thought to have survived. Smaller time locks tented to be left on the safe door when the safe was junked.

Model #6, (later no. 6201), c. 1910. This model was produced in three slightly different sizes from 1900 through 1929 with a total production of about two thousand. In the interest of trying to reduce size, this model was Sargent's first to abandon the gravity-operated bolt, commonly known as a 'cello bolt' because the early designs looked much like that stringed instrument. The new bolt was moved from the bottom portion of the case to the upper, and since it no longer relied on gravity for it's release function, it had to be biased with a coil spring that forced it upward to the locked position once the door's boltwork was in the shut position (that is withdrawn from the lock). The button located on the top of the lock, between the two movement dials was used to load the bolt spring. Since it could be used with the door closed, it was similar in function to Yale's Gesswein Attachment; allowing someone to close the safe door during the day even after the time lock was set, without actual access to the time locks. Of course in this particular lock it is irrelevant since the lock's door is a simple push button release. Around a hundred or so  of the model #6 are known to exist today. This example is in superb condition; it has the rarer push-button door release as opposed to the small hand-cuff style lock. From the Italia Bank on Broad Street in South Philadelphia. 4 3/8"w x 3 1/4"h x 2 5/8"d. Case #303, movement # 2884. file 88 

 

The knob at the bottom will keep the lock "off guard" even when the lock has been wound and would be normally be on guard. It replicates the function of the push knob found on the OEM movement in the first example. The difference is the fact the one cannot open the door and move the release lever manually, and in fact one can see the original knob still present on the lever in the modern version for this purpose, but it is no longer accessible, so the knob through a cam accomplishes this task. Turning the knob clockwise keeps the lock off guard, counterclockwise replicates the push button located on the top of the case in the first example, and one can even see the empty hole in the movement plate where this mechanism was originally. Another interesting oddity is the fact that this is a later made movement with the last type of S&G logo "Sargent & Greenleaf, Inc." on the dials instituted in 1918, and a very late movement #4609, and yet it has a decorated release lever that was largely abandoned for a plain polished surface around 1900.

 

These two photos show the differences between the interior of the "modernized" version, left, and the interior of the Model #6, right, shown in the first example. It should be noted that the case looks to be professionally cast to fit the movement perfectly and numbered, 386. The lever pin connecting the movement to the slit below the drop bolt in the left photo also has a matching serial number. What makes this retrofit so interesting is that it is a reversal of what one expects in a retrofit. That is the need to substitute a movement that no longer was serviceable, in particular older S&G movements that had two movements mounted to a common rear movement plate, with updated modular movements within the original case. Here it appears that an original movement had a case custom made to fit it what I have dubbed a "reverse rertrofit". The style of the case resembles those from the 1950's or later. Why do this? In fact the mounting holes for the updated case do not match those of original OEM Model #6 from S&G and the case is very slightly larger, 1/8" wider, 1/8 higher, but less depth at 1/2". By the time this style of case was common, all time locks used a modular movement design.

Model #6, reverse retrofit c. 1950's. A curious artifact in that it appears that the case was a later retrofit to the movement. This is unusual as the S&G older movements in their Model #2, #3, #4 and #6 series all had dual movements with split front movement plates, but common rear movement plates making them unable to have their individual movements serviced separately. As time went on these movements became obsolete to service and specialist like Andy Kotas made a practice of retrofitting modern modular movements, usually a Yale make, to substitute for the original S&G movements, but preserving the case and the functionality of the original time lock bolt dogging mechanism as it resided in the safe bolt work; an example of his work on a #6 can be seen on his page. This, however, does not appear to be one his efforts. Certainly casting a case takes an entirely different skill set than modification of movement parts and one could argue is a more difficult task, especially if this was not done in quantity. Furthermore, this reverse retrofit also included the remaking of the drop bolt work, which was not done in regular retrofits, those were largely concerned with only the movement mounting plate and release lever or snubber bar reconfigurations to accommodate the updated modular movements. So was this an OEM from S&G? If so why the difference in mounting holes and the drop bolt looks crude for their work? This would preclude a drop in replacement. It is true that S&G never made a modular two movement lock as did most other makers. Their first modular design was the Triple A and they never went back to use this for a two movement lock. S&G stopped production of the #6 in 1929, but the style of the case is three decades past that time. Anyone who has information to add, I'd appreciate hearing it. Case 4 1/2"w x 3 3/8"h x 2 1/4"d. Case #386, movement #4609, file 333

 

   

These photo shows an advertising plaque for the #6 on a dummy box above the actual time lock. The installation of a time lock was on optional piece of equipment in many safe models and could be fitted at a later date. Often the time lock was nearly as expensive as the entire safe to which it was attached. So the space where the time lock would go had a dummy box with the fancy advertising plaque to remind the owner what company's time lock should be purchased when the time came for that decision. These dummy plaques are quite rare even more so than the time locks they represent as they were easily removed and dispensed with. Few thought they were worth saving. Only the face was made of metal with the body made of wood and having the same hole configuration as the time lock.

  A

 

This is the first patent taken for the design of the S&G timebination lock by A.C. Brown on March 31, 1936, no mention of S&G is made in this paper.. A second patent by W.F. Diesel on May 11, 1937, #2,079,703 just over a year later is for essentially the same lock and is shown as an assignor to the Sargent and Greenleaf Company. A second patent taken by Diesel on the same day and just one patent number greater is the same lock, but with the addition of an electrical connector to the lock to control other mechanisms such as an alarm indicator.

                                                             S&G 2mvt-plastic.jpg (569950 bytes) B

A. c. 1940. An early type od combined time lock and combination lock Timebination. Purpose is the same as a time lock, but designed for short duration. Dual movements, 5 to 30 minutes maximum time delay in 5 minute increments. A small pin is screwed into the hole corresponding to the desired setting time. From a York safe. For an example of a combined key lock and time lock see the Mosler example. Another example of a modified time lock to deal with shorter inter-day time intervals is a small Yale make. file 96a

B. Model  6280. A modern version of the 6200 series. In the later half of the 20th century many manufacturers cut costs by dispensing with the metal door and replacing it with a screwed on plastic cover; often with integral lenses for easier reading of the dial. c. 1970's or later. file 60

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(1) American Genius Nineteenth Century Bank Locks and Time Locks, David Erroll & John Erroll, pg. 302