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Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:40 pm
by GWiens2001
Figure this is a good place to ask. Am looking to learn more about safe timelock movement service as a hobby. Can you please recommend books that would help me to do so? Learning this is a challenge I have made for myself.

Know we have a number of safe techs and watch makers here who undoubtedly have some great ideas. Also will be looking for a few non-functioning mechanical timelocks to dissect and repair.

For those who are not familiar with what kind of locks these are, here is one I just acquired:

Image

This piece is functioning, but want to learn more about these.

Thank you,

Gordon

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 3:49 pm
by Oldfast
Excited for you on your new goal. And quite an endevour it is! I'm of no use to you...
but there are a small handful of members that most certainly will be. Riyame is one.

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:09 pm
by Deadlock
That lock is an absolute work of art! Fantastic!

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 4:40 pm
by GWiens2001
Just adding a couple pictures of the timelock movement above:

For scale - this lock is smaller than you might think...

Image

One side:

Image

And the other side. Used a flash this time so you can see the gears. (There are a few)

Image

Gordon

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:30 pm
by Deadlock
Wow. That makes it even better actually! That's
half the size I thought it was. Definitely needs to be framed somehow, and hung on the wall. I am lovin' this little thing!

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:46 pm
by scudo
Drool. I could spend an evening just looking at that.

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 6:07 pm
by GWiens2001
scudo wrote:Drool. I could spend an evening just looking at that.


Even more addicting when it is ticking. Also more fun. My son heard the ticking when I brought it home. He commented that the box was ticking. Told him it was a bomb, just like on television. But just a tiny one since it was a small box. His eyes got a little wide, then he realized there was a grin on my face. :mrgreen:

Deadlock - have been wondering about how to display this. Don't think the budget has room for the whole assembly these would fit into. Riy has some great examples.

Gordon

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:19 pm
by Anarchy_won
Gordon, I this it would look better as a cutaway ;)

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 7:48 pm
by GWiens2001
Anarchy_won wrote:Gordon, I this it would look better as a cutaway ;)


:?

Look at the last two pictures. How much more cutaway is possible?

Gordon

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2014 11:46 pm
by Neilau
That's beautiful.

Where is the locking /actuator on it?

I can see all the clock mechanism. How does it interact with the lock?

Great find.

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:38 am
by mercurial
Neilau wrote:That's beautiful.

Where is the locking /actuator on it?

I can see all the clock mechanism. How does it interact with the lock?

Great find.


As the time runs down, the black (actually dark blue) pin protruding from the dial face near the 40hr marking interacts with & moves the trigger assembly.

This is the large horizontal bar that runs across the bottom of the dials in the picture below. When the time lock is armed, the bar rests to the left of this position, it is pushed into this position by the pins protruding from the dials :

image.jpg


...Mark

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 4:39 am
by VancouverSpecial
Hi guys,

Look forward to reading/learning from this thread as it evolves.

I found these online resources - perhaps of interest to some (last two are a bit off topic):

TMI Guide To Timelock Movements (2009)
http://www.sopl.us/uploads/1/3/0/1/1301029/tmi_guide_to_timelock_2009.pdf

A Practical Course On Horology - Horold C. Kelley (1944)
https://archive.org/details/practicalcoursei00kellrich

Chicago School of Watchmaking - [36 Lessons - pdf] - Master Watchmaking - download link
http://www.mediafire.com/download/c868g98kneaq4b8/Chicago+CD.iso

Kind regards,
Sean

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 7:59 am
by scudo
Is there any way to bypass the timing mechanism? Just thinking as it has 3 hairsprings and presumably one mainspring in it, if one were to break the time lock would cease to work, also if the mainspring winds down it would knock the timing of when the safe could be opened out of sequence and would therefore be a guessing game as to when you could open it.

Still drooling over it though.

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 8:29 am
by GWiens2001
scudo wrote:Is there any way to bypass the timing mechanism? Just thinking as it has 3 hairsprings and presumably one mainspring in it, if one were to break the time lock would cease to work, also if the mainspring winds down it would knock the timing of when the safe could be opened out of sequence and would therefore be a guessing game as to when you could open it.

Still drooling over it though.


Yes, but not sure if it should be discussed. Anyway, it would be destructive. That would be a crime against these beautiful timepieces.

Gordon

Re: Looking for safe timelock service info

PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2014 12:29 pm
by Riyame
scudo wrote:Is there any way to bypass the timing mechanism? Just thinking as it has 3 hairsprings and presumably one mainspring in it, if one were to break the time lock would cease to work, also if the mainspring winds down it would knock the timing of when the safe could be opened out of sequence and would therefore be a guessing game as to when you could open it.

Still drooling over it though.


There is no way to bypass them to get into the safe/vault. If they are broken and stop winding down they will not activate/deactivate and allow the boltwork to be opened.