Sargent & Greenleaf, Rochester New York - 1 & 2 movements

     A

  B

     C

     D

     E

     F

A. Model #4 - Corliss. The locks pictured were shipped May 18, 1897. This model was used (in pairs) exclusively in Corliss 'Cannonball' style safes. Note original etched glass which often is missing due to breakage. Sargent and Greenleaf invented the first practical time lock and made their own movements. Most other firms, notably Consolidated, Yale, and Diebold used movements from outside suppliers mainly E. Howard & Co. Around 1902 Howard exited the time lock business and Seth Thomas filled much of this. Other makers who arrived later, as Bankers Dustproof and then Mosler Safe Co., also used American Waltham Watch Co. pocket watch movements. Beginning around the 1950's movement production shifted from the United States to Switzerland. Sargent and Greenleaf ceased production of their own movements due to high domestic costs in 1953. This lock has the company's jeweled (damascene) bronze case. They had two types of damascene patterns, a spotted and a more random 'crystalline' pattern. This having the latter. Case and bolt 1541-2, movement #2 1563 (left), 1541-1, movement #1 1563 (right). file 110

B. Model #4 - Corliss. Made to function exactly as 'A' however this is a very early example of an expertly modified time lock. It probably was done sometime between 1906 and 1915. The substituted movement is a fairly rare Banker's Dustproof Time Lock Co. product and this company was only in existence for this brief nine year period. It's doubtful a Bankers Dustproof movement would have been used after the company went out of business. The case on this example is in the best condition I'd ever seen, fully pristine deep gold plating and superb crystalline damascene (jeweled) pattern. More on this and other modified time locks. file 83

C. Model #4. c. 1890. This was S&G's standard, smaller 2 movement lock. Jeweled bronze case, spotted pattern. Case and bolt #750, movement #747. About 800 of this style were made with 30 or so thought to have survived. file 107

D. Model #4 c. late 1890's. Same as 'B' but equipped with less common solid door in place of glass. This was used in areas where heavy coin bags could come into contact with the time lock's door. Crystalline pattern is well illustrated. Dials have Sargent & Greenleaf Co. on them. Another solid door lock illustrating the spotted pattern. Case and bolt #1690, movement #1685 file 87

E. Model #4. c. 1930's. A later version with polished case. Versions, post 1918, had the name Sargent & Greenleaf, Inc. on the time dials. Engraving was eliminated from the rear plate, bolt work and drop lever. All versions of the model 4 cost $400, just as much as the larger and equally secure model 3 and 2. Sargent continued to make the model 4 at least through 1950, with total production eventually exceeding 5000 units, making it Sargent & Greenleaf's most successful design. However, like most small-format time locks, the model 4 was commonly mounted in smaller safes and often junked or scrapped with the safe. Consequently the model 4 is still rather rare with about 200 examples of all versions surviving. (1). Case #3465, movement #4933. file 81

F. Model #4B, also known as the Cleoh. Almost all S&G time locks were designed to operate by blocking the bolt work on the vault door. This model, with it's modified dog arm, was designed (as was the company's first time lock, the model 1) to operate directly on the combination lock. Jeweled crystalline style bronze case. Fewer than two hundred were made. Less than a dozen are thought to have survived. Case #4B-2606, movement #2933 file 35