E.Howard & Co safe lock time lock
Stockwells’ patent July 19th 1892. Time locks were often used in bank safes at that time. As electronic today, so mechanical in the past, they ensured that bank robbers had no chance of opening the safe outside the set times. These time locks always had high-quality movements, often of chronometer quality. The time lock was fitted with at least two, often three, four or more movements. Each movement had the power to unlock the lock bolt. The number of movements was intended to ensure that the safe unlocking system would always work even if one movement failed. The cases and movements were often beautifully decorated. Here is an early time lock movement without an outer case. Winding and time setting by key