Safe
A safe is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or damage. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door are usually cast from a metal such as steel.
Specifications for safes include some or all of the following parameters:
- Burglar-resistance
- Fire-resistance
- Environmental resistance (e.g. to water or dust)
- Type of lock (e.g. combination, key, time lock, electronic locking)
- Location (e.g. wall safe, floor safe)
In 1835, Charles and Jeremiah Chubb took out their first patent for a burglar-resisting safe, although it is possible that safes were made by the firm before this date as the company Chubb Safes began designing safes and locks in 1818. www.chubbsafes.com
Opening a safe without access to the key or knowledge of the combination is known as safe-cracking. This is a popular theme in heist films.
Further reading
- LOCKS, SAFES, AND SECURITY: An International Police Reference, published by Charles Thomas Publishers, Springfield, Illinois, United States. (2000) ISBN 0398070792 (See http://www.security.org/ for more details).
See also
- Strongroom - a bank vault
- Safe deposit box - a lightweight safe not designed to resist violent attack
- Hollow book - Books (and various other small household objects) can be used as safes simply because they are so obvious that nobody will think to check them.
- Lock