Holdups Thwarted by Burglar Trapdoor (Oct, 1931)

Sadly, there are all too few surprise trapdoors remaining in operation today.

Holdups Thwarted by Burglar Trapdoor

IMPRISONING bank burglars by suddenly opening up a yawning pit at their feet is the somewhat unique and highly effective means which a recently invented burglar trap employs to nip holdup schemes in the bud.

When a thief walks up to a cashier’s window and orders all hands elevated, the bank employee simply reaches down — very quickly, of course—and pushes a lever, which operates a trap door before the window. The bandit falls through the door and into the steel-walled cage below. He is ordered to hand out his arms and then turned over to the police.

The trap door in the floor is adapted to be dropped from a normal position, at the same time sliding back the top of the cage as illustrated in the accompanying diagram. When weight is removed the top automatically slides back to cover the cage.