Patent GB-635915-A (GB)
Title: A combination lock
IPC: E05B37/00
Filed: 1947-05-22
Abstract: 635,915. Permutation tocks. CAPDEVILA, A. S. May 22, 1947, No. 13820. Convention date, Oct. 10, 1944. [Class 44] A permutation lock comprises a plurality of wards that can be displaced, each ward consisting of two parts, 16, 17, Fig. 3, adjustably coupled together or that the combination may be readily changed, one part 17 of each ward having a ratchet 25, operated by a pawl 30 to effect displacement and the other part having a notch 24 so that when all the notches are aligned a lever 66 can be displaced and the locking bolt be free to be moved. A plate 13 mounted on the inner face of the rear plate 10 is fixed in position by means of a thumb-screw projecting through a hole in the rear plate 10. The wards are arranged one behind the other, the parts 16 being guided by pins 18 mounted on the plate 13 and the parts 17 being guided by pins 20 fixed to the rear plate 10. A tooth 23 on the part 17 engages a space in the rack 22 on the part 16 to make the coupling adjustable. When a button 42, Fig. 1, is actuated, a spring pressed pawl 45 engages, a toothed spring pressed pin 33 to position a pawl 30, which is mounted at the end of a vertically sliding bar 31 connected to the pin, opposite one of the sets of wards, each actuation of the button moving the pawl 30 to a different set of ward plates. Below the button 42 is mounted a similar one 50 which is connected by a pin 51 having an inclined surface 53 acting on a movable piece 54 suitably mounted for vertical displacement. A platform 56, formed on the piece 54, forms a rest for the bar 31 so that each actuation of the button 50 moves the platform 56, and hence the spring pressed pawl 30, vertically by an amount corresponding to the space between teeth on the ratchet 25 formed on the part 17. The wards are retained in the positions they have reached by means of spring-pressed pawls 60, one for each plate. In this way the parts 16, 17, are moved vertically until slots 24 in the parts 16 are aligned, and the lever 66 may be rotated about its pivot 67 to allow a rib 65 to enter the slots. A stop peg 69 now springs outwards to free a feather 70, Fig. 5, on the bolt and allow the latter to be retracted. When the bolt is shot the peg 69 rotates the feather 70 about its axle 71 against the action of spring 72, the feather thus riding over the peg until its snaps behind it. To scatter the wards a button 80 is provided which when actuated moves an inclined face pin 81 to depress a slide 85 supporting a platform 87. This platform rests on the rear arms of all the retaining pawls 60, and so on moving downwards it oscillates the pawls to free the teeth 63 from the wards, whereby the latter are free to fall by gravity aided by the springs 28. The slide 85 also has a pin 90 projecting into an inclined slot of a lever 92 so that on depression of the slide the lever rotates to move a pin 95 on the tooth 39 which retains the spring pressed pin 33, and latter returns to its position as in Fig. 1. To scatter the wards automatically on locking the bolt a pin 100 extends from the slide 85 through the rear wall of the lock. A bevel faced spring pressed tongue 102, Fit. 5, rides over the pin when the bolt is retracted, the pin finally abutting the edge of the tongue. The projection of the bolt depresses the pin and with it the slide 85 to scatter the wards. In order that the lever 66 may free the wards on locking the bolt, the latter carries a support 105 which has a rotatable tooth 106 which may engage the tooth 131 of a lever 112. This lever is rotatable about a pin 110 fixed to the rear plate of the lock and extending through a slot 111 in the bolt. Attached to the lever 66 is a pin 114 which extends through slots 115, 116, and 117 in the rear plate, bolt plate, and the lever 112 respectively so that on the rib 65 entering the slots in the wards the pin 114 rotates the lever 112 to the vertical position. Retraction of the bolt causes the tooth 113 to rotate the tooth 106 whereas locking the bolt makes the tooth 106 engage tooth 113 to rotate the lever 112 and hence the lever 66. The combination may be changed after the bolt has been retracted, by releasing the thumb-screw for plate 13, and moving it to the left, Fig. 3, carrying the parts 16, with it and freeing them from the parts 17. The combination is annulled by pressing button 80 and after the new combination has been marked by the buttons 42 and 50, the plate 13 is slid back to its original position so recoupling the parts 16, 17.