IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HANDLES, LATCHES, OR FASTENINGS FOR DOORS, GATES, AND WINDOWS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Wethered, of Bristol, Colliery Proprietor,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HANDLES,
LATCHES, OR FASTENINGS FOR DOORS, GATES, AND WINDOWS."
Sealed the 6th January 1863, and dated the 8th July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Wethered at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
July 1862.
I, HENRY WETHERED, of Bristol, Colliery Proprietor, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HANDLES, LATCHES, OR FASTENINGS FOR DOORS, GATES, AND WINDOws," to be as
follows:
My Invention of improvements in the construction of handles, latches, or
fastenings for doors, gates, and windows, consists principally in the use of a
lever handle, on the spindle of which is a tongue or short arm, which when
brought into a horizontal position may be inserted in a slöt or socket made
in a catch plate, which is secured by screws or otherwise to the jamb of door
post. When the door is being shut, this tongue or arm of the lever handle
is brought against an inclined projecting piece, which will cause the lever
handle to assume a horizontal position before the arm or tongue can enter
the slot or socket, and the door can be fastened. In order to do this, the
lever handle must be lifted up, and the tongue or arm pushed forward, while
in a horizontal position, into the slot or socket, and when well clear of the

page_text: projecting piece, the lever handle and the tongue or arm on its spindle may
be lowered into a vertical position, in which it will remain while in a state of
rest. In order to open the door, the lever handle must be lifted up into a
horizontal position as before, so as to bring the tongue or arm into a position
to admit of it being drawn out of the slot. In adapting my Invention to some
descriptions of door handles, such as those used for room doors, and some
kinds of carriage doors, it is desirable that the fastening should be constructed
in such a manner as to admit of its being opened from either side. To this
end there may be a lever handle on each side of the fastening, that is, both
inside and outside of the door.
In adapting the Invention to window fastenings, precisely the same principle
is adopted, but the several parts must, of course, be somewhat differently
arranged according to the description of a window to which the fastening is to be
applied, as will be well understood. I would also observe that, in combination
with this improved lever fastening, I employ a spring catch or lock fastening
for holding or retaining the tongue or arm in the slot, and preventing it from
being withdrawn until the spring catch or lock fastening is released or undone.
It will be found that my improved lever fastening will be particularly appli-
cable for railway and other carriage doors, as being much safer and yet more
easily opened than the fastenings usually employed. From the peculiar nature
of the fastening, the result of any imperfect attempt to secure the door of a
carriage must be at once and will remain visible until properly secured, and
therefore there will be but little risk of the door coming open accidentally in
consequence of being improperly secured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Henry Wethered in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 8th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
WETHERED, of Bristol, Colliery Proprietor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Fatent, bearing date the Eighth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Wethered, Her special license that I, the said Henry
Wethered, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Wethered, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at

page_text: any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,.
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HANDLES, LATCHES, OR FASTENINGS FOR DOORS,
GATES, AND WINDOWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Wethered, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months.
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that. I, the said Henry Wethered, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in, what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the,
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
.
My Invention of "Improvements in the Construction of Handles, Latches,
or Fastenings for Doors, Gates, and Windows," consists principally in the use
of a lever handle, on the spindle of which is a tongue or short arm, which can
be used single or double, and when brought into a horizontal position, may be
inserted into a slot or socket made in a catch plate, which is secured by
screws or otherwise to the jamb or door post. When the door is being shut,
this tongue or arm of the. lever handle is brought against an inclined pro-
jecting piece, which will cause the lever handle to assume a horizontal position
before the arm or tongue can enter the slot or socket, and the door can be
fastened. In order to do this, the lever handle must be lifted up cither by
the projecting piece on the door, or by hand, and the tongue or arm attached
thereto must be pushed forward, while in a horizontal position, into the slot
or socket, and when well clear of the projecting piece the lever handle and
the tongue or arm on its spindle may be lowered into a vertical position, in
which it will remain while in a state of rest.
In the accompanying Drawing
modes of carrying out my Invention.
have shewn, various views of different
Fig. 1 is a front view of one of my improved fastenings adapted to the door
of a railway carriage, shewing also the catch on the jamb or fixed part of the;
carriage; Fig. 2 is a side view of the handle and fastening, the door being
seen in edge view. a is the handle, on the spindle 6 of which is mounted a
short arm or tongue c; the spindle 6, with the tongue or arm c, is shewn
detached at Fig. 3, and, if desired, may be made tubular, so that a round,

page_text: locking bolt may be made to work therein. The handle a is mounted on the
square part of the spindle which turns in bearings in the brass side plates.
Fig. 4 is an edge view, and Fig. 5 a side elevation, of the catch plate, in which
is made a circular recess d with an opening d¹ made at the front edge thereof
as seen in Fig. 4, for the purpose of admitting the tongue c of the fastening
when it is brought into a horizontal position. The handle a and its fastening
are brought into the required position when shutting the door by causing the.
lower end of the arm or tongue c to come against the projecting piece,e, which:
will therefore direct the tongue through the opening d' into the circular
recess d, as indicated by the red lines in Fig. 6, which is a sectional view of
the fastening. Sometimes, however, I dispense with the projecting piece e, as
shewn in Fig. 7, but it will then be necessary to lift up the handle a by hand
into the required position, as shewn by dots in Fig. 6, before the door can be
closed.
Fig. 8 is a side view of a modification of the above, the main difference.
being that the tongue c is made with only one (the lower) arm. Fig. 9 is a.
side elevation of the socket and plate for the same attached to the jamb or
door post. In order to open the door the lever handle must be lifted up
into a horizontal position as in closing or shutting the door, so as to bring.
the tongue or arm c into a position to admit of being drawn out of the
slot d¹.
In adapting my Invention to some descriptions of door handles, such as
those used for room doors and some kinds of carriage doors, it is desirable.
that the fastening should be constructed in such a manner as to admit of its
being opened from either side. To this end there may be a lever handle on
each side of the door, that is, both inside and outside of the carriage or room.
Fig. 10 represents my improved fastening as adapted for the door of a
brougham or other private carriage, or to a room door, a is the external,
handle as before, and a* a lever or handle placed inside; a being simply a
continuation of a, which as before is mounted on the solid or hollow spindle b,
and is provided with either a single or double-armed tongue c.
In adapting the Invention to window fastenings precisely the same principle
is adopted, but the several parts must of course be somewhat differently.
arranged according to the description of w.indow. to which the fastening is to
be applied as will be well understood.
Fig. 11 is an edge view, and Fig. 12 a side view, of a lock fastening which
is worked by a lever handle as in the former instances, but instead of the lever
handle being employed to turn round an arm or tongue, so as to bring it into.
a position to admit of its being withdrawn, a reciprocating lock bolt f'is.

page_text: employed. This lock bolt is, shewn detached in edge and side views at Figs. 13,
and has a diagonal groove f¹ cut in its face to receive a projecting curved,
feather g formed on the hollow boss of the lever handle, as shewn in the
detached views, Figs. 14, and also by dots in Fig. 12, and through this hollow
boss a cylindrical bar bolt may be worked in the ordinary way of working
lock bolts, a cylindrical hole being made in the receiver. plate on the door
jamb to receive the end of the bar bolt. When the lever handle is down,
shewn in the Drawing, the end of the reciprocating lock bolt f projects from.
the edge of the door into a box on the door jamb in the usual manner of door
locks, and as shown by dots in Fig. 11.
as
The operation of the several parts is as follows:-Upon lifting up the lever
handle a the projecting feather 9 on the boss of the lever will by working in
the inclined groove f¹ of the lock bolt cause the latter to move laterally, and
thereby be withdrawn from the box on the jamb into the socket in the lock,
the door may then be opened. Upon allowing the lever handle to fall the
bolt will be made to project again, and therefore must be withdrawn before
the door can be again shut.
I would also observe that in combination with these improved lever
fastenings, I sometimes employ a spring catch or lock fastening for holding or
retaining the tongue or arm or its equivalent in the slot or socket, and
preventing it from being withdrawn until the spring catch or lock fastening is
released or undone.
.
It will be found that my improved lever fastenings will be particularly
applicable for railway and other carriage doors, as being much safer and yet
more easily opened than the fastenings usually employed. From the peculiar
nature of the fastening the result of any imperfect attempt to secure the door
of a carriage must be at once and will remain visible until properly secured,
and therefore there will be but little risk of the door coming open accidentally
in consequence of being improperly secured.
Having now described my Invention of "Improvements in the Construction
of Handles, Latches, or Fastenings for Doors, Gates, and Windows," and
having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I claim as the
Invention secured to me by Letters Patent, as aforesaid, the improved mode
or modes berein described of constructing lever fastenings for doors and
5 windows.
I claim particularly the combination of the gravitating or lever handle a
with the solid or hollow spindle. b, and the single or double tongue or arm c or
bolt f, or other equivalent locking piece which is made to take into a recess
in the receiving plate on the jamb of the door, as above described.

page_text: I claim also combining with these parts a locking bolt, catch, or other
equivalent contrivance for locking the door by any of the well-known
mechanical arrangements for working such parts.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Wethered, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the 6th day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
BENJAMIN KITT,
Gas Inspector,
Bridewell St., Bristol.
HENRY WETHERED. (L.S.)