Improvements in or relating to Locking Devices for Post-office Baskets and other Receptacles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 21st Mar., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Locking Devices for Post-office
Baskets and other Receptacles.
We, FRANCIS JAMES PALMER REED, of 5, Alton Terrace, Plymouth,
County of Devon, Gentleman, and WILLIAM WRIGHT, of 24, Tavistock Road,
Plymouth, Devonshire, Brass Finisher, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the locking or fastening of post office baskets, boxes
and other receptacles, where an easy rapid and effective fastening is required,
and one which cannot be opened without ensuring detection.
In carrying out the invention we prefer to proceed as follows:-
We employ one or more spring-controlled locking devices preferably formed in
the shape of spear-heads each adapted to rotate upon its shaft as an axis, and
provided with means for rotating it, say for preference a rack and pinion, the
pinion being secured upon the shaft of the spear head. Where more than one
locking device is employed one or more bars or racks adapted to engage with the
pinions may be employed and so arranged as to be operated by either one or more
keys or equivalent devices. For rough work it is very desirable to make all the
working parts as simple and strong as possible and we therefore prefer not to
employ any complicated form of lock and tumblers, but to use a key consisting of
a shaft or barrel having preferably one nib or projecting arm adapted to engage
with a notch or projection upon the rack bar so that when the key is turned the
rack bar will be turned and the spear heads rotated-one or more springs which
may be applied to the rack bar serving to return the spear heads to their normal
positions. The spear heads normally lie at a suitable angle to two slots or open-
ings formed in the striking plates which are attached in any convenient manner
to the lid so that when the lid is closed the striking plates operate upon the faces
of the spear heads rotating them until they lie in the same plane as the slots of
the striking plate when the lid can be closed, and when the lid is fully down the
spear heads under the influence of their spring or springs rotate with their larger
portions inside or at the back of the striking plates and thus prevent the lid from
being opened. To unlock, all that is necessary is to insert the key and rotate
the spear heads until they lie in the plane of the slots of the striking plates when
the lid can be removed at once. In practice, to close the lid it is merely necessary
to let it fall to, when its own weight will turn the heads and secure it."
In order to indicate if the fastening has been tampered with or unlocked we
employ the following simple arrangement.
A receptacle to hold a piece of paper or other destructible disc or equivalent
may be formed of two metal plates hinged together and provided with a key hole
in one or both plates through which the key must pass before the lock
can be opened between these plates a strip of paper or the like is
placed and the receptacle is then slipped into the place provided for it inside the
basket, box etc., so that the paper or equivalent lies in the path of the key through
the key hole and the key cannot be inserted without breaking or destroying, at

page_text: all events, a portion of the paper, and thus leave a record showing either that the
box has been opened or that an attempt has been made to open it.
It will be seen that considerable modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of this invention and as an example of such modifications it may
be suggested that the spear head shape previously mentioned as suitable for the
locking devices may be departed from, and the details of the connections varied;
also that the detection device may be altered in shape and construction without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
If desired the slip of paper or other material may be stamped with a date stamp,
the office of origin, etc., before it is inserted, and the plates of the receptacle may
be perforated and secured together by a lead or other plug bearing a stamp so
that it could not be removed and a new piece of paper inserted without leaving
a record.
Talad thin 17th day of Iuno 1807
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Locking Devices for Post-office
Baskets and other Receptacles.
We, FRANCIS JAMES PALMER REED, of 5, Alton Terrace, Plymouth,
in the County of Devon, Gentleman, and WILLIAM WRIGHT, of 24, Tavistock Road,
Plymouth, in the County of Devon, Brass Finisher, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to the locking or fastening of post-office baskets, boxes
and other receptacles, where an easy, rapid and effective fastening is required,
and one which cannot be opened without ensuring detection.
The preferred construction of fastening according to this invention is illustrated
in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of the lock and striking plate parts being in section.
Figure 2 is a plan of the lock.
Figure 2 is a section of the striking plate on the line 2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is the key.
Figure 4 shows one construction of detection device and
Figure 5 shows an alternative construction of the same.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.
In these drawings A represents a portion of the side of a box or a stiffening bar
to be used when the fastening is applied to a basket.
B are two spring-controlled locking devices preferably formed in the shape of
spear-heads each adapted to rotate with its shaft B as an axis, supported by
projections A¹ attached to the bar A and provided with means for rotating it, com-
prising a rack Cattached to a bar C and a pinion B³, the pinion B being secured
upon the shaft B' of the spear-head. Where more than one locking device is
employed one or more bars or racks adapted to engage with the pinions may be
employed, and so arranged as to be operated by either one or more keys or equiva-
lent devices. For rough work it is very desirable to make all the working parts
as simple and strong as possible and we therefore prefer not to employ any com-
plicated form of lock and tumblers, but to use a key such as that shown at D in
Figure 3 consisting of a shaft or barrel D¹ having preferably one nib or pro-

page_text: jecting arm D³ adapted to engage with a notch C or projection upon the rack
bar C so that when the key is turned the rack bar C will be moved and the spear
heads B rotated-a spring applied to the rack bar serves to return the spear
heads to their normal positions. The spear heads normally lie at a suitable angle
to two slots or openings El formed in the striking plates E which are attached
by means of the metal strip E2 or in any convenient manner to the lid so that
when the lid is closed the striking plates operate upon the faces of the spear
heads B rotating them until they lie in the same plane as the slots E' of the strik-
ing plates when the lid can be closed, and when the lid is fully down the spear
heads under the influence of their spring or springs rotate with their larger
portions inside or at the back of the portions E3 of the striking plates and thus
prevent the lid from being opened. To unlock, all that is necessary is to insert
the key D and rotate the spear heads B until they lie in the plane of the slots of
the striking plates when the lid can be removed at once. In practice, to close the
lid it is merely necessary to let it fall to, when its own weight will turn the heads
and secure it.
A spring buffer is shown at C which operates to protect the fastening from
shock when the receptacle to which it is applied is roughly treated. Any suit-
able or well-known construction other than that shown may be employed for this
device.
At B³ are shown shields rotatably attached to the bar A in such a manner that
they may be turned over at will to cover the spear-heads B in order to avoid
unintentional locking of the lid. When it is desired to lock the basket these have
to be thrown back from the position shown in chain lines on the left hand side
of Figure 1, the shields shown in full lines at the left and right-hand sides of the same
figure indicating the position in which they permit the locking of the receptacle.
In order to indicate if the fastening has been tampered with or unlocked we
employ the following simple arrangement.
A holder F to hold a piece of paper or other destructible disc or equivalent may
be formed as seen in Figure 4 of two metal flaps or plates F1 Fa hinged together
at f and provided with a key-hole 3 in one or both plates through which the key
must pass before the lock can be opened between these plates a strip of paper or
the like is placed and retained by means of the point and hole F5, and the
holder is then slipped into a recess A2 provided for it in the bar or side of the
box A, so that the paper or equivalent lies in the path of the key through the key
hole and the key cannot be inserted without breaking or destroying, at all events,
a portion of the paper, and thus leave a record showing either that the box has
been opened or that an attempt has been made to open it.
The portion F bent at right angles to the main portion of the holder F prevents
its being removed when the lid is closed. In the flap F1 is a hole F8 through
which the carrier can be seen when the holder is in position in the recess A³.
In the alternative construction shown in Figure 5 the receptacle for the barrier
to the insertion of the key is provided with a projecting wall-like ring F forming
a recess F, to contain sealing wax upon which an impression may be made before
it is inserted into the recess A² intended for its reception.
The key intended for use in conjunction with this construction is preferably
pointed as at D³ in Figure 3 so as to constitute a tool by which the wax can be
shattered and pierced.
It will be seen that considerable modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit of this invention and as an example of such modifications it may.
he suggested that the spear head shape previously mentioned as suitable for the
locking devices may be departed from, and the details of the connections varied;
also that the detection device may be altered in shape and construction without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
If desired the slip of paper or other material may be stamped with a date stamp,
the office of origin, etc., before it is inserted, and the plates of the receptacle shown
in Figure 4 may be perforated and secured together by a lead or other plug bear-

page_text: ing a stamp so that it could not be removed and a new piece of paper inserted
without leaving a record.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a fastening for a basket or other receptacle the employment of one or
more rotatable spring controlled catches arranged and operating substantially as
described.
2. A fastening for a basket or other receptacle comprising two or more rotatable
spring controlled catches connected together and both operated by one mechanism
substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. A detachable holder for a keyhole barrier having a recess such as F⁹ to
receive a seal substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
4. The combination with a self-locking catch of a shield such as B³ for the
purpose described.
5. The complete box or basket fastening constructed and operating substantially
as described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
.6. The holder for a detection device substantially as described or illustrated in
Figure 4 or in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of March 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.