IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPINDLES FOR LOCKS, LATCHES, AND HANDLES, AND IN SECURING THE KNOBS OR HANDLES THEREON."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Burrow Shorland, of Barton-on-Irwell and
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ADJUSTABLE SPINDLES FOR LOCKS, LATCHES, AND HANDLES, AND IN
SECURING THE KNOBS OR HANDLES THEREON."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Burrow Shorland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th June 1880.
WILLIAM BURROW SHORLAND, of Barton-on-Irwell and Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPINDLES FOR LOCKS,
LATCHES, AND HANDLES, AND IN SECURING THE KNOBS OR HANDLES THEREON."
The main object of my Invention is to make the spindles for locks, Intches,
handles, and fasteners, so that they can be readily and accurately adjusted to the
thickness of the door or part through which the spindle has to be inserted, and
when the correct length of the spindle or the correct distance between the knobs or
handles to be secured on the spindle is found, to firmly secure the same so as not
to be likely to come off the spindle by ordinary use and wear.
My Invention consists in forming the spindle of two pieces of metal rectangular
in cross section, so that when brought parallel to each other, they will together
form about a square figure in cross section.
The faces of the two halves of the spindle which come together have grooves or
flutes formed across them; those in one half are of a little finer pitch than those of
the other half of the spindle.
One end of each half spindle has a slot or fork formed in it to pass on each side
of a screw which screws through a hole in the knob or handle and into a hole in
the end of the other half spindle; the slotted end of one half spindle thus comes
opposite the screw end of the other half spindle, and when the knobs or handles
are firmly screwed on the two ends of the spindle are drawn tightly together and ·
to the sides of the square holes in the knobs or handles. In applying the spindle
to the lock or door, the spindle is first inserted to get the correct length, and when
adjusted one knob or handle is removed and the spindle is withdrawn, and it will
be then seen which of the grooves or flutes in the two halves of the spindle come
exactly opposite each other, and into this groove a small pin is inserted, so that
when the spindle is put in its placo, and the knob or handle is again secured, the
two halves of the spindle are prevented by the pin from slipping over each other,
and the knobs are thus kept at the correct distance apart.
A modification of my Invention consists in making fine flutes, teeth, or serrations
in both halves of the spindle of the same pitch, so that when the halves are
screwed together in the knobs or handles, the teeth on one half will enter tho
spaces between the teeth on the other half, and will thus be locked firmly together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Burrow Shorland in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd December 1880.
WILLIAM BURROW SHORLAND, of Barton-on-Irwell and Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SPINDLES FOR LOCKS,
LATCHES, AND HANDLES, AND IN SECURING THE KNOBS OR HANDLES THEREON."
The main object of my Invention is to make the spindles for locks, latches,
handles, and fasteners, so that they can be readily and accurately adjusted to tho
thickness of the door or part through which the spindle has to be inserted, and
when the correct length of the spindle or the correct distance between the knobs or
handles to be secured on the spindle is found, to firmly secure the same so as not
to be likely to come off the spindle by ordinary use and wear.
My Invention consists in forming the spindle of two pieces of metal, rectangular
in cross section, by preference, so that when brought parallel to each other, they
will together form about a square figuro in cross section. The faces of the two
halves of the spindle which come together have grooves or flutes formed across
them; those in one half are of a little finer pitch than those of the other half of tho
spindle.
One end of each half spindle has a slot or fork formed in it to pass on each sido
of a screw which screws through a hole in the knob or handle and into a hole in
the end of the other half spindle; the slotted end of one half spindle thus comes
opposite the screw end of the other half spindle, and when the knobs or handles
are firmly screwed on the two ends of the spindle are drawn tightly together and
forced against the side or sides of the square holes, or in some cases round holes, in
the knobs or handles. In applying the spindle to the lock or door, the spindle is
first inserted to get the correct length, and when adjusted one knob or handle is
removed (while the other remains firmly secured to the spindle) and the spindle is
withdrawn, and it will be then seen which of the grooves or flutes in the two
halves of the spindle come exactly opposite each other, and into this groove a small
pin is inserted, so that when the spindle is put in its place, and the other knob or
handle is again secured, the two halves of the spindle are prevented by the pin
from slipping over each other, and the knobs are thus kept at the correct distanco
apart.
A modification of my Invention consists in making fine flutes, teeth, or serrations
in both halves of the spindle of the same pitch, so that when the halves aro
screwed together in the knobs or handles, the teeth on one half will enter tho
spaces between the teeth on the other half, and will thus be locked firmly together.
Another modification consists in arranging the screws with cone heads to expand
the fork part of the spindle in the knob, and my Invention further consists in
combining with my improved spindles additional hard metal bushes to support the
ends of the spindle, and prevent it from shaking about and wearing away the wood
work or the soft metal "rose usually employed, the hard metal bush being
covered by the soft metal "rose.'
"
"
For "cupboard turns," the turn is formed on one part on one part of the
spindle, and may either be rectangular or round, and there is a piece for a screw
within the handle, which piece and the spindle, where they come together against
each other, is fluted or serrated to give one hold upon the other when screwed
together in the handle.
Those parts of the two halves of the spindle which comes within the knobs or
handles, may in some cases be half cylinders, so as when screwed together in the
handle or knob to form a complete cylinder to fit a cylindrical hole in the knob
or handle.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a section taken in the lengthway of the spindle, showing the application
of my Invention to a door with a mortice lock, but it will also illustrate its
application to doors or parts having other descriptions of locks, latches, or fastenings.
Fig. 2 is a view of the flat side of the two halves of the spindle detached.
Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively edge and flat views of another modification of
spindle detached.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views of another modification of the spindle.
Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views of another modification of the spindle, Fig. 8
being a longitudinal section.
Fig. 9 is a cross section of Figs. 3 and 4.
Fig. 10 is an end view of Figs. 7 and 8.
Figs. 11, 12, and 13, are respectively cross sections showing three modes of
applying the screw to secure the ends of the spindle in the knobs or handles.
Fig. 13 represents a form of screw which is or may be used in some cases.
Fig. 14 is a front view of the hard metal bush and the ends of the spindle.
Fig. 15 is a section in the lengthway of the spindle, illustrating the application
of my Invention as a "cupboard turn," with the handlo fitting into a "rose."
Fig. 16 is a cross section through the handle and spindle, and showing the
screw.
Fig. 17 is an edge sectional view, and Fig. 18 a flat view of the "cupboard turn"
spindle detached.
"
Fig. 19 is a section showing the application of my Invention when the knobs or
handles are made of wood or other material and fit upon a
"E rose as shown, and
Fig. 20 illustrates the application of my Invention as a drawer or other knob or
handle.
In Fig. 1, represents part of a door, and y part of a mortice lock.
a are the knobs or handles which are secured on the ends of the two parts b
forming the spindle as shown.
Each part of the spindle has at one end one or more screw tapped holes b¹, to
allow for different thicknesses of doors or lengths between the knobs, and each part
of the spindle has also an open slot 6 in the other end, as shown.
The faces of the two parts of the spindle represented by Figs. 1 and 2 which
come together are fluted or serrated so as to bite one upon the other when screwed
together in the knobs or handles. In the modification shown by Figs. 3 and 4,
there are grooves forined in the two faces of the spindle that come together, but the
pitch of the grooves in one is a little greater than in the other, so that in whatever
position the two parts are moved endways in relation to each other, one of the
grooves in each part will be found practically opposite the other, and into this
space a piece of wire 63 is placed, and the two ends are bent to lie in the spaco
between the two parts of the spindle formed by chamfering the edges (see Figs. 3
and 9); the wire thus acts as a key to keep the two parts from moving endways
upon each other when screwed together, as before explained.
The correct length of the spindle is obtained before placing the piece of wire by
trial, as herein before described.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate the two parts of the spindle with ratchet teeth, which
may be made at each end, or the entire length of the faces which come in contact.
The ratchet teeth are or may be made of much finer pitch if desired than they
aro shown in the Figures.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the parts of the spindle when each is made with a
projection or rib b' at one end that will fit the slot in the end of the other part.
If the screw is arranged in the handle, as shown in Fig. 11, the shoulder under the
head of the screw comes against the counter sunk hole in the exterior of the
handle, and draws the parts of the spindle together and in the direction towards
the head of the screw.
In Fig. 12 the point of the screw rests against the side of the hole in the inside of
the handle, and forces the parts together and in the direction of the head of the screw.

page_text: In Fig. 13 neither the point or head of the screw force against the handle, but
the cone formed upon the head of the screw enters and expands the fork of the
spindle against the sides of the hole in the handle, and at the same time draws the
parts of the spindle firmly against each other.
In the last described arrangement, the cylindrical part of the head of the screw
may be screwed, and the hole in the handle screw tapped to fit the screwed head if
desired, or the point of the screw may be made to screw into the handle, or both
point and head may screw into the handle if desired.
I sometimes make the screws with a cylindrical head, and with a shoulder and
then a cone part, as shown by Fig. 13.
c is the hard metal bush which is secured by screws or nails to the door, and d
is the thin metal rose which covers it when the handles (b) are in position. Thero
are two or more bent parts & from the rose which pass into the door through the
notches c¹ formed in the disc part of the hard metal bush to keep the rose from
moving.
The "cupboard turn," Figs. 15 and 16, is shown with the spindle part 6 round;
that end which comes into the handle is forked, as seen best in Fig. 18, and there
is a part be with a projection 6' to fit the slot, and a tapped hole 68 for the
screw bº.
The faces of the two parts 65 and 66 that come in contact are fluted or serrated,
so as to bite upon each other when the handle is screwed on. The part forming
the cupboard turn is or may be made adjustable and screwed on the end of the
spindle, same as the handle if desired.
The cylindrical part of the head of the screw may have a screw-thread upon it to
screw in the hole for it in the bandle.
The end of the knob has projecting shoulders that fit into the recesses in the
rose (e) as shown, but in Fig. 19 there is a projection on the rose e¹ that fits a
recess in the end of the handle a, as shown.
In Fig. 20 a drawer handle is represented; the spindle b* is not intended to
rotate or turn, and the head is or may be formed with points to sink into the wood
to prevent it from turning.
The handle is secured, as shown and explained in reference to Fig. 15, except.
that the screw passes or may pass through a hoop or bush of metal a inserted in
the handle as shown, which metal bush is or may be used in the case of wood
handles or other handles not formed of metal.
In some cases, both for drawer knobs and cupboard turns, the metal hoop or
bush (a') is or may be inserted in two halves, or the sides of the hoop or bush are
or may be split, and the bush may be either round or square, the screw having a
cylindrical head with a cone under it, the point of this screw screwing into a
tapped hole in the bush or half bush, so that when the screw is firmly screwed in,
the head of the screw will bring one part of the bush and the point of the screw
the other part of the bush firmly against the spindle, while the cone under the
head of the screw will expand the fork of the spindle in the sides of the bush. In
this last described arrangement the nut part 66, Fig. 15 and 20 is dispensed with,
as the said bush arranged as described acts in its place. The spindle (in this
case) is or may be either rectangular or round.
I have now particularly described the nature of my said Invention, and the
modes of carrying it into effect, and claim as my Invention,-
Firstly. The combination of adjustable spindles formed of two parts with the
handles, and the modes of securing the same together, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
Secondly. The combination of the hard metal bushes (c) with the improved
spindles, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 14
of the Drawings.
Thirdly. The combination of adjustable spindles with handles for cupboard turns

page_text: and drawers and other purposes, and mode of securing the handles to the spindles,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 15 to 20 inclusive of
the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Burrow Shorland, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM B. SHORLAND. (LS.)