IMPROVEMENTS IN Locks
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Abraham Wilks, of Bloxwich, in the County of
Stafford, Locksmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Locks."
Scaled the 25th January 1876, and dated the 6th August 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Abraham Wilks at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th August 1875.
I, ABRAHAM WILKS, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Lock-
smith, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN Locks," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to effect the locking of the door to
which the lock is attached by the act of shutting the door, so that in the
case of railway and other carriages it may be known that when the door
is closed it is also securely locked.
I will describe a lock containing my improvements. The bolt of the
lock is acted upon by a mainspring, which presses it outwards and shoots

page_text: it when it is free to move. By means of a follower of the ordinary kind
operated upon by a handle or railway carriage key the bolt may be with-
drawn or unlocked. Immediately over the bolt is a slide, which has
motion in a direction at right angles to the bolt. This slide is pressed
towards the bolt by a spring, and when the bolt is withdrawn the end of
the slide snaps into a recess on the top edge of the bolt, and retains the
bolt in its withdrawn position until the slide is withdrawn from the
recess in the bolt. Underneath the slide described is a second slide
parallel to the principal bolt. The outer end of this slide is bevilled,
and the bevilled end in the normal position of the said second slide pro-
jects from the lock case just above the bolt. The second slide carries an
incline, which bears against an incline or curve on the first-named slide,
and when the second slide is pressed inwards its incline acting on the
incline or curve on the first-named slide moves it in the direction proper
to raise its end out of the recess in the bolt, and thereby allow the main-
spring to shoot the bolt.
The action of the lock is as follows:- -When the door is open the bolt
is in its withdrawn position, and the bevilled end of the second slide pro-
jects from the lock case. On shutting the door the bevilled end of the
second slide comes in contact with the plate or staple into which the
lock bolt is shot, and the said slide is thereby pressed back or into the
lock case. By this motion of the said second slide the first slide is raised,
and the bolt being now free to move is shot by the action of the main-
spring. The door is thereby locked. By the action of the handle or
key the bolt may be withdrawn and the door unlocked, but by the with-
drawal of the bolt the first-named slide engages in the recess on the
edge of the bolt, and holds the bolt back until by the next closing of the
door the second slide is forced inwards, and the bolt is again free to
move.
Locks made according to my Invention are particularly suited for the
doors of railway and other carriages, but are also applicable to all other
purposes where it is wished that the closing of the door shall effect its
looking

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Abraham, Wilks in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 27th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ABRAHAM
WILKS, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Locksmith, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Abraham Wilks, Her special
license, that I, the said Abraham Wilks, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Abraham Wilks, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Locks," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Abraham
Wilks, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Abraham Wilks, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :—
My Invention has for its object to effect the locking of the door to
which the lock is attached by the act of shutting the door, so that in the
case of railway and other carriages it may be known that when the door
is closed it is also securely locked.
I will describe a lock containing my improvements. The bolt of the
lock is acted upon by the mainspring, which presses it outwards and
shoots it when it is free to move. By means of a follower of the ordinary

page_text: kind operated upon by a handle or railway carriage key the bolt may be
withdrawn or unlocked. Immediately over the bolt is a slide which has
motion in a direction at right angles to the bolt. This slide is pressed
towards the bolt by a spring, and when the bolt is withdrawn the end of
the slide snaps into a recess on the top edge of the bolt, and retains the
bolt in its withdrawn position until the slide is lifted from the recess in
the bolt. Underneath the slide described is a second slide parallel to
the principal bolt. The outer end of this slide projects from the lock
case just above the bolt. The second slide carries an incline, which
bears against an incline or curve on the first-named slide, and when the
second slide is pressed inwards its incline acting on the incline or curve
on the first-named slide moves it in the direction proper to raise its
end out of the recess in the bolt, and thereby allow the mainspring to
shoot the bolt.
The action of the lock is as follows:-When the door is open the bolt
is in its withdrawn position, and the bevilled end of the second slide pro-
jects from the lock case. On shutting the door the bevilled end of the
second slide comes in contact with the plate or staple into which the
lock bolt is shot, and the said slide is thereby pressed back or into the
lock case.
By this motion of the said second slide the first side is
raised, and the bolt being now free to move is shot by the action of the
mainspring. The door is thereby locked. By the action of the handle
or key the bolt may be withdrawn and the door unlocked, but by the
withdrawal of the bolt the first-named slide engages in the recess on the
edge of the bolt, and holds the bolt back until by the next closing of the
door the second slide is forced inwards, and the bolt is again free to
move.
Locks made according to my Invention are particularly suited for the
doors of railway and other carriages, but are also applicable to dog carts,
house doors, and to all purposes where it is wished that the closing of
the door shall effect its locking.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and Figure 2 in edge view a
lock for fastening the doors of railway carriages constructed according to
my Invention, the bolt being represented in its withdrawn position, and

page_text: the bevilled end of the second or horizontal slide about being acted upon
by the striking plate (represented partly broken away); Figure 3 repre-
sents the lock with the parts in the positions which they respectively
occupy when the horizontal slide has been pushed into the lock case and
the bolt shot; Figure 4 represents the first or vertical slide detached;
and Figure 5 represents the second or horizontal slide detached; Figure 6
represents the striking plate detached in front elevation, edge view, and
cross section.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several
Figures of the Drawing.
"
a is the lock case; and 6, the bolt of the lock, which is shot by the
action of the mainspring c when at liberty to move. I do not limit
myself to the form of mainspring represented. d is the double follower
for withdrawing the bolt 6, the axis of the said follower being provided
with a square hole for receiving the railway carriage key; e is a slide
immediately over the bolt b, shown detached in Figure 4. The said
slide e has a vertical motion or a motion in a direction at right angles to
the motion of the bolt b. The said vertical slide e works between and is
guided by the guiding bar f and the lock frame a. The said vertical
slide e is pressed down or towards the bolt 6 by the spring 9. In the
upper edge of the bolt is a recess 7, and on the lower edge of the ver-
tical slide e is a projection or tooth e², which projection or tooth when by
the motion of the bolt the recess has been brought opposite it drops
into the said recess, and retains the bolt in its withdrawn position (see
Figure 1) until the said slide is lifted from the said recess in the bolt.
Near the upper end of the vertical slide e is an incline or curve e³. Near
the vertical slide e is a second slide i working horizontally and parallel
to the bolt b. This slide is shown detached in Figure 5. The outer
end of the second or horizontal slide i is bevelled at 2, and the said slide
is guided in its motion by means of the slot ³ working upon the fixed
pin or stud k on the lock case. The bevelled end of the horizontal
slide in its normal position projects just above the bolt (see Figure 1)
On the horizontal slide i is an incline or curve it, which when the said
slide is pushed inwards (as herein-after explained) bears against the
incline or curve on the vertical slide e, and lifts the said vertical slide,
so as to raise its tooth or projection e² out of the recess ½ in the bolt b
and thereby allow the mainspring c to shoot the said bolt. The striking
plate (shown separately in Figure 6) has an opening m in it, into

page_text: which the bolt is shot, and at one side of the said striking plate is a
bevil or incline n for acting upon the bevilled end of the horizontal
slide i.
The action of the parts of the lock is as follows:-When the railway
carriage door is open the parts of the lock occupy the respective positions
represented in Figure 1, that is, the bolt is withdrawn, and is held in
its withdrawn position by the engagement of the tooth e² of the vertical
slide e with the recess in the said bolt, and the bevilled end of the
horizontal slide i projects from the lock case. On shutting the door the
bevilled end of the horizontal slide i strikes against the bevil or
incline n of the striking plate 7, and the said slide i is thereby pushed
back into the lock case. The incline or curve it of the slide i in its
motion acts against the incline or curve e³ of the vertical slide c, and
lifts the said slide e, and releases the bolt b, which bolt is then shot
forward by the mainspring c, the several parts now occupying the
respective positions represented in Figure 3, and the door is thereby
locked. Thus the act of shutting the door effects the locking of the said
door. On inserting the key in the axis of the follower d, and turning the
said axis in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, the bolt d may be with-
drawn, and the door unlocked. When the bolt has been completely
withdrawn the tooth or projection e³ of the slide e snaps into the recess h
in the bolt b, and holds the said bolt in its withdrawn position, as seen
in Figure 1. The downward motion of the vertical slide e by the action
of its curve or incline e³ on the curve or incline of the horizontal
slide forces the said slide i outwards, and causes its bevilled end to
project from the lock case, as seen in Figure 1, ready on the closing of
the door to raise the vertical slide e, and release the bolt, as herein.
before described.
In applying my Invention to locks for house doors and other doors
where a key cannot be conveniently used I provide the axis of the
follower d with a spindle, and the latter with knobs or handles similar
to those used with ordinary latches.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in locks, the
construction and combination of the parts of mechanism herein-before

page_text: described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for ensuring
the locking of railway carriage doors, house doors, and other doors by
the act of shutting or closing the said doors, that is to say, the com-
bination with the spring bolt of a lock of the two slides marked e, i,
the said slides being constructed, brought into action, and operating
upon the bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Abraham Wilks, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
ABRAHAM WILKS. (L.S.)