IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR BOLTS AND INDICATORS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Grundy Settle, of Horncastle, in the County of
Lincoln, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR BOLTS AND
INDICATORS."
Sealed the 5th June 1868, and dated the 18th December 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Grundy Settle at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th December 1867.
1, JOHN GRUNDY SETTLE, of Horncastle, in the County of Lincoln, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR
BOLTS AND INDICATORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in door bolts and indicators,
and relates to a self-registering bolt which being fixed on the inside of a door
indicates to those outside whether the door is fast or not. It will be useful
for waterclosets and such places where privacy and freedom from interruption
are desirable. On the outer side of the door a casing is fixed; it contains a
plate which is able to slide up and down vertically in it. The case has a slit
or opening in it at the front which exposes a portion of the sliding plate
within. On this plate are written the words "open" and "engaged," or it
may be other similar words; one of these words, say the word "engaged," is
seen through the slit or opening in the case when the sliding plate is in its
lowest position, the other when it is raised. The sliding plate has a pin fixed
in it at the back, and this enters an inclined slot formed in an instrument or

page_text: driver to which a stem is fixed projecting out at the back of the case through
a long narrow opening which allows it to slide a distance equal at least to the
distance that the bolt moves. There is also a slot cut in the door to let this
stem pass through to the inside. The bolt slides in guides on a plate which
is fixed to the door on the inside, and the stem already mentioned passes
through this plate and through a hole in the bolt made to fit it, and beyond
the bolt it receives the knob by which the bolt is shot. The stem has a
screw thread formed upon it and the knob screws thereon; there are flat
sides on the stem so that the knob may be fastened by a set screw in the
usual manner. The stem is cut off to the proper length after the knob
has been put on. When the bolt is moved by means of the knob the
driver is also moved, and the inclined slot in it causes the sliding plate
with the indicating words upon it to be raised or lowered as the case may
be. It is preferred that the slot in the back of the case containing the
indicating plate should be sufficiently long to let the stem of the driver or
instrument in which the inclined slot is formed move a distance equal to
double the traverse of the bolt and the slot in the driver is made with a
double incline. This arrangement admits of the same instrument being
applicable either to a right or a left handed door, and a set screw may be
employed when the instrument is fixed to limit the traverse of the stem to
the distance required to shoot the bolt. It is not essential that the bolt
should be combined with the other parts, as there are cases in which it is
not required that the door should be fastened, as for doors in solicitors' offices,
medical men's consulting rooms, and other places, so that clerks and assistants
may know by a glance at the register on the door whether the occupant is
engaged or at liberty.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Grundy Settle in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th June 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GRUNDY SETTLE, of Horncastle, in the County of Lincoln, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Grundy Settle, Her special licence that I, the said John Grundy

page_text: Settle, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Grundy Settle, 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 "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN DOOR BOLTS AND INDICATORS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Grundy Settle, 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 John Grundy Settle, 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in door bolts and indicators,
and relates to a self-registering bolt which being fixed on the inside of a door
indicates to those outside whether the door is fast or not. It will be useful
for waterclosets and such places where privacy and freedom from interruption
are desirable. On the outer side of the door a casing is fixed; it contains a
plate which is able to slide up and down vertically in it. The case has a
slit or opening in it at the front which exposes a portion of the sliding
plate within; on this plate are written the words "open" " and "engaged" or
it may be other similar words. One of these words, say the word "engaged,"
is seen through the slit or opening in the case when the sliding plate is in
its lowest position, the other when it is raised. The sliding plate has a pin
fixed in it at the back and this enters an inclined slot formed in an instrument
or driver to which a stem is fixed projecting out at the back of the case
through a long narrow opening which allows it to slide a distance equal at
least to the distance that the bolt moves. There is also a slot cut in the-
door to let this stem pass through to the inside. The bolt slides in guides on a.
plate which is fixed to the door ou the inside, and the stem already mentioned
passes through this plate and through a hole in the bolt made to fit it, and.
beyond the bolt it receives the knob by which the bolt is shot. The stem has
a screw thread formed upon it, and the knob screws thereon, there are flat.
sides on the stem so that the knob may be fastened by a set screw in the
usual manner. The stem is cut off to the proper length after the knob has

page_text: been put on. When the bolt is moved by means of the knob the driver is also
moved, and the inclined slot in it causes the sliding plate, with the indicating
words upon it, to be raised or lowered as the case may be. It is preferred
that the slot in the back of the case containing the indicating plate should be
sufficiently long to let the stem of the driver or instrument in which the
inclined slot is formed move a distance equal to double the traverse of the
bolt, and the slot in the driver is made with a double incline. This arrange-
ment admits of the same instrument being applicable either to a right or to
a left handed door, and a set screw may be employed when the instrument is
fixed to limit the traverse of the stem to the distance required to shoot the
bolt. It is not essential that the bolt should be combined with the other
parts as there are cases in which it is not required that the door should be
fastened as for doors in solicitors' offices, medical men's consulting rooms, and
other places, so that clerks and assistants may know by a glance at the
register on the door whether the occupant is engaged or at liberty.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto

page_text: fast on the stem by a small set screw at the side. The stem c when the
apparatus is made is left long to suit any door, and it is cut to the length
required after it has been fitted. The plate d, as is shown, is fixed by screws to
the door and the bolt d' slides in guide loops upon it; e is an eye or staple
fixed to the door post into which the bolt when shot enters. As will be seen
the slot in the driver is inclined either way and the driver is arranged so that
it can play over double the distance required when in use; this, as before
mentioned, is done to suit the apparatus for use either with right or left
handed doors. The stop screw f is employed to limit the movement of the
driver and it stops it when its stem is in the middle of its guide slot. This
pin fis shifted from one side of the driver to the other (two holes being
prepared for it) to change the apparatus from right to left handed, or vice
versa.
What I claim is, the combining a door bolt and indicator (as herein
described) so as to indicate on the outer side of the door whether the bolt
within is shot or otherwise.
I also claim the general arrangement of the apparatus as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Grundy Settle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
JOHN G. SETTLE. (L.S.)
JOHN G. SETTLE.. (L.S.)