THE MEANS OF SECURING VALUABLE PROPERTY IN MAIL AND OTHER STAGE COACHES, TRAVELLING CARRIAGES, WAGGONS, CARAVANS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VEHICLES FROM ROBBERY
Year: 1823

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
RANKING, of New Bond Street, in the City of Westminster, Esquire, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the First day of November now
last past, did, for Himself, His heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Ranking, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Ranking, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "THE MEANS OF SECURING VALUABLE
PROPERTY IN MAIL AND OTHER STAGE COACHES, TRAVELLING CARRIAGES, WAGGONS,
CARAVANS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VEHICLES FROM ROBBERY;" in
which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said
John Ranking, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly
to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be inrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I do hereby
declare that my said Invention of "A Means of Securing Valuable Property
in Mail and other Stage Coaches, Travelling Carriages, Waggons, Caravans,
and other similar Public and Private Vehicles, is fully described and ascertained
as follows, and by the Drawing in the margin of these Presents, and the
accompanying description thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in causing a sound to be made by means of a bell
and a latch, which I call a notice latch. I enclose or affix a bell of the form
shewn in the Drawing, or of any convenient and suitable shape, in an iron or
other box, or in the boot or seat of a coach, or in any other part of any
travelling vehicle which it may be desirable to guard, which on opening the
door of the iron box, coach, boot, seat, or door, a notice is given to the
guard, coachman, or other person entrusted with the property deposited
therein, by means of the notice latch, which is affixed on the door or lid of the
boot or seat, or other place in which property may be deposited, causing the
bell before mentioned, or other sounding substance, to be struck. The appa-
ratus is thus constructed, and may be of any size required:--Upon the centre of
a-square plate of wrought iron or other substance a bell is screwed firmly,
the screw passing thro' one end of a strong curved spring about half an inch
broad, and outside of the bell, the other end of which projects about one inch
over the upper edge of the mouth of the bell. The top of this end of the spring
is bevelled; on the under side of this end a hammer is fixed, which stands át a
about a quarter of an inch distance from the bell. The bell is then covered with
a casing of iron, except at one of its ends, which is left open that the sound of the
bell may be heard, the open end being at the interior of the iron box, coach,
boot, seat or door. The casing is rather less than the iron plate, leaving a rim on
two sides of the plate, through which it may be screwed in the iron box, coach;
boot, or seat, or other convenient place. On the side of the casing next the box;
or boot, or other door, a hole about one inchi square lets through the end of the
bell-spring, which projects about half an inch out of the case, the bevelled side
of the spring being next the door. The bell-case is to be screwed in the upper
corner of the iron box, boot, seat, or other convenient place, as near to the
opening of the door as convenient.
A strong spring latch is to be screwed
upon the lock or the door of the box, boot, or other place, so that on shutting
the door the bevelled end of the latch hits the bevelled end of the bell-spring,
passes it, and remains close under it, so that on the least opening of the door
the latch lifts the bell-spring, the hammer of which strikes the bell. The latch
is thus constructed:-In an iron case, about a quarter of the size of the
bell-case, a bolt, about three inches long and three quarters of an inch broad,

page_text: with its end bevelled, projects half an inch or more out of one end of the case,
and is kept out by a spring, except when on shutting the door it gives way in
order to pass the bell-spring. The end of the latch where the bell projects is
covered with a rim of iron, which it is desirable to make broad and long
enough to protect it and the bell-spring from any attempt to prevent their
acting. Note, the construction of some boxes, boots, seats, or doors, may
require the rim to be longer than in the Drawing.
The Drawings in the margin of these Presents are explanatory of the
different parts. A, view of the interior of the latch. B, case containing the
bell. C, uncovered view of the bell-case. D, a box fitted up. E, the latch
screwed upon a lock. F, the lock.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Ranking, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-three.