Improvements in Locks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 9th July. 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks.
[A communication from DENIS DOYEN, of 113, Chaussée de Mons, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Mechanical Engineer.]
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the.nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to a lock which can be opened by simply pushing or
pulling the knob or handle, and enables the door to be closed with but little effort by
means of a movable spring detent.
The
In the case of the lock, which may be of any suitable form or size slides the bolt
which is retained in the case by means of a lid or cover which closes the case.
spindle passes through the case and at the inside of the latter is provided with a nose.
or projection which bears against an inclined plane formed on the bolt. Where the
spindle passes through the case, it is of preferably square section so as to prevent it
At its ends
from being turned, the hole through which it passes also being square.
the spindle is provided with knobs or handles, and these knobs or handles are
preferably screwed onto the spindle so as to be able to adjust them to the thickness
of the door. In the interior of the case of the lock a spiral spring interposed
between the wall of the case and the projection or nose on the spindle preferably
surrounds the spindle and tends to hold the latter always in its normal position.
Another suitable spring one end of which may be fastened to the case and the
other to the bolt tends to hold the latter always in contact with the nose or projection
of the spindle.
The preferably screw threaded shank of a button may have a milled head passed
through the wall of the case of the lock and on the outside thereof is provided
with a nose or projection which can be turned behind the back of the bolt and prevent
this from being moved so as to effectually lock the door.
If the knob or handle be pushed from the outside of the door or pulled from the
inside the projection on the spindle bearing against the inclined plane of the bolt will
move the bolt back and thus open the door. The spindle is at once returned to its
normal position when liberated by the above mentioned spring surrounding it.
The spring detent which engages the bolt is pivoted in a box fixed to the door post
and is always held flush with the said box by means of a suitable spring situated in
the interior of the box and is prevented from being pushed out too far by means of a
suitable stop which comes into contact with the edge of the box. The detent is
formed angular for the reception of the wedge shaped end of the bolt of the lock.
When the door is being closed the inclined face of the end of the bolt will push the
detent, which is rounded off at the point of contact, into the box, the detent swinging
round its pivot and as soon as the end of the bolt has passed the edge of the detent
this latter is returned to its normal position under the influence of its spring thus
detaining the bolt in the box and securing the door. This movable spring detent
arrangement may be used with all kinds of existing locks.
In a modified form of the above described lock the bolt is formed with two inclined
planes forming an angle in which rests the nose or projection of the spindle on both
sides of which projection a spiral spring surrounding the spindle is interposed
between the case of the lock and the said projection. In this manner the door can be
opened by pulling or pushing the knob or handle either from the inside or outside.
The manner of securing the bolt and effectually locking the door by means of
the milled edged button and its nose or projection is the same as described above.
In a further modification the bolt is formed with the case of the lock in one piece
so that it is perfectly rigid. In this arrangement the retaining face of the spring

page_text: detent is somewhat inclined with regard to the end of the bolt which is here rounded
off, so that when the door is pushed or pulled to open it the end of the bolt will push
the detent to one side. When closing the door the action of the parts is the same as
described above. In this arrangement the spindle and interior mechanism are
dispensed with and the knobs or handles fastened to the door or the empty case in any
desired position. The locking device is here situated in the box of the detent, where
the shank of the milled edged button reaches into the interior of the box and is there
traversed by a pin which can be turned to bear against the detent and thus prevent
the said detent from being pushed aside by the end of the bolt.
Dated this 9th day of July 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks.
[A communication from DENIS DOYEN, of 113 Chaussée de Mons, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Mechanical Engineer.]
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The present invention relates to a lock which can be opened by simply pushing
or pulling the knob or handle and enables the door to be closed with but little effort
by means of a movable spring detent.
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated various forms of locks constructed
according to this invention and in these drawings Fig. 1 is a section of a lock
operated by a single pushing or pulling motion and provided with a movable spring
detent.
Fig. 2 is a view of the face which is to be applied to the door, the lower lid or
cover being removed.
Fig. 3 is a section of a lock having a double pushing and pulling motion.
Fig. 4 is a section of a lock with a fixed bolt and a movable spring controlled
detent.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of figure 4.
Fig. 6 is a plan of the bolt of the double motion lock shown in figure 3.
Fig. 7 is a plan of a bolt of a single motion lock shown in figure 1.
Fig. 8 is a view of the square opening wherein the handle spindle slides.
Fig. 9 is a front view of the movable spring controlled detent.
Fig. 10 is a side view of figure 9.
Fig. 11 is a plan of the rod or spindle of the lock.
Fig. 12 represents a square shaped lock operated on one side by pulling a knob
and on the other by pushing a handle m.
Fig. 13 is a plan of the handle m.
Fig. 14 shows a square shaped lock with removable knob, and with a rod that may
be removed and replaced with the said knob at will.
Fig. 15 is an end view of the removable knob.
In fig. 1 a case A is shown which may be made of any suitable form or size and
through which a bolt B slides freely in a suitable groove or the like being retained in
position by a lid or cover Cattached to the case by means of screws a¹ fig. 2. The
case is provided with lugs or projections d d¹ whereby the whole arrangement is fixed
to the door.
The spindle D fig. 1 passes through case A and through the cover C. Near its
centre there is a projection D¹ fig. 11 in contact with another similar projection B¹
formed. on the bolt B fig. 1 and having an inclined face as shown in fig. 7. This
spindle is square at E where it passes through the case, whereby it may slide through

page_text: the same and is prevented from rotating. The spindle D carries a knob F at one end.
On the square portion E the spiral spring G is arranged between the case and the
projection D¹, and is adapted to cause the spindle always to return to the same
position. The other end of D passes through the door Y₁ and is provided with a
screw thread, enabling it to receive the knob, hook or handle H which is curved or
bent so as to keep the hand away from the door-frame Z. This screw threaded portion
is square in shape and has screwed on it the handle H the square stem of which is
adapted to slide within a square opening of corresponding size provided in the
piece Y fixed to the door which piece is shown detached in fig. 8. This square
opening is to prevent the handle H from being turned, while leaving it free to move
lengthwise when it is pushed or pulled. The square portion of the handle H is
provided with an inner screw thread for the purpose of facilitating the attachment of
the lock to a door as it can thereby be readily screwed and unscrewed to accommodate
it to the size or thickness of the door.
A spring I fig. 2 one end of which may be fastened to the case A and the other to
the bolt B tends to hold the latter always in contact with the spindle at I, though
these parts are independent of each other.
A turn-button milled head or equivalent J is provided on an eccentric base or
plate and the shank of this plate and head is preferably provided with a screw thread
at the portion passing through the wall of the case, and a pin J¹ passes through it
and forms a stop. When the head J is turned, the eccentric portion of the plate
takes up its position behind the bolt and prevents it from being moved, the result
being that the door is locked as securely as if a key had been used. On the other
hand it is sufficient to turn the knob in the opposite direction to obtain free motion
and thus to enable the door to be opened or to release the bolt. If the handle H be
pushe. from outside fig. 1, the projection D¹ of the spindle D, in contact with the
inclined portion B' of the bolt B, will force the latter into case A and escape from
engagement with the spring controlled detent, and, as the action performed is a
pushing action, the door will open. If the knob F be pulled from inside the
spindle I will perform the same motion, always being returned to its original
position by spring G, so that it is at all times ready to be set in operation again as
before.
The detent K fig. 1 consists of a case fixed to the door frame by means of lugs
or ears L L' fig. 2 and is intended to receive the bolt B of the lock. Within this
cast iron case fig. 1, a latch N is provided pivoted on the pin O. This latch or
detent proper is kept constantly in contact with the case K by the spring P which,
at the lower portion of the case, presses on an eccentric portion M provided on the
said latch fig. 10, the object of this spring consequently is always to return the latch
to its original position. When the bolt B2 fig. 1 is to engage the spring detent as
shown in dotted lines it presses upon the latch N at N₁ the spring P being
exceedingly pliable and therefore yielding to the slightest pressure; and the latch
pivoted at O will enter the case S and describe in so doing part of a circle as
indicated by the arrow S¹ which will enable the bolt B2 to pass freely without
exerting any action and as soon as it takes up the position as at B the latch under
the action of the spring will return to its original position, hence the door is closed
and as the latch will not yield to pressure it will be necessary in order to open the
door to cause the bolt B to return into the case A which is accomplished by pushing
the handle H or pulling the handle F. This movable spring controlled detent may be
applied with equal facility to locks of other descriptions.
Fig. 3 shows another form of lock also operated by pushing and pulling but in
which the motion in this instance is double that is to say by either pushing or pulling
the same knob from outside or inside the bolt is caused to operate, the difference
between this arrangement and that shown in fig. 1 being that in the latter such
operation of the bolt is only obtained by pushing outside or by pulling inside. This
device consists of a case A which, in the same manner as that shown in fig. 1,
receives a bolt B sliding in a groove and therein retained by a cover or lid (
screwed or suitably fixed to the case. The spindle D passes through the case and

page_text: cover and in its central portion is provided with a projection D1 engaging another
projection on the bolt B, forming preferably a right angle, as shown at P¹ fig. 6.
On each side of the projection D are spiral springs G G through which passes the
spindle and which cause it in each case to return to its central position. To each
end of this spindle is fitted a knob or handle as has been explained with reference
to fig. 1; the knob or turn-button J being destined to secure the door from the
inside.
Fig. 4 consists of a case a carrying integral therewith the bolt b; it is fixed to
the door c by means of the lugs or ears e el fig. 5 the openings in which have
preferably an oval or elongated shape enabling the distance between case a and
detent to be adjusted according to the thickness of the door-frame and to provide
for the possible warping of the wood. The detent g attached to the door-frame h
fig. 4 is similar to that described above in reference to fig. 1; the only difference lies
in the latch which is here slightly inclined in relation to the stationary bolt b so that
when the door is either pushed or pulled the said latch is tilted within case S and is
caused to release the bolt. The door then opens and when it is desire to close it
again the same motion is repeated as takes place in the arrangement figure 1. It will
be observed that in this third form of lock the bolt is capable of no independent
operation inasmuch as it forms one piece with the case; the spindle passing through
the door in the devices shown in figs. 1 and 3 is here dispensed with which enables
the knobs or handles to be fitted to the door in any desired position. This stationary
bolt arrangement is applicable also to flat or spring plate bolts The milled bead U
fig. 4 is connected to a base or plate and is provided with a preferably screw threaded
spindle located within case S. Through the inner end of this spindle passes a pin ol
which when the said head is moved through a quarter of a revolution, takes up its
position behind the latch and consequently prevents it from working. In this
position then the door is closed from inside as though a key had been used and can
only be opened by turning the head in the opposite direction whereby the pin o¹ is
brought in a position parallel to the latch and enables the latter to be disengaged
whereby the mechanism is released and ready to operate again.
In fig. 12 the handle m is eccentric as is more clearly shown in fig. 13 so that
there may
be more room available for the hand between it and the door-frame when
the door is being opened. On the spindle n provided with a screw thread fig. 12 a
square piece o is screwed to which is fitted the handle m on one side on pin p and
on the other on the pin 9 formed upon the projection integral with the plate s
attached to the door. To open the door the handle m need only be pushed so that it
moves in the direction of the arrow describing an arc of a circle whose centre lies in
the pin q this pin at the same is slightly displaced in the vertical direction in a
groovet provided for the purpose in the said projection.
The handle m connected with the square piece o by the pin or spindle p then pushes
the spindle or rod n which in its turn operates the bolt, the latter then leaves the
staple or detent and enables the door to open. The handle is returned to
its normal position by a spring arranged within the case as has been described
above.
In fig. 14 the lock is fixed to the door and the bolt is operated by means of
two knobs or heads removable at will. The knobs u u¹ are made of porcelain or any
other suitable material and provided with a preferably brass fitting v¹ respectively.
In the fitting is located a small spindle w under the action of a spring. This
spindle enters an opening provided for the purpose upon the square spindle y passing
through the case. The spindle w and the spring acting on it are inserted into their
respective positions through the hole z.
When the spindle is to be disconnected the stud z¹ of the fitting vis pulled whereby
the pin w is caused to leave the opening in the square spindle y so that the knob u
may be withdrawn, whereupon it is sufficient to remove the knob u¹ rigidly screwed
to the spindle to allow of the removal of the latter. The spiral spring operating the
bolt being firmly fixed to the case always retains the position in which it enables the
spindle y to be passed freely through it when it is re-inserted in its place through

page_text: the entrance s and across the case p². The knob u is then secured to the
spindle y again by means of the small spindle or pin w moved into position by the
spring.
If desired an anti-friction roller may be applied to either the lock spindle or bolt
to reduce the friction between their contiguously operating surfaces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A single motion lock whereby a door may be opened from one side by pushing
and from the other side by pulling by means of a spindle passing through the
door and operating the bolt by sliding in contact with an incline formed on such
bolt substantially as described and illustrated in figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
2. A lock operating in a manner similar to that claimed in the preceding claiming
clause but whose motion is double so that it may be opened or closed from either side
by either pushing or pulling the lock spindle substantially as described and illustrated
in figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A lock having a stationary bolt such as 6 and a movable spring-controlled
detent such as 9 So whereby the spindle passing through the door is rendered
unnecessary, and the knobs, heads or handles may be fitted to the door in any desired
position and either used for pushing or pulling substantially as described and
illustrated in figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. A movable spring controlled detent such as 9 S N enabling doors to be shut
without strain owing to the employment of an immovable bolt substantially as
described and illustrated in figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
5. A knob or handle such as H provided with a square stem having an inner screw
thread whereby the lock having a spindle longitudinally movable for opening and
closing the door through which the spindle is passed may be accommodated
according to its thickness substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
6. The combination with the bolt B or detent N of turn buttons or stops such
as J J or o U substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
7. In the lock which is described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 & 3 the employ-
ment of a removable knob substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated
in figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.
8. In the lock which is described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 & 3 the employ-
ment of a removable spindle substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in fig. 14 of the accompanying drawings.
9. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete lock
substantially as described and illustrated in figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
10. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
lock substantially as described and illustrated in figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 11th day of April 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.