An Improvement in or connected with Door and other Latches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in or connected with Door and other Latches.
We, JAMES BELL and JOSEPH SIMPSON BELL, both of Leeming Bar, near
Bedale, in the County of York, Ironmongers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object an improvement in or connected with door
and other latches and consists of an improved staple, striking plate or catch
to act in combination with a latch bolt which latter may be either fixed or
movable lengthwise or up and down.
The invention is applicablo to simple latches or to latches combined with locks
whother rim or mortice.
For this purpose we attach the staple or catch to, or form it on a pendulous
or oscillating lever which may be provided with a light spring to return it to
its normal position, said staple or lever is provided with an inclined face on one
or both sides or the pendulous staple or catch may be plain and the latch bolt
may have the inclined face thereon or the acting faces of both may be inclined.
If desired the pendulous staple or catch may be made reversible and it may
also be made wedge form, that is thicker at top than at bottom.
The latch bolt may be provided with means to enable it to be withdrawn from
the pendulous staple or catch or the latter may be provided with a handle
by which it can be turned away from the latch bolt.
Thus in shutting the door or other article to which the latch bolt is applied
the pendulous staple or catch is readily pushed aside even if the latch bolt is
furnished with a strong spring or is fixed, and when the latch bolt has passed
said pendulous staple or catch the latter automatically resumes its latching
position.
Dated the 10th day of November 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in or connected with Door and other Latches.
We, JAMES BELL and JOSEPH SIMPSON BELL, both formerly of Leeming Bar,
near Bedale, but now of Aiskew Villa, Bedale, in the County of York, Iron-
mongers, 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 invention has for its object an improvement in or connected with door

page_text: and other latches and consists of an improved staple, striking plate or catch
to act in combination with a latch bolt which latter may be either fixed or
novable lengthwise or up and down.
The invention is applicable to simple latches or to latches combined with locks
whether rim or mortice.
For this purpose we form the staple, striking plate or catch with a pendulous
or oscillating lever which may be provided with a light spring to return it
to its normal position.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is
a face view and Fig. 2 a side view of a staple, striking plate or catch for a rim
latch lock; Fig. 3 is a face view, Fig. 4 a side view and Fig. 5 a cross section
on the line 5, 5, of Fig. 3 of a reversible staple, striking plate or catch for a
rim latch, Fig. G is a similar view to Fig. 3 but reversed in position. Fig. 7
is a face view and Fig. 8 a side view of a modified form of staple, striking plate
or catch for a rim latch lock and Fig. 9 is a face view and Fig. 10 a side or edge
view of a staple, striking plate or catch for a mortice latch lock.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to the forms shown at Figures 1 to 6a a is the body of the staple,
atriking plato or catch which is screwed to the door jamb & or other article.
This staple, striking plate or catch is formed with a space a¹ in its face and the
parta aa at the end of such space are connected together by a web a the rear
edge of which latter bears against the door jamb b whilst its forward or front edge
serves as a support for the pendulous or oscillating lever a³.
This lever is loosely mounted at its upper end on a screw or pivot a and its
face as is preferably inclined to facilitate the action of the latch thereon to push
it to one side and allow the latch to pass to the rear side thereof.
After the latch has pushed aside the pendulous or oscillating lever a, the latter
will automatically resume its latching position either by gravity or by the aid
of a light spring. In the form shown at Figs. 1 and 2 the part a serves to
secure the main bolt of a latch lock.
is
In the form shown at Figs. 3 to 6 the pendulous or oscillating lever
formed at both ends with perforations to receive the pivot screw a which latter
after being passed through the holes in the parts a or a' and a is screwed into
the door jamb.
Thus the staple, striking plate or catch represented at Figs. 3 to 6 is capable
of being reversed to suit either a right or left handed rim latch.
In the modification shown at Figs. 7 and 8 the body of the staple, striking
plate or catch is of similar construction to that used with ordinary rim latch
locks but to adapt it to the present invention a space a¹ is formed in the face
thereof, a pendulous or oscillating lever a³ is pivoted to the upper part a and a
strengthening piece and stop as is fixed to the part a to form a bearing or retain-
ing piece for the lower end of the lever a³.
The staple, striking plate or catch shown at Figures 9 and 10 is of similar form
to that ordinarily used for mortice latch locks but one side of the latch bolt
hole a is removed and the pendulous or oscillating lever a³ is pivoted at a to
lugs or ears a to act as a movable side to said bolt hole a' and to serve as the
striking plate or catch for the latch bolt; a trough a is also attached to the
one side of the staple, striking plate or catch to provide a neat finish to the
door jamb at the point where the latter has to be cut away to give the latch bolt
free movement until it reaches the pendulous or oscillating lever a. The pendu-
lous or oscillating lever a³ is provided with an inclined face on one or both sides
or it may be plain and the latch bolt may have the inclined face thereon or the
acting faces of both may be inclined.
If desired the pendulous staple or catch may be made wedge form, that is to
say, thicker at the top than at the bottom as shown by the broken line 10 in
Fig. 4.
The latch holt may be provided with means to enable it to be withdrawn from

page_text: the pendulous staple or catch a or the latter may be provided with a handle all
by which it can be turned away from the latch bolt as shown at Figs. 3 and 4.
Thus in shutting the door or other article to which the latch bolt is applied
the pendulous or oscillating lever a³ is readily pushed aside by such latch bolt
oven if the latter is furnished with a strong spring or is fixed and when the
Jatch bolt has passed said pendulous or oscillating lever the latter automatically
resumes its latching position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed wo declare that
what we claim is:-
The combination with door and other latches of a staple, striking plate or
catch having a pendulous or oscillating lever arranged, constructed and operating
substantially as herein set forth and for the purpose stated.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents.