AN IMPROVED METHOD OR METHODS OF SECURING THE LIDS OF COAL-CELLAR HOLES, WHICH SAID METHOD OR METHODS MAY BE APPLIED TO THE CLOSING OF OTHER LIKE APERTURES
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Lea and John Walford
Lea at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 12th April 1864.
We, HENRY LEA, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Civil
Engineer, and JOHN WALFORD LEA, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Share Broker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OR METHODS OF SECURING THE LIDS OF COAL-CELLAR HOLES, WHICH SAID METHOD
OR METHODS MAY BE APPLIED TO THE CLOSING OF OTHER LIKE APERTURES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to secure the lids of coal-cellar holes in an
easier and more certain manner than is ordinarily accomplished with a chain
and staple. A cast-iron ring is provided as usual, of suitable depth, having a
broad flange at the bottom for the purpose of resting upon the brickwork of
the coal cellar hole, and also of enabling the ring to be held firmly down in its
place by the slabs of stone or other material forming the pavement in which it
is fixed in the ordinary manner. The top of the vertical portion of the cast-
iron ring is recessed or rebated to receive the lid or cover. The brickwork
forming the cole cellar hole is of a greater internal diameter than the interior
of the cast-iron ring, so as to allow the under and inner face of the flange to

page_text: project slightly inwards from the brickwork. This projecting face is for the
purpose of receiving the hooks or ends of three or more catches dependent
from the lid, and hereafter to be described. The projecting face may be
flat underneath, but it is preferred to be bevelled outwards and upwards
so as to leave the inner edge the lowest, and prevent the catches being
withdrawn should the lid have been raised slightly from the ring, as by any
one endeavouring to obtain an entrance from the outside. The said catches
are each formed of a piece of iron or other material, bent or otherwise made
into the shape of a long arm and a short arm nearly at right angles to each
other. At the bend or junction of the arms a hole is made for the purpose of
receiving a pin, which pin also passes through two lugs cast upon or otherwise
affixed to the under side of the lid near to its edge, 'and between these lugs
the catch hangs. The long arm of the catch-projects in a nearly horizontal
position towards the centre of the lid, and is of such length that when three
or more catches are used the respective arms of each meet in the centre, but
do not touch each other. The short arm of each catch hangs in a vertical
position, and is provided with a hook or projection capable of taking hold of
the aforesaid inner and under face of the ring, bevelled or otherwise to receive
it. The short arm is pressed outwards and kept in position when the lid is in
its place by the weight of the long arm. To fix the lid in the ring nothing
more is required than to drop the same catches downwards into the ring. For
the purpose and convenience of first causing the catches to enter the ring, they
are prevented from falling too far outwards by a centre pin fixed in the lid,
projecting downwards, and provided with a head upon which all the long arms
of the catches rest. In their descent the catches are forced inwards by the
interior face of the ring, but return to their position as soon as their hooked
ends arrive below the bevelled edge of the ring. The removal of the lid is
effected from the under side by first pushing all the long arms of the catches
upwards until they come into contact with the lid, thus disengaging the short
arms or hooked ends, when a further pressure raises the lid, which may be
then pushed on one side and removed.
We do not confine ourselves to any particular number of catches, nor to the
particular method of making and securing the same as herein-before described.
Thus they may be actuated by a spring instead of by their own weight, or
they may be formed as springs, and so attached to the lid. The catches may
also take, hold into holes in the side of the ring, in place of descending below
the ring, or the ring may have an internal projection formed upon it for the
same purpose.

page_text: Though the description, as herein given, applies particularly to the method
or methods which we propose to adopt for securing the lids of coal-cellar holes,
we believe our Invention may be usefully employed in the closing and securing
other like apertures.