IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BAGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1871

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LETTERS PATENT to John Tonkinson, of Saint John Street, Clerken-
well, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BAGS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES."
Scaled the 10th November 1871, and dated the 12th May 1871.
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tonkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th May 1871.
I, JOHN TONKINSON, of Saint John Street, Clerkenwell, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BAGS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
-
The Invention has for its object improvements in locks or fastenings
for purses, pocket books, bags, and other articles. For this purpose I
employ as heretofore two members or portions in the lock or fastening,
one consisting of a plate with a hasp fixed thereto in the form of a
loop or eye or other catch capable of receiving a bolt, as herein-after

page_text: described, to receive the hasp and lock it in position. The second
member or portion of the lock or fastening is formed of two plates and
a raised boss or button. One of these plates has a hole or holes formed
therein to receive the hasp, and is fastened to the second plate by rivets
or otherwise, whilst the boss or button slides on the outer side of the
second plate, and has a bolt, slide, or locking piece (herein-after called
the bolt) fixed thereto, which works through a slot or opening in the
second plate, and within a space between the first and second plates.
This bolt is capable of passing through the hasp to lock or unlock the
lock or fastening, and is acted upon by a spring attached thereto, which
slides back and forward in conjunction with the bolt, and presses upon
the surface of the first or the second plates to retain the bolt in position.
This spring is ribbed or indented, or otherwise formed to act on the one
or the other side of projections or indentations formed on or fixed to
either the first or the second plate, whereby when the lock or fastening
is locked or unlocked by the sliding of the bolt attached to the boss or
button an audible indication will be given of the locking or unlocking
having been effected, and the bolt or slide will be more firmly retained
in either position until it is again desired to act upon it. This peculiar
mode of retaining the bolt or slide in either position, and of indicating
when the locking or unlocking has been effected, is also applicable to
other similar descriptions of locks or fastenings. In the construction
of the lock the projections or indentations before mentioned may be
omitted if it is so desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 2
filed by the said John Tonkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th November 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TONKINSON, of Saint John Street, Clerkenwell, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Tonkinson, Her special licence 3

page_text: that I, the said John Tonkinson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Tonkinson, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR PURSES, POCKET BOOKS, BAGS, AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Tonkinson,
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 Tonkinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 :-
:―
The Invention has for its object improvements in locks or fastenings
for purses, pocket books, bags, and other articles. For this purpose I
employ as heretofore two members or portions in the lock or fastening,
one consisting of a plate with a hasp fixed thereto in the form of a
loop or eye, or other catch capable of receiving a bolt, and the second
formed as herein-after described to receive the hasp and lock it in
position. The second member or portion of the lock or fastening is
formed of two plates and a raised boss or button. One of these plates
has a hole or holes formed therein to receive the hasp, and is fastened to
the second plate by rivets or otherwise, whilst the boss or button slides
on the outer side of the second plate, and has a bolt, slide, or locking
piece (hereinafter called the bolt) fixed thereto, which works through¨
a slot or opening in the second plate, and within a space between the first
and second plates. This bolt is capable of passing through the hasp to
lock or unlock the lock or fastening, and is acted upon by a spring
attached thereto, which slides back and forward in conjunction with
the bolt, and presses upon the surface of the first or the second plates
to retain the bolt in position. This spring is ribbed or indented or
otherwise formed to act on the one or the other side of projections

page_text: and c.
This bolt e is capable of passing through the hasp a¹ to lock or
unlock the lock or fastening, and it is acted upon by a spring f (shewn
separately at Figures 12 and 13) attached thereto, which slides back-
ward and forward in conjunction with the bolt e, and presses upon the
surface of the plate c, as shown, to retain the bolt e in either the locked
or unlocked position. This spring fis ribbed at f¹ to act on the one or
the other side of projections c³, formed on or fixed to the plate c, whereby
when the lock or fastening is locked or unlocked by the sliding of the
boss or button d an audible indication will be given of the locking or
unlocking having been effected, and the bolt or slide e will be firmly
retained in either position until it is again desired to act upon it.
Instead of causing the spring f to bear upon the plate c it may by
slight modification be caused to bear upon the plate b, as will be readily
understood, and if desired the projections f¹ and c³ may be dispensed
with.
At Figure 14 I have shown a purse with one of my improved locks or
fastenings applied thereto showing the purse as it would appear when
locked. And at Figure 15 I have shown a purse with a similar lock
applied thereto showing it as it would appear when unlocked; Figures 1
to 13 are drawn to double the actual size of the lock or fastening; and
Figures 14 and 15 are drawn to the real or natural size.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is, the novel construction and arrangement of the parts of
locks or fastenings for purses, pocket books, bags, and other articles,
substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tonkinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JOHN TONKINSON. (L.S.)