AN IMPROVED SAFETY LOCK FOR COFFERS, FURNITURE, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR APPLICATIONS.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Pierro Haffner, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at
Paris, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SAFETY LOCK FOR
COFFERS, FURNITURE, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR APPLICATIONS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Pierro Haffuer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th September 1876.
JEAN PIERRE HAFFNER, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer.
AN IMPROVED SAFETY LOCK FOR COFFERS, FURNITURE, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR APPLICATIONS."
The chief feature of the improved lock which forms the subject of the present
Invention is that the same play or movement of the tumblers secures both the main
bolt and the spring bolt or latch bolt. This result is attained by the special
combination of a lever which is worked directly by the key, so as to cause both the
main bolt and the spring or latch bolt to be actuated. The main bolt has a safety
stump or tooth which should find a passage simultaneously in the central slot of all
the tumblers, and the lever is itself combined with a bar provided with a tooth which
engages in notches formed in appendages of all the tumblers. As the lever in the
last part of its movement causes the spring bolt to move, the result is that the bar
put in motion by it constitutes the safety piece of the spring bolt in combination
with the appendages of all the tumblers.
In the second place, owing to the particular arrangement of the lever before
mentioned I obtain for the main bolt with a single turn of the key a shoot as long
as is produced with two turns of the key in ordinary locks. In my lock the shooting
of the main bolt is produced by two projections or cams on the lever acting
alternately on two pins or studs fixed for the purpose in the bolt. The bolt is
besides guided in its movement by a small loop running on a rib formed on the lock
case.
To give still greater security to my lock I form on the middle tumbler two notches

page_text: respectively opposite the tooth of the bar before named, according to whether it is
the master or principal's key, or the servants' or subordinates' key which is used.
For this purpose the middle "bit" which in the master's key acts on this tumbler
is in the servants' key much shortened, so that the tumbler not being sufficiently
raised the tooth of the main bolt cannot pass, and only the spring or latch bolt can
be moved. The consequence is that only the master can lock and unlock the main
bolt and spring bolt together, while the servants can act on the spring bolt only.
Having stated the nature of my Invention, I proceed to describe a lock constructed
in accordance therewith.
The mechanism of the lock is enclosed within an ordinary case or box upon which
the lever before mentioned is pivoted on a horizontal screw or pin. This lever has
two projections which act alternately as cams on the two pins or studs of the main
bolt in order to give motion thereto. The main bolt has on its face a stump or
tooth which gives it the requisite security in combination with the internal slots of
the tumblers. The tumblers have notched appendages in which engages a tooth on
a horizontal bar which thus gives the requisite security to the spring or latch bolt.
This bar slides longitudinally on a guiding support fixed to the lock case. Sufficient
room is left to allow the lever to pass. On the bar is a pin which traverses a guide
made for the purpose in the support. When the lever is moved by the key it meets
this pin which it draws with it together with the tooth on the bar, so that this
tooth enters the notches in the tumblers. This movement of the tooth produces a
very soft and regular action. The main bolt has a portion cut away to allow two pins
on the lever to pass, on which the bits of the keys act for the locking and unlocking
of the main bolt. The bolt is besides guided in its movement by a loop which slides
on a rib on the lock case.
Absolute security is offered by my lock by the special arrangement of the middle
tumbler, and by the difference between the master's and servants' keys. From this
arrangement it follows that the master alone can move both the main bolt and the
spring or latch bolt, while the servants can only actuate the spring or latch bolt.
The difference in the two keys consists in this, that in the master's key all the
"bits" project to the same extent, while in the servants' key the middle bit is much
shorter. The middle bit acts directly on the the middle tumbler which has two
notches instead of one like the other tumblers. The notch which corresponds with
the notch on the other tumblers is moved opposite the tooth on the bar, when the
middle bit of the master's key acts and allows the main bolt to pass; but when the
servants' key is used the middle bit does not raise the middle tumbler sufficiently
and the other notch is then opposite the tooth.
In my lock I employ a particular kind of springs; they are made of thick round
steel wire flattened at the working end, and they are superposed opposite their
respective tumblers on a pin fixed to the lock case.
Further, I make the drop-piece which conceals the keyhole in two superposed
pieces. The first piece is open in the middle forming a frame, and is fixed by screws
to the lock case; the other piece is a plate moveable on a pivot. A projection on
the inside of this plate abuts against the first piece or frame when the plate is
moved to uncover the keyhole. This arrangement allows of the drop-piece being
reversed by simply unscrewing its fixing screws in case the position of the lock
should be changed, or for other cause.
The arrangement of my improved lock allows of there being only one hole for the
two keys, and placed sufficiently far from the rabbet of the door to give the hand
freedom of movement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Jean Pierre Haffner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st March 1877.
JEAN PIERRE HAFFNER, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer.
"AN IMPROVED SAFETY LOCK FOR COFFERS, FURNITURE, APARTMENTS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR APPLICATIONS."
The chief feature of the improved lock, which forms the subject of the present
Invention, is that the same play or movement of the tumblers secures both the
main bolt and the spring bolt or latch bolt. This result is attained by the special
combination of a lever which is worked directly by the key, so as to cause both
the main bolt and the spring or latch bolt to be actuated. The main bolt has a
safety stump or tooth which should find a passage simultaneously in the central
slot of all the tumblers, and the lover is itself combined with a bar provided with a
tooth which engages in notches formed in appendages of all the tumblers. As the
lever in the last part of its movement causes the spring bolt to move the result is
that the bar put in motion by it constitutes the safety piece of the spring bolt in
combination with the appendages of all the tumblers.
In the second place, owing to the particular arrangement of the lever before men-
tioned, I obtain for the main bolt with a single turn of the key a shoot as long as
is produced with two turns of the koy in ordinary locks. In my lock the shooting
of the main bolt is produced by two projections or cams on the lever acting alter-
nately on two pins or studs fixed for the purpose in the bolt. The bolt is besides
guided in its movement by a small loop running on a rib formed on the lock case.
To give still greater security to my lock I form on the middle tumbler two
notches respectively opposite the tooth of the lock before named, according to
whether it is the master or principal's key, or the servants' or subordinate's key
which is used. For this purpose the middle "bit," which in the master's key acts
on this tumbler, is in the servants' key much shortened, so that the tumbler not
being sufficiently raised the tooth of the main bolt cannot pass, and only the spring
or latch bolt can be moved. The consequence is that only the master can lock and
unlock the main bolt and spring bolt together, while the servants can act on the
spring bolt only.
Having stated the nature of my Invention I proceed to describe, with the aid of
the accompanying Drawings, a lock constructed in accordance therewith.
Figure 1 is a back elevation of my lock shewing the internal mechanism.
Figure 2 is a similar view, in which the spring bolt is drawn back; the dotted
lines shew the main bolt shot.
Figure 3 is an external view of the lock shewing the drop piece for the key hole.
Figures 4 to 20 are views of various parts of the lock detached. The mechanism
of the lock is enclosed within an ordinary case or box a, upon which the lever b is
pivoted on a screw or pin c; this lever 6 (Figures 6 and 7) has two projections h
and ¹, which act alternately as cams on the two pins or studs f and f¹ of the
main bolt g in order to give motion thereto. The main bolt g has on its face a
stump or tooth i, which gives it the requisite security in combination with the
internal slots of the tumblers j. The tumblers have notched appendages k, in which
engages a tooth on a bar q (Figures 12, 13, and 14), which thus gives the requisite
security to the spring or latch bolt m (Figure 15); this bar q slides longitudinally
on a guiding support r fixed to the lock case a. Sufficient room is left to allow
the lever b to pass. On the bar q is a pin s which traverses a guide t made for the
purpose in the support r. When the lever b is moved by the key it meets this
pin 8 which it draws with it, together with the tooth, so that this tooth enters the
notches in the tumblers; this movement of the tooth 7 produces a very soft and
regular action. Or the spring bolt m may be arranged as shewn in Figures 21 and
22. The stem of the bolt should be exactly in the axis of the projection of the
bolt. A groove u¹ formed in the thickness of the stem allows of lodging fixedly

page_text: 111
therein the tooth 7, seen separately in Figures 23 and 24. In consequence of this
arrangement the notches of the tumblers i would be placed in such a manner as
to present themselves in juxtaposition to the tooth in the axis of the bolt m, and
the bar q would be entirely suppressed. The tooth instead of being placed in
the groove u of the bolt m may be made flush at the side, and covered by a sheet-
metal guide. To prevent any lateral displacement of the tumblers I fit below
them an abutment x¹, Figure 2. The main bolt g has a portion cut away u,
Figure 4, to allow two pins b1, b2, on the lever b to pass, on which the bits of the
keys act for the locking and unlocking of the main bolt. The bolt is besides guided
in its movement by a loop f¹, which slides on a rib f¹ on the lock case.
Absoluto security is offered by my lock by the special arrangement of the
middle tumbler j¹, and by the difference between the master's and servants' keys.
From this arrangement it follows that the master alone can move both the main
bolt and the spring or latch bolt, while the servants can only actuate the spring or
latch bolt. The difference in the two keys consists in this, that in the master's
key M (Figure 19) all the "bits" 1, 2, and 3 project to the same extent, while in
the servants' key D (Figure 20) the middle bit is much shorter. The middle bit 2
(Figure 19) acts directly on the middle tumbler j¹, Figures 8 and 9, which has
two notches instead of one, like the other tumblers. The notch k is moved opposite
the tooth when the middle bit 2 of the master's key M. acts, and allows the
main bolt to pass; but when the servants' key is used the middle bit does not
raise the middle tumbler j¹ sufficiently, and the other notch k¹ is then opposite the
tooth.
In my lock I employ a particular kind of springs o Figures 10 and 11; they
are made of thick round steel wire flattened at the working end, and they are
superposed opposite their respective tumblers on a pin x fixed to the lock case.
Figures 16, 17, and 18 represent the drop' piece, which conceals the keyhole;
I make this in two superposed pieces A and B. The piece A is open in the middle,
forming a frame, and is fixed by screws to the lock case; the other piece B is a
plate movable on a pivot C. A projection D on the inside of this plate B abuts
against the piece or frame A, when the plate B is moved to uncover the key hole.
This arrangement allows of the drop piece being reversed by simply unscrewing its
fixing screws in case the position of the lock should be changed, or for other
cause.
The arrangement of my improved locks allows of there being only one hole for
the two keys, and placed sufficiently far from the rabbet of the door to give the
hand freedom of movement.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the improved lock in which
the same play or movement of the tumblers secures both the main bolt and the
spring or latch bolt, substantially as herein-before described and represented in
the annexed Drawings, the essential or characteristic features of which lock are,-
First. The special play or arrangement of the tumblers with the notched
appendages, so as to give safety or security both to the main bolt g by their
internal slots and to the spring or latch bolt by the notches in the said appendages.
Secondly. The particular arrangement of the lever b, causing the movement of
the main bolt by means of the projections or cams h, h¹, and of the pins 61, 62, on
which the bits of the key M act.
Thirdly. The arrangement of the lever b and bar q for causing the tooth / of the
spring bolt to enter the notches k of the tumblers, as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2.
Fourthly. The particular action of the tumbler j¹ (Figures 8 and 9), having two
notches and k¹, which come opposite the tooth 1, according to whether it is the
master's or servants' key which is employed.
Fifthly. The improved arrangement of the springs o made of thick steel wire
flattened at the working end, and superposed on a pin fixed to the lock case.

page_text: Sixthly. The particular arrangement of the drop piece, Figures 3, 16, 17,
and 18.
And, lastly. The general arrangement or combination of parts of the lock.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jean Pierre Haffner, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
Of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1,
At Paris.
J. P. HAFFNER. (L.S.)