IMPROVE- MENTS IN LOCKS AND FASTENINGS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR RAILWAY
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Morrison, of Catrine, in the County of
Ayr, North Britain, Coach Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS AND FASTENINGS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR RAILWAY
Sealed the 20th June 1871, and dated the 22nd December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Morrison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 22nd December 1870.
I, JAMES MORRISON, of Catrine, in the County of Ayr, North Britain,
Coach Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND FASTENINGS, ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR RAILWAY
CARRIAGE AND OTHER DOORS," to be as follows:-
The object principally to be attained by these improvements is the
prevention of doors flying open and also when required making doors
to shut simply by the slamming: thereof, whereby many accidents and
mischances may be avoided.
The main feature in these improvements is the application of the
spring for the tongue direct to the top or back thereof at or near the

page_text: angle of conjunction of the handle and the tongue of the lock; the
tongue for this purpose having a projecting part into which the end of
the spring or a lever acting therewith takes, but the kind of spring and
the method of its application in other respects may be varied.
In some cases I construct the handles, fastenings, or striking plates
with the whole weight of the spring in front of the centre of the handle
and pressing on a saddle on the top of the tongue, which prevents the
tongue coming out of the fastening or striking plate. The fastening or
striking plate has a moveable edge on the side that the tongue of the
lock presses on when the door is fastened, which in course of time gets
chafed off and the doors shake, when by inserting a screwdriver and
opening this lip and fixing a small piece of leather hammered hard the
shake is taken off without disturbing the paint or the fastenings or
striking plates. This is especially applicable to mortise arrangements.
In other cases a spring catch piece for pressing against the side of the
tongue is used, and in other cases a sliding piece with a spring on top
and a camb or semi-disc arrangement acting in concert therewith so as to
allow the tongue to press the camb or semi-disc into such a position
as to allow the tongue to fall into its proper catch recess when the camb
takes a position which holds the tongue fast until relieved by turning the
handle.
I sometimes vary the above arrangements by reversing the action of
the spring, and in some cases I use no lever and apply the spring direct
to the back of the tongue at the angle of conjunction of the handle,
and the arrangements may be varied according as may be required. The
striking and catch plates are arranged in accordance with the arrange-
ment of the locks, in some cases a simple staple is used, in others a
staple or plate with springs and other arrangements which cause the
tongue to be held fast in its place when the door is shut and so to remain
till the handle is turned to open the door.
In some cases in order to well ensure the door shutting by slam
action the striking plate or fastening is made in the form of a fluted or
grooved roller, and the tongue of the lock after striking one of the pro-
minent parts of the roller falls into the groove or flute and is there
held by the power of a pall and spring which prevent the tongue of 3
the lock being released except when the door is opened in the usual
way by turning the latch handle and pulling the door.

page_text: In other cases a handle with a trigger catch attached may be used
which catches into a notched or recessed collar and so holds the handle
in any position arranged.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Morrison in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 22nd June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MORRISON, of Catrine, in the County of Ayr, North Britain, Coach
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in
the thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said James Morrison, Her
special licence, that I, the said James Morrison, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James Morrison,
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 AND FASTENINGS ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND
OTHER DOORS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James
Morrison, 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 James Morrison, 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 :-
The objects principally aimed at by these improvements are to prevent
doors flying open, and also to provide that doors when required may

page_text: be shut simply by slamming thereof, whereby many accidents and
mischances may be avoided.
The main feature in these improvements is the application of the
spring for the tongue of the lock direct to the top or back thereof, at
or near the angle of conjunction of the handle and the tongue of the
lock, the tongue being for this purpose provided with a projecting part
(or equivalent), into which the end of the spring or a lever acting
therewith takes (or operates thereon). However the kind of spring and
the method of its application in other respects than those above stated
admit of variation.
A rotating or a moveable catch also forms part of the Invention, such
rotating catch having corrugations or being recessed so that the tongue
always falls into one of the recesses, whereby locking is effected, and
thus the moveable catch upon its movement allows the tongue to fall
into the locked position, enabling locking to be effected, and the door
may be locked by slam action if so arranged.
Having thus far particularly described the objects and nature of the
said Invention, I will now proceed to particularly describe and ascertain
in what manner the same is to be performed or put in operation, which
I shall do by reference to the Drawings accompanying these Presents.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In which a denotes the handle, which is either of the usual character,
or of the character shown in Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B; 6, the spindle;
c, tongue which is connected to the spindle in the usual manner adopted
for carriages with outside fastenings, commonly called outside locks. 2
The tongue has at its back or top a projection d against which the end
of a duplex spring e of two or more plates, according to the strength
required, the spring still retaining its elasticity abuts or acts either
directly or through the medium of a lever f, which works on a screw
centre, as shown in some Figs. ; 1, p, denotes the lock plate wherever 3
the same appears on the Drawings, and b, x, (in the mortise lock
arrangement) the box of the lock. In the catch plates for those locks
which because they indicate to the guard or passenger whether the door
is open or shut, I term indicator locks which shut by slam action, and
at the same time prevent the tongue of the lock from working open 3
in the striking plate arrangements. The following parts are denoted
by the following letters:-g, striking plate; h, spiral spring, i, lever

page_text: fastened to the cam k, which cam k when struck by the tongue of the
lock at the point x, x, or thereabouts as in arrangement shown at 2C A,
flies back and allows the tongue to pass into the locking aperture;
a bolt / actuated by a spring m then falls, and thus forms the front edge
of the locking aperture, and so the tongue becomes securely locked.
The cam k in the arrangement 2E has underneath a tooth arrange-
ment n, which gears with teeth on the bolt 1, and here one spring e is
sufficient to ensure proper action.
In the striking plate arrangement, shown by the Figs. 2B* and 2D,
the letter o denotes a grooved roller, which is provided with a spring e,
and this allows the tongue to take into one of the grooves, and then
holds it fast till unlocking takes place. In the trigger handle arrange-
ments, such as shown at 3B, the trigger is marked q and its spring r,
and the catch plate 8, into which the lower end of the trigger takes, and
thus holds the tongue in position, whether for locking or unlocking,
the hand when turning the handle bringing the lower end of the trigger
into one or other of the notches in the said catch plate 8. In the spring
striking staple arrangement as at 2B C, t are springs which act on a
moveable bar, with said springs underneath which allow of it sliding
back upon the tongue of the lock, so that it may fall into its proper
place when struck by the slam of the door.
It will be seen by reference to the accompanying Drawings that there
are several sets of Figures marked by similar figures and letters, and
having descriptive words placed against same; and the above letters of
reference will be found to be placed on some of each particular set, and
not repeated upon all, as it is considered that the others will be under-
stood if what has been above stated and what now follows be carefully
perused.
In the Figures marked 1 A the locks shown are outside locks, and the
fastenings marked 1 A are the universal lock to be used in the same
way as the lock now in use, having a new action. The spring is a duplex
one and composed of two or more plates, which is more flexible and can
be made of any strength, still retaining its flexibility, and it works on
the top of the tongue instead of on the end thereof, as in the case of the
old locks. The fastening 1 A has a moveable lip, and when the tongue
has become worn so that the door catches, it only requires for such
purpose the door to be tightened, it is only necessary to open the

page_text: moveable part and insert a small piece of wood or leather, when the
lock is made to fit as well as when new, thereby saving the time of
taking off and refitting the old one. In the Fig. 1 B locks and fastenings
are the universal mortise locks and fastenings; these like the outside
locks have a duplex spring composed of two or more plates and work
on the top of the tongue, and like them have all the weight of the
pressure of the spring on the front of the tongue; they cannot fly open
when once shut. The fastening plate has a moveable lip, and the strake
can be taken off as in 1 A. The locks marked 2B, called indicator
locks, are used with the fastenings 2 B*, called revolving fastenings.
Doors supplied with these locks and fastenings will shut with a slam,
and if not fastened will indicate to the passenger that the door is open,
hence the name indicator. They will also be useful for saving doors from
from being broken when left open, for if they slam by themselves they
will be as securely fastened as if done by the guard or carriage attendant,
and they have this advantage that they open in the usual way by
merely turning the handle..
The mortise locks marked 2 C are double action lever locks for
indicator, showing same applied in different forms, as shown in 2 BA,
2 B, 2 D E, 2 A, and the cam action fastenings can be used with them
either in the forms of 2 C A, 2 CB, 2 E, or 2 BC for outside fastenings.
The tongue of the lock strikes on the part of the cam marked X, X, and
causes it to turn back, then it comes in contact with the inclined plane
of the bolt marked 2 on the fastenings 2 C A, 2 C B, 2 E. 2 BC is
the sliding outside door staple; when the tongue of the lock strikes at
No. 1 it slides back and flies forward, covering the tongue and securing
the door safely.
The fastening marked 2 B* is a grooved or fluted roller which
receives the tongue of the lock, like or on the same principle as the
tooth of a wheel and small tooth wheel arrangement in mechanical gear,
having a spring a fall to prevent the back action. 2D is the same
without the fall, having the spring with a lip rivetted on only to stop
the back action, and secures the door as fast as if done in the old
method. 2 B² door section full size of a first-class carriage door with
fastening applied, showing the external appearance, and the section of
the door pillar is marked 2 B** with india-rubber pads to take off the
loud bang which so alarms nervous passengers, this at the same time

page_text: preventing the shake or chattering of the door, also very disagreeable
when travelling. 3A the defiance handles which cannot work open,
said 3 A being a handle with a small tooth arrangement on the shoulder,
which slides on the spindle of the handle that is fixed in the tongue, and
flies forward and comes in gear with a fixed tooth wheel on the face of
the tongue, the teeth of which are bevilled to allow the handle to shut
in the usual way, but must be pulled to you when opening, and can
only be opened from the outside, forming a secure handle for ladies'
carriages when out shoping, as other persons could not open the door
handily, and it could not be opened from the inside out of the window.
It would do well also for the metropolitan police vans. 3 B is a section
of a pillar with defiance trigger handle applied, which can be used in
every form and purpose of carriage handle and locks, and when applied
no lock could work open if once shut, making no alteration in opening
and shutting the door even by children, but no child could open it from
the inside of a coach.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby
declare that I claim the herein-described "Improvements in Locks and
Fastenings, especially Applicable for Railway Carriage and other Doors,"
wherein, first, a spring as will be seen on referring to the Drawings
works at the back or top of the tongue of the lock, applied either direct
or by the intervention of a lever as in Drawing 1 A, 1B, and 2 A, and
in 2 B.
Second. Generally, though not always, these springs are double,
thereby giving greater flexibility and elasticity to the spring, and at the
same time increasing its power, and such locks cannot fly open as the old
laal-e here done
the
DressIZNO
of the antinc is acainst the tonque

page_text: so fatal to glass doors and to the plaster around door frames in houses,
for the applied india-rubber pads can be used with much advantage.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Morrison, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JAMES MORRISON. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
'Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street.