Improvements in Lever Mechanism of Locks and Latches.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1892--Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Mechanism of Locks and Latches.
1, DENHAM WHITEHOUSE, of Stephenson Street, Wolverhampton in the County
of Stafford. Stamper and Piercer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
o be as follows:-
This invention relates to the springs against the elastic resistance of which the
evers of lever locks and latches are raised by the key. These springs, as frequently
constructed, are slit away for the greater portion of their length from the main
plate of the lever, and are set outwards at their unconnected end where they bear
There is thus occasioned, as a lever
against a stud within the lock or latch case.
is raised, a rubbing friction between the outer end of the spring and the stud
against which it bears which causes both dulness of action and tendency to wear:
besides which the spring is necessarily somewhat short, and has therefore a very
limited clasticity.
Now, the object of this invention is to form such springs and cause them to bear
at their outer or unconnected ends in such manner that there will be substantially
no rubbing friction, while the springs themselves are formed of a much greater
length than usual with considerably greater curvature and have consequently a high
degree of elasticity.
According to this invention, the spring is slit away from the edge of the lever not
only along one side thereof, as is usual, but also in a curved direction around the
hinder end. It is connected with the lever only for a short distance at the forward
upper edge as with the ordinary springs of this description. The outer or uncon-
nected end is thus formed to return somewhat forwards on the underside of the
lever, and when the lever is placed within the lock or latch this unconnected end
This stud may be a plain
butts endways on against a stud carried within the case.
cylindrical pin, and the end of the spring be hollowed to fit partially therearound
or formed with an eye to pass therearound; or the stud may be formed hollow on
the side towards the spring, and the unconnected end of the spring be rounded to
fit or bear within the hollow. When a lever provided with such a spring is raised
by the key, there is substantially no rubbing friction between the end of the spring
and the stud, and the spring being held at each end bows itself out beyond its
initial curvature through its entire length. Moreover, the increased length of
the spring and its great degree of curvature endow it with a high degree of
elasticity.
A modification of this invention consists in forming a pulling spring with the
lever by slitting the spring from a point of connection with the lever corresponding
to the position where the open end of the spring occurs in the former described
modification, around the hinder end and along the top edge, so as to leave the
open end of the spring at the forward end of the top edge of the lever. This open
end may either be hook-shaped to hold around a stud, or may be formed with an
eye for this purpose.
thin with day of immu 1534.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lever Mechanism of Locks and Latches.
1, DENHAM WHITEHOUSE, of Stephenson Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Stamper and Piercer, 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:-
This invention relates to the springs against the elastic resistance of which the
levers of lever locks and latches are raised by the key. These springs, as frequently
constructed, are slit away from the main plate of the lever, but are left connected
therewith at one end, and are set outwards at their unconnected ends where they
bear against a stud within, or against a portion of, the lock or latch case. There
is thus occasioned, as a lever is raised, a rubbing friction between the outer end of
the spring and the stud or other part against which it bears, which causes both
dulness of action and tendency to wear besides which the spring is necessarily
somewhat short, and has therefore a very limited elasticity.
Now, the object of this invention is to form such springs and cause them to bear
at their outer or unconnected ends in such manner that there will be substantially
no rubbing friction, while the springs themselves are formed of a much greater
length than usual, with considerably greater curvature, and have consequently a
high degree of elasticity.
According to this invention, the spring is slit away from the edge of the lever
not only along one side thereof, as is usual, but also in a curved direction around
the hinder end. It is connected with the lever, according to one modification, at
the forward end of the upper edge as with the ordinary springs of this description.
The outer or unconnected end is thus formed to return somewhat forwards on the
underside of the lever, and when the lever is placed within the lock or latch this
unconnected end butts endways against a stud carried within the case. This stud
may be a plain cylindrical pin, and the end of the spring be hollowed to fit partially
therearound or formed with an eye to pass therearound; or the stud may be formed
hollow on the side towards the spring, and the unconnected end of the spring be
formed to fit or bear within the hollow. When a lever provided with such a spring
is raised by the key, there is substantially no rubbing friction between the end of
the spring and the stud, and the spring being held at each end bows itself out
beyond its initial curvature. Moreover, the increased length of the spring and its
great degree of curvature endow it with a high degree of elasticity. It is not
essential in this modification that the spring shall return somewhat forwards, as the
outer end of the spring may bear against a stud placed in any convenient position
within the case, so long as the spring is bowed sufficiently between its point of
connection with the lever and its outer end.
According to a further modification of this invention, a pulling spring is formed
with the lever by slitting the spring from a point of connection with the underside
of the curved, hinder end of the lever around such hinder end and along the top
edge, so as to leave the open end of the spring over the forward end of the top edge
of the lever. This open end may either be hook-shaped to hold around a stud,
may be formed with an eye for this purpose.
or
The first described modification of this invention is illustrated by Figures 1
and 2 of the drawings herewith, of which Figure 1 shews a lever, provided with a
compression spring according to this modification, as in its downward position, and
Figure 2 shews the lever as in its raised position. The stump a, which would be
carried by the bolt and gear within the gating of the lever, is shewn by broken
lines only and the spring and stud shewn by broken lines Figure 1 refer to a
modification which will be presently described. The spring is slit, from its con-
nection at e with the forward end of the top edge of the lever, along the top edge
and around the hinder end so that its outer or free end d is at the underside of the

page_text: lever. This end is shewn to be concave and to bear against a stud e which would
be fixed within the lock or latch case. It will readily be seen that, as the lever is
raised into the position shewn by Figure 2, the spring is further bowed outwards,
as shewn, and that there is practically no rubbing friction on the pin e.
In lieu of the spring b, which curves round the hinder end of the lever, a spring 1,
shewn by broken lines Figure 1, bowed in the form shewn, may have its hinder end
bearing against a stud e fixed in the position shewn, or in other convenient position
as will be obvious.
A modification of this invention, in which a pulling spring is employed in lieu of
a compression spring, is shown by Figures 3 and 4 which correspond, respectively,
to Figures 1 and 2 before described. In this case the spring his shewn to be slit
from the lever, from a point of connection e under the hinder end of the lever,
around a portion of the hinder end and along the top edge, and the outer end d of
the spring is shewn as formed to a hook shape for engagement with a stud e which
would be fixed within the case. As the lever is raised into the position, shewn by
Figure 4 the spring is slightly straightened and closes in somewhat around the
hinder end of the lever, as shewn.
The invention is described and shewn in its application to a single lever only,
but it is of course intended to treat each lever of a lock or latch, in cases in which
more than one is used, in the same manner.
It is much preferred to form each spring and lever in one piece by slitting the
spring from the edge of the lever, but it is obvious that the advantages of the
invention may be secured in some degree even if the springs are formed, as is
frequently the case, separately and subsequently attached to the levers.
Slitting a spring from a lever around the curved hinder end thereof, in addition
to doing so along the top edge thereof, enables me to obtain a much longer spring,
without waste of metal, than can be obtained in the usual manner of forming it by
slitting from the lever; and, in the case in which such a spring is formed in the
manner shewn by Figures 3 and 4, it is an advantage over springs formed by
slitting in the usual manner, even when the outer end bears in the usual way
instead of being hooked around, or similarly engaged with, a stud to cause it to act
as a pulling spring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improvements in lever mechanism of locks and latches which consist in
the combination of a lever (or levers) with a curved compression spring (or springs)
formed with or otherwise attached thereto, and its (or their) outer end (or ends)
bearing endways against or within an abutment fixed within the case, substantially
as described for the purpose set forth.
2. The improvements in lever mechanism of locks and latches which consist in
the combination of a lever (or levers) with a curved pulling spring (or springs).
formed therewith or otherwise attached thereto, and its (or their) outer end (or
ends) hooked around or similarly engaged with a stud fixed within the case, sub-
stantially as described for the purpose set forth.
3. Combined levers and springs for use in locks and latches, of which the springs
are formed by slitting both along the tops and around the hinder ends of the fevers,
substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
4. The improvements in lever mechanism of locks and latches substantially as
described, according to different modifications, by reference to the drawings here-
with, for the purpose set forth.
CM1. 1300
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.