IMPROVEMENT IN FINGER PLATES FOR DOORS AND MEANS OF FIXING THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: I CHARLES HENRY JAMES CLAYTON of Hemingford House, Keston Road East
Dulwich in the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN FINGER PLATES FOR DOORS AND MEANS OF
FIXING THE SAME to be as follows:-
In the back side of the plate I form a groove or recess, of a depth equal to
about half the thickness of the plate, and narrower at one end than at the other,
and having its edges bevilled inwards; and I provide a tongue or strip of metal or
other suitable substance, shorter than the groove in the plate, and so cut or shaped
as to fit, for the whole or part of its edge surfaces, the bevilled edges of the groove:
this tongue or strip is provided with holes for screws by means of which it is
fixed in its proper position-the narrower end uppermost-to the door: the plate
is then put over it and pressed downwards so fixing the plate to the door, and
by these means obviating the use of screw holes and screws through the plate.
A reference to the accompanying drawing will better explain my meaning.
Fig 1 is a back view of the plate.
Fig 2 a section on line A. B.
Fig 3 an end view of the tongue or strip & Fig 4 a section through the plate on
line C. D.
Referring to the figures, a, a, is the plate; b, b, the groove or recess; & c, c, the
tongue or strip which is shewn in Figs 1 & 2 in its proper position when the
plate is fixed to the door: the dotted lines marked d, d, in Fig 1 shew the relative
position of the tongue or strip to the groove when the latter is placed over it and
before the plate is pressed down home; e, e, are the screws for fixing the tongue
or strip to the door.
Dated this 7th day of January 1884

page_text: :
I, CHARLES HENRY JAMES CLAYTON of Hemingford House, Keston Road, East
Dulwich in the County of Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my.
invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN FINGER PLATES FOR DOORS AND MEANS OF
FIXING THE SAME and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the back side of the plate I form a recess of a suitable depth, and narrower
at one end than at the other, and having its edges bevilled inwards, that is to say,
that the recess is narrower on the back surface of the plate than it is when
measured at its depth from the back surface of the plate. And I provide a tongue
of metal or other suitable substance, shorter in length than the recess in the plate,
and so cut or shaped as to fit, when inserted, for the whole or part of its edge
surface, the bovilled edges of the recess. This tongue is provided with holes for
screws, by which, or other suitable means, it is fixed in its position-the narrower
end being uppermost-to the door.
In order to attach the plate it must be placed with its recess over the tongue,
and then pressed firmly downwards.
These plates may be made in all substances now and ordinarily in use for the
construction of Finger plates, and any other substance which may be found useful
for the purpose.
The advantages which I claim for my present invention over the ordinary kinds
of Finger plates are:-
First. That being fitted into place without the necessity of screws and screw
holes through them, they are much better in appearance, either ornamented or
plain.
Second. That they are less liable to damage in fitting up, and afterwards: the
ordinary kinds often breaking out at the screw holes, or across the plate while
being fitted, or in consequence of the door shutting violently.
Third. That they may be easily removed and refitted without damage to
facilitate cleaning or repainting of the door.
In order that ny said invention may be more clearly understood and easily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto attached.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig 1 is a back view of a finger plate, a, made with an undercut, bevil-edged
taper, recess b.
Fig 2 is a back view of a smaller sized plate with a similar recess b, in which
is shewn the tongue X, in the. position it would occupy when the whole was fixed
to the door.
Figs 1 and 2 are cross sections of the same plates, taken at A A, A A and
B B, B B, respectively.
Figs 3 and 4 are front views of the same plates.
Figs 5 and 6 are views of two alternative patterns of the tongues X X, and are
shewn in the position they should occupy on the door preparatory to the plates
being placed over them.
Figs 5 and 6a are end sections of the same tongues, when the edges aro bent to
the required bevil.
Figs 5 and 6 are end sections of the tongues when the same are shaped solid,
and the edges cut to the required bevil.

page_text: Fig 7 is a back view of a plate substantially similar to the others shewn, but
whose recess is somewhat differently shaped, the bevilled edges stopping rather
short of the bottom end, partly in order to give greater facility in making the
recess and partly that the tongue X may engage or disengage more freely. The
tongue X is here, also, shewn in position.
Fig 8 is a longitudinal section of the plate on line C C, cutting through the
recess and the tongue.
Figs 9 and 10 are cross sections of the same plate taken at D D and E E
respectively.
d, d, d, d, Figs 2, 5, 6 and 7 are screw holes through the tongues X, X, X, X,
and e, e, c, Fig
are screws for screwing the tongues to the doors.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. The construction of Finger plates with recesses in the backs thereof, and of
tongues to suit the same, substantially as described.
2. The method of fixing the said Finger plates to doors by means of the tongues
substantially as described.
1001