IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DOOR KNOBS OR HANDLES, AND IN THE MODE AND MEANS EMPLOYED FOR ATTACHING SAME TO THEIR SPINDLES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Griffith Brewer, of S9, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF DOOR KNOBS OR HANDLES, AND IN THE MODE AND
MEANS EMPLOYED FOR ATTACHING SAME TO THEIR SPINDLES."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Charles Carpenter, of Hamilton, Canada.
Scaled the 25th March 1875, and dated the 1st October 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Griffith Brewer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st October 1874.
I, EDWARD GRIFFITH BREWER, of 89, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DOOR KNOBS OR HANDLES, AND IN THE
MODE AND MEANS EMPLOYED FOR ATTACHING SAME TO THEIR SPINDLES," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Charles Carpenter, of Hamilton,
Canada,) to be as follows:-
The object of the first part of this Invention is to provide a cheap,
durable, and highly finished door knob, with the shank and knob of

page_text: separate pieces, but capable of being so firmly united together that they
cannot come apart, and when plated no joint can be seen, and the knob
appears as if made in one entire piece. For this purpose the bowl of the
knob is cast hollow, and it is united to the spindle holder or shank by
having an opening in the bowl, made round or circular by any suitable
instrument. The spindle holder is turned in a lathe, and left so large
that it will not enter the aperture in bowl when cold, but when the bowl
is heated to a red heat it expands sufficiently and becomes large enough
to admit the spindle holder; when the bowl becomes cool it shrinks
firmly on the holder, making the knob as strong as if both holder and
bowl were cast in one piece. After the parts are put together they may
be tinned, plated, or otherwise treated. There is a small rim on spindle
holder to prevent it from entering too far into the bowl.
Heretofore the spindle has been made to pass through a hole in the
door; the constant friction of the spindle causes the hole to enlarge,
whereby the spindle and shank have too much play, and the rose has to
bear all the strain, wear, and tear of the spindle, which soon causes the
knob to lose its horizontal position and neat appearance. Now the
object of the second part of this Invention is to obviate these defects,
and for this purpose there is provided a circular metal plate set in the
door, having a round opening in its centre, with its outer edge concaved
and secured by screws. In the central opening of the aforesaid plate,
and free to revolve therein, there is a small iron hub or bush, having a
square hole through its centre and convex rim. The square spindle is
then passed through the square opening of the hub and bush, and the
shank or knob is fastened to the said spindle in the ordinary way. The
rose is fastened to door by screws, and covers the plate and bush from
observation. By this arrangement the bush through which the spindle
passes and the plate which receives the bush take all the strain from the
rose, and at the same time effectually hold the spindle in its place, and
allows it to revolve easily. The spindle shank and knob are thus always
kept in a horizontal line at right angles to the door and lock, consequently
the parts work smoothly and perfectly, and when once placed in a door
cannot casily get out of order.
The third part of the Invention refers to the mode and means provided
for the adjustment of the length of the spindle on the knobs to suit tho
varying thickness of doors without the use of washers; also the manner
described of permanently fastening the spindle to the shank. A small

page_text: hole is drilled in the shank, in which a pin is inserted and tightly
rivetted. The pin is made sufficiently long to project about one-sixteenth
of an inch in the spindle chamber. There are a number of holes drilled
close together on both sides of the spindle, so that when the length of
the spindle is adjusted to the thickness of the door the spindle is inserted
in the shank to the proper place, and the under part of the pin enters
one of the small holes in the spindle, and a small iron wedge is then
driven into the shank under the spindle, thereby holding the parts tightly
together, so that they cannot under ordinary circumstances come apart.
Or the spindle may be made in two parts, one part or the spindle proper
being somewhat smaller than the other part or key; the latter has a
number of holes drilled in it. The key is first placed in the shank of
the knob, the rivet is adjusted in one of the holes, and the spindle proper
placed in the hole of the shank, which fills up the whole space. The
knob on opposite end is fastened in usual manner. There are holes bored
on both sides of spindle, not exactly opposite each other, to afford greater
means for nicely adjusting the knob on the spindle to suit the varying
thickness of doors.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Griffith Brewer in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st April 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
GRIFFITH BREWER, of 89, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, Her special
licence that I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer,
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,

page_text: 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF DOOR KNOBS OR HANDLES, AND IN THE
MODE AND MEANS EMPLOYED FOR ATTACHING SAME TO THEIR SPINDLES," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Charles Carpenter, of Hamilton,
Canada,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward
Griffith Brewer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Edward Griffith Brewer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say :-
The object of the first part of this Invention is to provide a cheap,
durable, and highly finished door knob, with the shank and hub of
separate pieces, but by this improved art or process of manufacture are
so firmly united together that they cannot come apart, and when
plated no joint can be seen, and the knob appears as if made of one
entire piece.
The second part of the Invention provides a circular metal plate,
having a round opening in its centre, and setting the said plate into the
door, and securing it firmly by small screws. A small iron hub or bush,
having a square hole through its centre and a convex rim, it is placed
in the centre opening of the afore-mentioned plate, in which it fits and
revolves. The square spindle is then passed through the square opening
of the hub or bush, and the shank or knob fastened to the said spindle
in the ordinary way at one end. The rose is fastened to the door
by means of three screws, and covers the said plate and bush from
observation.
Heretofore the spindle has been made to pass through a hole in the
door, and the constant friction of the spindle on the same causes the
hole to enlarge and allow the spindle and shank too much play; and the

page_text: rose has to bear all the strain, wear, and tear of the spindle, which soon
causes the knob to lose its horizontal position and neat appearance. The
device above described obviates these defects, as the bush through which
the spindle passes and the plate which receives the said bush takes all
the strain from the rose, and at the same time effectually holds the
spindle in its place, and allows it to revolve easily. The spindle shank
and knob are thus always kept in a horizontal line, at right angles
to the door and lock, and consequently the parts work smooth and
perfect, and when once placed properly in a door cannot easily get out of
order.
The third improvement relates to the adjustment of the length of the
spindle on the knobs to suit the varying thickness of doors without the
use of washers, and also the manner of permanently fastening the spindle
to the shank, as will be shown herein-after.
By reference to the Drawings it will be seen that Figs. 1 and 2
represent the knob, shank, scutcheon, spindle, and fastening screw.
Fig. 3 shows the shank separate, and Fig. 4 a hollow bowl. The
bowl of the knob is cast hollow, and the spindle holder or shank, Fig. 3,
is cast as shown. They are effectually united together as follows:-
The opening H in the bowl, Fig. 4, is made round or circular with a
suitable instrument. The spindle holder F, Fig. 3, is turned in a
lathe, and left so large that it will not enter the opening H, Fig. 4,
when cold. The bowl is then heated to a red heat, which causes the
said opening H to expand and become large enough to admit the spindle
holder F. When the bowl becomes cold it shrinks firmly on it, making
the knob as strong as if it were cast in one piece. A, A, the bowl;
F, the spindle holder; the two pieces joined as above described at the
points G, G, Fig. 2. The outside line B, Fig. 2, represents the
tinning or plating of the knob after the parts are put together. There
is a small rim on the spindle holder to prevent it from entering too far
into the bowl. When the knob is completed, it appears as shown at
Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 represents the following parts:-a, a portion of a door;
D, the spindle running through the door; F, the shank; A, the knob
secured to the shank, although of a slightly different shape from that
shown in Figs. 1 and 2. e is the rose surrounding the end of shank
and spindle. f is a small circular metal plate, having an opening

page_text: through its centre; the said plate is set into the door a, as shown in
section in Figs. 5 and 6, and securing it with small screws to the
door. j represents the circular opening in the centre, the outer edge of
which is concaved, as shown, the reason of which will be shown herein-
after. g is a small circular iron hub or bush, a side view of which is
seen at Fig. 8, and a front view at Fig. 9. It has a square hole
through its centre, and a convex rim g¹, as seen in Fig. 8. The said
hub or bush is then placed in the circular opening j of the plate f, in
which it fits and revolves. The spindle D is then passed through the
said square opening k in the bush g, and the shank and knob fastened
to it by the ordinary means of screw. The rose is fastened to the door
by means of three screws, and covers the plate f and bush g from
observation.
Fig. 10 represents a full front view of the plate f, hub g, and section
of spindle D in the centre.
Fig. 11 represents the device for adjusting the length of the spindle
to suit any door without the use of washers, and also the manner of
permanently fastening the spindle to the shank. A small hole is first
drilled in the shank F, then a pin n is inserted in the said opening and
rivetted tight. The pin is made long enough to project about one-
sixteenth of an inch in the spindle chamber. A number of small holes r
are then drilled in the spindle close together on both sides, and when the
length of the spindle is adjusted to the thickness of a door, the spindle
is inserted in the shank to the proper place, and the under part of the
pin n enters one of the small holes in the spindle, and a small iron :
wedge is then driven into the shank under the spindle, which holds the
parts tightly together so that they cannot under ordinary circumstances
come apart. Another method, which would be probably adopted in
manufacture to effect the same result, is as follows:-The spindle is
made in two parts, as shown in Fig. 11, D being the spindle proper, a
rather smaller than a square one, and a strip or key D' of the same
length. The key D' has a number of holes drilled in it, and it is first
placed in the shank of the knob, when the rivet n is adjusted in one of
the holes, and the spindle proper D is placed in the hole of the shank,
which fills up the whole space. The knob on the opposite end is fastened a
in the usual manner by a screw passing through any one of the holes p.
There are holes bored on both sides of the spindle not exactly opposite.

page_text: each other, to afford greater means for nicely adjusting the knob on the
spindle to suit the varying thickness of doors.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
First. Casting the knob A and spindle holder F in separate picces, as
shown, of metal, and uniting them substantially as specified.
Second. The combination of the flanged circular plate f and hub or
bush g, as shown, with the door a, spindle D, shank F, knob A, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third. The arrangement and combination of the rivet n, holes », and
wedge o or key D', with the shank F and spindle D, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Griffith Brewer, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
EDW. GRIFFITH BREWER. (L.S.)