Improvements in Latches and Locks.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 7th Apr., 1396-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Latches and Locks.
We, ALFRED MASON, of 23, High Street, Kingston-on-Thames, in the County
of Surrey, Architect and Surveyor, and GEORGE MOSELEY, of 26, Edin Street,
Kingston-on-Thames, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our present invention relates more especially to latches and locks used for doors
and gates of different kinds, of the kinds well known as rim or mortise locks, or
latches. The improved latch operates by gravity without the intervention of springs
of any kind, and consists of a bolt the outer end of which is bevilled in the usual
way so that it is forced back when it comes in contact with the striking plate on
the door-post when the door or gate is closed. This bolt is fitted in a case of
suitable shape and size, preferably made by stamping up from sheet metal, such as
brass, iron, or steel, a plate or cover being screwed upon its open side in the usual
way.
The bevilled end of the bolt protrudes through an opening in one end of the
case, and inside and near the top of the case is pivotted a bent lever of considerable
weight the lower end of which is pivotted to the inner end of the bolt, so that the
weight tends constantly to protrude the latter.
In order to draw back the bolt to open the gate or door, a transverse square
spindle, having a handle or knob at one or both ends, passes through the bottom
and the cover of the case, and has fitted upon it a double-ended lever (of the kind
usually used) so arranged that when the handle and spindle are turned round in
either direction the pivotted lever is raised sufficiently and draws back with it the
bolt pivotted as already described to its lower end. When the handle is released
the weight of the lever is sufficient to force out the bolt and retain the gate or
door in a closed position.
In order that the bolt may if desired be locked so that it cannot be withdrawn
as described until it has been first unlocked by a suitable key, we reduce the depth
of the bolt inside the case, so that a square shoulder is formed upon its upper edge,
at a short distance inside the case when the bolt is protruded, and we make a thin
open frame which is pivotted at its lower inner corner to the bottom of the case,
and upon the side opposite we make a rectangular projection which when the bolt
is fully protruded drops behind the square shoulder upon it, and prevents it from
being withdrawn until the projection has been first raised by turning the open
frame which carries it, back upon its pivot.
Through the opening in the pivotted frame passes a key introduced through a
corresponding keyhole at either side of the case, the wards of the key (when the
latter is turned round) coming in contact with the edge of a notch formed on the
inner side of the upper part of the pivotted frame. As the key is turned therefore,
the frame is also turned on its pivot sufficiently to raise the projection from the
square shoulder of the bolt and allow the latter to be withdrawn; whilst as the
revolution of the key is continued it leaves the notch and passes round until it can
be withdrawn through the keyhole. To lock the bolt the key is re-introduced
and turned in the other direction until it comes in contact with the opposite edge
of the notch, and lowers the projection behind the square shoulder of the bolt as
already described, and being turned further round it can be withdrawn from the
kevhole

page_text: In order to retain the pivotted frame securely in either of its two positions (that
is to say when the bolt is held by the projection, or when the latter is withdrawn
and the bolt freed), we use a lever or tumbler of considerable weight, arranged in
the case above the top of the moveable frame, already described, its end being
pivotted to the bottom of the case close to the front end of the latter. On the
inner side of this lever we make a rectangular projection which fits freely in one or
other of two corresponding notches in the upper curved edge of the moveable
frame, the notches being in such positions that the projection fits into one of them
when the pivotted frame is in one of the positions already described, and into the
other of them when it is in its other position. The free end of the lever is of
considerable weight, and preferably bends down and comes nearly to the upper
edge of the bolt.
The lower edge of the weighted lever is so formed that when the key is turned
it first raises the lever from the notch in the top of the frame, and then acts upon
the edge of the notch in the bottom of the upper part of the frame, to move the
latter upon its pivot, and release or fix the bolt in the way described.
As the parts of the apparatus act entirely by their weight, no springs being
required, the improved latch and lock can be made and put together very simply
and cheaply, most of the parts being made of cast iron or stamped metal.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details, and the form, size, and
proportions, of the several parts may be varied more or less as may be found
desirable.
1000
We, ALFRED MASON, of 23, High Street, Kingston-on-Thames, in the County
of Surrey, Architect and Surveyor, and GEORGE MOSELEY, of 26, Edin Street,
Kingston-on-Thames, 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, and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
Our present invention relates more especially to latches and locks used for doors
and gates of different kinds, of the kinds well known as rim or mortise locks, or
latches. Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
Figures 1, and 2 represent a front view of the latch or lock with the cover
removed, and with the latch or bolt locked and open respectively. Figures 3
and 4 represent similar views, but shewing a somewhat different method of
construction. The improved latch operates by gravity, without the intervention of
springs of any kind, and consists of a bolt a the outer end of which 6 is bevilled in
the usual way, so that it is forced back when it comes in contact with the striking
plate on the door-post when the door or gate is closed. This bolt is fitted in a
case c of suitable shape and size, preferably made by stamping up from sheet
metal, such as brass, iron, or steel; a plate or cover being screwed upon its open
side in the usual way.
The bevilled end 6 of the bolt protrudes through an opening in one end of the
case c, and inside and near the top of the case is pivotted at d a bent lever e of
considerable weight, the lower end of which is pivotted at f to the inner end of a
bolt a, so that the weight tends constantly to protrude the end 6 of the latter from
the case c.
In order to draw back the bolt a to open the gate or door, a transverse square
spindle, having a handle or knob at one or both ends, passes through the bottom

page_text: and the cover of the case, and has fitted upon it a double-ended lever 9 (of the
kind usually used), so arranged that when the handle and spindle are turned round
in either direction the pivotted lever e is raised sufficiently, and draws back with it
the bolt a pivotted as already described to its lower end at f. When the handle is
released the weight of the lever e is sufficient to force out the bolt a and retain the
gate or door in a closed position.
In order that the bolt a may if desired be locked so that it cannot be withdrawn
as described, until it has first been unlocked by a suitable key, we reduce the
depth of the bolt a inside the case, so that a square shoulder is formed upon its
upper edge at h, at a short distance inside the case when the bolt is protruded, as
shewn in Figure 1, and we make a thin open frame i which is pivotted at its lower
inner corner at k to the bottom of the case; and upon the side adjoining the part b
of the bolt, we make a rectangular projection which when the bolt is fully
protruded drops behind the square shoulder h upon it, (as shewn in Figure 1) and
prevents the bolt from being withdrawn, until the projection / has been first raised
by turning the open frame which carries it, back upon its pivot k.
Through the opening in the pivotted frame passes a key introduced through a
corresponding keyhole n at either side of the case c, the wards of the key (when
the latter is turned round) coming in contact with the edge of a notch n formed on
the inner side of the upper part of the pivotted frame i. As the key is turned,
therefore, the frame is also turned on its pivot k sufficiently to raise the
projection from the square shoulder of the bolt, and allow the latter to be
withdrawn (as shewn in Figure 2); whilst as the revolution of the key is continued
it leaves the notch n and passes round until it can be withdrawn through the
keyhole. To lock the bolt, the key is re-introduced and turned in the other
direction until it comes in contact with the opposite edge of the notch n, and
lowers the projection behind the square shoulder h of the bolt as already
described, and being turned further round it can be withdrawn from the keyhole.
In order to retain the pivotted frame i securely in either of its two positions
(that is to say when the bolt is held by the projection (as shewn in Figure 1), or
when the latter is withdrawn and the bolt freed (as shewn in Figure 2), we use a
lever or tumbler o of considerable weight, arranged in the case c above the top
of the moveable frame already described, its end being pivotted at p to the
bottom of the case close to the front end of the latter. On the inner side of this.
lever o we make a rectangular projection r which fits freely in one or other of two
corresponding notches s, s, in the upper curved edge of the moveable frame i, the
notches being in such positions that the projection r fits into one of them when the
pivotted frame i is in one of the positions already described, and into the other of
them when it is in its other position. The free end of the lever o is of considerable
weight, and preferably bends down and comes nearly to the upper edge of the
bolt, as shewn at t.
The lower edge of the weighted lever o is so formed that when the key is turned
it first raises the lever from the notch s in the top of the frame i, and then acts
upon the edge of the notch n in the bottom of the upper part of the frame, to move
the latter upon its pivot, and release or fix the bolt a in the way described.
In Figures 3 and 4, the lever e instead of being pivotted directly to the bolt a,
as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, is shewn provided with a pin u which works freely in
a slot at the end of the bolt. In this way the bolt a moves backward and
forward in a straight line, instead of in a curve as in Figures 1 and 2. It is shewn
with a guiding slot working upon a fixed pin u.
As the parts of the apparatus act entirely by their weight, no springs being
required, the improved latch and lock can be made and put together very simply
and cheaply, most of the parts being made of cast iron or stamped metal.
We do not confine ourselves to the precise details, and the form, size, and
proportions, of the several parts may be varied more or less as may be found
desirable, but

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The improved lock or latch, consisting of the case c, bolt a, b, pivotted to the
weighted lever e, and the lever g, combined and operating substantially in the
manner described and illustrated.
2. In combination with the lock or latch described and claimed in Claim 1, the
locking arrangement consisting of the shoulder h, pivotted frame i, projection 1,
notch n, pivotted lever o, notches s, s, and projection r, all arranged and operating
substantially in the manner described and illustrated.
Deted this 2nd day of April 1896.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.