IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS AND KEYS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Hunter Henry Murdoch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th July 1870.-A communication from abroad by Ernest Baudot
and Oscar de Négrier, both of Douai, in the Empire of France,
and Isidore Farinaux and Edward Roettger, both of Lille, in the
said Empire of France.
I, HUNTER HENRY MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS AND KEYS
FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of locks and padlocks and
of keys for the same, and consist of the novel combinations of parts
herein-after described whereby all attempts to pick or open the said locks
or padlocks without their proper keys are frustrated.
The entrance or keyhole of the lock consists of a tube which may be
termed the "key tube" the inside of which is square or polygonal and
contains four or other number of square or polygonal bars which are
capable of a sliding motion in the said tube, the said bars being depressed
as required by means of a key consisting of a handle fixed to a ring, the

page_text: The
interior of which is square or polygonal so as to contain short bars or bits
corresponding in shape and number with the sliding bars aforesaid. The
said short bars or bits are capable of adjustment as herein-after described,
and are fixed in position by means of a set screw. Upon the lower ends of
the bars in the key tube are projections to prevent their being drawn
out of the said tube. Inside the lock is a frame to which the bolt is
fixed, and which frame is capable of partial rotatory motion in bearings
affixed to the top and bottom plates of the lock. The said frame is
composed of a top plate or disc having upon it a central tubular pro-
jection passing through the upper plate of the lock in which the lower
end of the key tube is fixed by means of a screw or otherwise.
said top plate of the bolt frame rests upon the upper edge of a socket
projecting upwards from the bottom plate of the said frame, which said
bottom plate is secured to the upper plate by pins or stays rivetted to
each of the said plates, and the said bottom plate has upon its under side
a projecting axis which turns in a bearing in the lower plate of the lock.
To the said socket are jointed levers corresponding in number with the
bars or rods in the key tube. The inner arms of the said levers project
towards the centre of the lock just underneath the key tube and are
acted upon by the bars or rods in the said tube. The outer arms of the
said levers project radially each to near the periphery of a barrel, the
axis of which barrel is mounted vertically in the upper and lower plates
of the lock, the said barrel being capable of rotatory motion and of being
fixed in position by a screw or otherwise. Upon each of the said
barrels are formed six or any suitable number of projecting ribs extending
from the top to the bottom of the barrels. In each of the said ribs is a
notch or opening sufficiently large to allow of the end of the lever to
pass through it. In each of the said ribs the notch is formed at a
different height, and by turning the barrel any one of the said ribs and
notches may be brought into position opposite its lever end, and each
bar or rod forming part of the key must be so adjusted higher or lower
that it will press down the inner arm of the lever it actuates into such
a position that the end of the outer arm of such lever will rise to the
extent necessary for it to pass through the notches in the rib opposite

page_text: the key tube the levers are acted upon by springs which cause their
outer ends to drop to the bottom of the lock causing the moveable bars
in the key tube to rise and assume their normal position.
It will be readily understood that by causing one or more of the
barrels to rotate partially and fixing it or them in a different position as
regards the levers a new combination will be formed and the position of
the bars or bits of the key must be altered so as to bring the lever ends
opposite the notches in the ribs of the barrels as then placed, and for
this purpose the said bars or bits of the key are graduated having upon
them marks corresponding with similar indications showing the postion
of the barrels. The locking frame may be made to actuate a second
bolt or several bolts as may be required.
Padlocks constructed according to this Invention are of a similar
character to the locks herein-before described. They consist of a
cylindrical case in which a locking frame capable of rotating partially
has fixed to it the bolt of the padlock. The said frame is provided with
levers actuated by the key, the bars or bits of which act directly upon
the inner arms of the levers and the outer arms of the said levers may
be made to pass throngh notches in the ribs of barrels as herein-before
described, or the said barrels may be replaced by ribs projecting from
the inside of the padlock case having notches cut in them for the passage
of the lever arms when brought into the proper positions by the action of
the key.