Improvements in Locking Devices for Boxes and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locking Devices for Boxes and the like.
I, CHARLES TURNER BROWN, of Number 162 Michigan Avenue in the City of
Chicago and State of Illinois United States of America, Lawyer, 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 a Lock-Hook, for boxes, doors, etc., and has for its primary
object to provide a construction by which, upon the engagement of the hook with its
stud or post, the hook will be automatically locked from disengagement.
The Lock-Hook herein set out will, in most cases, be of the smaller sizes such as are
adapted for cases for musical instruments, surgical instruments, etc., and in such sizes
it will desirably be constructed from metal plates, the parts being struck out and
formed by means of dies. Inasmuch as such construction from sheet metal requires
special contrivances in the forms of the parts I have chosen to more largely illustrate
the invention as so made. The mechanic familiar with the construction herein
described will readily see what changes may be made in making the parts of cast
metal.
The locking device consists of two disks rotatively mounted on a post or stud,
each disk having a lug or ear thereon extending into the plane of the hook, and
the lug on the one disk being yieldingly held opposite the lug on the other by a
spring which is placed between the disks. In closing the hook upon the stud the
lug on one disk is carried forward by engagement with the heel of the hook, and
the lug on the other disk is carried by the spring to a position back of the hook,
as soon as the latter is closed upon the stud, thus locking the hook against accidental
detachment.
The hook entering into the device performs the same work in the same way as
an ordinary hook, but it is shaped substantially as illustrated in the drawings in that
part thereof which may be termed the heel, and which part, in the engaging of the
hook upon its stud, actuates the locking device.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a Lock-Hook embodying
my invention in a practicable form, with the hook engaged. Fig. 2 is a front view
of the same, with the hook retracted from the stud with which it engages. Fig. 3
is a sectional view of Fig. 1, on a line extending through the pivot of the hook
and the stud it engages. Fig. 4 is a front view of the hook proper and of the
locking device with the hook shown as about to be placed upon the stud. A portion
of the top disk forming part of the locking device is broken away in this Fig. (4),
to expose to view the under disk of the same locking device. Fig. 5 is a perspective of
the base supporting the stud and locking device. Fig. 6 is a top perspective of the under
disk of the locking device, and Fig. 7 is a perspective of the same disk viewed from
the under side. Fig. 10 is a perspective of the spring which is placed between the
disks illustrated in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, 9. Fig. 11 is a perspective of the base to which
the book is pivoted. Fig. 12 is the hook proper. Fig. 13 is a top perspective of the
cap which is placed over the pivoted end of the hook, and Fig. 14 is a perspective of
said cap viewed from the under side. Fig. 15 is a perspective of the spring which is
placed between the pivoted end of the hook and the cap therefor, and which is
engaged at one end with the cap and at the other with the hook. Fig. 16 is a perspective
of a disk which is secured to the top of the post on which the hook is pivoted, a
duplicate of said disk being also secured to the top of the post which the hook engages.
Figs. 17 to 22, both inclusive illustrate the invention embodied in a Lock-Hook
constructed of cast metal. In these figures the disks of the locking device are placed
between the base of the stud or post and the hook engaging therewith, and the lugs
upon the disks project outwardly into the plane of the hook.

page_text: On these figures 17 to 22, Fig. 17 is a plan view of the hook and of the locking
device forming the catch which retains the hook upon its stud; Fig. 18 is a section of
the hook, bases and locking devices, on a line extending through the stud with which
the hook engages and the pivot upon which the hook turns; Fig. 19 is a plan view
of the lower plate or disk of the locking device; Fig. 20 is a plan view of the under
side of the upper locking disk; Fig. 21 is a plan view of the base to which the hook
is pivoted and Fig. 22 is a plan view of the under side of the pivot end of the hook.
In Fig. 22 the hole in the hook through which the pivot passes is slightly elongated,
allowing the hook to slide upon its pivot. This construction may be advantageously
employed in the case of hooks of the larger sizes used upon doors or otherwise where it
is desirable to make an allowance for a variation of distance between the stud and pivot
due to shrinkage or expansion of the door.
Like parts are designated by like letters of reference throughout the several views.
A is the hook. B is the base for the support of the stud or post which the hook
engages and on which are rotatively supported the disks of the locking device. B¹ is
he base for the siud or post which forms the pivot of the hook. The stud or post B³
with which the hook engages consists of three parts, b, 61, and 62, of unequal diameter.
The lower or inner portion b, is of the greatest diameter and is that part of the post
which the notch a of the hook embraces when engaged therewith. Upon the next
and smaller section, 61, of the post B2, the locking disks are rotatively mounted, being
confined by the smaller disk or head secured upon the still smaller extremity 6² of said
post. The base B, being of sheet metal, bas the post B² secured thereto by riveting,
as indicated in Fig. 3, and on the margin of said base is thrown up a short projection b*
to serve as a step for the rotating locking disks.
The locking disks are two in number, each having a central hole loosely fitting the
middle part of the post B2. C is the inner disk, stamped from sheet metal, which rests
on the shoulder 63 of the post B2, and is therefore supported at a distance slightly in
excess of the thickness of the hook A from the adjacent surface of the base B. The
disk is provided with an outwardly turned peripheral flange c, which may extend
entirely around the disk to a uniform height; the disk is also provided with a lug or
projection c which projects beyond the general periphery of the disk and also beyond
the lower face thereof and into close proximity with the upper face of the base B.
The outer end of the lug or projection c¹ is struck with a flange in continuation of the
flange c, but of less height and of greater radius than the latter. The lug c¹ extends
nearly to the central hole in the disk and is slightly narrower between its radial
sides c2 than the width of the notch a of the hook, which embraces said lug. The
flange c need not extend across the lug c¹, and when this lug is struck up from the body
of the disk C the flange does not extend across it. The disk C is also provided on the
inside with the projection which, as illustrated, is struck up from the body of the
disk and stands in an inclined position to engage the end of the spring hereinafter to
be described.
The other of the two locking disks is marked C, and is provided with a peripheral
and inwardly directed flange d, which is of about the same radius as the flange on the
lug c on the inner disk and which embraces the flange c of the said inner disk.
The disk D rests on the edge of said flange c, and at one point, lettered d' the
flange d projects into close proximity with the base B. On the flange d is formed
a shoulder d², some distance from the projection d', against which shoulder the
lug on the disk is yieldingly held by the spring between the disks, when
the hook is either retracted or is fully engaged with the stud B2, and this shoulder d³
is so located that when the lug or projection c¹ is in contact therewith said pro-
jection and the flange projection d' are substantially opposite each other. Said
flange d' will desirably be of about the same breadth as the outer end of the pro-
jection c¹, but may be somewhat wider. Upon the inner surface of the disk D is a
projection d³, corresponding to the projection of the disk C, for the same purpose of
engaging one end of the spring which is to be placed between the disks C and D. E
is said spring, which is desirably spiral in form, as illustrated in Fig. 10, and has its
ends bent to engage with the projections c³ and d³. These projections stand oppositely

page_text: directed and the spring is so constructed and arranged as, when engaged with said
projections, to hold the lug c¹ of the disk C, with slight force, (according to the size of
the structure), against the shoulder d² of the disk. D. The position of the spring in
the space between the disks C and D is well illustrated in Fig. 3.
To retain the disks C and D, in proper position upon the post B2, the third disk, F,
is placed upon the post B2 on the reduced extremity 62 thereof and resting upon the
shoulder 65, and is there riveted securely, as illustrated in Fig. 3.
Preferably, and for the sake of neatness of appearance, the outer disk D is sunken
or has a depression in its outer surface, to accomodate this disk F, as is also shown in
Fig. 3. The disk may desirably have an annular bead thrown up thereon, as indicated
in Fig. 16.
The hook A has a notch a embraced between the finger a¹ and the heel a², the space
between the point and heel or, in other words, the width of the notch a, being such as
to allow the hook to freely pass over the post B2 until the part 63 strikes the bottom
of the notch, and in doing so to admit the inwardly projecting portion, of the lug c¹ of
the disk C.
In assembling the parts attached to the base B the disk C is placed on the post B
with the lug on the side toward the hook pivot, as shown in Fig. 4, and the
disk D will therefore have its flange projection d¹ on the opposite sile or the side
remote from the hook pivot. In forcing the hook over the post B² the heel a² of the
hook will, therefore, strike against the lug c¹, and will rotate the same, as the hook
advances to its final position on the post. Meantime, the flange projection d' on the
disk D, will be thrown over against the outer curved edge a³ of the finger a¹ and
will be retarded thereby until the bottom of the notch a in the hook strikes or
approximates the post, when the said projection d' on the disk D will be free to pass over
the hook back of the bow which is made of proper width for this purpose. The projection d¹
on the disk D will be retained in this position by the force of the spring E, and it
will thus hold the hook locked from disengagement from the post B2 because the lug c¹
on the disk is held from rotation by reason of its being within the notch of the
hook.
To detach the hook the outer disk is rotated by the hand to its former position at
the side of the finger a¹, and while it is there held the hook may be retracted from
engagement with the post B².
In retracting the hook while the outer disk is so held in the position last described,
the inner disk C will rotate back to a position in which its lug c will be substantially
opposite the flange projection d¹.
The locking devices are complete as above described, and the hook may be simply
mounted on an ordinary pivot, in which case the hook will be retracted by hand; or,
said hook may be provided with a spring at its pivoted end by which it will be
automatically retracted whenever the disk D is rotated by hand to carry the flange
projection d' away from the back of the hook and to the side the finger a¹ thereof..
In the smaller sizes of the Lock-Hook, of which one size is here illustrated, it will
be desirable, for the sake both of appearance and convenience, to provide a spring for
retracting the hook, and to this end the constructions illustrated in detail in Figs. 3,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16, may be employed.
Describing these, the base B¹ has a post or pivot B3 having the shoulder 66 and 6'.
Upon the shoulder rests the cap illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14. This cap,
marked G, corresponds essentially with the outer disk D of the locking device
described, but it is destitute of the shoulder d² of said disc D. It has, however, a
peripheral flange g, one portion of which is extended, as seen at g'. The cap or
disk G is placed on the post B3 with its flange directed inwardly, and with the
margin of its central hole resting upon the shoulder 67 of said post at a suitable
distance from the base B'. This disk G is non-revoluble, and is held from rotation
by the stops 68 and 69 on the base B' which stand on opposite sides of the flange
projection g¹. The disk G is held in place on the post B³ by means of a disk or head F
as seen in Fig. 3.
The hook A occupying the lower portion of the post B³ swings in the space

page_text: beween the base B₁ and the narrower part of the flange 9 and within the limits
allowed it by the stops 68 and 6°. The stop will be on the side of the base B¹
toward B, and preferably the stop 68 will be extended such a distance that the
opposite end 10 thereof will arrest the hook when at about right angles to its
locked position.
The spring H, shown in Fig. 15, is like that shown in Fig. 10, except that it is
coiled in the opposite direction, and one end of said spring is engaged with the hook
itself while the other end engages with the cap G. For this purpose the cap and the
hook are respectively provided with projections and a.
The pivoted end of the hook is desirably made circular and provided with a
marginal flange a' which rises within the cap G into proximity with the latter, as
shown in Fig. 12. This flange serves to better retain the hook in its proper plane.
In the device constructed as illustrated in Figs. 17 to 22, inclusive, B is the base
carrying the post B² which the hook engages and on which are mounted the disks.
constituting the locking device for the hook. B₁ is the base carrying the post B³ on
which the hook is pivoted. A is the hook having a notch a embraced between the
finger a¹ and heel a³, the finger having its outer surface a³ curved. C is the lower
disk and D is the upper disk of the locking device, each having a central opening by
which it is rotatively mounted on the post B2. d¹ is the marginal lug on the disk Ď
and in the lug on the disk C. As shown the disk has a hub extending
outward around the post B' to the head thereof and said hub is embraced by the notch
of the hook. This hub is however not a necessary feature in the disk as it may be
separate both from the disk and the post, or the post may be enlarged from the
head thereof to the upper face of the outer disk, affording a shoulder which will serve
to hold the disks in place. E is a bent, coiled expanding spring placed between
the two disks in the coincident annular grooves e, e. In the groove e there is
placed the stop d³ having, as shown, an opening or way through it; and in the
groove e¹ there is placed the stop c³ adapted to pass through the opening e² in stop d³
when the disks are mounted in place on the post B2. When the stop c³ is in the
opening in stop d³ the lugs d' and c¹ will be opposite each other and the spring E
will then press against both sides of both the stops c³ ³. In engaging the hook
with its post B the heel a² of the hook comes in contact with one or the other of
the lugs c¹ d¹, as, for example it is shown by the full lines in Fig. 17 as coming in
contact with the ear d. By forcing the hook towards its stud the 'lug thus encountered
by the hook and the disk D of which the lug is a part, are rotated in the direction
opposite to that in which the hook is rotated until it enters the notch of the hook,
as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 17. The lug c¹ is prevented from rotating in
unison with the 'lug d by contact with the rounded surface a³, of the hook finger
until the bottom of the notch a of the hook is nearly or quite in contact with the
stud B³, but when this position is reached the spring E, now compressed, throws
the disk C and carries the lug c¹ thereon back of the hook bow, as also illustrated by
the dotted lines in Fig. 17, where its acts to hold the hook on its stud.
The hook A may, in this construction as in that previously described, be mounted
on a pivot in the ordinary way. A spring H, engaging with the hook and with the
base or pivot, may be provided, so that when the hook is not locked upon its stud B³
said spring will retract it and hold it retracted.
In Figs. 18 and 21 of the drawings an annular groove h for a spring His shown
in the base B', with a stop therein. When the stop a is against the stop the
hook A is at right angles to the position. it occupies when engaged with its stud B³
When the hook is brought forward and engaged with its stud this spring is compressed
and when the hook is released from the locking device it has a tendency to retract it
to the position determined by the said stops.
In the device constructed as illustrated in Figs. 17 to 22 inclusive, and last
described, the disks turn freely on the post B2 when the book is retracted, and
hence either the lug c' or d¹ may be in position to be struct by the heel of the hook,
and which ever is so struck the other will pass back of the hook bow and lock it.
But if the stop c³ be placed out of line with the opening or way in stop ³ it, of

page_text: course, cannot pass through said way, and in that case the same lug, c or d¹, will
always be encountered by the heel of the hook and the other lug will always form the
lock, as in the device illustrated in Figs. 1 to 16 inclusive. I prefer, when the
stop is so placed at one side of the way ein stop d³, that the ear d' on the under
disk D shall be that which will pass around the head of the hook to the back thereof
and the ear c¹ on the outer disk will then be the one actuated by the heel a² of the
hook. A stop should be provided, on the base B in that case, to prevent complete
rotation of the locking disk, as at 6 in Fig. 5, illustrating the construction in sheet
metal.
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-A locking device for a hook consisting of a post, two disks rotatably mounted
on the post, a lug on each of the disks extending into the plane of the hook, and a
spring engaged with the disks and yieldingly holding the lugs substantially opposite
each other.
2-A locking device for a hook consisting of a post, two disks rotatably mounted
on the post, a lug on each of the disks extending into the plane of the hook, and a
spring engaging the disks and yieldingly holding the lugs substantially opposite each
other, in combination with a pivoted hook and a spring arranged to retract the hook
from the post when released from the locking device.
3: A locking device for a hook consisting of a stud, two disks rotatably mounted
on the outer part of the stud and each having an inwardly directed lug extending
into the plane of the hook, and a spring between and engaging both the disks arranged
to yieldingly hold the lugs substantially opposite each other.
4: A locking device for a hook composed of a stud, two disks having
oppositely directed marginal flanges set one within the other and forming an inclosed
space between the disks, a projection on each disk extending into the plane of the
hook, and a spring arranged between and engaged with the disks and yieldingly
holding the projections substantially opposite each other.
Signed at Chicago Illinois this 29th day of April A.D. 1889.
CHARLES TURNER BROWN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.