IMPROVEMENTS IN Locks
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Imray, of 64, Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Locks."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Imray at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 29th
January 1855.
I, JOHN IMRAY, of 64, Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN LOCKS" to be as follows:-
The case of my improved lock has each side perforated by a round hole
to admit the proper key. On the inner side of each hole is a circular recess, to
admit a boss or rotating tumbler. The bolt has on its edge next the key-hole
two circular hollows, so situated that at either extreme of its throw, one of the
bosses can fit into the hollow, and thereby prevent the bolt from sliding. This
boss has one part of its circumference, cut off, which, being presented to the
bolt, allows it to slide. The same boss has one tooth, and the bolt has two
projecting teeth near its farther edge. The other boss has an arm, on which
is mounted a pinion free to revolve, and capable of gearing with the tooth on
the boss or the teeth on the bolt. Each boss is perforated by a hole of any

page_text: form except circular, and the key is a spindle, with two collars near its point,
suited to the holes in the bosses, so that when the key is inserted, they can
both be turned by it; and they are so adjusted, that when the key is turned,
the pinion gears with the tooth on, the boss and the teeth on the bolt at the
same time, and being thus prevented from turning on its own axis, throws the
bolt its proper distance. Unless the key has its collars properly suited to
the holes in the bosses, they cannot be turned by it into such a relative position
that the pinion may gear as described, and, thus the effect of a false key is to
turn the bosses without moving the bolt...
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Imray in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th July 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
IMRAY, of 64, Bridge Road, Lambeth, in the County, of Surrey, Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Imray, Her special licence that I, the said John Imray, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
*Imray, 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, 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 LOCKS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Imray, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly 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 John Imray, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):

page_text: The case of my improved lock has each side perforated by a round hole.
to admit the proper key. On the inner side of each hole is a circular recess to
admit a boss or rotating tumbler. The bolt has on its edge next the key-hole
two circular hollows, so situated that at either extreme of its throw, one of
the bosses can fit into the hollow, and thereby prevent the bolt from sliding..
This boss has one part of its circumference cut off, which, being presented
to the bolt, allows it to slide. The same boss has one tooth, and the bolt has
two projecting teeth near its farther edge. The other boss has an arm, on
which is mounted a pinion free to revolve, and capable of gearing with the
tooth on the boss or the teeth on the bolt.
Each boss is perforated by a hole of any form except circular, and the key
is a spindle, with two collars near its point, suited to the holes in the bosses, so
that when the key is inserted they can both be turned by it; and they are so
adjusted, that when the key is turned, the pinion gears with the tooth on the
boss and the teeth on the bolt at the same time, and being thus prevented
from turning on its own axis, throws the bolt its proper distance. Unless the
key' has its collars properly suited to the holes in the bosses, they cannot
be turned by it into such a relative position that the pinion may gear as
described, and thus the effect of a false key is to turn the bosses without
moving the bolt.
Having thus stated the nature' of my said Invention, I will proceed to
describe the manner of performing the same.
In the annexed Drawing, Figures 1, 2, 3 represent sections of a lock con-
structed according to my improvements. a is the bolt, of which Figure 4
représents the elevation; Figure 5, a section; and Figure 6, a plan. It is
perforated by a slot with circular ends, and has a tumbler 6, notched on one side,
mounted on a pin, so that it can vibrate within a notch in the bolt. The bolt
is fitted to slide through a slot in the lock case c, and within the case on each
side of the bolt are fitted revolving tumblers d and e, of which Figures 7 and 8
represent 'elevations and sections respectively. Each of these tumblers has a
projecting tooth, so arranged that when they are both caused to revolve
together, the tooth of e'lifting one side of the vibrating tumbler 6, and thereby
depressing the other notched side which the tooth of d enters, the bolt is
caused to slide. Between the tumblers d and e are fitted a number of revolving
tumblers f, four of these being represented in the Drawing, and an elevation
and section of one of them is represented in Figure 9. The tumblers d, e, f,
have bosses and recesses fitting into each other and into the sides of the lock
case in such a manner that they can all be made to rotate round a common
axis: The circuinferences of the tumblers f, and of the parts of d and e, which

page_text: project into the slot of the bolt, are partly circular, to fit parts, of the slot, and
have each a notch, so that when they are turned into a particular position the
bolt can slide. Each of the revolving tumblers has a hole in its centre, of
any form except circular. In the Drawing, the hole is represented as a por-
tion of a circle with a tooth projecting inwards, and the tooth of each tumbler
is situated in such a manner with respect to the notch in its circumference,
that when the notches are all brought into coincidence, the teeth range in
order like the thread of an internal screw. The key has a cylindrical end,
represented in Figure 10, with a screw thread hollowed in it, to fit the teeth of
the revolving tumblers, so that when it is inserted into the lock and partly
turned therein, until its collar bears against the case, the teeth of all the tum-
blers are collected in the thread of the key, and thus all the notches and the
teeth of d and e are brought into coincidence, so that on turning the key
the bolt is caused to slide, and the tumblers being still farther turned, and the
key withdrawn, the bolt cannot be moved except by the use of a key having
the proper thread to suit the teeth of the tumblers. The lock can be worked
by the key from both sides when the thread on the latter is of regular pitch.
When it is required to be worked from one sido only, the thread on the key
may be made of varying or irregular pitch, the teeth of the tumblers being
suited to it. Figures 11, 12, 13, represent a construction of the bolt tumblers
and key somewhat varied from the preceding. The bolt g has two circular
hollows on one edge, into which are fitted three revolving tumblers h, k, l,
notched, as above described, to allow the bolt to slide. The two outer tumblers
h and have projecting teeth gearing into a pinion n mounted in a slot in the
bolt, so that when both gear therewith the pinion cannot turn on its centre
pin, but by the revolution of the tumblers h and the bolt is caused to slide..
The centres of the tumblers are partly perforated by circular holes, the
remaining parts of the perforations being segmental, and the key m has three
segmental bosses fitted to the holes in the tumblers, with their flat sides so
arranged that when the key is inserted, the notches and teeth of the tumblers
are brought into the proper positions for causing the bolt to slide.
I do not limit myself to the particular forms of the parts represented and
described; but I claim as my Invention the arrangement of revolving tumblers
notched at one part of their circumferences, in connection with a bolt having
circular hollows and a projecting part between them, by which it is prevented
from sliding unless when the notches are brought into the proper position by a
suitable key. I also claim the mode of making the holes in the revolving
tumblers with internal teeth or segmental parts, and the key with a screwed,.
hollow, or segmental bosses to fit them; and I also claim the arrangement of

page_text: wo revolving toothed tumblers in connection with a vibrating tumbler or
pinion mounted in the bolt, so that only when both are turned together in
heir proper relative positions the bolt can be caused to slide.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Imray, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
ARTHUR COLLINGE:
JOHN IMRAY. (L.S.)