Improvements in Fastenings for Doors and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastenings for Doors and the like.
MOSES PIPER Higginshaw Gas Works Oldham Gas Manager, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
The ordinary thumb latch (commonly called the Norfolk thumb latch) consists of
a bow-handle secured to the front of the door and pierced at its upper end to
receive the thumb lever-this thumb-lever projects through the door to raise the
latch on the other side. The thumb-lever is often made so short as to make it
difficult and often painful to lift the latch from the back-side-and never affords the
slightest grip by which to open the door when the latch is lifted.
My improvements consist first in extending this thumb-lever down at the back
in the form of a bow of sufficient size to receive the whole hand-and further
instead of the thumb-piece at the front-side I extend the lever downwards in the
form of a bow similar to that on the back side-the whole lever being somewhat
C shaped and pivotted to the plate or door at the same place as the thumb-lever
now is.
In order to insert the bent lever through a comparatively small hole in the
door, I form the bow on the back side at a lower level than that on the front side,
or in other words from the pivot the lever slopes downwards towards the back and
a projection on its upper edge serves to engage with the latch.
When fixed the bow on the front of the door hangs like an ordinary door
knocker-except that by being overbalanced by the other end remains at a distance
from the face of the door or doorplate,-this being the position at rest-it follows
that to open the door from the front the bow-handle is grasped and pushed when
the whole lever moves-first lifting the latch and then coming into contact with
the door pushes it open. On opening the door from the back the bowhandle there
is likewise grasped and pulled, thereby raising the lever and with it the latch, and
when at the end of its motion serves as a handle to pull the door open. The reverse
takes place on closing the door from either side, as pushing at the back or pulling
from the front acts only on the door and the latch being free jumps into its catch in
the usual manner.
I do away entirely with the fixed bow in front of the door as in present use,
though either of my improvements may be used separately to existing patterns-
the bent lever as described may be either bowed or terminated by crutch handle or
knob, so long as the action of the whole lever follows my description.
Dated this 24th day of February 1892.
MOSES PIPER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastenings for Doors and the like.
MOSES PIPER Higginshaw Gas Works Oldham in the County of Lancaster
Gas Manager 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 :-
-
In the following Specification and description. The front-outside-back or
inner side of a door or such like structure are relative terms depending on the fact
that commonly doors and the like open inwards the cause of their existence being
on the inner side.
The particular form of fastening for doors and the like to which my improvement

page_text: more particularly refers is that commonly known as the thumb-latch or Norfolk
thumb-latch and in its modified form is applicable to all such uses as are common
latches now put.
This fastening consists of a combination described as follows and shewn in the
accompanying drawing Fig. 1. (a) is a bowed handle made in various shapes and
materials, (generally of iron or brass) attached to the front or outer side of
a door.
The shape being such as can be conveniently grasped by the hand. The upper
end of this handle is pierced at (b) to receive a lever (c) which lever is itself
pivotted to and immediately where it passes through the bowed handle, and may be
called the thumb lever for the reason that its outer end at (d) or that projecting
over the bowed handle is so shaped as to receive the thumb whilst the bow itself
receives the rest of the hand. This thumb lever (c) projects through the door (e)
towards the inner or back side (and is more or less turned down, and often pointed)
passing directly under the latch proper (f).
This latch proper is placed at the back or opposite side of the door to the bowed
handle and so pivotted and guided by a strap guard (g) as to be free to rise and
fall as a lever of the third order.
This latch proper (f) engages with a catch (h) attached to the door post or
frame, such catch being shaped in such a manner as to automatically raise the
latch on the door being closed, the latch falling into a recess at the back of the
slope by its own gravity. On attempting to open a door so fastened from the inside
one has to raise the latch proper by means of a small knob usually attached, or
more usually raise the turned down end of the thumb lever and with it the latch
immediately resting on it-the door being then free to move.
So also on opening the door from the other or so-called front side, the handle is
grasped the front end of the thumb lever depressed by the thumb, the other end
rises and with it the latch resting on it.
Now my improvement relates to that portion of the foregoing combination
represented by the bowed handle and the thumb lever, now described, as forming
part of existing, so called thumb latches and is described as follows and shewn in
detail in accompanying drawing Fig. 2, Fig. 3 aud Fig. 4.
(a) is a bowed handle hanging in front of the door pivotted at (b) its upper end
to a door plate, escutcheon or such like fixing (c), its lower end being free to move
to and fro a certain distance, and when pressed horizontally its lower cud impinging
either against the door itself or against some suitable form of buffer attached
thereto (d).
The upper end of this bow is continued through the door (e) (to replace the
thumb lever of existing combinations) and downwards in a sloping direction
immediately beneath the latch proper (f) being further continued in the shape of
a bow (a a) towards the door again similar to that hanging on the other side, the
whole forming a continuous lever of a C shape extending from (d to d) hanging
by the pivot (b) before mentioned, and free to move a certain distance, so that as
pushed or pulled on either side of the door, the lower end of each bowed handle,
will alternately strike the door or buffers attached thereto.
Immediately under the latch (f) I form a projection (k) having an horizontal
surface on to this bent lever for the better raising of the latch proper-such
projection may be formed with the lever or attached thereto by any convenient
method.
The shape of the lever as so described and figured more particularly in the
accompanying drawing is so determined by the thickness of the door through
which it is to pass and is such as to enable it to be passed diagonally through a
comparatively small hole made into the door for its reception.
When at rest the whole lever hanging by its pivot is overbalanced, the lower end
of the back or inner handle resting against the door or buffer, whilst the lower end
of the front or outer handle stands some little distance away, the latch proper being
either in its catch or at its lowest position.

page_text: Consequently if on attempting to raise the latch proper for the purpose of
opening or unfastening the door, the front handle must be pushed, or the back
handle must be pulled. The reverse, having no effect on the latch proper, leaves it
free to jump into its catch, when required to by closing the door, as is the case in
all existing combinations.
As will be seen by the foregoing description the handle is moved in the same
direction the door is desired to go.
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show modifications having the same effect.
The whole combination may be made of any suitable material, such as wrought
iron, cast iron, (maleable or otherwise) brass or the like the bent lever being in one
piece or built up of two or more pieces, being so modified and ornamented to suit
cach such material or other requirements.
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.) The combination of a bowed handle hanging in front of a door or such like
structure; together with a lever projecting through the door and further formed
into a second bowed handle, the whole being pivotted at the upper part of the front
bow or handle.
(2.) The so shaping the innermost portion of the said lever, passing downwards
through the door to enable it to be passed through a comparatively small hole.
(3.) The formation of a projection on the lever immediately under the latch
proper in such a manner as to cause the latch to receive an approximately
vertical lift.
(4.) The bowed handle pivotted to and hanging in front of a door having a
motion to and fro, operating a latch, bolt or other such like fastement.
(5.) The extension of the so called thumb lever downwards and shaped so as to
form convenient handles for the reception of the whole hand.
Dated this 16th day of November 1892.
ANTA
ודווד ז נ'
'TA III CCAIHAT
ודיותם ACT