Improvements in Door Locks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1897-Accepted, 24th July, 1897
Improvements in Door Locks.
I, ANDREW JOHN ÜLESON, Carpenter, of Elcampo, in the County of Wharton and
State of Texas, one of the United States of America, 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 locks and has for its object to provide a lock of novel
construction wherein the key holes at opposite sides of the door are placed out of
alignment for preventing children, servants and curious persons from looking or
listening through the key hole. One of the many objects of the invention is to
provide means whereby the locking bolt cannot possibly be shifted or the key
turned from the opposite side of the lock case when said key is left in the lock.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the
ensuing description.
The invention consists in an improved lock embodying certain novel features
and details of construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully described,
illustrated in the drawing and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 shows the improved lock in side elevation, the adjacent casing plate
being removed to show the interior construction.
Figure 2 is a detail perspective view of the slide and the pivoted and spring
actuated tumbler carried thereby.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the bolt.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the casing plate omitted from Figure 1, and
Figure 5 is a detail section taken through the lock in line with the pivoted
tumbler.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the lock, with the adjacent side broken away.
Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawing.
Referring to the drawing, the lock case which resembles that of an ordinary
mortise lock, has the opposing side plates 1 and 2, the flange 3 extending around
three sides thereof and the face plate 4 having the opening 5 for the reciprocation
of the bolt and provided with other openings for the passage of the screws or other
fasteners.
6 designates a bolt which slides through the opening 5, said bolt having an
inwardly extending shank 7 which is bifurcated to be engaged by the cam on the
knob suspended in the usual manner. 8 designates a spring for pressing the bolt
normally outward. This spring comprises one or more coils 9, and two arms ene
of which, indicated at 10, bears against the inside of the base flange of the case and
the other or longer arm 11 which extends vertically within the case and bears
against the head of the bolt for giving said bolt a normally outward tendency and
also affording a soft yielding action as the same is moved in and out.
12 designates a slide which may be stamped out of sheet metal or formed in any
desired manner and which is provided with slots 13 which work on guide pins 14

page_text: projecting from one of the main plates of the lock case for guiding the slide in its
reciprocating movements. This slide is provided with an arm or extension 15
which is arranged to bear against the head of the bolt and which serves to lock
said bolt against retraction when the slide is reciprocated. The slide 12 is provided
at one edge with two separated notches 16 and 17 for the reception of the bit of
the key and the lock case is provided with two key holes 18 and 19 which instead
of being arranged opposite each other are arranged out of alignment or spaced
apart horizontally so that vision is obstructed through the key holes and the
transmission of sound through said key holes is also materially interfered with or
interrupted. When the key is inserted in one of said holes, the bit thereof
engages in one of the notches 16 and 17 in the slide and when inserted in the other
key hole it engages with the remaining notch in the slide.
20 designates a tumbler which is pivoted at an approximately central point to the
slide intermediate the notches 16 and 17.. This tumbler has its opposite ends bent
substantially at a right angle and extended away from the slide to form lips 21,
the said lips being adapted to engage in front of or behind studs or projections
22 within the lock case. The tumbler is held in line with the plane of movement
of the slide by means of a spring 23 formed preferably from a single piece of wire,
the central portion of which is coiled around the pivot 25 of the tumbler after
which the terminal portions of the spring are coiled as indicated at 26 to give
greater resiliency to the other extremities. The extremities of the spring are thus
extended in opposite directions and hooked as indicated at 28, one extremity being
hooked over the upper edge of the slide and the other over an offset or shoulder
29 at the rear end of the slide. In this manner the tumbler is maintained in a
position adapting it to close both of the notches 16 and 17 when at rest and at the
same time said tumbler is adapted to be rocked on its fulcrum by the pressure of
the key bit against the same at one side or the other of the fulcrum. The studs
or projections 22 lie directly in the plane of movement of the tumbler and would
interfere with such movement were it not that the key when turned in the lock
will rock said tumbler at the same time that it moves the slide, thereby causing
the lips at both ends of the tumbler to pass over or under the projections 22 and
upon the slide reaching the limit of its movement to pass in front of and behind
said projections thus defeating the return movement thereof except by use of the
key. Now it will be apparent that when the key is left in the lock the pin of the
key will prevent the tumbler from being rocked by the bit of another key inserted
in the lock from the opposite side, for the reason that one key blocks the movement
of the tumbler as it is actuated by the other key.
The lock above described is very simple in construction, is not liable to get out
of order and will be found very desirable as it more thoroughly protects property,
is much more difficult to pick and prevents curious persons from looking or listening
through the key hole. If desired the front end of the slide may be extended
through the lock case to serve as a bolt instead of employing the separate and
independent bolt as hereinabove described and it will also be apparent that the
lock mechanism hereinabove described may be used with or without the usual knob
and latch.
Sockets or depressions are formed in the opposite sides of the lock case from
that in which the key holes are formed to receive the inner end of the key when
inserted in the lock so as to steady the key. It will be apparent that the latch
or spring bolt can be turned upside down so as to use the lock on either side of
the door. It will also be apparent that other changes in the form, proportion and
minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit
or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
Having now particularly and ascertained the nature of my said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a lock, the combination with a bolt, of a slide for locking said bolt, said 5
slide being provided with spaced notches for the key, and a tumbler pivoted to

page_text: said slide and normally covering both notches but adapted to be rocked by the
key for moving the same into and out of engagement with a projection in the case,
the tumbler being arranged to be held locked against movement by a key,
substantially as described.
2. In a lock, the combination with a slide having spaced notches for the key,
of a tumbler fulcrummed on said slide intermediate said notches and provided with
alip for engaging a stud or projection within the lock, and a spring bearing against
said tumbler and permitting the same to rock in either direction, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
3. In a lock, the combination with a slide bolt, of a spring for normally forcing
said bolt outward, a slide having an extension lying in the path of said bolt, said
slide being provided with spaced notches, and a spring actuated tumbler pivotally
connected to said slide intermediate the notches and having one of its ends bent
at a right angle to form a lip for engaging with a fixed projection in the lock case
substantially as described.
4. In a lock, the combination with the lock case and latch bolt, of a slide for
locking the bolt, said slide being provided with slots, and also provided at one
edge with spaced notches for the key, guide pins in the case passing through said
slots, a tumbler fulcrummed intermediate its ends between said notches and
provided with a lip, a fixed projection in the lock for engaging with said lip, and
a spring bearing against said tumbler for holding the latter in position to close said
notches and at the same time allowing said tumbler to be rocked in either direction
when acted upon by the key, substantially as described.
5. In a lock, the combination with the case having the key hole in one side
arranged out of alignment with the key hole in the outer side, of a slide for locking
the bolt, said slide being provided with spaced notches for the key, and a spring
actuated tumbler pivotally connected to said slide intermediate said notches, the
arrangement being such that the insertion of the key in one of the key holes will
prevent the turning of a second key in the other key hole, substantially as
described.
Dated this 21st day of Tuno 1907
WHEATLEY
&
MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.