ECONOMISING THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY MORTICE DOOR LOCKS & LATCHES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, FREDERICK JAMES COMMIN of 2 Coombe Villas, Old Tiverton Road Exeter,
Architect do hereby declare the nature of my invention for ECONOMISING THE
SPACE OCCUPIED BY MORTICE DOOR LOCKS & LATCHES and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The invention is applicable to mortice latches either simple or locking, and to
mortice dead locks; The materials used in their construction to be the same as
usual steel brass or iron.
A locking latch with the invention applied would be constructed and worked in
the following manner-the latching portion to be actuated by a spiral spring and
the ordinary door handles and spindles with followers of the shape shown at A (see
drawing sent herewith) acting on the slots in the top and bottom of the case which
is connected with the bolt and made to slide (marked B B, on drawings). The
drawing shows such a locking latch unlocked.-When locked the bolt to be
kept in position by a lever (C) working on a strong pin (D) actuated by a key
in the usual manner and fitted with a sliding catch (E) held in place by a spiral
or other spring-This catch (E) does the work of the tumbler or lever of an
ordinary lever lock, and the number of such catches to any one latch or lock, and
the distance they will slide may like the levers in an ordinary lever latch be
endlessly varied so as to make the locking parts different in different locks, but in
all cases it or they will be actuated by a bit or bits on the back of the key as
shown at F, varied to suit the various locks-When locked the lever (C) will be
raised so as to butt against the part of the bolt marked K so as to prevent its
sliding back.
A simple (non locking) latch with the invention applied would be exactly
similar to that above described with the locking portion omitted and the case
shortened or not at pleasure.
A dead lock with the invention applied would be similar to the locking latch
above described with the following exceptions.
The follower and spiral spring to be omitted, the case shortened and small studs
fixed to the upper part of the sliding portion of case in such positions and of such
shape that the key will slide the case with the bolt attached forward when locking
before it actuates the lever (C) and backward when unlocking after it has actuated
the lever (C)-The stop G to act as guide to the sliding portion.

page_text: The portion of the case made to slide may be widened or narrowed as occasion
may require.
By the arrangements above described the space occupied by a mortice door latch
or lock is much economised-the cross section of the one shown on drawing being
contained in a circle of 3/4 of an inch diameter.
Having now particularly described 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 that the following features are novel and have been invented by me
1. The making of the top and bottom of the case of a mortice lock or latch to
slide and connecting them with the bolt.
2. The shape of the follower and its action on the said case.
3. The arrangement for locking including the catch E, the lever C, the double
bitted key (the bits on the front and back varying) and the shape of the bolt at K.
Dated this second day of February One thousand eight hundred and eighty
five