Certain Improvements in Spring Catches or Spring Fasteners for Doors, Windows, or the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 14th Sept., 1888
PROVISIONAL OF ECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Spring Catches or Spring Fasteners for
Doors, Windows, or the like.
We, SAMUEL TIMINGS, of 23, Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
Brassfounder, and SAMUEL HILL, of 57, Hockley Hill, Birmingham, aforesaid,
Cabinet Fitter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to those spring catches or spring fasteners for securing
closed the doors of pedestal and other cupboards, other doors or flaps, French-windows,
window sashes and the like in which, as applied to a door, a bolt having an inclined
end projects through a metal casing fixed to the door so that on closing the door the
said bolt is caused to slide back into its casing by its end coming into contact with an
inclined striking-plate fixed to the door jamb and when the door is closed the said
bolt is caused by its spring to slide forward again beyond the striking-plate thus
maintaining the door in that position but on the door being opened the bolt will
again be caused to slide back into its casing on passing the striking-plate.
According to our invention we arrange, for the purposes hereinafter described, for
the bolts of the said catches or fasteners to be capable of a swinging motion in
addition to the ordinary sliding motion and this we effect as follows:-The inner end
of the bolt projects through and is free to slide in a longitudinal slot in the base of
the casing and this said end is prevented from leaving the slot by having a projecting
pin at each side. The front opening in the casing through which the bolt projects
is made large enough to allow of the bolt swinging through a short space round its
inner end as a centre. A spring acts upon the back of the bolt and maintains it
projecting through the casing and pressed against the base.
On the door to which our improved fastening is applied being closed the striking-
plate causes the bolt to slide back into the casing in the ordinary manner but on the
door being opened the striking-plate causes the bolt to swing outwardly on its inner
end through a short space before it passes the striking-plate. By the bolt being
arranged to swing as above described, the door, if opened through a short space, will

page_text: by the bolt and the action of its spring, be pulled back again and securely closed
until the door has been opened far enough for the end of the bolt to pass the striking-
plate.
The said longitudinal slot in which the inner end of the bolt works as above
described is preferably made T-shaped to allow of the bolt being more readily
removed from or inserted in the casing when required.
These bolts having according to our invention both swinging and sliding motions
can be secured in their fastened positions by any of the means now in use for other
spring catches, such for instance as a loose wedge in the casing which by the operation
of a key or otherwise is caused to engage with the bolt and prevent its swinging or
sliding back into the casing.
Our invention is applicable to those fastenings which are fixed to the door jamb,
window frame, or other like fixed part and engage with a striking-plate on the door,
window or other like moving part similarly to the fastenings above described as being
fixed to the door or other like moving part and engaging with a striking-plate on the
door jamb or other like fixed part.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Spring Catches or Spring Fasteners for
Doors, Windows, or the like.
We, SAMUEL TIMINGS, of 23, Great Hampton Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire,
Brassfounder, and SAMUEL HILL, of 57, Hockley Hill, Birmingham, aforesaid, Cabinet
Fitter, 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 has reference to those spring catches or spring fasteners for securing
closed the doors of pedestal and other cupboards, other doors or flaps, French-windows
and the like in which, as applied to a door, a bolt having an inclined end projects
through a metal casing fixed to the door so that on closing the door the said bolt is
caused to slide back into its casing by its end coming into contact with an inclined
striking-plate fixed to the door jamb and when the door is closed the said bolt is
caused by its spring to slide forward again beyond the striking-plate thus maintaining
the door in that position but on the door being opened the bolt will again be caused to
slide back into its casing on passing the striking-plate.
According to our invention we arrange, for the purposes hereinafter described, for
the bolts of the said catches or fasteners to be capable of a swinging motion in addition
to the ordinary sliding motion and this we effect as follows: The inner end of the
bolt projects through and is free to slide in a longitudinal slot in the base of the
casing and this said end is prevented from leaving the slot by having a projecting pin
at each side. The front opening in the casing through which the bolt projects is made
large enough to allow of the bolt swinging through a short space round its inner end
A spring acts upon the back of the bolt and maintains it projecting
through the casing and pressed against the base.
as a centre.
On the door to which our improved fastening is applied being closed the striking-
plate causes the holt to slide back into the casing in the ordinary manner but on the
door being opened the striking-plate causes the bolt to swing outwardly on its inner
end through a short space before it passes the striking-plate. By the bolt being
arranged to swing as above described, the door, if opened through a short space, will
by the bolt and the action of its spring, be pulled back again and securely closed until
the door has been opened far enough for the end of the bolt to pass the striking-
plate.
The said longitudinal slot in which the inner end of the bolt works as above
described is preferably made T-shaped to allow of the bolt being more readily
removed from or inserted in the casing when required.
J
Our invention is applicable to those fastenings which are fixed to the door jamb,
window frame, or other like fixed part and engage with a striking-plate on the door
window or other like moving part similarly to the fastenings above described as being

page_text: fixed to the door or other like moving part and engaging with a striking-plate on the
door jamb or other like fixed part.
On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents in plan, Fig. 2 in inverted plan
and Fig. 3 in side elevation and cross section a spring catch or fastener constructed
according to this invention for pedestal and other doors, French windows and the like.
Fig. 4 shews the catch plate for the same; Figs. 5, 6 and 7 represent in sectional
plan part of a door and a door frame with our invention applied illustrating the action
of the same Fig. 8 represents in side elevation, Fig. 9 in front elevation a modified
form of our invention and Fig. 10 shews the catch or bolt of the same separately;
Figs. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate the action of the catch shewn by Figs. 8, 9 and 10.
Referring firstly more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, A is the bolt of
the fastening which is free to slide to and fro in the metal casing B. a¹ is the inner
end of the bolt which projects through the longitudinal slot in the casing B where
it is maintained by the two side projections or pins a² formed with it. The bolt A
can swing through a short space round the pins a² as a centre and the opening in the
outer casing B is made large enough to allow of this (see Fig. 7).. C is the coiled
spring contained in the casing B which presses the bolt A forwards projecting through
the casing B. In this example of our invention the bolt A is made of a sheet metal
blank bent to the form shewn. D is part of the door to which the fastening is fixed
by screws in the holes e, and E is part of the door frame to which an ordinary catch
plate F is fixed.
In the act of closing the door D the inclined projecting end of the bolt A, coming
into contact with the striking plate (as seen in Fig. 5) is forced back into the casing
and when the door is quite closed (see Fig. 6) the bolt is by the spring caused to
shoot forward and hold the door in that position. So far the action of the bolt A is
the same as any ordinary spring bolt. On the door D being opened the striking
plate turns the bolt. A outwardly on its centre a (see Fig. 7) thereby compressing the
spring until the end of the bolt can pass the striking-plate. By the bolt A being
arranged to swing round its centre a the door, if opened through the small space
shewn by Fig. 7, will be pulled back again and securely closed by the spring causing
the bolt A to resume its normal position as shewn by Fig. 6.
In the example illustrated by Figs. to 13 inclusive the casing B is made cylindrical
to fit in a hole bored in the edge of the door 1) and the bolt A is somewhat of the
shape of an egg having a rib a3 at the back which projects at one side a² and works
in the slot in the casing. The front of the slot forms a stop which prevents the
bolt A being pushed out of the casing and enables the bolt A to turn on its projection a²
as a fulcrum. Between the back of the bolt A and the coiled spring Cis a wearing
piece g.
The action of this fastening as illustrated by Figs. 11, 12 and 13 is similar
to that above described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 7. Fig. 13 shews the bolt A
being pushed back by the striking plate in the act of closing the door; Fig. 11
shews the door closed and the bolt. A engaging in the circular hole in the striking-
plate and Fig. 12 shews how, when the door is opened through a short space and
released, the bolt A, being turned on its fulcrum a², brings the door back to its
closed position shown by Fig. 11.
It will be evident that the fastening will act similarly as above described if the
bolt and casing B are fixed to the door or window frame and the catch plate F fixed
to the door or window instead of vice versa as illustrated.
We wish it to he understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details
herein described and illustrated as the same may be varied' without departing from the
nature of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. Making the bolts of spring catches or spring fasteners for doors, gates, French
windows or the like capable of an outward swinging motion as described in combina-
tion with the usual sliding motion so that. the bolt will automatically pull the door,

page_text: gate, French window or the like back into its closed position after it has been opened
through a short space, substantially as set forth.
2nd. A spring catch or spring fastener for doors, gates, French windows or the like
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. A spring catch or spring fastener for doors, gates, French windows or the like
constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.