Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1886
Complete Left, 7 Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 7th Jan., 1887.
I THOMAS SIMPSON BARROWS of 18 Stamford Street, Belvoir Street, Leicester,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide ready and efficient means of fastening
hampers and the like so that when fastened they may be sealed or otherwise
made to shew when they have been tampered with. At present railway companies
and other common carriers have to pay a large sum annually in the way of
claims on account of abstraction of goods from hampers and boxes conveyed by
them and there are at present probably no means of locking or fastening a hamper
so that such depredation may be readily detected by the carriers before the hampers
are opened by the consignee.
To carry out my invention therefore I provide a case of iron or other suitable
material which may resemble an ordinary lock case in which I place a tumbler
having a suitable projection thereon, this tumbler having an opening through it
to receive a suitable pin shaped key.
Pressing against the side of the said tumbler may be suitable springs to give
elasticity to its movements and to hold it in the required position.
One end of the tumbler is made to work in an opening in the bottom of the
lock case and the other through an opening in the top plate of the lock case.
The top plate may be screwed to the case to form a complete chamber for the
mechanism. The device named being applied and fastened securely to the lid of
a hamper a suitable pin preferably flat is fastened to the body of the hamper in
a vertical position and the said pin being recessed it is arranged so that the
recessed end may pass through a suitable opening in the bottom of the lock case
so that the projection on the tumbler when turned by means of the pin key may
engage with the recess named and the lid is then held firmly to the body of the
hamper.
When the key has been inserted in the tumbler and the projection thereon has
engaged with the recess in the pin named and the basket is firmly fastened the
key pin may be withdrawn and as the opening of the tumbler is preferably level
with the top of the basket sealing wax-paper seals or other means may be employed
to shew if the locking device has been tampered with.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Locking Device or Fastener for Hampers, Boxes,
and the like.
I, THOMAS SIMPSON BARROWS of 18 Stamford St. Leicester, Engineer, 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:
The object of my invention is to provide ready and efficient means of fastening
hampers and the like so that when fastened they may be sealed or otherwise made to
shew when they have been tampered with.
At present Railway Companies and other common carriers have to pay a large sum
annually in the way of claims on a/c of abstraction of goods from Hampers and boxes
conveyed by them and there are at present probably no means of locking or fastening
a hamper so that such depredation may be readily detected by the carriers before the
hampers are opened by the Consignee.
To carry out my invention therefore I provide a case of iron or other suitable
material which may resemble an ordinary lock case in which I place a tumbler living
a suitable projection thereon, this tumbler having an opening through it to receive a
suitable pin shaped key.
Pressing against the side of the said tumbler may be suitable springs to give
elasticity to its movements and to hold it in the required position.
One end of the tumbler is made to work in an opening in the bottom of the lock
case and the other through an opening in the top plate of the lock case.
The top
plate may be screwed to the case to form a complete chamber for the mechanism.
The device named being applied and fastened securely to the lid of a hamper a
suitable pin preferably flat is fastened to the body of the hamper in a vertical position
and the said pin being recessed it is arranged, so that the recessed end may pass
through a suitable opening in the bottom of the lock case so that the projection on the
tumbler may engage with the recess named and the lid is then held firmly to the
body of the hamper.
When the key has been inserted in the tumbler and the projection thereon has
engaged with the recess in the pin named and the basket is firmly fastened the key
may be withdrawn and as the opening of the tumbler is preferably level with the top
of the basket, sealing wax, paper seals or other means may be employed to shew if the
locking device has been tampered with.
This invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 shews a view of the top or outside plate of the lock...
Figure 2 is a longitudinal elevation of the complete lock.
Figure 3 is a plan shewing the internal mechanism of the lock.
Figure 4 is a transverse section and
Figure 5 is a view of the pin or bar.
A is the top or outside plate of the lock which is secured by bolts and nuts .B¹
through the openings B and fixed preferably outside and even with the lid of the
hamper, box or the like and which may be of any suitable size or shape.
Cis the opening passing through the tube or barrel of the tumbler H in which the
key C¹ is inserted when when it is desired to unlock the hamper or box and around
which are placed the semi-circular or other shaped ears or projections to receive

page_text: sealing wax, seals or other suitable material for the purpose of covering the key hole
to indicate if any attempt has been made to open the hamper.
E is the case or chamber containing the lock mechanism which may be of any
suitable shape or size and secured by screws through the openings B³ to the top or
outside plate A. A suitable opening E' is provided in the bottom plate of the case or
chamber E to admit the pin H.
His a suitably shaped tumbler having a bevel face H and projecting from the
barrel the ends of which work in openings in the top plate A and the plate of case E,
said tumbler being fixed at right angles to the opening E¹ and on the insertion of the
key Cinto the opening will work freely on its axis as shewn by dotted lines.
F is a suitable spring pressing against the tumbler H to keep it in the required
position either locked or unlocked, to give elasticity, to its motion and prevent
accidental movement of the said tumbler.
G is a screw employed to keep the spring F in the requisite position to control the
movement of the tumbler H.
His a bar of iron or other suitable material, preferably flat, & is fixed to the side of
the hamper, through the slots or openings H2, a suitable recess H³ is formed near the
upper end of the bar, so that it may engage with the tumbler H.
The lower end of the bar is suitably tapered, so as to facilitate the insertion of the
bar between the wicker or into the side of the hamper.
The head of the vertical bar H and the tumbler H may be suitably rounded as
shewn in Figure 4, so that when the lid of the hamper or box to which the complete
lock mechanism is secured, is brought down or closed, the said bar pressing against
the rounded edge or surface of the tumbler, causes the latter to move to admit the
bar, when it at once returns and engages with the recess thereon, the hamper or box
is then securely closed and the opening C which receives the key C may then be
covered or overspread with sealing wax or the like and protected from damage or
accidental removal by the ears or projections D.
When required to open the box or hamper a chisel, knife or other suitable tool
enters the space between the ears or projections D and being forced underneath the
seal is immediately removed, when the key C₁ is inserted into the opening C and on
being slightly turned by the key the tumbler H disengages the bar H¹ and the lid
can then be raised.
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 :-
1. The combination in a locking device for hampers boxes and the like of a spring
controlled tumbler such as H, so constructed that the spring holds it adapted to remain
either locked or unlocked substantially as specified.
2. In a locking device for hampers, boxes and the like the combination with a
tumbler such as H, of a recessed bar such as H¹ adapted to enter the case and by
pressing upon the bevelled face H causes said tumbler to turn about its axis and
allows of the passage of the said bar H' which when fully inserted receives the
tumbler in the recess H³ substantially as specified..
3. In a locking device for hampers, boxes and the like the employment of ears or
projections such as D substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The complete locking device substantially as specified.
Witness-
E. N. Lewis,
Patent Office,
Market Street,
Leicester
THOMAS SIMPSON BARROWS.