Improvements in Tubular Locks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 18th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tubular Locks.
We, THE TUBULAR LOCK SYNDICATE, LIMITED, of Leadenhall Buildings,
Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, Manufacturers, and FREDERICK
JAMES BIGGS, of the same place, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In tubular locks the space between the two side walls or "half rounds" which
constitute the lock frame within the enclosing tube is so limited that it is difficult
to provide for a large number of variations of keys.
The object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty and it consists
in inserting one or more removable vertical sheets or plates of steel or other metal
within the lock in any position between the half rounds or side walls, the said sheets
or plates having keyholes or openings to admit of the passage of the key through
them from one side of the lock to the other side, the working parts of the lock
being thus divided into as many additional separate and distinct compartments as
there are sheets inserted; the bit of the key must be slotted to correspond with the
number of sheets inserted so as to enable it to turn, the portions of the bit between
the slots entering the separate compartments created by the sheets; the key can
thus escape the sheets in turning. According to the size of the openings which
allow of the passage of the key through the sheets so will the slot in the bit
of the key be made more or less deep to correspond; thus if the opening is
so small as just to allow the pin and bit of the key to pass, the bit should be
slotted right up to the pin, if on the other hand the opening is larger the bit
should be slotted to a less depth. The said sheets or plates can be placed
between the half rounds or walls of the lock and the levers, or between the
levers themselves (when more than one) or between the levers and the bolt
plate, or in more than one of these positions. It will be readily understood
that by using a greater or less number of these sheets or plates, by placing
them in different positions, and by having sheets or plates of different thickness
a great variety of keys can be provided-for..
The interlocated sheets are loose or detachable pieces that is to say they are
not permanently fixed to the lock but are simply placed, or as it were dropped,
into the desired position. It is thus easy for a builder or carpenter before
fixing locks in place to vary them as he may desire by varying the positions
or number of the sheets and by slotting the keys to correspond. Thus for
example a lock with five levers can be readily converted into a lock with four
levers and one interlocated sheet, or into one with three levers and two inter-
located sheets, or into one with two levers and three interlocated sheets, or into
one with one lever and four interlocated sheets; by the changes effected by
these substitutions and taking into account the varying thicknesses of the levers
the possible key variations are exceedingly numerous.
The said sheets may be arranged either to remain stationary in the lock
while the bolt plate and its attached lever or levers are being moved backwards or
forwards during the latching or locking and during the unlatching or unlocking, or to
move horizontally with the bolt plate and lever or levers during these operations. In
the first case the sheets or plates are formed with a hole to drop or fit on to
a fixed stump (or stumps) on one of the side walls of the lock; also with
horizontal slots for stumps on the bolt plate and follow plate to move in,
and with a keyhole. In the second case they are formed with holes to drop or
fit respectively on to stumps on the bolt plate, and they are also slotted so as
to escape or slide on the stump or stumps on the side walls and they have two

page_text: keyholes corresponding with the position of the sheets in the unlocked and
locked positions respectively. These two keyholes are connected by a slot and
the slot is continued forward beyond the front keyhole for a sufficient distance
to clear the pin of the key when the lock is unlatched or drawn entirely within
the lock whilst the key is in it.
Further scope for key variations can be obtained by forming an embossment
around part of the keyholes in the interlocated sheets; the bits of keys will
have to be shaped to allow them to free these embossments in turning. The
position, width and depth of the embossments can be different in different sheets,
and some of them may be made without these embossments.
Dated this 5th day of June 1890.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMI DIN SIMULNICATION.
Improvements in Tubular Locks.
We, THE TUBULAR LOCK SYNDICATE, LIMITED, of Leadenhall Buildings,
Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, Manufacturers, and FREDERICK
JAMES BIGGS, of the same place, Merchant, 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:-
22
In tubular locks the space between the two side walls or
half-rounds which
constitute the lock frame within the enclosing tube is so limited that it is difficult
to provide for a large number of variation of keys.
The object of the present invention is to overcome this difficulty and it consists
in inserting one or more removable vertical sheets or plates of steel or other
metal within the lock in any position between the half-rounds or side walls, the
said sheets or plates having keyholes or openings to admit of the passage of the
key through them from one side of the lock to the other side, the working parts
of the lock being thus divided into as many additional separate and distinct
compartments as there are sheets inserted; the bit of the key must be slotted
to correspond with the number of sheets inserted so as to enable it to turn, the
positions of the bit between the slots entering the separate compartments created
by the sheets the key can thus escape the sheets in turning. According to the
size of the openings which allow of the passage of the key through the sheets
so will the slot in the bit of the key be made more or less deep to correspond;
thus if the opening is so small as just to allow the pin and bit of the key
to pass, the bit should be slotted right up to the pin; if on the other hand
the opening is larger the bit should be slotted to a less depth. The said
sheets or plates can be placed between the half rounds or walls of the lock and
the levers, or between the levers themselves (when more than one) or between
the levers and the bolt plate, or in more than one of these positions. It will
be readily understood that by using a greater or less number of these sheets
or plates, by placing them in different positions and by having sheets or plates
of different thickness a great variety of keys can be provided for.
The interlocated sheets are loose or detachable pieces, that is to say, they
are not permanently fixed to the lock but are simply placed or as it were
dropped into the desired positions. It is thus easy for a builder or carpenter
before fixing locks in place to vary them as he may desire by varying the positions
or number of the sheets, and by slotting the keys to correspond. Thus for
example a lock with five levers can be readily converted into a lock with four
levers and one interlocated sheet, or into one with three levers and two interlocated
sheets, or into one with two levers and three interlocated sheets, or into one
with one lever and four interlocated sheets; by the changes effected by these

page_text: substitutions and taking into account the varying thicknesses of the levers, the
possible key variations are exceedingly numerous.
The said sheets may be arranged either to remain stationary in the lock while
the bolt plate and its attached lever or levers are being moved backwards or
forwards during the latching or locking and during the unlatching or unlocking, or
to move horizontally with the bolt plate and lever or levers during these operations..
In the first case the sheets or plates are formed with a hole to drop or fit on to a fixed
stump or stumps on one of the side walls of the lock; also with horizontal slots for
stumps on the bolt plate and follow plate to move in, and with a keyhole. In the.
second case they are formed with holes to drop or fit respectively on to stumps on
the bolt plate and they are also slotted so as to escape or slide on the stump or
stumps on the side walls, and they have two keyholes corresponding with the position
of the sheets in the unlocked and locked positions respectively. These two keyholes.
are connected by a slot, and this slot is continued forward beyond the front keyhole.
for a sufficient distance to clear the pin of the key when the lock is unlatched, or
drawn entirely within the lock whilst the key is in it.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation with the tubular case partly in section and the fore
plate in section illustrating that modification of the invention in which the inter-
located sheets or plates are stationary, that is to say, do not move with the bolt
plate and its attached levers. The lock is shown in the unlocked position, and one.
of the half rounds or walls and the levers on the same side of the bolt plate are
removed.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the lock on line 2-2 of Figure 1,
Figure 3 a transverse section of the lock on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a face view of one of the interlocated sheets or plates of the lock
shown in Figures 1, and 3, but with the addition of an embossment hereinafter
described, and Figure 4 an edge view of this sheet.
Figure 5 is a view corresponding with Figure 1 but showing that modification of
the invention in which the interlocated sheets or plates move horizontally with the
bolt plate and lever or levers during the latching or locking and unlatching or
unlocking operations.
Figure 6 is a view of one of the interlocated sheets or plates of the lock shown
in Figure 5.
a, bare the two half rounds or side-walls, of which ais as usual permanently fixed
to the back of the fore plate e while is a detached piece with tenons at its front
end to fit into corresponding holes in the back of the fore plate as is usual in locks.
of this description. d is the latching bolt, e the bolt plate, the follow plate,
gg the levers of which two are shown on each side of the bolt plate e; these levers,.
the number of which is optional, fit on stumps or pius h and i on the bolt plate. j is
a stump on the side wall or half-round a, the respective sides of said stump
forming stops to the projection of the levers in the unlocked and locked
positions, is a stump on the follow plate normally engaging with the catch m on
the levers. nis a stump on the side wall a forming a guide to the follow plate
which is slotted at p to fit said stump. o is the tubular case fitting the half
rounds a b. The various parts above referred to present no special feature of
novelty. are the interlocated sheets or plates; they are shown as placed
between the bolt plate e and the levers on each side of said bolt plate, but their
position can be varied as desired. In the modification shown in Figures 1 to 4
each of the sheets q is formed with a hole r to fit or drop on to the stump j, also
with a slots for the stump i on the bolt plate to move in, with a slott for the
stump on the follow plate to move in, and with a keyhole u. In locks in which
the stump on the follow plate does not exist the slot t in the sheet is unnecessary.
In Figures 4 and 4 which represent one of the sheets q separate from the other
parts of the lock, an embossment is shown around part of the keyhole u; this
embossment, the position, width and depth of which can be different in different
sheets, or omitted from some of them, provides further scope for key variations

page_text: because the bits have to be shaped to allow them to free these embossments in
turning.
In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 the interlocated sheets have each a
hole, Figure 6, to fit or drop on to the stump h on the bolt plate and a hole s to
fit on to the stump i on the bolt plate, also a slot r to move or slide on the stumpj
with two keyholes corresponding with the position of the sheets gq in the
unlocked and locked positions respectively, with a slot or way w between said
keyholes to enable the sheet to slide past the pin of the key during the locking
and unlocking and with a continuation of said slot or way w to clear the pin of
the key when the lock is unlatched or drawn entirely within the lock when the
key is in it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In a tubular lock, detachable sheets or plates of steel or other metal having a
hole for the passage of the key, said sheets or plates being inserted between parts
of the lock within the side walls or half rounds, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In a tubular lock, detachable sheets or plates of steel or other metal inserted
between parts of the lock within the side walls or half-rounds, and having a hole for
the passage of the key and also a hole to fit a stump fixed to one of said side walls,
whereby said sheets remain stationary while the bolt plate and lever or levers are
moved forward or backward, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a tubular lock, the combination with the side walls and with the bolt plate
and levers and a stump fixed to one of said side walls and with stumps fixed to a
follow plate, of detachable sheets or plates inserted between parts of the lock
within said side walls, said plates having each a hole, a slots, a slot t and a
keyhole u, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
shown.
4. In a tubular lock, detachable sheets or plates of steel or other metal inserted
between parts of the lock between the side walls or half-rounds and having holes
for the passage of the key and also holes to fit respectively on to stumps on the
bolt plate, the said sheets or plates being also slotted to escape or slide on the
stumps on the side walls, whereby the said sheets or plates move with the bolt
plate and lever or levers while these are moved forward or backward, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
5. As part of a tubular lock, a detachable metallic sheet or plate having a hole
for the passage of the key and adapted to be fitted in various positions within the
lock, but not so as to form part of the mechanism of said lock, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
6. As part of a tubular lock, a detachable metallic sheet or plate having a hole
for the passage of the key and an embossment to be cleared by part of said key in
turning, said sheet or plate being adapted to be fitted in various positions within
the lock, but not so as to form part of the mechanism of said lock, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
7. The improved tubular locks hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this Eifth day of March 1801
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.