An Improved Appliance to be Used in Combination with a Lifting Latch, whereby the Latch may be Securely Bolted or Fastened Down.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Oct., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance to be Used in Combination with a Lifting
Latch, whereby the Latch may be Securely Bolted or Fastened
Down.
We, REUBEN LANCELOT BURKITT, of Cleveland Road, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, hardware merchant, and GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN, of
7 Alexandra Street, Wolverhampton, aforesaid, latch manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved appliance whereby the latching bar
of a lifting latch, such for instance as a Norfolk," "Suffolk," or Lancashire" latch,
may be securely fastened down in its latched position from the inside of an apartment
to which it may be applied.
According to this invention a sliding piece is fitted to the latching bar so as to be
capable of being slid forwards and backwards therealong for a limited distance. When
it is desired to fasten down the bar within the catch the sliding piece is moved into
position underneath the top of the keep or underneath a stud or stop within the keep,
the relative dimensions of the parts being such that when the parts are in the position
described any attempt to raise the bar will be frustrated by the top of the sliding piece
coming in contact with the underside of the top of the keep or the stop aforesaid, but
when the sliding piece is moved from the position indicated the bar may be readily
raised within the keep in the ordinary manner.
A convenient application of this invention consists as follows:-The sliding piece is
formed of a front plate which fits against the front of the latching bar and of flanges
which fit over the top and bottom edges of the bar. The sliding piece is fitted with a
knob which answers the double purpose of lifting the latch from the inside and of
moving the sliding piece end ways when required and the sliding piece is held to the
bar, in a manner which permits of its being slid therealong, by means of a pin (which
may be also the shank or pin of the knob) passing through an endway slotted hole in
the bar and rivetted over at the back of a washer or plate at the back of the bar and
which slides with the sliding piece. A spring may be inserted between the washer

page_text: and the bar to ensure sufficient frictional resistance against the sliding piece being
moved accidentally. The space between the front and back plates of the keep is just
sufficient to take in easily both the thickness of the bar and the thickness of the plate
of the sliding piece. A stop piece is formed projecting inwards from the front plate
of the keep, but a space is left between the end of such stop piece and the back
plate to allow of the passage of the bar as it is raised in unlatching. In its normal or
unbolted position the forward end of the sliding piece enters somewhat within the keep,
but not sufficiently to be under the stop-piece, and thus the bar may be readily raised;
but when it is desired to fasten down the bar the sliding piece is moved forward under-
neath the stop-piece and thus securely prevents the bar being raised.
In order to make the combined fastening above described double-handed it is
necessary simply to place the stop piece in the centre of the keep, which thus becomes
reversible as in an ordinary latch, as the sliding piece operates in precisely the same
manner either hand.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1887
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Appliance to be Used in Combination with a Lifting
Latch, whereby the Latch may be Securely Bolted or Fastened
Down.
We, REUBEN LANCELOT BURKITT, of Cleveland Road, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, hardware merchant, and GEORGE WILLIAM GREEN, of
7 Alexandra Street, Wolverhampton aforesaid, latch manufacturer, 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 for its object an approved appliance whereby the latching bar of
a lifting latch, such for instance as a " Norfolk," Suffolk," or Lancashire" latch,
may be securely fastened down in its latched position from the inside of an apartment
to which it may be applied.
According to this invention, a sliding-piece is fitted to the latching bar so as to be
capable of being slid forwards and backwards therealong for a limited distance. When
it is desired to fasten down the bar within the catch the sliding-piece is moved into
position underneath the top of the keep or underneath a stud or stop formed with or
fixed to the keep, or in other position, the relative dimensions of the parts being such
that when the parts are in the position described any attempt to raise the bar will be
frustrated by the top of the sliding-piece coming in contact with the underside of the
top of the keep or the stop aforesaid, but when the sliding-piece is moved from the position
indicated the bar may be readily raised within the keep in the ordinary manner.
A convenient application of this invention is illustrated by the drawings herewith,
of which figure 1 is a front elevation of a lifting latch having an improved appliance
combined therewith, according to and for the purpose of this invention, and shows the
latching bar to be latched within a catch and to be securely bolted or fastened down.
Figure 2 is a plan of the latch, with the latching bar latched but not fastened down.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on line of figure 1; and figure 4 a vertical section
on lino Y Y of figure 1. Upon the latching bar A is fitted a sliding-piece B which is
formed of a front plate a which slides against the front of the bar and of flanges bb
which fit, respectively, over the top and bottom edges of the bar. The sliding-piece is
fitted with a knob (which answers the double purpose of lifting the latch from the
inside and of moving the sliding-piece end ways along the bar when required; and the
sliding-piece is held to the bar, in a manner which permits of its being slid therealong,
by means of a pin c (which may be also the shank or pin of the knob) passing through
an endway-slotted hole d, shewn by broken lines figures 1 and 2, in the bar, and
rivetted over at the back of a washer or plate e at the back of the bar and which slides
with the sliding-piece. It is preferred to insert a spring (see figures 2 and 4)
between the washer and the bar to ensure sufficient frictional resistance against the
sliding-piece being moved accidentally. The part of the keep D through which the
latching bar passes when in its downward or latched position is formed with a space
between its front and back plates just sufficient to take in easily both the thickness of
the bar A and of the plate a of the sliding-piece. A stop-piece or shoulder is formed
projecting inwards or backwards from the front plate of the keep D, and the sliding-
piece B is pushed under such stop (as shewn by figure 1) when it is desired to prevent
the bar A from being raised from the outside of the door or other part to which it is

page_text: fixed, but when it is desired that the latch may be capable of being lifted from the
outside the sliding-piece is moved back clear of the stop-piece f (as shewn by figure 2)
and the bar A may then be raised up into the space between such stop-piece and the
back plate of the keep.
The slotted hole d is in such position and of such length, as shewn, that when the
sliding-piece B is drawn into its backward position the forward end of the sliding-
piece enters (as shewn by figure 2) a short distance within the keep D, so that there
may be no liability of the sliding-piece catching against the edge of the keep as it is
pushed along under the stop-piece f; and, for this purpose, the part of the keep into
which the sliding-piece enters extends somewhat further sideways than the stop-
piece. The front edge of the back plate of the keep is, preferably, rounded or
bevelled at the part which is at the back of the sliding-piece B to prevent any liability
of the forward edge of the spring i being stopped thereagainst as the sliding-piece is
being moved forwards; and to prevent any liability of the bar falling too low in the
keep to allow the sliding-piece to be passed thereinto for fastening down the bar (in
case the catch is fixed too low by the joiner and the keep too far forwards) a projection j
is formed across the bottom of the inside of the keep to catch the lower edge of
the bar.
The combined fastening above described may be conveniently made to be double-
handed by simply making the keep the same shape, in front elevation, on each side of
its vertical centre, as the sliding-piece operates precisely the same either hand, that is
whether in the position shewn or with the bar A in position upside down and passing
in the reverse direction through the keep.
It is preferred to fix a study at the front of the bar A in such position that, as the
door is slammed to, the stud will tend to support the outer end of the bar against the
front plate of the keep and thus prevent the bar from readily becoming bent flatways.
The projecting or forward part of the keep D may be conveniently made of malleable
cast iron or of brass, and be rivetted to the back plate which is fixed to the door or other
part, and when so made the front plate of the keep may be conveniently formed flat,
as shewn, and strengthening ribs be carried up at the back thereof from a ledge
forming the projection or shoulder f.
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. The combination, with a lifting latch, of a sliding-piece fitted to the latching bar
so as to be capable of being slid therealong and of a stop-piece under which such
sliding-piece may be moved to prevent the latch from being raised but which permits
of the latch being raised when the sliding-piece has been drawn from thereunder,
substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination, with a lifting latch, of the improved appliance, substantially as
herein described, by which the latch may be securely bolted or fastened down.
3. The combination, with a lifting latch, of the improved appliance, substantially as
shewn by the drawings herewith, by which the latch may be securely bolted or
fastened down.
4. The combination, with a lifting latch, of a sliding-piece B upon the bar A, and
of a stop-piece f upon or within the keep, with space to admit of the bar A being raised
past the stop-piece, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd dort of Santamben 1000