AN IMPROVED LATCH
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES REGINALD BLATHWAYT, of Chelmarsh Vicarage, Bridgenorth, in the
County of Shropshire, Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "AN IMPROVED LATCH" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved form of latch, applicable to doors, windows,
drawers, or other objects. It is in the form of a face plate latch, and is designed
to be either a simple latch or a combined latch and lock, and is so constructed that
when the said door, window, or drawer, with which it may be fitted, stands
unclosed, the latch remains flush with the edge of the said door; and at the same
time the latch is self closing, by the reaction of a spring knob or surface, situated
either on the latch or on the jamb of the door, when the door or other object is
shut. And again where the door or other object, being hung on suitable hinges,
is free to swing past the door post, the latch will with the saine facility close from
either side.
My latch consists of a lever or levers, each pivoted at a point near to one end in
a face plate, sunk in the edge of the door, door jamb, window, drawer, or other
object, so that the longer end of the lever or levers inay, by turning on. its pivot,
project outwards from the edge of the door (or jamb) so as to engage in the catch
plate.
'
.The said levers (when the door or other object stands open) are maintained
normally flush with the edge of the door or other object by counterpoise weights
upon the latches, or handles attached thereto, or by the reaction of a spring or
springs behind them.
The lever or levers are caused to engage in the catch plate when the door or other
object is closed, by the pressure of a projecting knob, fitted either on to the short
ends of the latch levers themselves, or into the jamb of the door, so that it is
opposite to the short ends of the latch lever or levers.
Unless the said latch lever or levers are themselves made from spring steel, the
said knob must be provided with a spring reaction, so as to yield to the passing of
the latch until the latter is exactly opposite to the catch plate and thus able to
yield to the pressure of the knob.
The said latch lever or levers may be withdrawn from the opposite catch plate,
after the door or other object has been closed, so as to open the same, in a variety
of equivalent methods, of which I may specify the following.

page_text: An ordinary door handle fitted so as to turn in the ordinary way, may be provided
with a split bar through which a strap, chain, steel band, or other connection passes,
or with a drum fitted within the thickness of the door or other object, to which
may be attached a leather strap, chain, steel band, or other suitable material for
connection to the longer end of the latch lever. By the revolution of this door
handle the latch lever may be drawn back, against the reaction of the spring push,
into the face plate once more, so as to enable the door to open. Or, the latch lever
may be drawn back by means of a handle to be pushed or pulled from either side
of the door, which, by means of its movement, takes up a part of the strap, chain
or other connecting link between the latching lever and the handle.
Similarly, to the spindle of the said handle a pinion wheel may be fitted in the
thickness of the door, so as to gear into a rack attached to the longer end of the
latch lever. Or again, a crank throw may be attached to the spindle of the said
door handle, and may be caused to operate upon a pin in a suitable bar connected
to the longer end of the latch lever. Or again, an eccentric cam may be keyed to
the spindle of the said door handle, which, by its revolution; may be caused either
to push outwards the shorter end or to pull inwards the longer end of the latch
lever.
Or, a withdrawing bar or strap may be fitted to the spring knob, which may be
situated in the door, whilst the latch may be situated in the door jamb, and by
the operation of this withdrawing bar or strap, the pressure of the spring knob
upon the latch may be removed, the latch then returning into the face plato by
the reaction of a counterpoise weight or spring, so as to be flush with the jamb or
the door as the case may be, and thus allow the door once more to open.
These arrangements allow the handle to be fitted to the door or other object at
any convenient distance from the latch, suited to the particular door or other object
to which they are being fitted.
If desired, the withdrawal movement, as herein before described, of my latch
lever, may be effected by a spindle, for the operation of which it is necessary to be
provided with a special key, the self closing latch thus forming a lock. Or, the end
of the before described geared rack or other rigid connection between the handle
and the latch lever may serve as a bolt by making it sufficiently long to project
beyond the edge of the door when the latch is operated upon the closing of the
door.
Or, a pair of latch levers, as before described, may be used in combination, both
automatically operated, as hereinbefore described, by the closing of the door, one as
a latch, withdrawable at will, and the other as a lock capable only of being put
into action or withdrawn when shot by means of a special key.

page_text: i
I, CHARLES REGINALD BLATHWAYT, of Chelmarsh Vicarage, Bridgenorth, in the
County of Shropshire; Clerk in Holy Orders, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved form of latch applicable to drawers, doors,
windows, or other objects.
It is in the form of a face-plate latch, and is designed to be either a simple
latch, or a combined latch and lock, and is so constructed that when the said door,
window, or drawer, to which it may be fitted, stands unclosed, the latch remains
flush with the edge of the said door or object; and at the same time the latch is
self closing by the reaction of the spring knob or surface situated either on the
latch or on the jamb of the door, when the door or other object is shut. And
again, where the door or other object, being hung on suitable hinges, is free to
swing past the door post, the latch will, with the same facility, close from either
side.
My latch consists essentially of a lever or levers, each pivotted at a point near
to one end in a face-plate sunk in the edge of the door, door jamb, window,
drawer or other object, so that the longer end of the lever or levers may, by
turning on its pivot, project outwards from the edge of the door or jamb, so as to
engage in a catch plate.
The said levers, when the door or other object stands open, are maintained
normally flush with the edge of the door, door-jamb, or other object, by
counterpoise weights upon the latches or handles attached thereto, or by the
reaction of a spring or springs behind them.
The lever or levers are caused to engage in the catch plate when the door or
other object is closed, by the pressure of a projecting knob, fitted either on to the
short ends of the latch levers themselves, or into the opposite edge of the aperture,
so that it is opposite to the short ends of the lever or levers. Unless the said
lever or levers are themselves made from spring steel, the said knob must be
provided with a spring reaction, so as to yield to the passing of the latch until the
latter is exactly opposite to the catch plate, and thus able to yield to the pressure
of the knob.
The said lever or levers may be withdrawn from the opposite catch plate after
the door or other object has been closed, so as to open the same, in a variety of
equivalent methods, some of which are hereinafter fully specified.
If desired, the withdrawal movement of my latch lever may be effected by a
'spindle, for the operation of which it is necessary to be provided with a special
key, the self closing latch thus forming a lock. Or, the end of any rigid connection
between the handle and the latch lever may serve as a bolt, by making it
sufficiently long to project beyond the edge of the door, when the latch is operated
upon by the closing of the door.
Or, a pair of latch levers may be used in combination, both automatically

page_text: Other as a LOCK, capable of only being put into action or withdrawn when shot by
means of a special key.
In order that my invention may be the better understood, I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being
had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation through one form of my latch. The latch
lever A, mounted on a pivot a, is fitted into a case B, sunk in a mortise in the
door or other object. A catch plate C is sunk into the jamb or opposite edge of
the aperture. The latch lever A is operated, on the closing of the door, by the
spring knob D, provided with a spring d, and fitted in the end of the latch lever.
By the pressure upon this knob, the upper end E of the latch lever is shot into
the recess of the catch plate C, the lever being withdrawn, when it is desired to
open the door, by a thumb piece G, rendered accessible by an opening through the
door, and the latch is maintained normally flush with the edge of the door, when
opened, by means. of the spring F.
In figure 2, which is a sectional elevation, the latch lever A is fitted as a mortise
into the edge of the jamb or aperture, the catch plate C in this case being
conveniently fitted to the edge of the door. The spring knob. D is also here shown,
fitted in the part of the catch plate in the edge of the door, the latch being
released by the rotation of a handle H, engaging in the spindle h, drawing back
the spring knob D against the reacting spring d. The latch lever is caused to
follow the movement of the spring knob D by the reaction of the spring F.
Figures 3 and 4. show, in sectional elevation and plan respectively, my latch
lever A, fitted as a face-plate latch in the face of the door or object, the catch
plate C being fitted in the opposite jamb. The spring knob D and reacting
spring d is also fitted into the catch-plate. To withdraw the latch in this case, a
band of leather, steel, or other flexible material K is attached to the longer end of
the latch lever, the other end k being secured to the door. The handle H is in
this case used as a push or pull handle, the push or pull being transverse to the
direction of the band K, and therefore having the effect of shortening the said
band, and thus of withdrawing the latch lever A from the opposite catch.
"
The push or pull of the said knob may be utilized to withdraw or permit the
engagement of the latch in various equivalent ways. For instance, the knob
spindle may be provided with a wedge or incline plane working in a slot of the
latch-pull, or a bell crank may be used to convert the reciprocation of the
knob movement into the reciprocating movement of the latch at right angles
to it.
Figs. 5 and 6 show, in sectional elevation and plan respectively, an exactly
similar arrangement as far as regards the latch lever, catch-plate, and spring
knob. The handle H, in this case however, withdraws the latch by winding up
the flexible band K, of any suitable material, upon a drum on the spindle of the
said handle. In this instance, the farther end of the handle spindle L may be
flush with the outer side of a door, and provided with a recess fitting only a special
key, the latch thus operating as a lock from the one side, and as a latch from the
other.
Figure 7 shows a similar arrangement of latch, catch-plate, and spring knob, the
withdrawing strap K being in this case conveniently passed through the body of
the spindle of the handle H.
Figures 8 and 9 show sectional elevations of a combined pair of lever latches AA¹,
both operated by one spring knob D in the centre, and withdrawn conveniently by
a geared rack M and pinion N on the spindle of the handle H. Figure 9 shows
this arrangement as a latch only, while figure 8 shows the addition of a lock P, by
which one of the levers A¹ is definitely retained in the catch-plate C.
In combining a locking device with my latch, I may use any known or convenient
detent or tumblers for the lock as at present used, and operate them by any
correspondingly suitable or known form of -key; and may utilise the continued

page_text: turning movement of the key, after the lock has been withdrawn, to engage in a
withdrawing bar, catch, chain, or band, to withdraw the latch.
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:
1st The construction of a latch applied to a door, window, drawer or other
object, or situated in the opposite jamb or edge of the aperture, and consisting of
a lever which normally remains flush with the latch plate, and which, turning on a
pivot, automatically engages, by the closing of the door, into an opposite catch
plate, by the pressure of the spring knob, situated on the latch lever or on the
opposite jamb, and is withdrawn by any handle and attachment, substantially as
and for the purposes specified.
2nd In such a latch, the combination of a face-plate and lever latch or latches
therein, maintained normally flush by a spring or weight, with a spring actuating
knob, either on the latch or on the opposite jamb, and a withdrawing handle,
operated either by a push, pull, or by a turn, upou a band of leather or other
flexible material, attached to the latch lever, or to the knob, to withdraw the
same, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3rd The combination with such a latch of a locking device whereby the latch or
latches may be locked in position, or of a withdrawing spindle, which can be
operated only by a particular key, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4th The specific construction of my latches as shown and described with
reference to figures 1 to 9 inclusive.
1000
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicant.