IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Tildesley, of Willenhall, in the County of
Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS AND LATCHES."-Partly a communication from abroad by John
Bisset, a Citizen of the United States of America, residing in New
York.
Sealed the 31st January 1860, and dated the 25th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Tildesley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1859.
I, MATTHEW TILDESLEY, of Willenhall, in the County of Stafford, Lock
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES," to be as follows, that is to say:-
Figs. 1, 2, & 3 in the accompanying Drawings represent a padlock con-
structed with my improvements, Fig. 4 shewing the key. (a) is a barrel or
slotted tube, in which an inner slotted tube (B) works freely; in this inner
slotted tube are arranged the nibs or guards (C, D,) and coiled springs
(E, F, G). The nib or guard (H) is affixed to the bottom of the slotted
tube (B), and the bottom of the tube (B) is also slotted for the bit (m) of the
key (Fig. 4) to slide-in, and at the top there is also affixed, as a part of the
tube (B), a square butt (I). The nib or guard (C) is tubular, and narrower

page_text: in bore at the top part, forming a shoulder for the part of the key marked K
(Fig. 4), and a collar for the coiled spring (E) on the one side, and the
coiled spring (F) on the other. The remaining nib or guard (D) is solid
throughout, having recesses or counter sinkings to receive the spring coils (F)
on the lower, and (G) on the upper surface. The tube (a) is provided with
mortices at either equal or variable distances (as the case may require), and
as it will be necessary before the loop (N) can be released to bring up the
nibs or
guards (H, C, & D,) to their positions for turning into the mortices
(H', C, D,) respectively, the key must be inserted in the aperture (0,
Fig. 3,) and pushed upwards, when the parts marked (M, K, L,) on the key
(Fig. 4) will act directly and respectively on the interior of the tube (B), and
the nibs or guards (C, D,) compressing the coiled springs (E, F, G,), as seen
in (Fig. 2); this operation has raised the butt (I) to immediately underneath
the bolt (p), and in direct contact with the heel (Q) of the bolt (p), and by
the turning of the key, and consequently the tube (B), with the butt (I),
acting upon the heel of the bolt, and withdrawing the catch (w), & retaining
the loop (N) by reason of the spring (S) acting upon the lever (v) of the
loop (n) it assumes the position shewn in (Fig. 2) unlocking the padlock.
On releasing the pressure on the key, the spring (T) acting on the bolt (p),
all the parts herein described with reference to the tubes, nibs, or guards and
springs, assume their normal position. The beak of the bolt being a catch
beak, it is evident that pressure on the loop (N) will cause it to lock itself
without applying the key.
(Figs. 5, 6, & 7,) shew the application of my improvements to latches,
modifications of which may also be applied to locks generally, in which the
parts of the slotted tubes, nibs, or guards and spring coils act similarly to those
described for the padlock, with the exception that the slot of the inner tube B
passes over and fits the projection or nib (x) in lieu of the butt (I) used in the
padlock (Figs. 1 & 3). The nib x is attached to the arm (y), which upon
being turned causes the arm of the bolt (*) to recede, drawing with it the
bolt, and compressing the coiled spring (n), as seen in (Fig. 6). The key
being then released, the various parts assume their normal position. I propose
to vary the number of the nibs or guards, and the parts in connection there-
with, according to the description or size of the lock, and by a slight modifica-
tion of the parts already described the lock would be suitable for use either as
a right or left-handed one.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Matthew Tildesley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th May 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
TILDESLEY, of Willenhall, in the County of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Matthew Tildesley, Her special license that I, the said
Matthew Tildesley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Matthew Tildesley, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I,
the said Matthew Tildesley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Matthew Tildesley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The Invention chiefly relates to the description of locks termed padlocks and
to latches, and it consists in the adaptation of new mechanical appliances to the
working parts of such locks and latches, and the arrangement of such working
parts so as to ensure greater safety from violation.
(Figures 1, 2, and 3) of the accompanying Drawings represent several
views of a padlock made according to these improvements, Figure 1 being
a section showing the lock secured and all the parts at rest, and (Figure 2) a
similar section shewing the parts in action upon the application of the key;
(Figure 3) is a view shewing the key-hole and under part of the lock; and
(Figure 4) exhibits the key. Referring to (Figures 1 and 2) (A) is a barrel

page_text: or slotted tube secured to the lock case, and (B) is a second slotted tube inside
that marked (A), and working freely up and down within the tube (A). In
the inner tube (B) are placed the nibs or guards (C, D,) together with the
coiled springs (E, F, G,) the third of the nibs or guards (H) is attached to
the bottom of the tube (B), and immediately below it a slot in the tube (B) is
provided to receive the bit (M) of the key shewn at (Figure 4), at the upper
end of the tube (B) secured to it and solid, with it is a square butt (I). The
nib or guard (C) is of annular form, the centre being of smaller bore on the
upper side than on the under, and formed with a shoulder to fit the shoulder
of the key (K) Figure 4), and collars to retain the coiled spring (E) on the
one side, and the similar spring (F) on the other side. The other nib or
guard (D) is solid throughout, and countersunk on both the upper and lower
sides to receive the springs (F and G). The tube (A) is slotted transversely
with its axis (as well as in a line parallel with the axis) into small slots
or mortices (H', C', D',) and these may be at equal or unequal distances apart
as occasion may require; they are to receive the nibs or guards (H, C,D,) and
before the lock can be unfastened by releasing the loop (N) it is requisite to
raise the guards (II, C, D,) into position to be received by the mortices
(H¹, C, D'. To effect this the key seen at (Figure 4) must be inserted in
the opening (O, Figure 3,) and pressed upward, when the parts markeds
(M, K, L,) Figure 4) will operate directly and respectively on the interior
tube (B,) and the nibs or guards (C, D,) compressing the springs (E, F, G,)
as shewn in Figure 2. The butt (I) is now raised to a position immediately
under the bolt (P,) and in close contact with the heel (Q) of the bolt; a partial
revolution of the key carrying with it the inner tube (B) brings the nibs or
guards (H, C, D,) into the slots (H³, C, D',) at the same time the butt (I)
acting upon the heel (Q) of the bolt after the manner of a knife spring forces
it back, and thus withdraws the catch (W) from the beak of the loop (N,)
the loop being thrown up and held in suspension by the action of the spring (S)
upon a stud (V) formed on the ring joint of the loop. Upon releasing the key
the spring (T) acts upon the bolt, and all the parts, with the exception of the
loop, return to a position of rest. The bolt being what is known as a catch
bolt, the loop is secured simply by the pressure of the hand.
Figures (5, 6, 7,) exhibit the application of these improvements to latches
in which the slotted tubes, nibs, or guards, and coiled springs act similarly to
those already described, with the exception that the slot of the inner tube (B)
j.asses over and fits accurately the projection or stud (X) working upon that
instead of by means of the butt (I) in the padlock; this stud (X) is secured
to a follower (Y), and upon this follower being turned upon the application of

page_text: the key, its action upon the arm (Z) of the bolt withdraws the bolt com-
pressing the spring (N), as shewn at (Figure 6.) By releasing the key all
the parts are returned to their normal position.
The number of the nibs or guards, and the parts in connection therewith,
may be varied to suit any size or description of lock, and by a slight
modification of the parts already described, and by slotting the outer tube
transversely right and left of the longitudinal slot the lock may be made either
a right or left-handed one. This is more clearly illustrated in (Figures 8
to 15); (Figure 8) shews the interior of a night latch, capable of being used
right or left-handed; the follower (A), a section of which is shewn at (A,
Figure 10,) being a double one working on a pin in the centre, the outer tube
(B), (Figure 9), being cut in transverse slots right and left of the longitudinal
slot in manner already described. In this form of latch four guards are
provided, as will be seen in the details (Figures 10 to 15), and which details
are drawn to a scale of twice the full size; the fourth guard is obtained by
making the end of the key tubular instead of solid, as in the former examples,
and this tubular part of the key passes over and engages with the pin (C,
Figure 10). The forms of all the guards are fully exhibited in longitudinal
section at (Figure 10), and each in transverse section in (Figures 12 to 15).
The action of all these parts, with the exception of those more fully specified
above, is the same as in the former examples.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I claim the several improvements in locks
and latches, which I have herein-before described and shewn in the said
Drawings, together with any mere modification of the same improvements
involving similar adaptation and arrangement of the working parts of such
locks and latches.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Tildesley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
MATTHEW TILDESLEY. (L.S.)