IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGLESS AND OTHER LOCKS: AND LATCHES, &C.
Year: 1886

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I, HECTOR GLENDINING, of 40 Lowther Street, Carlisle, in the County of
Cumberland Ironmonger do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRINGLESS AND OTHER LOCKS: AND LATCHES, &C. and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained.
in and by the following statement:-
The objects of my Invention are Security, Simplicity, Durability and the reduction
of Friction..
21
By this Invention' the use of Springs (except in small Locks and Latches such as
Figures 16 and 18) is abolished, owing to the levers I employ which are weighted
and work on pins or pivots.
:
Rim Locks In this make of Lock by my Invention I am enabled by a simple
operation to make them suitable for doors opening oither in or out, or to the right.
or left hand.
To do this I make a detachable foreplate which is pierced with 'three openings,
viz. a Lockbolt opening in the centre; and two Latchbolt openings, one above and
one below the Lockbolt opening. To change a right hand Lock into a left hand
Lock, or vice-versa, this foreplate is detached, and refixed in a reverse position 80
that the bottom corner. T₁, and the bottom opening T3, in the left hand drawing of
Fig. 5; becomes the top corner and top opening of the right hand drawing of
Fig. 5, marked T, and T respectively.
"
The Lockcase is made in two halves, the external appearance of each half being
the same; so that whichever side is fixed against the door, the other, (or outer
side,) has the same appearance. By this means; should it be necessary to reverse
the Lock; the side which is against the wood can be made the outer side. To fill
up the blank, or dummy, Latchbolt opening in the Foreplate, there is a small
projection the thickness of, the Foreplate, cast on each half of the Lockcase; 'which,
when the Foreplate is screwed on makes a level surface.
The Latchbolt is reversed by lifting it out of the circular opening in the top of
the Latchlever; turning it over, and replacing it in the circular opening.
The neck of the Latch Knob or Handle passes through the Lock case, and has the
usual square hole to receive the spindle from the knob on the opposite side of the
door. The two sides of the neck of, the knob are perpendicular, and the upper
and lower sides are rounded so as to receive the Latch-follower on to it. The end
of the neck is screw threaded to receive the Nut which secures the Knob and

page_text: Follower to the Lockcase. The opposite-Knob has a Washer which fits on the
corresponding part of the neck and is secured in the same manner as-the-Latch-..
follower by the Nut.
The Latch-follower is provided with a short, and a long, hook or claw. The
short claw works against a similar claw on the Latchlever above the pin or pivot
on which the Latchlever works, the long claw bears against the heel or lower corner
of the Latchlever, below the pin or pivot.
To open the Latchbolt the Knob is turned to either the right or left hand, and
the short claw of the follower bears on the claw of the Lever; or the long claw of
the follower bears on the heel of the Lever as the case may be; thus raising the
Lever, drawing back the Latchbolt, and allowing the door to open. On releasing
the Knob the Lever falls of its own weight and the Latchbolt resumes its position.
In closing a door by simply pushing it, the knob, and consequently the Follower,
do not move. By the rounded form of the Latchbolt end the friction on Lock
staples is greatly reduced:
. . :
The Lockbolt Levers are weighted and work on a pin or pivot in the same
manner as the Latch Lever. Each Lever has a longitudinal slot or opening,
varying in height, with vertical enlargements at each end to admit the projection.
on the Lockbolt; and another opening for the Key. The Key in acting on the
Lockbolt raises these weighted Levers so that the projection on the Lockbolt is
released from the vertical enlargements and is in a line with the longitudinal slots,
thus allowing the free passage of the Lock bolt. In case of a wrong Key being
introduced, which raises tho Levers either too high or not high enough; the pro-
jection on the Lockbolt will not pass into the longitudinal slots, and consequently
the bolt will not be released. The proper Key, before it can be withdrawn acts on
the lower parts of the openings in the Levers, so that in the event of their sticking
or failing to fall of their own weight to their proper positions, the key brings them.
down, thus securing the proper locking or unlocking of the bolt before the Key can
be withdrawn..
At the top rear corner of the Lockcase is a Latch Stop, which works on two
studs, one cast in each half of the Lockcase. When the Latch Stop is thrown over
it rests on the back end of the Latchlever, thus preventing the Knob from opening.
the Latch from outside a room, and thereby serving the purpose of a nightbolt on
the lower edge, or on the face of the Lock.
On the bottom of the Latchlever is an india rubber or leather buffer, to deaden
the sound of the falling of the Latchlever which is recessed to receive the buffer.
Mortice Locks. In this form of Lock the Latch bolt and Lever, and the Lock
bolt and Levers, are in all essential respects the same as in the Rim Locks, but the
Followers for Mortice Locks are different to the Rim Lock Followers.
In the Mortice Lock Follower the hole for the Knob Spindle is of a shape which
allows the spindle to bear on the centre part only, thereby giving greater freedom
to the Spindle, and preventing the "binding"" or sticking of the Knobs when not
exactly opposite to each other on the door.
Upright Rim Locks, small Mortice Latches; and any kind of Small Locks and
Latches. In these forms of Locks and Latches where there is not sufficient space
for a weighted Latchlever; a different shape of Latchlever is employed, but with
the same claw action as adopted in the weighted Levers in the Rim and Mortice
Locks In place of the weight a spring is used.
!
For Upright Rim Locks a short reversible foreplate is used in which the Latch-
bolt opening is in the centre, and the Lockbolt openings are one above and one
below; instead of as in the afore-described Rim Lock where the Latch bolt
opening is in the centre, and the Lockbolt openings are above and below.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
t

page_text: The Key, in its withdrawal from the Lock, acts on the lower parts of the openings.L
and M² bringing them down on the bolt projection in the event of their sticking.
N and N' are the parts of the Key openings in Levers L and M, which constitute
and serve the purpose of Wards. O is the Latch Lever, as arranged for, and worked
by, the Spring P. R. R are the two halves of the Rim Lockcase, on which H. H.
are the projections for filling up the spare or dummy opening T2 in the reversible
Foreplate T. S is the opening in the clawed Rim Lock Follower, and S¹ is the
part of knob neck on which it fits. V is the Spindle. Y is the clawed Mortice
Lock Follower, and Y¹ is the central part which bears on the spindle.
I would remark that although I have only shewn my Improvements as applied
to Rim Locks and Latches, and Mortice Locks and Latches, it will be evident that
they are equally applicable to any kind of Locks or Latches either 'combined or
separate. I would also have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangements of parts shewn and described; as any of the parts may be
varied in shape without 'departing from the peculiar character of the Invention.
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 That by my Invention Rim Locks, Dead Locks; and Rim Latches, can be
reversed to suit doors opening either in or out, or locking to right or left hand, by
making the cases in two halves; by making the Latch bolt reversible; by altering
the loose Foreplate in a manner which enables me to fix it on either face of the
Case; and by having a blank or dummy opening in the Foreplate so that the
Latch bolt or Lock bolt can pass through when the Foreplate is so reversed.. This
reversible Foreplate; pierced with three or more openings, (of any shape, so as to
suit any Lock or Latch) I claim as new and my Invention.
2nd That by my Invention I combine the parts. of Knobs of Rim Locks and
Latches, and the Latchbolt Follower, together, whereby I secure the Knobs and
Followers to the Cases independent of the Spindle from the knob on the opposite
side of the door. I also claim that my method can be applied to the fixing
together of any forms of Followers and Knobs, which are of corresponding shape.
3rd That the Latch Lever I employ (except, in the case of small Locks,) is
weighted, whereby I dispense with springs. In small Locks where there is not
space to admit a weighted Lever, I use a flat spring in its stead, without deviating
from the claw action of the follower on the claw, and heel of the Latch Lever.
The Follower is provided with a long, and a short, hook or claw, the peculiar
character of which is to act on the claw above and the heel below (or vice-versa)
the pin or pivot on which the Latch Lever works, thereby lifting or turning the
Lever in a backward direction only and so withdrawing the Latchbolt from the
Staple on doorcase. This I accomplish with a very slight turning of the Knobs and
consequently little or no friction. This 'claw action of Lever and Follower; and
the attaching of Knob and Follower to the Lockcase; I claim as new and novel
features of my Invention.
4th That another feature of novelty is in the Levers I use for Lockbolts, by the
addition I make to the bottom parts thereof, which gives weight to. them, thus
enabling me to dispense with Springs, and further by the peculiar form of the
openings to receive the Key, I do, by the action of the Key, on the lower parts of
the Levers, effectually bring them down on the bolt projection, thereby securing.
the proper locking or unlocking of the bolt before the Key can be withdrawn.
"I also make the deepened parts in the Key openings in the Levers opposite the
Key hole, serve the purpose of Wards, so that when a Key differing in the form of
the Web from that belonging to the Lock is introduced it will not pass out of the
deepened parts, and any attempt to turn the Key is thus prevented.
.
5th That by the peculiar form of the Latchbolt end I employ, I considerably
reduce the friction on lock staples or strike plates.

page_text: 6th That I am enabled to reverse the Latchbolts by the circular shape I make
the inner ends of same, and the openings in the Levers to receive them.
7th That I prevent the "binding" of Followers and Knobs by the shape I make
the spindle hole in Follower, the spindle bearing on the central part only of the
Follower hole.
8th That in the knobs I use the spindle hole is cone shaped so that the spindle
bears on the front part of the hole, and that the spindle does not come in contact
with the Washer, or screwed Nut which fixes the knob through the Roses, or
Followers. It is therefore impossible for there to be any "play" or loose working
of the Nut, Follower, or Washer.
.
9th That the Latch Stop serves the purpose of a Night Bolt, and that the India
rubber or Leather Buffer inserted in the weighted Latch Lever are new and novel
features of my Invention.