Improvements in Locks and Latches.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks and Latches.
I, JOHN JULIA RIDGWAY, of No. 53 Woodbine Street, in the City of
Brooklyn, and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Locks have been made in which pin tumblers are introduced into holes in a
stationary and rotatable cylinder, the key acting upon the divided pin tumblers to
move the same end wise to cause the line of separation to coincide with the
contiguous ends of the respective cylinders, so that the one cylinder may be turned
by the key in opening the lock.
In locks of this character the pin cylinders have been connected with the back
plate of the lock or latch, and hence were not easily adapted to different thicknesses
of doors.
The first part of my improvements relates to a tubular case containing the
stationary and rotatable pin cylinders held in their proper relation to each other,
and which case is received into a tubular holder upon the plate of the lock, so that
the tubular case and the pin tumblers can be adjusted to adapt the lock to different
thicknesses of doors, and the rotatable pin cylinder is provided with a central stem
extending through an opening in the stationary pin cylinder and acting within the
lock case to move the latch or bolt.
The tubular case is preferably made with an inturned flange at the outer end to
secure the rotatable pin cylinder, and the stationary pin cylinder is connected with
the case either permanently or removably by a pin or screw, and the tubular case
is movable end wise within the tubular holder and can be secured by screws passing
through one or more of a range of holes in adapting the lock to the door.
This improved key mechanism for locks can be applied to any suitable lock or
latch, but I find it advantageous to employ a turning knob on the inside of the lock
to act upon the bolt or latch to withdraw the same, and when this knob is placed in
line with the stem of the pin cylinder the knob is preferably made tubular to receive
the stem that is connected with the mechanism that withdraws the latch or bolt.
The second part of this invention relates to a key mechanism of the aforesaid
general character and in which the pin tumblers are separated into three or more
sections so as to be adapted to two or more different keys; that is to say, a group
of locks for a number of rooms on a particular floor or a number of boxes or lockers
and made to be opened by separate keys acting upon the line of division at the end
of the pins next the springs, and the group of locks can all be opened by one master
key that presses the pin tumblers in further so as to bring the ends of the second
pin sections to the line of separation between the stationary and rotatable pin
cylinders. In this manner the janitor or attendant can have one key that will open
a group of locks, but no ones separate key will open any other lock.
The third part of this invention relates to a key made up of separate bits or
sections and removable from a common stock or holder, so that different persons can
hold parts of the same key in order that all the parts of the key may be brought
together before the lock can be opened, and this key is adapted to the pin tumblers
and rotatable and stationary pin cylinders before described, and for using the key
the rotatable pin cylinder has as many slots, preferably radial, as there are sections
in the key, and in order to obtain a large number of pin tumblers in a small space,
so as to have the proper number of pin tumblers for each key section, the pin

page_text: tumblers are not placed in radial planes, as heretofore usual, but are displaced in
planes diagonal to the radial line, and when the slots for the key or key sections are
radial, the key does not act central upon each pin tumbler but acts near one edge
of such pin tumbler.
It is to be understood that the key for this improved lock is made either as a
plate to pass into the slots of the radial pin cylinder, which slots usually extend
from the periphery inwardly, or else such key is made with pins passing into holes
in line with the respective tumblers but of smaller diameter, the lengths of the key
sections or pins upon the key varying so as to give end motion to the pin tumblers
to the proper extent.
Dated this 18th day of June 1894.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks and Latches.
I, JOHN JULIA RIDGWAY, residing at No. 53 Woodbine Street, in the City of
Brooklyn, and State of New York, United States of America, 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:-
Locks have been made in which pin tumblers are introduced into holes in a
stationary and rotatable cylinder, the key acting upon the divided pin tumblers to
move the same end wise to cause the line of separation to coincide with the
contiguous ends of the respective cylinders, so that the one cylinder may be turned
by the key in opening the lock.
In locks of this character the pin cylinders have been connected with the back
plate of the lock or latch, and hence were not easily adapted to different thick-
nesses of doors.
The first part of my improvement relates to a tubular case containing the
stationary and rotatable pin cylinders held in their proper relation to each other,
and which case is received into a tubular holder upon the plate of the lock, so that
the tubular case and the pin tumblers can be adjusted to adapt the lock to different
thicknesses of doors, and the rotatable pin cylinder is provided with a central stem
extending through an opening in the stationary pin cylinder and acting within the
Jock case to move the latch or bolt.
The tubular case is preferably made with an inturned flange at the outer end to
secure the rotatable pin cylinder, and the stationary pin cylinder is connected with
the case either permanently or removably by a pin or screw, and the tubular case
is movable end wise within the tubular holder and can be secured by screws passing
through one or more of a range of holes in adapting the lock to the door.
This improved key mechanism for locks can be applied to any suitable lock or
latch, but I find it advantageous to employ a turning knob on the inside of the lock
to act upon the bolt or latch to withdraw the same, and when this knob is placed
in line with the stem of the pin cylinder the knob is preferably made tubular to
receive the stem that is connected with the mechanisin that withdraws the latch
or bolt.
The second part of this invention relates to a key mechanism of the aforesaid.
general character and in which the pin tumblers are separated into three or more
sections so as to be adapted to two or more different keys; that is to say, a group
of locks for a number of rooms on a particular floor or a number of boxes or lockers
are made to be opened by separate keys acting upon the line of division at the end
of the pins next the springs, and the group of locks can all be opened by one master
key that presses the pin tumblers in further so as to bring the ends of the second

page_text: pin sections to the line of separation between the stationary and rotatable pin
cylinders. In this manner the janitor or attendant can have one key that will open
a group of locks, but no ones separate key will open any other lock.
The third part of this invention relates to a key made up of separate bits or
sections and removable from a common stock or holder, so that different persons
can hold parts of the same key in order that all the parts of the key may be brought
together before the lock can be opened, and this key is adapted to the pin tumblers
and rotatable and stationary pin cylinders before described, and for using the key
the rotatable pin cylinder has as many slots, preferably radial, as there are sections
in the key, and in order to obtain a large number of pin tumblers in a small space,
so as to have the proper number of pin tumblers for each key section, the pin
tumblers are not placed in radial planes, as heretofore usual, but are displaced in
planes diagonal to the radial line, and when the slots for the key or key sections
are radial, the key does not act centrally upon each pin tumbler but acts near one
edge of such pin tumbler.
It is to be understood that the key for this improved lock is made either as a
plate to pass into the slots of the radial pin cylinder, which slots usually extend
from the periphery inwardly, or else such key is made with pins passing into holes
in line with the respective tumblers but of smaller diameter, the lengths of the key
sections or pins upon the key varying so as to give end motion to the pin tumblers
to the proper extent.
In the drawing,
Fig. 1 is a sectional plan of my improved lock.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line of the pin tumblers.
Fig. 3 is a cross section at the line xx.
Fig. 4 represents a spring pin for holding the stationary pin cylinder in
position.
Fig. 5 is a separate elevation of the key.
Fig. 6 is a detached view of the tubular case and pin cylinders with the pin
tumblers in three sections.
Fig. 7 shows the same parts with the individual key inserted.
Fig. 8 shows the parts with the master key inserted.
Fig. 9 is a cross section at the line y y.
Fig. 10 is a cross section of the rotatable cylinder adapted to a key of four
sections.
Fig. 11 is an end view of the key stock.
Fig. 12 is a section of the four-part key, and
Fig. 13 shows a key made with pins instead of plate sections.
The tubular case A receives within it a stationary pin cylinder B and a rotatable
pin cylinder C, and this case A is preferably made with an end flange 6 for securing
the rotatable pin cylinder C, and the stationary pin cylinder B may be soldered in
place or held by a securing ring 5 or by the screws 9 passing through the tubular
case A into the pin cylinder B, and the pin tumblers D are made in sections, there
being either two or three sections in each pin tumbler, as hereafter referred to, and
the springs E press the pin tumblers towards the outer end of the cylinder C, there
being holes that are in line with each other and adapted to receive and hold the pin
tumblers and their springs, and there is a stem F extending centrally from the pin
cylinder C through the central hole in the stationary pin cylinder B, and the inner
end of this stem is adapted to act upon the lock or latch.
I have represented a lock or latch case M having a spring-latch N adapted to
engage the keeper or door casing: and it is to be understood that this lock or latch
may be of any desired character, I have however represented a cross-bar or arm P
upon the inner end of the stem or spindle F to act upon the projections upon the
latch or bolt for drawing the same back when the rotatable cylinder C and stem F
are turned by the action of the key, and in Figs. 1 and 2; I have shown a koob Q
that can be turned from the inside of the door to draw back the latch or bolt N, it
being understood that the knob can be turned independently of the stem F, but for

page_text: convenience the knob Q is represented as hollow or tubular to allow for adjusting
the key mechanism with the stem extending more or less into the knob.
The back plate L of the latch may be of any desired character and it is repre-
sented as having upon it a tubular holder K into which is received the tubular
case A, and such case A may be adjusted lengthwise of the tubular holder so
as to adapt the key mechanism to different thicknesses of doors, and the case A
and lock mechanism may be held rigidly in the tubular holder K by a screw 10
shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or by a spring pin 11 shown in Fig. 4, there being in either
instance holes preferably in line along the tubular holder K for the passage of
either the screw or the pin that secures the tubular case A in its proper relation
to the lock, so as to adapt the parts to the thickness of the door, and there may
be an escutcheon 12 upon the face of the door around the outer end of the tubular
case A.
The key O' is made of a plate or sheet of metal adapted to pass into the slots in
the rotatable, pin cylinder C. In Figs. 1, 2 and 9, I have represented radial key
slots 1 and 3, and in Fig. 10, I have represented four radial key slots 123 4, and
the key slots are to be arranged with reference to the pin tumblers so as to be
in line with them, as represented in Figs. 2 and 9, or so that the pin tumblers come
at opposite sides of the key slot but lap upon the same, as indicated in Fig. 10.
In either instance the inner ends of the key are to be of such a length that when
the key is inserted, the pin tumblers will be moved endwise to cause the line of
separation between the sections of the pin tumblers to be in line with the adjacent
ends of the stationary and rotatable pin cylinders so as to allow the cylinder C and
its stem to be rotated by the action of the key and withdraw the bolt or latch.
When the pin tumblers are composed of only two sections, as illustrated in
Fig. 2, the key O' can be a single plate and its ends will adjust the pin tumblers to
the proper position, and this also can be the case when the pin tumblers are
arranged as illustrated in Fig. 10, the key however being made of two, three or
four sections, as illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, in which instance the sections O are
received into a stock G and held by a surrounding split tube H that is fastened to
the stock G by a screw 8, and the clamping ring I, preferably screwed upon the
outside of the split spring tube H, holds the respective sections O in position in the
stock, and by making these sections one different from the other the key can be
taken apart and the sections be retained by different persons so that the lock
cannot be opened until all the sections are brought together and put into the one
key to open the lock. The key sections and slots should be correspondingly
numbered as shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12.
It is to be understood that the keys made of plates as aforesaid are in some
respects the most convenient, but the keys can be made with pin projections or
wards, as represented in Fig. 13, there being smaller holes in line with the pin
tumblers for the reception of the pins of the key to give end motion to the pin
tumblers.
Upon reference to Fig. 7, it will be seen that the key represented therein has
brought the pin tumblers into position so that the sections next to the springs are
in the stationary pin cylinder B, and the other two sections are in the rotatable pin
cylinder C, and hence the lock can be opened by the key represented in Fig. 7,
and the same lock can be opened by the key represented in Fig. 8 in which the two
sections of the piu tumblers are in the stationary pin cylinder B, the outer ends of
the middle sections of the pin tumblers being in line with the contiguous faces of
the cylinders B and C, hence the same lock can be opened by one of two keys,
and the lengths of the respective sections of the pin tumblers can be such that the
key shown in Fig. 8 may be a master key to open any desired number of locks, and
the different locks can be adapted to different keys in consequence of the variations
in the lengths of the first and middle sections of the pin tumblers, as illustrated in
Fig. 7, so that each lock can have its own separate key that will not open any other
lock, and the janitor or other authorized person can have the master key that can
open any desired number, group or series of flocks, thus greatly facilitating

page_text: access to rooms, lockers, boxes or other devices by one person with a master key
without interfering with the security of the lock when the individual keys held by
different persons are made use of.
It is advantageous to notch the end flauge 6 in line with the respective slots in
the rotatable pin cylinder C and to provide notches 7 in the edges of the key, so
that the key cannot be withdrawn except when the pin cylinder C has been rotated
to bring its slots in line with the notches in the end flange 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
First. The combination with the pin tumblers and the stationary and rotatable
pin cylinders, of a tubular case permanently connected to the stationary pin
cylinder and holding within it the rotatable pin cylinder, and means for holding
the tubular case in its proper position in relation to the lock, substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination with a lock or latch, of a tubular holder therewith
connected, a tubular case within the tubular holder and adjustable lengthwise
thereof according to the thickness of the door, a stationary pin cylinder secured
within the tubular case and having a central opening, a rotatable pin cylinder
within the tubular case and having a stem passing through and acting upon the
latch or bolt of the lock, pin tumblers, and a key for actuating the same, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Third. The combination with the stationary pin cylinder and tubular case, of
a rotatable pin cylinder within the case, pin tumblers and their springs, the pin
tumblers being divided into sections whereby the lock can be opened by one or two
keys, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a lock, of a stationary pin cylinder and a rotatable
pin cylinder, the latter being slotted for the reception of the key, spring pin
tumblers located with reference to the slots, so that one side of the end of each pin
tumbler coincides with the slot, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination in a lock, of a stationary and rotatable pin cylinder
and a tubular case for holding the parts, pin tumblers and their springs in the
respective cylinders, a key made of two or more detachable sections, and a stock
for holding the sections, whereby the parts of the key can be separated, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of October 1894.
BREWER & SON,
Agents.