AN. IMPROVED CLASP OR FASTENER
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Pradel, of Paris, France, and of 4, South
Street, Finsbury, London, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "AN.
IMPROVED CLASP OR FASTENER."
Sealed the 28th November 1861, and dated the 19th June 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Pradel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th
June 1861.
I, PETER PRADEL, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury,
London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention
of "AN IMPROVED CLASP OR FASTENER," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in the construction of an improved clasp or fastener,
by which doors, boxes, cases, and articles in general, whatever their size and
form, can be secured or closed without the use of a key.
My improved fastener is composed of a metal plate of any desired form or
shape, having on the outside a dial divided into hours and minutes similar to a
clock dial. In a cavity formed on the inside of the metal plate is fitted a
large and small barrel working within and independently of one another. To
each of these barrels, and in front of the dial plate, are attached hands or
pointers similar to the large and small hands of a watch. To each of these
barrels are fitted cap pieces or discs. Across the surface of the two discs is a
groove forming the arc of a circle, such groove passing through the centre or
axles of the caps. In this groove works two studs or pins of a lever working

page_text: on a fulcrum or centre inside the metal plate above described; the opposite end
of the lever having attached to it the bolt, hook, or whatever kind of fastening
may be required.
When the improved clasp is made in the form of a watch or padlock, the
eye or ring is formed in two segments, which is made to open and close by 5
means of a split or double lever in combination with the dial and pointer, as
before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Pradel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
PRADEL, of Paris, France, and of 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Civil
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Peter Pradel, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Pradel, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter
Pradel, 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 of "AN IMPROVED CLASP OR FASTENER,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Pradel,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, 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 Peter Pradel, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-

page_text: My Invention consists in the construction of an improved clasp or fastener,
by which doors, boxes, cases, and articles in general, whatever their size and
form, can be secured or closed without the use of a key.
My improved fastener is composed of a metal plate of any desired form or
shape, having on the outside a dial divided into hours or minutes similar to a
clock dial. In a cavity formed on the inside of the metal plate is fitted a large
and small barrel working within and independently of one another. The
number of such barrels may be increased to make the clasp or fastener more
secure, and to make it more difficult to open. To each of these barrels, and
in front of the dial-plate, are attached hands or pointers similar to the large
and small hands of a watch. To each of these barrels are fitted cap pieces or
discs; across the surface of the two discs is a groove forming the arc of a
circle, such groove passing through the centre or axle of the caps; or instead
of using discs, the groove may be cut upon the face of the barrels. In this
groove work two studs or pins of a flat lever working on a fulcrum or centre
inside the metal plate, the fulcrum being at the centre of the curves formed
by the groove above described. The opposite end of the lever passes out
through an opening in the side of the plate, and has attached to it the bolt,
hook, or whatever kind of fastening may be required.
at one end with a knob for working the same; or instead of the lever
forming the clasp or fastener itself, it may be made to act upon a bolt, as
shewn at Figure 9 of the Drawing herein-after described.
The lever is provided
When the improved clasp is made in the form of a watch or padlock, the
eye or ring is formed in two segments, which are made to open and close by
means of a split or double lever in combination with the dial and pointer, as
before described.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 represents a view of the internal
face of the large barrel; Figure 2 is a side elevation, and Figure 3 a section
of the same, fitted with the small barrel C, of which Figure 4 is a front view,
and Figure 5 a side elevation; Figure 6 is the front view of the flat lever,
and Figure 7 an edge view of same. A, Figure 8, is the metal plate, which
may be of any size or shape, and has formed in it a circular opening e, and also
a small hole or opening i. The large barrel C is placed by its boss o¹ in the
hole or opening e of the plate A, and the small barrel C is placed in the large
barrel C by its boss q, so that the head o", Figure 5, of the barrel C¹ enters the
hole e in the large barrel C. The lever B, Figures 6 and 7, is set in such a
manner that its bearing point or fulcrum v enters the hole i of the plate A, and

page_text: the stud is placed in the centre of the small barrel C, at the same time the
stud is tangent to the circle of the groove formed on the head o of the large
barrel C, Figures 1, 2, & 3. In this position, if the grooves 7, ¹, of the small
and large barrels C and C¹ do not form one concentric groove with the bearing
point of the lever B the lever is prevented from moving; but if by means of
two external pointers (not shewn in the Drawing) placed upon the bosses g
and o¹ of the large and small barrels C and C¹ these grooves are brought round
to their normal position, that is to say, concentric to the axis or fulcrum v of
the lever B, the studs j and j¹ of the lever are enabled to travel through the
grooves in the barrels, which enables the lever B to oscillate between the points
a and a¹ of the plate A, and consequently push the bolt t out or in, as shewn
at Figure 9. Figure 9 is a front view of the lock or fastener complete;
Figure 10 is an elevation, and Figure 11 a section of the same. All external
visible signs, such as letters, figures, &c., can be employed to place the barrels
C and C¹³ in the required position by the aid of the pointers. To enable the
clasp to be opened during the night, or in the dark, a ratchet wheel R,
Figure 12, is placed on the outside face of the plate A, and the hole e¹ is placed
over the hole e of the plate A. In the washer s, Figure 13, is a space in which
the ratchet wheel R is placed, such wheel being provided with a paul K, which
catches in the teeth of the ratchet wheel R fixed at its centre on the boss o¹ of
the large barrel C. This boss also carries a second ratchet wheel R, Figure 14,
the teeth of which are set in a contrary direction to those of the ratchet R.
A second washer K, Figure 15, is set in the same manner as the washers,
Figure 13, on the small barrel, to which it is fixed by a nut q", Figure 15¹;
the whole of these details being shewn as fitted complete at Figure 16. A
moveable stop c, Figures 9 and 16, worked by the spring S, Figure 9, keeps
back the two washers, Figures 13 and 15, by means of hooks t, to determine
for each of them the point from which the number of teeth to be passed over
is to be counted to set in their normal position the barrels C and C¹³, and
release the lever B. The changes in the combination are obtained by holding
fast the lever at half of its travel, because in that position the barrels C and C¹
are kept in their places, when their pointers may be displaced at will in order
to indicate any other combination.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to
the precise details herein-before described, as they may be varied without
deviating from its principle; nor do I claim the external pointers or indicators,
as they have been employed before; but what I claim as my Invention and
intended to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is,--

page_text: Firstly, the employment of two or more barrels fitted one in the other,
and having on their front a cross-curved groove, as herein-before described and
referred to in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the annexed Drawing.
Secondly, the lever, with a fulcrum or bearing point and studs, having the
same radius as the curve formed on the barrels, as herein-before described and
represented in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the Drawing.
Thirdly, the arrangement of the metal plate to form a lock, the bolt of which
is worked by the lever, as herein-before described and represented in the
Figures 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 of the annexed Drawing.
Fourthly, the application of my Invention to locks already constructed to
replace the key, as herein-before described and represented in the Figures, 9,
10, 11, and 16 of the Drawing.
Fifthly, the arrangement of the lever to regulate at will the range of the
bolt by placing the point of contact more or less near the axis of the lever.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Pradel, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of December, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-one.
PRE. PRADEL. (L.S.)