Improvements in or Connected with Locks, Catch-latches, and the like, with Means for Releasing the Bolt or Catch by Hand or by Electricity.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1889 SERVE COPY
Complete Specification Accepted, 6th Apr., 1889
Improvements in or Connected with Locks, Catch-latches, and the
like, with Means for Releasing the Bolt or Catch by Hand or by
Electricity.
I DAVID ALFRED AIRD of Holmet Court Strand Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to- novel arrangement of appliances constituting a lock or
catch-latch which can be opened from one side of the door only by hand or by
electricity.
For the purpose of my invention I arrange the bolt or catch to preferably shoot
open and upon the guide pin of the bolt 1 arrange a three legged tumbler one log of
which when the bolt is being shot home rides against an incline for tilting it in
conjunction with a presser foot which acts upon a second leg of the tumbler said
presser foot forming a holdfast by taking into a notch of the tumbler in conjunction
with the third leg which engages behind the lip piece of a pivotted armature
capable of being attracted to magnets placed in proximinity when an electric current
is switched on the conducting wires being in the same room in an adjoining room
or at some other part of a building so that if electricity alone is used the lock bolt can
only be released from that spot where the switch is situated.
Thus great security is obtained because the door, drawer, gate, or other thing to
which such a lock is attached can only be opened when the switch is operated or when
the proper electrical connection is made.
If the lock or catch-latch is required to be operated by hand I arrange a saddle or
lever within the lock the handle of which being outside the lock but within a room
could be there operated to press upon the armature and release the three legged
lever so that the bolt or catch is caused to shoot back under the action of its draw
spring.
The electrical arrangement and the hand releasing arrangement may be combined
in the same lock.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said D. A. Aird.

page_text: Improvements in or Connected with Locks, Catch Latches, and the
like, with Means for Releasing the Bolt or Catch by Hand or by
Electricity.
1, DAVID ALFRED AIRD, of Helmet Court, Strand, Middlesex, Gentleman 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 :-
This Invention relates to novel arrangement of appliances constituting a lock or
catch latch which can be opened from one side of the door only, by hand or by
electricity.
My invention will be understood by the annexed drawings. Figure 1 is an interior
view of a bolt lock with the bolt shot. Figure 2 is an external view or front which
appears on the inside of a room. Figure 3 shows the interior of the same lock with
the bolt in its backward position.
For the purpose of my invention I arrange the bolt or catch a to preferably shoot
open under the action of a spring b, and on the guide pin c of the bolt a I arrange a
three legged tumbler d one leg e of which when the bolt is being shot home rides
against an incline for tilting it in conjunction with a presser foot g which acts upon
a second leg of the tumbler d said presser foot forming a holdfast by taking into
a notch of the tumbler d in conjunction with the third leg which engages behind a lip
piece of a pivotted armature j capable of being attracted to magnets k placed in
proximity when an electric current is switched on, such as by a push button on the
conducting wires being in the same room, in an adjoining room or at some other part
of a building, so that if electricity alone is used, the lock bolt can only be released
from that spot where the switch is situated. Thus great security is obtained
because the door, drawer, gate, or other thing to which such a lock is attached can
only be opened when the switch is operated, or when the proper electrical connection
is made.
If the lock or catch-latch is required to be operated by hand, I arrange a saddle or
lever m within the lock, the handle n of which being outside the lock but within a
room could be there operated to cause the saddle m to press upon the armature and
release the three legged lever, so that the bolt or catch is caused to shoot back under
the action of its draw spring b.
The electrical arrangement and the hand releasing arrangement are combined in the
same lock.
The bolt a is provided with an inside button p to enable it to be shot into the hasp
or staple for locking the door by hand which action by a partial pressure during the
sliding action of the bolt on the top of the three legged lever and a further pressure
of the presser foot g on the tail piece h of the tumbling lever throws the leg e into
position for being struck by the incline f, this causes the other leg to press upon the
lip i for riding over it. The lip i then rides up on the inside of the nose piece of the
leg under the action of a spring q, said spring throwing the armature j for a catch r
to engage behind the shoulder s of the bolt a which fixes the bolt in the "shot home"
position.

page_text: The instant the current is passed through the coils k, k, for attracting the armature j,
the catch is withdrawn and also the lip i from the tumbler which by means of the
spring tumbles over until it assumes the position indicated at Figure 3, the bolt
being drawn to its destination by its spring b.
u is a spring for keeping the presser foot g down in contact with the tumbler at all
times and v is a spring for returning the saddle m to its normal position.
If necessary and for greater security, I arrange a solenoid to (see Figure 4) within
the lock, which when the current is passed, simultaneously draws back the catch of
the fixing lever x which otherwise holds the armature j.
I purpose lining the inside of these locks with ebonite or other insulating material,
so that any attempt to draw down the armature by a powerful magnet would be
frustrated, the magnetic power being then absorbed by an outer sheathing or case
surrounding the lock.
If such a lock be fitted say, to the Bed or other Room in an Hotel the push button
may be in the Manager's or the Porter's Room so that no one could get into the room
from a passage except the button numbered to correspond with that of the room is
first operated from below.
I purpose using a safety catch in connection with the bolt so that a person in the
room may lock himself in and should he desire privacy he would simply act upon the
safety catch and lock the bolt in a shot home position.
On leaving the room and closing the door he would act upon the knob outside
the door which corresponds to the knob p, the lock being then quite secure against
any attempt to open it except when the push button / is operated.
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 1
claim is :
1. In connection with electric locks or catches an armature with a lipi in com-
bination with the tumbler d acted upon substantially in the manner described and
shown by the annexed drawings.
2. In connection with electric locks or catches the combination of the catch r on
the armature for locking the bolt or catch a in a shot home position as described
with reference to the annexed drawings.
3. In connection with electric locks or catches the three legged tumbler d and the
presser foot g and incline f acting in the manner described whereby the tumbler is
turned from the positions indicated at Figures 3 and 4 to the position indicated at
Figure 1.
4. The combination of the various parts constituting an electric lock or catch which
can be opened only when an electric current is passed through the coils k, k, from
outside the room or by the movement of the handle n and saddle m from inside the
room as described and substantially as shown on the annexed drawings.
AUL
10. 1
CM 1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said D. A. Aird.