IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND IN LATCH BOLTS FOR LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Walton, of Willenhall, in the County of
Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS AND IN LATCH BOLTS FOR LOCKS AND LATCHES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Walton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st July 1865.
I, JAMES WALTON, of Willenhall, in the County of Stafford, Lock Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS AND IN LATCH BOLTS FOR LOCKS AND LATCHES," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after explained in
lever or tumbler locks, whereby on the use of a false key a spring tongue in the
bolt is made to act on one of the levers of the lock, and cause it to engage
with the stump of the bolt and prevent the withdrawal of the said bolt. I
make that side of the circular recess in the bolt against which the key acts
to withdraw the bolt moveable. The said moveable side consists of a spring
tongue having motion in a recess in the bolt. When the true key is intro-
duced into the lock the said spring tongue is not affected thereby, but on the
introduction of a false key the said spring tongue is raised in its recess in
the bolt, and one of the levers of the lock is made to engage with the ordi-
nary stump on the bolt in the following manner :-On the said spring tongue
is a stud which engages in a longitudinal slot in the bottom lever of the series

page_text: of levers of the lock.
The stump on the bolt works in another longitudinal
slot in the said bottom lever, and opening into the last-mentioned slot is a
vertical slot, opposite to which vertical slot the stump on the bolt is situated
when the said bolt is shot. . When a false key is introduced into the lock the
spring tongue is lifted and its stud made to lift the bottom lever and cause
the vertical slot in the said lever to engage with the stump on the bolt and
thus prevent the withdrawal of the said bolt. The other levers of the lock
are of the ordinary kind.
The second part of my Invention refers to such latch bolts as are commonly
called shifting or reversible latch bolts, that is, latch bolts which can be fitted
for use either with a right-handed or left-handed door, and this part of my
Invention has for its object to effect the shifting or reversing of the latch
bolts without the necessity for removing the top plate of the lock or latch
which is necessary in shifting bolts as ordinarily constructed. This part of
my Invention may be used in connection with a lock or used separately.
The end of
it which fits
The end of the
In constructing and arranging the parts of shifting or reversible latch
bolts according to my Invention I make the bevilled -head of the bolt which
enters the staple in the ordinary way. The said bevilled head has a long
stem which is connected to the follower or crank of the latch.
the said stem most distant from the bevilled bead has a hole in
loosely upon the free end of the said follower or crank.
stem is prevented from being detached from the end of the follower or crank
by means of a screw pin or stop situated on the side of the stem and screwed
into the case of the lock or latch. The said stop also serves as a guide for
-the stem. The said stop is introduced into the lock or latch case through a
hole in the top plate, the end of the said stop screwing into the bottom plate.
The stem of the bolt is capable of longitudinal motion, but is incapable of
lateral motion so long as the pin or stop described is in its place on the side
of the stem. In order to fit the latch bolt for use either with a door opening
to the right hand or left hand it is necessary that the bevil of the bolt head
should be in the proper direction. When it is necessary to reverse the bevil
of the bolt head the pin or stop described at the side of the stem is unscrewed
and removed through the hole in the top plate of the lock or latch. The
-end of the stem of the bolt can now be withdrawn by a lateral motion from
off the end of the follower or crank, and the bevil of the bolt head reversed.
The end of the stem is afterwards replaced on the follower or crank, and the
pin or stop again passed into the lock or latch case through the hole in the
top plate and screwed into the said case. The latch bolt is thus fixed in its
place and ready for use.

page_text: By making and arranging the parts of shifting latch bolts according to my
Invention they are reversed-with great ease, and the trouble and difficulty of
removing the top plate of the lock.or latch, which is necessary in shifting
latch belts of the ordinary construction are avoided..
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
January 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
WALTON, of: Willenhall, in the. County of Stafford, Lock Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellents Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant. unto me,
the said James Walton, Her special licence that I, the said James Walton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Walton, 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: "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS AND IN LATCH. BOLTS FOR LOCKS AND LATCHES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that. I, the said James Walton,, my executors or adminis
trators, 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 James Walton, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 thereof; that is to say.:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after. explained
in lever or tumbler locks,. whereby on the use of a false key a spring or
moveable tongue in the bolt is made to act on one of the levers of the lock
and cause it to engage with the stump of the bolt, and prevent the withdrawal

page_text: of the said bolt. I make that side of the circular recess in the bolt against
which the key acts to withdraw the bolt, moveable. The said moveable side
consists of a spring or moveable tongue, having motion in a recess in the
bolt. When the true key is introduced into the lock the said spring or
moveable tongue is not affected thereby, but on the introduction of a false key
the said spring or moveable tongue is raised in its recess in the bolt, and one
of the levers of the lock is made to engage with the ordinary stump on the
bolt in the following manner :-On the said spring or moveable tongue is a
stud which engages in a longitudinal slot in the bottom lever of the series of
levers of the lock. The stump on the bolt works in another longitudinal slot
in the said bottom lever, and opening into the last-mentioned slot is a vertical
slot, opposite to which vertical slot the stump on the bolt is situated when the
said bolt is shot. When a false key is introduced into the lock the spring or
moveable tongue is lifted and its stud made to lift the bottom lever and cause
the vertical slot in the said lever to engage with the stump on the bolt, and
thus prevent the withdrawal of the said bolt. The other levers of the lock are
of the ordinary kind.
The second part of my Invention refers to such latch bolts as are commonly
called shifting or reversible latch bolts, that is, latch bolts which can be fitted
for use either with a right-handed or left-handed door, and this part of iny
Invention has for its object to effect the shifting or reversing of the latch bolts
without the necessity for removing the top plate of the lock or latch, which
is necessary in shifting bolts as ordinarily constructed.
This part of my Invention may be used in connection with a lock, or used
separately. In constructing and arranging the parts of shifting or reversible
latch bolts according to my Invention I make the bevilled head of the bolt
which enters the staple in the ordinary way. The said bevilled head has a
long stem, which is connected to the follower, or crank, or tail of the latch.
The end of the said stem most distant from the bevilled head has a hole in it
which fits loosely upon the free end of the said follower or crank or tail. The
end of the stem is prevented from being detached from the end of the follower
or crank or tail by means of a screw pin or stop situated on the side of the
stem, and screwed into the case of the lock or latch. The said stop also serves
as a guide for the stem; the said stop is introduced into the lock or latch case
through a hole in the top plate, the end of the said stop screwing into the
bottom plate, or the stop may be introduced through a hole in the bottom, or
end, or side of the lock or latch case. The stein of the bolt is capable of
longitudinal motion, but is incapable of lateral motion so long as the pin or
stop described is in its place on the side of the stem. In order to fit the latch

page_text: bolt for use, either with a door opening to the right hand or left hand, it is
necessary that the bevil of the bolt head should be in the proper direction..
When it is necessary to reverse the bevil of the bolt head the pin or stop
described at the side of the stem is unscrewed and removed; the end of the
stem can now be withdrawn by a lateral motion from off the end of the follower
or crank or tail, and the bevil of the bolt head reversed. The end of the stem
is afterwards replaced on the follower or crank or tail, and the pin or stop
again secured in the lock or latch case; the latch bolt is thus fixed in its place
and ready for use.
By making and arranging the parts of shifting latch bolts according to my.
Invention they are reversed with great ease, and the trouble and difficulty of;
removing the top plate of the lock or latch, which is necessary in reversing
shifting latch bolts of the ordinary construction are avoided.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in elevation a lock (the top plate being removed)
in which a spring tongue is used according to the first part of my Invention,
the bolt of the lock being represented withdrawn in Figure 1, and shot in
Figure 2. In the said Figures 1 and 2 the ordinary levers or tumblers of the
lock situated above the bottom one are omitted in order to exhibit those parts
constituting my Invention. Figure 3 represents in elevation the bolt of the lock
and spring tongue detached from the lock, and Figure 4 represents an edge view
of the spring tongue separately; Figure 5 represents the key of the lock; a is.
the bolt of the lock; and 6 the stump on the said bolt; c is the bottom lever or
tumbler turning on the centre c, upon which lever c, the series of ordinary.
Jevers are situated. In the recess a² in the bolt a I place a spring tongue d, fixed
at d to the bolt a, the said spring tongue having motion in the said recess. The
motion of the spring tongue is limited in one direction by a shoulder on the
free end of the said tongue coming against a projection on the bolt, and in the
other direction by coming against the top of the recess in the bolt as represented.
On the free end of the spring d is a stud d³, which engages in the longitudinal
slote in the bottom lever c of the lock (see Figures 1 and 2). The said
bottom lever c has another slot f in it, in which the stump 6 on the bolt is
made to work when the bolt is shot or withdrawn. The other levers of the
lock have similar slots; the end of the slot f has a vertical slot 9 opening into
it. When the true key, Figure 5, is introduced and turned in the lock in the
direction proper to withdraw the bolt a the said key raises the bottom lever c
and those situated above it to the respective heights necessary to bring the

page_text: longitudinal slot at f in them opposite the stump 6, when the bolt can be
withdrawn by the striking of the key against the curved side of the spring.
tongue d, the said tongue & retaining the position represented in Figure 1
during the raising of the levers and shooting of the bolt. If, however, a false
key be introduced and turned in the lock in the direction proper to withdraw
the bolt, the said false key acts upon the curved side of the spring tongue d'
and lifts or raises the said tongue in the recess a² in the bolt a. On the
raising of the spring tongue d'its stud or pin d³ working in the slot e in the
bottom lever c raises the said lever c, and thereby causes its vertical slot g-to
engage with the stump 6 of the bolt a; in the manner represented-in Figure 2,
and thus prevent the withdrawal of the said bolt.
b
Figure 6 represents in elevation another lock constructed according to my
Invention, in which a moveable tongue in place of a spring tongue is used,
the said lock, Figure 6, also contains a latch bolt constructed according to my
Invention. Figures 7 and 8 represent in elevation and edge view respectively
the bolt of the lock separately with the moveable tongue connected to it, and
Figure 9 represents the moveable tongue separately; Figures 10 and 11
represent the latch bolt separately, the bevil of the bolt head being turned in
opposite directions, and Figure 12 represents the key of the lock.
In the said Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, a is the lock bolt, and d is the moveable
tongue nearly filling up a rectangular recess in the bolt-a. The said tongue d
turns on a centre d' on the bolt a, the free end of the said
tongue resting on
cis.the pin or
a shoulder a² on the bolt when not acted upon by a false key.
stud which engages in the slot e in the bottom lever h of the lock; f is the
cross slot at the end of the longitudinal slot in the bottom lever h, which cross
slot engages with the stump 9 on the bolt when the moveable tongue dis
Jifted by a false key. The action of a false key on the moveable tongue d,
and the latter on the bottom lever h, is precisely the same as that described
with respect to the lock, Figures 1 and 2. When a moveable tongue d, Figures
6, 7, 8, and 9, is used the curved slot or recess against the sides of which the
key acts to shoot or withdraw the bolt is made wholly in the said tongue
instead of partly in the bolt and partly in the spring tongue, as in Figures
1 and 2. Instead of making the spring or moveable tongue lift the bottom
lever of the series, the said tongue may be made to lift any one of the series
of levers of the lock, or more than one lever may be lifted by the action of the
tongue. I prefer, however, to arrange the parts in the manner represented in
the Drawings, which I have found in practice to answer very satisfactorily.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to Figures 6, 10, and 11,
the improvements in latch bolts, constituting the second part of my Invention.

page_text: the bevilled head of the same.
the free end of the follower or
The end of the
of the follower
i is the stem of the shifting latch bolt, and
The said stem i of the bolt is connected to
crank-k of the latch mechanism by a hole in the stem fitting loosely upon
the contracted end or pin of the said follower or crank.
said stem i is prevented from being detached from the end
or crank by means of a screw pin or stop 1, situated on the side of the stem ;
the pin or stop also serves as a guide to the stem; the pin or stop is intro-
duced into the lock through a hole in the top plate and screwed into the
bottom plate. When the latch bolt i, 3, is connected to the follower or crank
k, in the manner represented in Figure 6, the said bolt is capable of longi-
tudinal motion, but is incapable of lateral motion so long as the stop is in its
เ
place on the side of the stem i. In order to reverse the bevilled head i² of
the latch bolt to one or other of the positions represented in Figures 10 and 11,
as the case may be, so as to fit it for use either with a door opening to the
right hand or left hand, the stop or screw pin is unscrewed and removed
through the hole in the top plate of the lock. The end of the stem i can now
be withdrawn by a lateral motion from off the arm of the follower or crank k,
and the bevil of the bolt head reversed. The end of the stem is then replaced
on the arm of the follower or crank, and the pin or stop l introduced and fixed
in the lock case, in the manner already described and represented. Instead of
passing the pin or stop 7 through the top plate of the lock or latch case, it
may be passed through the bottom plate, and screwed into the top plate.
Figure 13 represents a separate latch provided with a latch bolt according to
my 'Invention; Figures 14 and 15 represent edge views of the latch bolt, the
bevilled head being turned in opposite directions; Figure 16 represents in
plan of under side, and Figure 17 in edge view, the top plate of the latch.
In this latch the stop or pin 7 for preventing the lateral motion of the latch
bolt is passed through the side of the case instead of through the top plate
as in the arrangement, Figure,6; or the stop or pin may be passed through
the end of the case. The said stop or pin 7 is supported in a bearing m, made
on the under side of the top plate n, the hole in the bearing being provided
with a hollow screw thread, in which the stop or pin 7 screws, as represented
bearing m², in which a
in the Drawing. The said top plate n has a second
screw pin screws, which pin and the stop or pin hold the said plate n
-in its place.
Figure 18 represents my improvements in shifting latch bolts applied to the
ordinary latch mechanism. In this case the stem a of the latch bolt is con-
nected to the tail or arm b, against which the follower c aets to withdraw the
Hatch bolt, instead of being connected to the follower or crank. The free end

page_text: of the tail b is reduced in size and upon the said end a hole in the stem a fits;
d is the stop or pin for preventing the lateral motion of the stem a; the stem
'a of the latch bolt is disconnected from the tail b, and the bevil of the latch
bolt reversed in the manner herein-before described. By making and arranging
the parts of latch bolts in the manner described and represented in the Drawings
they are reversed with great ease, and without the necessity for removing the
top plate of the lock or latch, which is necessary in reversing shifting latch
bolts of the ordinary kind.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details berein described and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawings, as the same may be varied without departing from the
nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in lever or tumbler locks, herein-before described
and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying
"Drawings, that is to say, applying to the bolts of the said locks, substantially
in the manner described and illustrated, a spring or moveable tongue, which
spring or moveable tongue, on a false key being introduced and turned in the
lock to withdraw the bolt, is made to raise one or more of the levers of the
lock, and cause the said lever or levers to engage with the stump of the bolt
and prevent the withdrawal of the said bolt.
Secondly, the improvements in reversible or shifting latch bolts for locks
'and latches, herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 6, 10, 11, 13,
14, 15, 16, 17, and 18 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the
arrangements or combinations of parts described and illustrated, whereby the
reversing or shifting of the latch bolt is effected without the removal of the
top plate of the lock or latch case.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Walton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
JAMES WALTON. (L.S.)