IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Price, of Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Iron Safe and Lock Manufacturer, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
Sealed the 20th July 1860, and dated the 11th May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Price at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th May 1860.
I, GEORGE PRICE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Iron Safe
and Lock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS," to be as follows:-
The first parts of my Invention refer more particularly to the small and
large locks used upon the doors of iron safes and strong rooms, although some
of them are also applicable to other kinds of locks. They consist, firstly, of
an arrangement for reducing the space in the small lock into which gun-
powder or other explosive material may be put through the keyhole, and also
for preventing the quantity being increased by ramming as in other locks.
This is effected by allowing the key to move round upon the drill pin just
sufficient to lift the levers, and shoot out or withdraw the bolt or about
120 degrees, and the small opening or space required for this is made in the
centre of the levers and the tail of the bolt, the effect being that no part of
the "limbs" or works of the lock will yield to the pressure from ramming,
and also that when the small quantity of gunpowder it will contain is exploded,

page_text: the force passes through or betwixt the levers and out of the lock cases, and is
thereby rendered harmless. In applying the above construction of lock to
secure the bolts of a large lock, I use two projections upon the bolt head.
which take into three notches in the tail of the large bolts, for the purpose of
withdrawing the key from the small lock with the bolts either thrown or un-
thrown; secondly, on the plate carrying the works of the large lock I place
a hardened iron or steel plate, which forms the foundation or packing for the
small lock, and through which, and the plate or plates of the large lock, I
place a number of strong screws "wormed" into the door plate; thirdly, the
staple or bracket of the large lock "follower" I construct with a collar or
surface made true and level with the edges of the large lock rims so as to tie
against the face of the door when the lock is fixed in its place; and, fourthly,
the spindle which passes through the "follower" for the knob or handle for
actuating the large lock is furnished with a collar or shoulder, which lies and
works in a rebate formed in the hole in the door plate. I also construct the
spindle of hardened iron or steel, so that if broken by violence, the portion
of the spindle left in the door shall protect the interior from both violence and
gunpowder.
The second part of my Invention consists of a simplified arrangement of
spring action for restoring the levers to their position of security on with-
drawing the key from the lock, and may be thus described. The lever having
the highest lift is furnished with one spring, and also a pin or projection so
placed that it will bring down the other or remaining levers, and thus supply
the duty of the other springs usually employed for the purpose, and in sonic
cases I cause the key itself to re-adjust this lever, and thus the whole of the
levers are re-adjusted or placed in their secure position without the use of
springs at all.
The third part of my Invention consists of a novel arrangement and con-
struction of lock for preventing "picking by pressure," or what is known as
the "tentative process," and may be thus described. The levers are open at
the front end, and the hole through which the lever pin passes, and upon
which the levers work, is made in the shape of a pear, and at the small end of
the hole which points towards the front or stump end of the lever, the metal
is divided similar to the "slit" in a pen, a thin piece being retained at about
the centre of the lever. On pressure being applied to the bolt or talons with-
out the proper key, the lever pin acts as a wedge, and by opening the back
ends of the levers and closing the front ends with the gating through which the
main stump should pass, the gating is closed, and the picking of the lock is
prevented.

page_text: The fourth part of my Invention consists of an improved adjustable spindle
for door locks, and may be thus described. The end of the spindle is made
square, and fits into the shank of the knob in the usual manner, the knob
being secured upon the spindle by a screw which passes through the crown of
the knob and into the end of the spindle, which is drilled and "tapped or
"screwed" for the purpose; and the knob is held firmly in its place, and will
thus accommodate itself to doors of different strength and thicknesses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Price in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PRICE, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Iron Safe and Lock
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, tho
said George Price, Her special licence that 1, the said George Price, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George
Price, 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," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Price, 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 George Price, 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:-
The first parts of my Invention refer more particularly to the small and

page_text: large locks used upon the doors of iron safes and strong rooms, although some
parts of my Invention are also applicable to other kinds of locks. They con-
sist, firstly, of an arrangement for reducing the ordinary space in the small
lock into which gunpowder or other explosive material may be put through the
keyhole, and also for preventing the quantity being increased by ramming as
in other locks. This is effected by allowing the key to move round upon the
drill-pin just sufficient to lift the levers and shoot out or withdraw the bolt,
or about one hundred and twenty degrees, and the small opening or space
required for this is made in the centre of the levers and the tail of the bolt,
the effect being that no part of the "limbs" or works of the lock will yield
to the pressure from ramming, and also that when the small quantity of gun-
powder it will contain is exploded, the force passes through or betwixt the
levers and out of the lock-case through the three apertures in the bolt heads,
and is thereby rendered harmless. In applying the above construction of
lock to secure the bolts of a large lock, I use two projections upon the bolt-
heads, which take into three notches in the tail of the large bolts for the pur-
pose of withdrawing the key from the small lock with the bolts either thrown or
unthrown; secondly, on the plate carrying the works of the large lock, I place
a hardened iron or steel plate, which forms the foundation, packing, or seating
for the small lock, and through which and the plate or plates of the large lock
I place a number of strong screws "wormed" into the door plate; thirdly,
the staple or bracket of the large lock "follower" I construct with a collar
,or surface made true and level with the edges of the large lock rims, so as to
lie against the back face of the door plate when the lock is fixed in its place;
and, fourthly, the spindle which passes through the "follower" for the knob
or handle for actuating the bolts of the large lock is furnished with a collar or
shoulder, which lies and works in a rebate formed in the hole in the door
plate. I also construct the spindle of hardened iron or steel, so that if broken
by violence, the portion of the spindle left in the door shall protect the interior
of the lock chamber from both violence and gunpowder.
The second part of my Invention consists of a simplified arrangement of
spring action for restoring the levers to their position of security on with-
drawing the key from the lock, and may be thus described:-The lever having
the highest lift is furnished with one spring, and also a pin or projection so
placed that it will bring down the other or remaining levers, and thus supply
the duty of the other springs usually employed for the purpose; and in somo
cases I cause the key itself to re-adjust this lever, and thus the whole of the
levers are re-adjusted or placed in their secure position without the use of
springs at all.

page_text: The third part of my Invention consists of a novel arrangement and con-
struction of lock for preventing "picking by pressure," or what is known as
the "tentative process," and may be thus described :-The levers are open at
the front end, and the hole through which the lever pin passes, and upon
which the levers work, is made in the shape of a pear, and at the small end
of the hole which points towards the front or stump end of the lever the metal
is divided similar to the "slit" in a pen, a thin piece being retained at about
the centre of the lever. On pressure being applied to the bolt or talons
without the proper key, the lever pin acts as a wedge, and by opening the
back ends of the levers and closing the front ends with the gating, through
which the main stump should pass, the gating is closed, and the picking of
the lock is prevented.
The fourth part of my Invention consists of an improved adjustable spindle
for door locks, and may be thus described. The end of the spindle is made
square, and fits into the shank of the knob in the usual manner, the knob
being secured upon the spindle by a screw which passes through the crown of
the knob, and into the end of the spindle, which is drilled and tapped or
screwed for the purpose. The knob is held firmly in its place, and will
accommodate itself to doors of different strengths or thicknesses.
rooms.
The nature of my said Invention will be better understood from the annexed
Drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents an elevation, and Figure 2 an end
view, of the lock as constructed for the doors of iron safes and bankers' strong
It is a lever lock, and the levers (d) six, seven, or eight, as the case
may be, are of an oval shape, as shewn by Figure 3, and have their centre of
motion at the end the same as in all ordinary lever and tumbler locks. The
slot for the entrance of the "main stump" is at the other end, similar to the
"Ruxton lever." In the centre of the levers, "safety plate," and bolt tail is
formed the open space (a), and in this open space is placed the drill pin, upon
which the key performs one-third only of a revolution in locking and unlocking.
The edges of the levers (d) inside the open space (a) are all in the same plane.
The space (a) around the "drill pin" being thus enclosed, it follows that in
tho operation of locking or unlocking, this space must travel with the key, and
consequently remains the same in area and cubic contents. From this cir-
cumstance no second instrument or pick can be put in the lock, as, if any one
of the levers be moved, the keyhole is thereby closed against the admission of
anything else. As there is not the slightest communication between this open
space and the space outside the levers, no gunpowder can be forced, even by
hammering it, into any other portion of the lock, and as the thickness of the
combined levers forms such a solid mass of metal, constant and repeated

page_text: explosions, with gunpowder rammed in, the keyhole plugged, and heavy
weights placed thereon, produce no further injury than blackening the levers.
The cavity (a) for the reception of gunpowder being reduced, as shewn in the
Drawing (Figure 1) to the smallest possible space for the key and its action,
and less than two dwts., being the most that can by any means be forced into
it, added to the general strength of all the parts forming the complete lock,
renders it capable of sustaining any number of explosions without the least
liability to injury, except from the dirt left in the lock after each explosion.
b, b, show the double head of the bolt, and c, c, c, the three apertures or
channels, which servo the important purpose of letting out the gas produced
from the explosion of the gunpowder into the large lock or bolt chamber (sec
Figure 4), so that the force of the discharge becomes altogether inoperative.
n, n, shew the parts of the lock plate thickened up to form the groove or
channel for the bolt to work in, as specified in my former Patent, dated
October 14th, 1859.
I claim in respect of this part of my Invention the construction of locks
with levers or tumblers, through the centre of which, as well as through the
safety plate and bolt tail, is formed the space for the drill pin and the action
of the key, as described above, and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figures 4 and 5 represent the works of the large lock and "lock chamber."
a, a, the plate carrying the works of the locks; b, the small lock; c, the
"follower;" d, the staple or bracket; e, e, e, e, e, e, the large bolts; f, f. bolt
tails of the large lock; g, the hardened foundation plate or seating, to which
the small lock (6) is screwed; h, h, h, h, the holes for the additional screws;
i, the level face of the staple or bracket, which fits close against the back face
of the door plate. Figure 6 is a section of the door plate (5), showing the
rebate (k) in the spindle hole for the collar (m, m,) of the spindle to work in.
Figure 7 is a section of the spindle (1), showing the collar (m), and the
.groove (n), turned in its surface to cause it to break at this groove when
. violence is applied to the knob on the outside of the door. In Figure 4, the
large bolts are locked out, in which case the double head of the bolt of the
small lock is in the slots 1 and 2 formed in the large bolt tail. In Figure 5
the large bolts are withdrawn into the lock chamber, and the double head of
the small bolt is in the slots 2, 3, of the large bolt tail. In both cases the
large bolts remain locked, and can only be moved after the key has lifted
the bolt out of the slots.
I claim in respect of this part of my Invention,-
First, the application of a case-hardened iron or steel plate for the packing

page_text: the lock chamber a number of strong screws (h, h, h, h,) which are wormed
into the door plate.
Secondly, the double head of the bolt of the small lock taking into two
of the three slots formed in the bolt tail of the large lock, as shewn in
Figures 4 and 5.
Thirdly, the forming a rebate in the spindle hole of the door plate, and
constructing the spindle of case-hardened iron or hardened steel with a
collar to work in the rebate of the hole in the door plate, as shewn in
Figures 6 and 7.
Fourthly, the constructing the spindle with the groove », Figure 7, cut in
its surface.
And, fifthly, the constructing of the bracket or staple (d, Figure 4,) with its
face to fit close against the back face of the door plate.
Figure 8 represents the interior of a lock referred to in the third part of
my Invention. a, a, frame or case of lock; b, the bolt; c, the levers; d. the
pear-shaped holes; e, the lever pin; f, the main stump; g, the thin connecting
piece.
I claim with respect to this part of my Invention the "lever pin " acting as
a wedge in a "pear-shaped hole," so as to close the slot or "gating" for the
main stump, on pressure being applied to the bolt or talons of the bolt, for
the purpose of picking the lock.
Figure 9 represents my improved adjustable spindle, which forms the fourth
part of my said Invention. 1, the spindle; o, the screw for securing the knob,
and altering or adjusting the length of the spindle.
1 claim with respect to this part of my Invention the fastening on of the
knob to the spindle, in the manner before described, and illustrated by the
annexed Drawing.
In witness whereof, 1. the said George Price, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
GEORGE PRICE. (L.S.)
Witness.
BENJ. T. BECK.