Improvements in the Manufacture of Stamped Sheet Metal Cases for Locks and Latches.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1894-Accepted, 8th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Stamped Sheet Metal Cases for
Locks and Latches.
I, SAMUEL JAMES FELLOWS, of Vulcan Works, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire,
Wrought Iron Hollow-ware Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of stamped sheet metal cases for
rim locks mortice locks drawback locks, night latches and other locks and latches
for doors and for similar purposes.
Heretofore when the cases of locks and latches have been stamped from sheet
metal the plate at the front end of the lock case or latch case through which the
fore end of the latch or bolt protrudes has been made separate from the other
portion of the lock case or latch case and rivetted or otherwise fixed thereto.
According to this invention I stamp the said lock case or latch case in a piece
with the said front end plate of the same from a sheet steel, sheet iron, sheet brass
or other sheet metal blank without a seam thereby making the latch case stronger
than heretofore and enabling it to be produced at a lower cost.
In carrying out my invention I take a ductile sheet metal blank of the proper
size and shape to form the required lock case or latch case and then by means of
one or more pairs of male and female dies worked in a stamp or press I raise the
said blank into the shape of the required lock case or latch case with a flange all
round that part of the blank which is to form the said front end plate being
inclined somewhat to the bottom of the case. By means of another pair of dies I
act upon and force the front end plate part of the lock case or latch case to stand
up at right angles to the bottom of the case as in the finished case. The edges of
the flange of the lock case are now cropped off to leave the flange of the required
shape and size; or in some cases the flange is entirely removed.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1893.
.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Stamped Sheet Metal Cases for
Locks and Latches.
I, SAMUEL JAMES FELLOWS, of Vulcan Works, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire,
Wrought Iron Hollow-ware 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:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of stamped sheet metal cases
for rim locks, draw back locks, night latches and other locks and latches for doors
and for similar purposes.
Heretofore when the cases of locks and latches have been stamped from sheet
metal the plate at the front of the lock case or latch case, through which the
fore-end of the latch or bolt protrudes, bas usually been made separate from the
other portion of the lock case or latch case and rivetted or otherwise fixed thereto;
or when the said front end plate has been made in a piece with the other part of
[Price Rd1

page_text: 1043
Jome of
corners.
According to this invention I stamp the said lock case or latch case in a piece
with the said front end plate of the same from a sheet steel, sheet iron, sheet brass
or other sheet metal blank without a seam thereby making the latch case stronger
than heretofore and enabling it to be produced at a lower cost.
I will describe my invention in connection with the manufacture of a latch case
and I will refer to the accompanying drawings on which
Fig. 1 is a general view of a latch case made in accordance with this invention;
Fig. 2 is a section of the same on line X X of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 illustrates the first stage in the raising of the latch case Fig. 1 from a
sheet metal blank and Fig. 4 is a cross section on line Y Y of Fig. 3.
Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional elevations and Fig. 7 is a plan also partly in section
shewing tools or appliances suitable for finishing the formation of the front end
plate of the latch case.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures of the drawings.
In carrying out my invention I take a ductile sheet metal blank of the proper
size to form the required latch case A and either of a rectangular or other form so
as to leave some waste metal for cropping all round the flange of the finished latch
case or made of the shape that the latch case would be if opened out into a flat
state. By means of one or more pairs of dies worked in a stamp or press I raise
this blank into the shape of the required latch case (see Fig. 3) with a flange at a³
all round, that part as of the partly finished latch case which is to form a portion
of the finished front end plate as of the finished latch case (Figs. 1 and 2) being
inclined somewhat, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, towards the bottom a' of the latch
case. The corners as a where the portion a³ joins the body of the latch case are
integral and are not slit or divided in any way. The raising of the sheet metal
blank into the form shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 is by preference performed in what is
known as a cam press or in a hydraulic press which is provided with a pressure
collar for holding the blank round the top of the bottom die to prevent the blank
buckling whilst the punch or top tool descends and forces the blank into the bottom
-die drawing the blank between the pressure collar and the bottom die. Thus I
am enabled to raise the blank into the form shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 at one
operation as will readily be understood, the bottom die having the configuration of
the outside of the latch case A and the punch or top tool having the configuration
of the inside of the same. A press with tools of this kind being well known and
commonly used for raising other sheet metal articles requires no further description
here. Or instead of the sheet metal blank being raised into the form shewn by
Figs. 3 and 4 at a single operation in a cam press or other pressure press as above
described, this formation of the blank may be obtained by operating upon the
blank in a drop stamp by means of a series of dies and forces which through several
operations ultimately raise the blank into the form shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 but as
stated above the pressure press is what I prefer as by it I form the blank into the
shape shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 at a single operation as stated above. I prefer to
make the dies or tools of a shape to form an internal recess 6 for the top plate of
the latch at the same time that the blank is raised into the form shewn by Figs. 3
and 4; or this recess may be afterwards formed in a press or stamp by a separate
pair of dies or tools. If the sheet metal blank from which the partly finished lock
case Figs. 3 and 4 has been formed was not of the exact configuration required by
the finished lock case but was for instance as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 3
made so as to leave parts round the flanges a¹ a for cropping off, these parts are
by preference cropped off at this stage so as to leave the flanges a' as shewn or of
any other desired form.
I now take the partly formed latch case as shewn by Figs. 3 and 4 and by means
of another pair of dies or tools shewn by Figs. 5, 6 and 7, I act upon and force the
front end plate part a' a³ of the partly finished latch case A (Figs. 3 and 4) so as

page_text: to stand up at right angles to the bottom a¹ of the latch case as in the finished
latch case shewn by Figs. 1 and 2. By an examination of Figs. 5, 6 and 7 it will
be seen that these dies or tools consist of a bottom tool C made of a shape to fit
inside the latch case A, inverted as shewn in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the bottom at of the
latch case resting on the top of this block C. The front edge c¹ of this block C is
made square with the bottom a of the latch case so as to give the proper form to
the inside of the front end plate a³. At a short distance in front of the block C
there is another fixed block D connected to the block C by a stout metal frame E
or by other means. This bottom tool is fixed on the bed of a press by any
convenient means. The top tool F is carried by the tool holder G and adapted to
move up and down vertically. This tool F consists of a block having a square
face corresponding with the face c¹ of the block C this top tool F being of the
proper width to fit in between the blocks C and D with the front end plate a³
between them. To operate on the portion a² a³ of the partly finished latch case
(Figs. 3 and 4) and form the finished front end plate a³ (Figs: 1 and 2) the latch
case A has to be placed in an inverted position on the block C as shewn in
Figs. 5, 6, and 7 where the latch case is held and prevented from rising by any
convenient means as by the lever H which is pulled cross to bear upon the latch
case A as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 7 and in Figs. 6, the said lever being
prevented from rising by catching under the hook or projection el shewn in Fig. 7
and by dotted lines in Fig. 5. The top too! F now descends and its acting edge f¹
forces the front end plate part a a³ of the latch case down and jams it against the
front of the block C square with the bottom part a' thus finishing the front end
plate a standing up at right angles to the bottom at of the latch case as shewn in
Figs. 1 and 2.
It will be seen that by my invention as above described I am enabled to produce
the latch case or lock case from a sheet metal blank with the corners as a solid
and intact without a joint or seam.
My invention is applied to the manufacture of lock cases similarly as above
described with reference to latch cases.
It is to be understood that my invention is applicable to lock cases and latch
cases of various shapes and sizes and that in some cases the flange a¹ is entirely
removed.
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 :-
1. The hereindescribed improved method of making stamped sheet metal cases
for rim locks, draw back locks, night latches and for other locks and latches for
doors and for similar purposes, whereby the front end plate portion is made integral
with the other portion of the case without any corner joint or seam, the said
method consisting in first raising by one or more processes a sheet metal blank into
the form of the lock case or latch case with the corners solid and with a flange all
round, and then turning up a portion of the said flange at right angles to the
bottom of the lock case or latch case thereby forming the front end plate with solid
corners, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
2. The hereindescribed improved stamped sheet metal cases for rim locks, draw-
back locks, night latches and for other locks and latches for doors and for similar
purposes, the said cases having the front end plate portion made integral with the
other portion of the case without any corner joint or seam, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Dated this 1st day of August 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.