IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR CHAINS OR DOOR FASTENINGS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Skerrett, of 6, Whitby Road, Sparkbrook, near
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR CHAINS OR DOOR FASTENINGS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Skerrett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1881.
HENRY SKERRETT, of 6, Whitby Road, Sparkbrook, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR CHAINS
OR DOOR FASTENINGS."
The object of my Invention is to simplify the construction of door chains or door
fastenings, and this I effect by constructing and combining the parts, as hereinafter
described.
Instead of attaching a fixed slotted case to the door in which the necked stud
on the free end of the chain attached to the door slides as usual, I dispense with
the said fixed slotted case, and in place thereof I fix on the door a necked stud or
pin, and I connect the free end of the chain on the door a long link slotted
longitudinally nearly through its whole length. Opening into the longitudinal
slot of the link, at the chain end of the said link, is a circular opening or
enlargement of a size suitable for the passage through it of the head of the fixed
stud or pin on the door, the neck or stalk of the said stud or pin having a size
proper to slide into the longitudinal slot of the said slotted link.
The improved door chain or door fastener thus consists of a connection composed
of a chain affixed to the door frame, and the link described permanently affixed to
the unconnected end of the said chain, a fixed necked stud being employed on the
door.
In using my Invention the door is closed and the circular hole or enlargement
at the chain end of the slotted link is passed over the head of the fixed stud on the
door, thereby connecting the link to the said stud. The door is now capable of
being opened only to the extent of the combined length of the slot in the slotted
link, and the chain by the link sliding longitudinally on the neck or stalk of the
fixed stud or pin.

page_text: In order to disconnect the slotted link from the stud on the door the door is
closed, and the said link moved longitudinally until the circular hole or enlarge-
ment is brought opposite the head or knob of the stud. The slotted link can now
be disconnected from the door.
Instead of the circular opening or enlargement in the slotted link for the bead
of the stud to pass through, as before described, the longitudinal slot at the chain
end is made to terminate in a side opening or passage through which the neck or
stalk of the fixed pin or stud is passed in connecting the fastening to or dis-
connecting it from the door.
The improved door chain, or door fastening described, may be used to fasten the
door when closed by making at the chain end of the slotted link and on the upper
edge thereof a short vertical slot opening into the circular hole or enlargement of
the longitudinal slot.
After the door has been closed this short vertical slot is passed onto the neck of
the fixed stud on the door, so as thereby to fasten the door in its closed position.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Skerrett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
August 1881.
HENRY SKERRETT, of 6, Whitby Road, Sparkbrook, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR CHAINS OR
DOOR FASTENINGS."
The object of my Invention is to simplify the construction of door chains or
door fastenings, and this I effect by constructing and combining the parts as
hereinafter described.
Instead of attaching a fixed slotted case to the door in which the necked stud on
the free end of the chain attached to the door slides as usual, I dispense with the
said fixed slotted case, and in place thereof I fix on the door a necked stud or pin,
and I connect to the free end of the chain on the door a long link slotted
longitudinally nearly through its whole length. Opening into the longitudinal
slot of the link at the chain end of the said link is a circular opening or enlargement
of a size suitable for the passage through it of the head of the fixed stud or pin on
the door, the neck or stalk of the said stud or pin having a size proper to slide into
the longitudinal slot of the said slotted link.
The improved door chain or door fastening thus consists of a connection
composed of a chain affixed to the door frame and the link described,
permanently affixed to the unconnected end of the said chain, a fixed necked or
stud being employed on the door.
In using my Invention the door is closed, and the circular hole or enlargement
at the chain end of the slotted link is passed over the head of the fixed stud on
the door, thereby connecting the link to the said stud. The door is now capable of
being opened only to the extent of the length of the slot in the slotted link by the
link sliding longitudinally on the neck or stalk of the fixed stud or pin.
In order to disconnect the slotted link from the stud on the door the door is
closed and the said link moved longitudinally until the circular hole or enlargement
is brought opposite the head or knob of the stud. The slotted link can now be
disconnected from the door.
Instead of the circular opening or enlargement in the slotted link for the head of
the stud to pass through as before described, the longitudinal slot at the chain end
is made to terminate in a side opening or passage through which the neck or stalk
of the fixed pin or stud is passed in connecting the fastening to or disconnecting it
from the door.
The improved door chain, or door fastening described, may be used to fasten the
door when closed by making at the chain end of the slotted link, and on the upper
edge, a short vertical slot opening into the circular hole or enlargement of the
longitudinal slot.
After the door has been closed this short vertical slot is passed onto the neck of
the fixed stud on the door so as thereby to fasten the door in its closed position.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to describe,, with
reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which my Invention is to be
performed.
Figures 1, 2, and 4, represent in front elevation, and Figure 3 in edge view,
a portion of a door and door frame to which a door chain or door fastening,
constructed according to my Invention, is applied. Figure 1 representing the door
chain in its hanging or unfastening position; Figures 2 and 3 the said door chain in
the act of being connected to the door, and Figure 4 the said door chain after
it has been connected to the door and the door partially opened; Figure 5

page_text: represents the door chain or door fastening when used for fastening the door in its
closed position. The other Figures represent details and modifications of my
Invention, as herein after explained.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of the Drawing.
a is the door, and 6 the door frame. On the door a a necked stud or pin c
(shown in elevation in Figure 1A) is fixed, and to the free end of the chain d
attached to the door frame b is a link e having a longitudinal slot fin it, the said
slot extending nearly through its whole length. At the chain end of the slot f is a
circular opening or enlargement g of a size proper for the passage through it of the
head of the necked stud c, the neck c² of the said stud having a size proper to take
into the longitudinal slot f in the slotted link e, as best seen in Figure 44, which
represents a cross section of the link with the necked stud c, c², in the slot of the
said link.
In fastening the door by the use of my Invention, so that the said door may be
opened to a limited extent for ventilation or for other purpose, the door a is first
closed and the circular opening or enlargement g at the chain end of the slot f in
the link e is passed-over the head of the necked stud c, c², on the door a, as
illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The door chain or fastening having been arranged
in the position last described the slotted link e is moved towards the door frame b.
The slot f, in the said link e, is thereby made to slide over the neck c² of the necked
stud c, c, until the end of the said slot abuts against the said neck, as illustrated in
Figure 4, where the door is represented partly open. The door is thereby fastened
to the door frame but is capable of being opened to the extent of the length of the
slot in the link e, as represented in the said Figure 4.
In order to disconnect the door chain from the door for unfastening the latter,
the door is closed and the link e moved from the door frame until the opening g
comes opposite the head of the necked stud c, c², when the link e may be withdrawn
from the said stud and the door unfastened, the door chain or door fastening
occupying the position represented in Figure 1.
Figure 6 represents a modification of my Invention in which the circular opening
or enlargement g is dispensed with and the longitudinal slot in the link is made to
terminate in a side opening or passage i. Through this side opening or passage i
the neck of the stud c, c², is passed for connecting the door chain to or disconnecting
it from the door. This modification. of my Invention may be conveniently made
from wire or rods or strips of metal.
For the purpose of enabling my improved door chain or fastening to act as a door
bolt to fix the door in its closed position, I make in the upper edge of the link e a
slot hat right angles, or nearly at right angles, to the principal slot f, as illustrated
in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, the secondary or locking sloth opening into the enlarge-
ment g, as represented.
To fix or fasten the door in its closed position the link e, after it has been engaged
with the neck of the stud c, c², by passing the opening g over the said stud as before
described, is allowed to fall so that the locking or secondary slot h passes over or
engages with the neck of the stud c, c², as illustrated in Figure 5. The door is thus
fastened in its closed position.
Instead of a locking slot on one side of the opening or enlargement g in the link,
a locking slot on opposite sides of the said opening or enlargement g may be used,
as illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, where the second locking slot is marked h². By
the use of the two locking slots h, h², the front or back of the link may be passed
over the stud c, c², so that the said stud may engage with one or other of the
locking slots h or h² to fasten the door in its closed position.
In place of fixing the stud c, c², on the door and the staple plate k on the door
frame by plates affixed by screws, the necked stud c, c², and the chain staple may
be constructed in the manner illustrated in side elevation in Figure 7 and edge
view in Figure 8 for fixing them to the door and door frame. For this purpose
the base of the necked stud c, c², is furnished with a wood screw c³, and the base of
the staple is furnished with a wood screw 2 for driving into the door and frame.

page_text: In this case the head of the necked stud c³ forms a thumb plate ct for turning it,
and the staple itself constitutes a thumb plate for turning it.
In order to permit of the door being fixed in any determinate open position, the
necked stud c, c², before described, may be replaced by a clamping screw of the kind
represented in Figure 9 and marked m. This clamping screw m is inseparable from
the plate n in which it screws, and by which it is attached to the door, and the
said screw is furnished with a thumb plate for turning it. After the door has been
opened to the required extent the clamping screw m is driven home, binding the
link e between the underside of the said screw and the face of the fixing plate of
the said screw. The door is thereby fixed in the required open position. The door
chain or door fastening, provided with the clamping screw m, may also be used for
fixing the door in its closed position, the door chain or fastening acting in this case
as a door bolt.
Although I have represented the cross or locking slot h or slots h, h², as used in
combination with the principal slot f of the link, yet the principal slot f may alone
be used.
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 claim as my
Invention,
The improvements in door chains or door fastenings hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making door chains or
door fastenings essentially of a longitudinally slotted link secured by a chain to the
door frame, and of a necked stud or pin fixed on the door, the said link being con-
nected with and disconnected from the said necked stud or pin for fastening and
unfastening the door, and the several parts being constructed and used substantially
as described and. illustrated; also making at the chain end of the slotted link a
cross slot or slots opening into the longitudinal or principal slot for the purpose,
and substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Skerrett, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
WILLIAM CHARLES BATTEN,
Aston Park,
Nr. Birmingham.
HENRY SKERRETT. (L.S.)