Locks AND KEYS, UPON AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
Year: 1805

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ABRAHAM
OGIER STANSBURY, of the City of New York, in the United States, send
greeting.
"HEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Thud did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of
Gicat Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westininster, the Eighteenth
day of May, in the Forty-fifth year of His reign, give and grant unto me.
the said Abraham Ogier Stansbury, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
IIis especial licence that I, the said Abraham Ogier Stansbury, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should and lawfully might, during the term of
years therein mentioned, make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "Locks
AND KEYS, UPON AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION;" in which said Letters Patent
there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Abraham Ogier Stansbury,
by an instrument in writing, under my hand and seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty High Court of Chancery
within one calendar month after the date of the said recited Letters Patent,
as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear

page_text: AB OGIER STANSBURY. (LS)
Before I proceed to describe my Invention it may be proper, by way of
introduction, to say something of the nature of locks generally, and point out
wherein their excellence consists, as applied to the security of property. Locks
are the guardians of our most valuable treasures, the silent protectors of
property, to whose fidelity we intrust not only our fortune, but our lives; hence
it is of importance to adopt such a construction as will admit of any required
multiplication of numbers for the publick use, without the necessity of making
two alike
This is one point of consequence The next to be considered is
strength, to render the lock secure from violence. In order to this, the bolt
should be large in proportion to the size of the lock; and the parts used to
retain the bolt likewise require to be compact and film, that they may not be
liable to derangement A third qualification of importance is, the security fiom
picking. This is obtained by preventing the access of anything to release the
bolt, except its proper key. For this end, the best construction is, that which
opposes the greatest difficulty to the making of a false key, for it is of little
consequence what vanety of keys the plan admits of if a false one may be
made from an inspection of the lock itself. A further object of consequence is,
the avoiding of friction as much as possible, that the bolt may move with
facility, and the works may not be injured from use. That part of door locks
called the catch or catch-bolt, which is thrown out by a spring to hold the
dooi shut, being in constant use, requires more particularly to move with ease,
and to be so constructed as not to be liable to get out of order, which in the
kind generally used is very often the case. In my Invention, security,
simplicity, and strength, have been my puncipal aim, as they appear to
compiize all that is valuable in a lock. The punciple of strength is that of
pinning or nailing two pieces or plates of metal together, while their surfaces
are held in contact, for it is well known that if even two boards be fastened
together with a single slight nail driven through them, it will require an
immense force to separate them by sliding. For security, I make these nails
or pins of such infinite variety, from their position and number, as to admit of
any required number of locks without having two alike; in addition to this

page_text: I multiply the varieties of position and number by every change in the thick-
ness of the moveable plate; and as a further source of variety, the pins may be
cut into unequal parts, by which means they will require to be pressed
to different depths from the point of bisection. In order to release the moveable
plate, a similar variety is produced by having grooves in the moveable plate,
and corresponding raised parts on the fixed plate, so that the extent of changes
afforded by a combination of these varieties becomes absolutely incalculable.
In order effectually to prevent the opening of the lock by anything but its own
key, the nails or pins may be placed out of sight, and guarded fiom access by
the projecting stud of the lock in which the key turns; and as a security
against the taking of an impression of the pins or nails, by the insertion of
a soft substance or blank key, &c, I make a number of marks on the surface
of the moveable plate, exactly similar to those caused by the ends of the pins
entering through it. These pins admit likewise of being made of various sizes
or diameters, so that some of them may be extremely small, and by this means
onder it nearly impossible to make a false hey, even from the nicest inspection
of the real one Thus, the difficulty of ascertaining the number and position of
the nails is alone sufficiently great, without resorting to any variation of their
elative lengths, and the accuracy required to make a key whose points shall
strike on all the pins or nails at once. The precise line of division between the
surfaces of two plates in perfect contact with each other is greater than can be
readily conceived, and can only be effected by taking the lock to pieces, and
making the moveable plate itself the guage for the points on the key. The
pins or nails entering through the fixed plate are thrown by springs into the
nioveable plate, and the business of the key is to push them back, by corre-
sponding points fixed in it, so as to release and turn the moveable plate without
entering the fixed plate. for were this the case, these points on the key would
act as nails from the moveable into the fixed plate, and effectually release the
bolt The bolt may be made either separate from the moveable plato, and so
moved by a tooth or teeth, or the plate itself may constitute the bolt or
fastening These methods are applicable to locks of every description, as
padlocks, door locks, chest and desk locks, &c, &c, as will appear more fully
from the Drawings given. Any required number of bolts may also be thrown
in different dnections at the same time by means of their connection with the
moving plate, or the plate itself may be made of such a form (as square,
tangular, octagonal, &c,) as to throw out points in every duection when
turned by the key. It is applicable to bars thrown across doors into staples,
&c, and likewise to window fastenings In door locks, where a catch or latch
is required, and which, in the ordinary construction, is released by turning a

page_text: knob or handle, I make this knob or handle to be pressed directly forward
on one side, and pulled duectly back on the other, according to the motion of
the door, in order to open. This is effected by means of a sliding piece, which I
call a pusher, and which, being pushed or drawn, draws back the catch or releases
the latch, and opens the door by the same motion. This pushe may either
have a projecting piece acting upon the latch or catch bolt, as a wedge or
inclined plane, or it may diaw, by means of a chain or flexible substance
turning over a roller, or the action may be communicated by means of a crank
or a wheel, as shown in the Drawings. A spiral or worm spring is used to
throw the latch or catch bolt, but, as this acts in a contrary direction to the
motion of the pusher, a second spring may be added, to take upon the pusher
and return it This may be placed either inside of the lock or within a hollow
handle fastened to the door, through which handle the pusher moves Thus,
by drawing the handle with the fingers, so as to hold the door while the thumb
presses the pusher, the catch or latch is released silently on the opposite side
It is only necessary to press the door with the thumb, while the pusher is
drawn back by the fingers, to produce the same effect, but in ordinary cases
a simple pressure of the pusher, without the assistance of the handle, as
Just mentioned, is sufficient to enter the 100m Instead of the small bolt
generally used to fasten the door fiom within, I make the catch bolt answer
the purpose by stopping the action of the pusher with a button placed within
the lock, and turning round the pusher. This button is connected to a plate
or 11m, likewise turning round the pusher in the room; and as the 1m is
moved it turns a projecting part into a notch in the pusher, or under a pin
from it. The catch bolt likewise is made to increase the strength of the
fastening by causing the key bolt, usually employed alone as a security, to stop
the the return of the catch, which is thus incapable of being released until the
other bolt be unlocked Thus the two together constitute one large, strong
fastening. In order to remove the inconvenience of a projecting box, which is
commonly made to receive the bolt and catch of locks placed on a door, and
not morticed into it, I make the bolts with an elbow or bend, so as to shoot
into the door post from the middle of the door, in the same manner as the bolt
of a mortice lock. This mode is also applicable to drawer, desk, and other
locks, where it may be used for greater security of fastening, by causing the
bolt to take further in; or the bolts may be made streight, and let into the
door, which will be equally as neat, and stronger than a moitice lock.
Having thus given a summary view of the nature of my improvement, I
proceed to explain the Drawings.
Fig I, section of the moveable and fixed plates a, the moveable, b, the

page_text: fixed plate
s, the stud or centic connecting the plates above and below.
c, a pin or nail in the position in which it will be when pressed down by the
key d, a pin or nail thrown through both plates by the spring e. f. f, the
back of the lock, which must be so near the plate 6 as to prevent the pins
from being pushed out of it by any attempts to pick the lock.
Fig II., section shewing the moveable plate grooved, and the fixed plate
with corresponding raised parts, the pin y pressed to the surface of plate b, and
the pins x and z rising to the surface of plate a 8, 8, the stud which answers
to conduct the key. K, the key, having points of the proper length to press
the pins or nails to the surface of the plate b.
Fig III, section shewing the pins bisected, and passing through the fixed
plate b nearly to the surface or top of moveable plate a, the holes on the face
being smaller than the pins, in order to prevent the upper pieces from coming
out of place. These pins may be made with a shoulder as c, or without as d
These pins or nails are cut into unequal lengths, and that next the stud is
shown divided at the Ime of separation between the two plates, and conse-
quently requires no pressure of the key, which therefore has no corresponding
point. This is also the case in Fig. 2. By this mode of bisection a lock of
the most difficult description, having any number of pins, may be made,
without requiring any increase of the size or complexity of the key, as will
appear from Fig 4, when the key has but two points, and the lock has six
nails or pins, four of which are bisected on a line with the surface of bottom
or fixed plate b, and requue no pressure.
Fig IV, section of a lock to open on both sides, in which case the move-
able plate a, a, instead of turning on a stud, is held at the edge by cocks g, g,
the key passing through both plates at the opening or key-hole h, h, h. Tho
key has points at o to piess, as before described, and similar points at x, which,
being drawn upon the points of the nails, release and turn the plate a, a.
Another way of locking on both sides is to place two locks reverse to each
other, either separate or made under one cover. This can require no
explanation.
Fig V. (A), front view of moveable plate a, used as a bolt, and turned out
at b, b, to lock when the pins beneath rise into their holes at c, and hold it
fast.
8, stud
Whereever the key-hole is represented by dotted lines it is
intended to shew its position, not on the moveable plate, but in the face or
covering of the lock. (B), the same plate, with the bolt part b, b, turned back
to unlock, when the holes will be at c, and the points of the pins or nails
remaining at 2, under the plate a, may be admitted to rise into it by cor-
esponding holes being made to receive them, in which case the bolt o

page_text: moveable plato is held fast unlocked, and will require the action of the key to
lock in the same manner as to unlock it.
Fig VI., front view of moveable plate a, used as a pinion to turn bolt b.
c, c, pins on each side of the stud or centre. K, the key to answer to them.
Fig VII (A), the moveable plate, to answer as a padlock, without any
separate piece or hasp, as is usually required. (B) the same unlocked.
Fig. VIII., the same plan, rendered more secure, by exposing less of the
arm a of moveable plate, which may be either a part of the plate itself or
a piece attached to it. The part B shews the surface of fixed plate.
Fig. IX., the moveable plate, represented as a bolt for desk or chest
locks.
Fig. X., the moveable plate, shewn as a padlock, having three different
rows of holes, into each of which different pins beneath are placed to take
as the moveable plate or bolt is turned round. These holes are so situated that
only one row can be fastened at a time by admitting the pins, all the others
remaining belund or beneath the moveable plate, as shewn more clearly at (A),
where the holes in the moveable plate are represented by small rings, and the
pins beneath by dots. s, the stud or centre on which the plate moves. These
pins being bisected, as shown in Fig. 3, and each being different from the
others, it will require as many keys to release the moveable plate as there are
rows of holes. Thus, the key corresponding with the holes on the line 8, a,
can only turn the plate till the springs throw the pins into the holes on the
lines, b, which is then fixed, and requires another key to turn till the points
below enter the holes at s, c. A third key is then necessary in order to release
the bolt B.
Fig. XI. shews shews the manner of diawing back a bolt by means of a
ciank or bended lever applied to the pusher. a, b, pusher; c, c, crank tuining
on the pin d; 8, the catch spring; k, the catch or bolt.
Fig. XII., view of a latch raised by a wedge from the pusher. a, pusher;
b, wedge, c, roller, placed in the latch to diminish friction, but which is not
absolutely necessary; d, spring.
Fig XIII., pusher with a roller inserted, to answer the place of wedge.
Fig XIV. shews the mode of diawing back the catch by a chain or string
over a roller, &c
Fig XV., lock of the common form, altered for the reception of pusher by
having a roller fixed on the arm a, and an opening made in the plate at 6 to
permit the lescent of the wedge. A second roller is shown at e to support
the aim a, and diminish the friction of catch bolt f
Fig. XVI., form of a catch bolt or franc, as shown in Fig XIX, to

page_text: admit the key to release the bolt a; b, the pusher; c, the hollow handle to
receive a spring, as shewn in Fig 18; e, wedge or roller, as Fig. 13; 9,
roller to answer as e, Fig. 15; h, a circular rim or button, turning through a
hole in the lock, with a piece attached to it to stop the descent of pusher
Fig. XVII, view of the button, as it appears out of the lock. A, the raised
part, which passes through the lock, making a shoulder below on g, which
moves in the room, and has a small pin at f to turn the stopper e under the
pin d in the pusher, by the motion of the button; B, slit to permit the pin d to
pass when the catch is used; c slit to let the end or bottom part of wedgo z
enter in, descending to release the catch; e, stopper; h, notch in the raised
part of button within the lock, to limit its motion by a check pin, against
which it stops.
Fig. XVIII. a, b, pusher passing through hollow handle c, the part p of
the pusher being made with a shoulder to take upon the spring within the
handle, while a plate f, with a hole the size of pusher, retains the spring by
being screwed together with the handle at D to the door. The part a, p, of
pusher takes off at p to admit the plate f.
Fig. XIX, view of the lock, with the catch frame moveing through a
similar frame of the key bolt. The key enters through this fiame, as shewn
in Fig. 16, and tuins the moveable plate m, which, having teeth taking upon
the pins through the key bolt or fiame at a, tuins it as in Fig XX. b, b, frame
supporting fixed plate, on which the moveable plate m turns, and under which
the spings to the pins or nails are fixed. 8, 8, screws to fasten the lock to the
door when the works are let into it, so as to make the back of the lock w, x,
y, z, even with the door.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Eighteenth day of June,
in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid Abraham Ogier Stansbury came
before our Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of
the Statute in that case made and provided.
Inrolled the same Eighteenth day of June, in the year above written.