Improvements in Key Hole Guards and Locks.
Year: 1893

page_text: UNICH Otates Of Americali
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 22nd Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Sept., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Key Hole Guards and Locks.
I, WILLIAM FESSENDEN BEASLEY, of 1105 Lanvale Street, in the City of
Baltimore, and State of Maryland, one of the United States of America, Gentleman,
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 :—
The essential feature of this invention consists in a slotted barrel, (hereinafter
referred to as the cover barrel) which is adapted to be placed above the key hole
which it is desired to guard, the said barrel being capable of being rotated on an
axis, concentric to the axis of rotation of the key which enters the said key hole
and which release the locking mechanism of the catch of the drawer, door, &c.
The normal position of the cover is, by preference, such that a greater or less
rotation thereof is required in order to cause the slot therein to come above and
uncover the key hole, after which the key may be inserted through the slot into
the said key hole and turned, withdrawing the catch and releasing the drawer, &c.,
at the same time rotating the cover barrel, while upon turning the key to shoot the
catch, the cover barrel will be again rotated, after which the key may be withdrawn
and the cover barrel rotated to its first position.
If desired, a locking mechanism may be provided to lock the cover barrel against
rotation, either in the position above described as normal, or in a position in which
the slot uncovers the key hole, the said mechanism being adapted to be released by
another key inserted in the slot in the cover barrel, the key in such a case serving
as a means for rotating the said barrel in order to cause the slot to uncover the key
hole, after which the key may be withdrawn and the before-mentioned key for the
catch inserted, and turned, as before.
If desired, au indicating mechanism may be also provided, adapted to be thrown
by the rotation of the cover barrel, either upon the initial movement thereof from
its normal position, or from the position in which it uncovers the key hole, thus
affording a means of detecting whether the cover barrel has been rotated to uncover
the key hole, or has been rotated by turning the key for the catch, as the case
may be. It will also be evident that, if desired, the above mentioned locking and
indicating mechanisms may both be provided, in which case the indicating
mechanism is, by preference, adapted to be thrown upon the initial movement of
the barrel from its locked position, and in this case I prefer to secure on the said
barrel a cover plate which is adapted to conceal the indicating mechanism, except
when the said barrel is in a position to be locked, thus rendering it necessary to
lock the barrel before reading the register.
From the above it will be seen that when a locking mechanism for the cover
barrel is employed, as above desired, the invention becomes in effect a so-called
"double key system," and as such is especially adapted for use in safe deposit
boxes, where it is desired that the lessee of the box hold one key, say the key to
the drawer, etc., and the employee in care of the boxes hold the other, (the key to

page_text: the cover barrel) in order that neither can have access to the box without the
presence and assistance of the other. When in addition to the locking mechanism,
the indicating mechanism is employed, the latter should be read by both the lessee
and the employee after each locking of the drawer, etc., and before each opening
thereof (which reading will correspond if the lock has not been tampered with),
whereby the indicating mechanism will serve as a means of detecting the inter-
vening opening of either lock, while the indicating mechanism when used without
the locking mechanism for the barrel will serve as a means for detecting the turning
of the key which serves to actuate the catch for the door, &c., and, this being a
cheap and simple construction is especially adapted to be used on desks or bureau
drawers, closets or room doors &c., when the use of only a single key is desired.
My invention therefore consists in the construction, arrangement and combination
of the several parts of which it is composed, as will be hereinafter more fully
described and claimed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding parts are
designated by similar marks of reference:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a door having my invention applied thereto, the
cover barrel being in its locked position.
Figures 2 and 3 are vertical longitudinal sections on line of Figure 1, the
cover barrel being shown therein in its covering (its locked position) and uncovering
position, respectively.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of a form of locking mechanism for the catch of the
door, it being drawn partially in sections.
Figures 5 and 6 are vertical transverse sections on line y-y of Figures 2 and 3,
showing the parts in the respective positions shown in the said figure.
Figures 7 and 8 are vertical transverse sections on line of Figures 2 and 3,
showing the parts in the respective positions shown in said figures.
Figures 9 and 10 show a modified form of my invention, being horizontal and
vertical longitudinal sections on lines v-v and u-u, respectively of Figures 12
and 13, the cover barrel being shown in its covering position.
Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9, but with the cover barrel in an
uncovering position.
Figures 12 and 13 are transverse sections on lines w-w of Figure 9, and
line ww of Figure 10, respectively.
In the annexed drawings two forms of the catch of the part to be closed, and
the locking mechanism therefor, are shown, together with the necessary modifica-
tions of the cover barrel, and parts adjacent thereto. As shown, the first form of
locking device for the catch consists (see Figs. 2, 3 and 4) of a cylinder 1, which
is inserted in the thickness of the part A to which it is desired to apply the key
hole guard, and has an annular flange 2 on its rear end, which is sunk in the rear
face of the part A (shown in the said figs. as a door) until its rear face is flush
with the rear face of the latter. A longitudinal web 3 projects radially from one
side of the periphery of the cylinder, and has a series of apertures 4 formed
therein, extending from the inner surface of the central bore of the cylinder to
the outer face of the web, while an annular flange 5 projects inwardly from the
rear end of the cylinder partly closing it, the cylinder being held in place by
screws passing through apertures 6 in the flauge and taking into the thickness of
the part A. The barrel is contained within the bore of the cylinder 1, its forward
end being flush with the forward face of the part A, while its rear end is reduced
in diameter, and passes through the partially closed rear end of the cylinder to
behind the rear surface of the part A, where it is squared and receives the catch
or head 8, which, when the part A is locked, projects beyond the locking edge
thereof, but is adapted, on the rotation of the barrel to be so turned as to lie
entirely behind the said part, the catch or head 8 playing within a casing formed
by a plate 9 secured to the rear face of the part. Springs 10, are contained in
the outer, and pins 11 in the inner ends of the apertures 4 in the web 3, the inner
ends of the said pins being adapted to enter radial perforations 12 in the barrel 7,

page_text: when the latter is in a position to cause the catch or head 8 to project beyond the
locking edge of the part A. In the inner ends of the said perforations 12, pins 13
of unequal length are contained, which pins 13, when pressed outwardly by a key
inserted in the longitudinal slot. 14 in the barrel, will shove the pins 11 outwardly
until their inner ends are flush with the outer surface of the barrel, thus releasing
the latter, and permitting it to be rotated (in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 4)
in order to release the catch. In order to limit the rotation of the barrel to the
are of ninety degrees, which disengages the catch, I secure in the barrel a
projecting lug 15, which plays in an off-set 16 in the end of the cylinder 1, by the
end of which its movement is limited. As it is desired to prevent the withdrawal
of the key from the slot 14, except when the barrel is in a position to be locked, I
may make the pins 13 near the forward surface of the part A longer than those
near the rear surface thereof, so that the key will be locked when the barrel is in
any other position than its locked position by the impingement of the outer ends
of the pins 13 upon the inner surface of the cylinder 1.
It will be evident that instead of using the above described form of locking
mechanism for the part A, any form thereof may be used, in which a key rotating
through an arc of a circle is adapted to shoot or withdraw a bolt, the key hole
guard therefor being constructed as follows: A housing 17 (see Figs. 2, 3, 5, and 6)
is secured to the forward face of the part A, by means of the screws 18 which
pass through the apertures 6, and through the part A, their ends taking into the
rear surface of the housing. The housing 17 has a central bore therein, the rear
end of the bore being slightly reduced in the diameter, as at 18ª. Radial
apertures 19 are formed in the housing, their inner ends communicating with the
central bore, while the cover barrel 20 is contained in the said bore, and has a
longitudinal slot 21 therein, its rear end being strengthened by a button 20%, the
button and cover barrel having a series of holes 22 therein, the said holes and
apertures being in alignment with each other when the slot 21 is in a position to
cover the slot 14 in the barrel 7, such a position being the normal position of the
barrel, and being shown in Figure 2, in which slot 21 is on one side of the common
axis of rotation of the two bars, while the slot 14 is on the diametrically
opposite side thereof. Springs 23 are contained in the outer, and pins 24 in the
inner ends of the apertures 19, while pins 25 of different length are contained in
the holes 22 of the barrel, the last named pins being shoved inwardly when the
barrel is in a locked position by means of the spring pressed pins 24, except upon
the insertion of a proper key, when the inner ends of the pins 24 will become
flush with the periphery of the button upon the cover barrel, thus unlocking the
latter for the purpose of rotating it through the proper arc (one hundred and
eighty degrees in the construction shown in the drawings) in the direction shown
by the arrow in Fig. 5, until the slot 21 is directly above the slot 14 (the cover
barrel having then the position shown in Fig. 6), permitting, upon the withdrawal
of the s key, the insertion of a second and larger key (shown inserted in
Figure ich will release the locking mechanism of the catch or head 8, and
permit the
rels 7 and 20 to be rotated rearwardly (ie. in the direction of the
arrows in Fig 4 and 6, and in a direction opposite to the arrow in Figure 5)
through the neɩ try are (ninety degrees as shown) in order to cause the catch or
head to lie behina the part A, (so shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4) in order to
release the said part.' When it is desired to again lock the part A, the barrels are
rotated to the position which they occupied when the key was inserted, which is
then withdrawn, and the cover cylinder rotated (either forward or backward) to
its normal or locked position. If, however, I use an indicating mechanism thrown
by the rotation of the cover barrel, it is desirable to provide means to prevent the
backward rotation from the position in which it uncovers the slot in the barrel 7
(the latter being in its locked position) to its own locked position, at the same
time permitting the backward rotation of ninety degrees necessary to release the
part A, and I accomplish this result by placing a rearwardly facing shoulder 26

page_text: on the periphery of the button 20ª, in such a position as to be engaged by the
spring pressed pins 24 when the cover barrel has completed its rotation of ninety
degrees from its locked position, while a similar shoulder 27 may also be provided,
adapted to engage the pins 24 immediately after the initial rotation in a forward
rotation from the said locked position, the said shoulders preventing a backward
rotation of the cover barrel to its locked position, and rendering necessary a
complete forward rotation thereof upon each uncovering of the slot in the barrel 7,
the forward rotation being interrupted, however, by the rearward rotation of
ninety degrees necessary to unlock the part A.
The indicating mechanism, when such is provided, is contained in a cylindrical
casing 28, the rear end of which is secured on the periphery of the housing 17,
(which is then made circular in cross section) and secured in place against
unscrewing by locking pins 29 contained both in the housing and casing, and
entering from the rear, in order to prevent their removal, the head of the casing
having a radial aperture 30 therein. The indicating mechanism is by preference,
such as is shown in the accompanying drawings. As shown therein, the indicating
discs 31, (which are seen through the slot 30) are journaled on the barrel 20, and
are connected by concentric sleeves 32 with notched floating discs 33, which are
engaged by pins 34, upon floating wheels 35 which are journalled on a stud 36
projecting from the housing 17, and are thrown thereby, each of the floating wheels
being thrown by the shoulders 37 thereon, engaging projections 38, on the notched
floating discs, immediately adjacent thereto. The first floating wheel is thrown by
a projection 39 contained in a groove 40 in a collar 41, keyed on the said cover
barrel, the said projection 39 being placed at such a point in the groove as to
throw the first floating wheel, and thus the indicating discs, which have a series
of marks on the face thereof, upon the initial movement of the cover barrel from
its locked position, and prior to such a rotation thereof as will cause the shoulder 27
to engage the spring pressed pins 24, whereby the indicating mechanism will be
protected against the injurious effects of a rearward rotation of the barrel at this
point. When the cover barrel is unlocked by the rotation through the arc of
one hundred and eighty degrees, in order to uncover the slot in the barrel 7, the
indicating mechanism will be necessarily thrown and the projections 39, will, by
the rotation of the barrel, be carried to the opposite side thereof to that on which
the floating wheels are placed (see Figure 8), and will be in such a position
that the cover barrel can make the rearward rotation through the are of ninety
degrees to unlock the part A, without causing it to come in contact with the
first floating wheel, and thus, without affecting the accuracy of the registration.
I may, if I so desire, lengthen the cover barrel, so that it projects through
and in front of the head of the casing 28, and key on the projecting part
thereof a cover plate 42, having an aperture 43 therein, in such a position that
when the cover barrel is in its normal or locked position, the said aperture will
be over the aperture 30 in the front of the casing, while, when the barrel is
rotated, or is in any other position, the solid projection of the head of the
casing 41 will be between the aperture 43 in the cover plate and the indicating
discs, thus necessitating the rotation of the barrel to the locked position after the
key is withdrawn, before the indicating mechanism can be read, thus preventing
the cover barrel being inadvertently left in an unlocked position, the edges of the
cover plate being milled if desired, in order to afford a means of turning the
cover plate.
Although I have before described the normal position of the cover plate
provided with registering mechanism as being opposite to the locking position of
the barrel 7, it is obvious that in the construction or in the use of the indicating
mechanism by itself the position of the cover barrel may be changed to any
position that will permit of the necessary backward rotation of the cover barre
to unlock the part A, without causing the projection 39 in its backward movement
to strike the first floating wheel, and it will also be seen that when the indicating

page_text: mechanism is not provided, the locking mechanism of the cover barrel may be so
adjusted as to cause the locking position thereof to be in any position either to
cover or uncover the barrel 7.
In Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, a form of my invention is shown as applied to a
drawer, in which the rearward rotation of the cover barrel is rendered unnecessary.
In this construction, the longitudinal web 3 and the springs 10 and pins 11 therein
are duplicated on diametrically opposite sides of the cylinder 1, such duplicate
parts being lettered 3", 10% and 11 respectively, whereby the barrel 7 will be in a
position to be locked twice on each rotation thereof at diametrically opposite
points, while the catch or head is lengthened and has its central portion mounted
on the rear of the barrel 7, either of its ends being thus adapted to secure the
part A. The cover cylinder for this form of a locking mechanism is the same as
that heretofore described in all respects, except that the slot 21 therein, extends
from one side of the barrel across the centre to the opposite edge thereof, the
distance from the centre to the end of the slot nearest thereto being equal or
greater than the distance from the center of the barrel 7, to the outer end of the
slot therein, and that the normal position of the cover barrel is shown as such that
the slot therein is normally at right angles to the slot in the barrel 7 when the
latter is in a locked position. In these figures I have also shown the cover plate
as being behind the head of the casing.
The operation of unlocking this form of my invention may be stated as follows,
the several parts being presumed to be in the position shown in Figs. 9, 10, 12
and 13: The key for the cover barrel is inserted in the slot 21ª therein, unlocking
it, whereupon the key, and with it the cover barrel is turned forwardly (in the
direction of the arrow Fig. 13) through an are of ninety degrees, in which position,
(shown in Fig. 11) the end of the slot marked a, Fig. 13, uncovers the slot 14 in
the locking barrel 7. The key for the said cover barrel may now be withdrawn,
and the key for the locking barrel inserted in lieu thereof, its rear end projecting
into the slot 14 in the locking cylinder, and moving the locking pins 12 and 13
thereof into an unlocking position, when the two barrels may be carried forward
through another arc of ninety degrees, causing the catch or head 8 to assume the
position at right angles to that shown in Fig. 12, thus disengaging the part A and
permitting its opening. When it is desired to again lock the said part, it having
been first closed the key for the locking barrel, and with it the two barrels 7
and 20 are again rotated forward through the further are of ninety degrees, that is
to say, until the holes 12 in the locking barrel are opposite the apertures in the
second web 3, when the key may be redrawn, leaving the locking barrel in a locked
position, and the head 8 in a position to clamp the part A. The cover barrel is
then rotated forward through the further are of ninety degrees, bringing it to its
original position, thus again locking the cover barrel. When it is again desired to
unlock the part A, the key for the cover barrel may be again inserted, and the
cover barrel turned through the arc of ninety degrees, as before, causing the end >>
in the slot 21 in the cover barrel to uncover the slot 14 in the locking barrel. The
said key may now be withdrawn, and the key for the locking barrel inserted and
turned through the arc of ninety degrees to disengage the part A, and through the
further are of ninety degrees to lock the said part, thus restoring the locking
barrel 7 to the position shown in the drawings. As the cover cylinder has been
thus turned through three arcs of ninety degrees each (two hundred and seventy
degrees in all), the further rotation of the said barrel through another are of ninety
degrees will cause the cover barrel to regain its original position, all the parts being
thus again in the position shown in said Figs. 9, 10, 12 and 13, and ready to be
again unlocked, as first described.
It is, of course, obvious that the same indicating mechanism as that before
described may be applied to the barrel and may be adapted, as in the case
before described, to be thrown upon the initial movement of the barrel from its
normal position, or that such a registering mechanism can be used without a
locking mechanism, and I have not, therefore, deemed it necessary to show such an

page_text: indicating mechanism in these figures, and it will also be obvious that in case the
indicating mechanism be dispensed with, the casing 28 may be also 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. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted barrel, adapted to be placed over a
key hole and to be rotated on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key
for the said key hole which is inserted therein, through the slot in the said barrel,
substantially as described.
2. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted cover barrel adapted to be rotated
on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key inserted therethrough, in
combination with the locking mechanism for the said cover barrel actuated by
another key, substantially as described.
3. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted cover barrel adapted to be rotated
on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key inserted therethrough, in
combination with an indicating mechanism, adapted to register the rotations of the
cover barrel, substantially as described.
4. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted cover barrel adapted to be rotated
on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key inserted therethrough, in
combination with a locking mechanism for the said cover barrel, actuated by
another key and an indicating mechanism adapted to register the rotations of the
cover barrel from its locked position, substantially as described.
5. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted cover barrel adapted to be rotated
on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key inserted therethrough, in
combination with a locking mechanism for the said cover barrel, actuated by a
separate key inserted in the said slot, substantially as described.
6. A key hole guard consisting of a slotted cover barrel adapted to be rotated
on an axis concentric to the center of rotation of the key inserted therethrough, in
combination with a locking mechanism for the said cover barrel, and actuated by a
separate key inserted in the said slot; and an indicating mechanism adapted to
register the rotations of the cover barrel from its locked position, substantially as
described.
7. The combination of a part, having a key hole therein, to receive a revolving
key, of a slotted cover barrel journalled above the said key hole and revolving on
an axis coucentric to the axis of rotation of the said key, substantially as
described.
8. The combination with a part, having a key hole therein to receive a revolving
key, of a slotted cover barrel journalled above the said key hole and revolving on
an axis concentric to the axis of rotation of the said key, and a locking mechanism
for the said cover barrel actuated by another key, substantially as described.
9. The combination with a part, having a key hole therein to receive a revolving
key, of a slotted cover barrel, journalled above the said key hole and revolving on
an axis concentric to the axis of rotation of the said key, and an indicating
mechanism adapted to register the rotatious of the said cover barrel, substantially
as described.
10. The combination with a part, having a key hole therein to receive a revolving
key, of a slotted cover barrel journalled above the said key hole and revolving on
an axis concentric to the axis of rotation of the said key, a locking mechanism for
the said cover barrel actuated by another key, and an indicating mechanism adapted
to be thrown upon the movement of the said cover barrel from its locked position,
substantially as described.
11. The combination with a revolving slotted barrel, with a catch driven thereby,
and with locking mechanism for the said barrel, disengaged therefrom by a key
inserted in the slot therein; of a slotted cover barrel journalled above the first.
named barrel and rotating on an axis concentric to the axis of rotation thereof,
substantially as described.

page_text: 12. The combination with a rotating barrel, of an indicating mechanism adapted
to be thrown thereby, and a cover plate rotating with the said barrel, and adapted
to cover the indicating mechanism, substantially as described.
13. The combination with a rotating barrel, of a locking mechanism therefor,
and an indicating mechanism adapted to be thrown by the rotation of the said
barrel from its locked position, and a cover plate rotating on the said barrel and
adapted to uncover the indicating mechanism when the barrel is in an unlocked
position substantially as described.
14. A key hole guard consisting of a barrel slotted to permit the passage of a
key in combination with a locking mechanism for the said barrel actuated by the
insertion of a key in the said slot and with an indicating mechanism thrown by the
rotation of the said barrel from its locked position substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.