IMPROVE- MENTS IN PADLOCKS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Prentiss Loring, of Portland, in the County of Cumberland,
State of Maine, United States of America, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PADLOCKS." A. communication by William Randolph McDonald, of
Calais, Washington County, State of Maine, and Willis Eldon McAllister, a
subject of Great Britain, at present residing in Calais, Washington County,
State of Maine, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Prentiss Loring at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1880.
"
PRENTISS LORING, of Portland, in the County of Cumberland, State of Maine,
United States of America. IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS." A communication by
William Randolph McDonald, of Calais, Washington County, State of Maine, and
Willis Eldon McAllister, a subject of Great Britain, at present residing in Calais,
Washington County, State of Maine, United States of America.
These improvements relate to a class of padlocks composed of a rod or bar of
metal bent into the form of a ring or link (having at least one straight side) in two
parts, pivoted together in such manner as to be capable of being separated at one
side to open the ring to permit of attachment to or removal from the staple or
other object to which the lock is attached, the separable ends of the ring being
provided with a suitable locking device which, when closed, completes the continuity
of the ring and closes the lock.
My improvements consist, first, in the employment in combination with the
separable ends of the ends of the ring of a cylindrical sleeve or tubular hub enclosing.
such separable ends when the joint is closed, and adapted to slide upon one end toward
and away from the other in the act of locking or unlocking the lock; second, in
the employment in combination with the said separable ends and sleeve of a
suitable locking device, whereby the sleeve is stopped from sliding movements after
being slipped over, and enclosing the separable ends; third, in the employment in
combination with the said separable ends and sleeve of the lock frame of a
combination or permutation lock adapted to be operated by the sleeve; fourth, in
the construction of the combination lock as hereinafter described.
The Drawings accompanying this Specification represent in Figure 1 an external
view and in Figure 2 a longitudinal section of a padlock containing our improve-
.

page_text: ments, the lock in such Figures being closed; Figure 3 is a view of a portion of
the padlock in an open or unclosed state; Figure 4 is a view of the rings or
annular tumblers of the combination lock, and the shank of the lock frame upon
which they rotate; Figure 5 is a plan, and Figure 6 a bottom view of the outer
tumbler of the lock, while Figure 7 is a plan of the inner tumbler; Figure S is a
section of the sleeve; Figure 9 is a section of the lock, showing a simple keylock;
Figure 10 is a side view of the outer tumbler, and Figure 11 a like view of the
inner tumbler, while Figure 12 is a cross section on an enlarged scale of the
tumblers and adjacent parts.
In these Drawings the frame or body of the padlock is shown at A, as generally
in the form of a ring, which may be rectangular, oblong with rounded ends, or
polygonal in outline, so long as one side, say a, a, is straight, the said ring being
formed from a rod or bar of metal and in two parts or bows b, c, the arms d, e, of
one side of which abut at their inner extremities, and are jointed together in any
suitable manner to permit of one turning axially upon or with respect to the other,
the joint in this instance being a cylindrical tenon f upon the arm d, entering a
corresponding socket g in the other, the tenon being secured in the socket by a
pin h passing transversely through the arm e and intercepting a peripheral
groove in the tenon f, such pin and groove permitting of rotation of one arm
with respect to the other, but preventing endwise separation of the two. I do not
confine myself to this method of uniting the two arms as various joints would
suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic, and in lieu of a joint of this or equivalent
construction the bows may be united by a flexible connection, such as a chain for
instance, but it will be essential that the bows b, c, be preserved, or so much of the
same as shall be necessary to provide a straight shank for reception of the sliding
sleeve, to be described.
The ends of the opposite, arms k, l, may simply meet, but I prefer to interlock
them by a joint which shall tend to resist any longitudinal strain upon the lock,
and to this end I adapt the ends to lap when they meet, and I form upon the
contiguous face of each a transverse rib or spline m and a rebate or groove n, which
interlock when the arms are closed and effect the result above named.
This method of connecting the ends, however, may be varied to a wide degree,
as, for instance, a tapering spur or tenon may project inward from one to enter a
corresponding socket in the other.
Or, again, in locks which do not require great strength the ends may not meet
but a sufficient space exist between them to permit of entrance of the staple, such
space to be enclosed by the sleeve when the lock is closed.
The sleeve or tubular hub to which allusion has been made is shown at B as
mounted upon and capable of traversing the end of the arm k, and adapted to enclose
the latter as well as the end of the adjacent arm 7, such sleeve being prevented
from escape from the arm by a stud or screw head o projecting from the end of the
arm, or the shank p of reduced diameter in which such arm terminates, such stud
entering a bayonet connection q, r, formed in the inner periphery of the end of the
sleeve, see Figure 2 and S of the Drawings.
.
The sleeve B slides to and fro of the arm k with respect to the opposite arm / to
such an extent as to permit of such arm being uncovered or exposed and turned
away from the arm k in the act of unlocking and opening the lock, and as the
sleeve must also rotate upon the arm k it is essential that the outer end of the
latter be cylindrical, straight, and of uniform diameter.
In lieu of the stud and bayonet connection for preventing accidental separation
of the sleeve and arm other means may be employed; for instance, the nose of
a lever within the arm may project through the periphery of the latter when the
lock is unlocked, and intercept the sleeve.
As before stated, the sleeve serves to enclose the opposite ends of the arm k, l,
and in so doing complete the continuity of the ring and close the lock, and by
removing the sleeve from about one of such ends the lock is opened.
To prevent opening the lock, except by the consent of the owner or thé
possessor

page_text: of the key (or combination, should a combination lock be used), I combine with
the sleeve and the arm upon which it slides a lock of suitable construction.
I prefer a combination or permutation lock for obvious reasons, and I have shown
in the accompanying Drawings one form of a combination lock which is adapted to
the ring A, as it is strong and simple in construction, as well as one susceptible of
a large number of combinations.
The elements of this lock are, first, the sleeve before named; second, a series of
flat rings or annular tumblers enclosing the shank p and surrounded and operated
by a spline upon the inside of the sleeve, each ring having a peripheral notch
adapted to receive the spline, and the entire series of notches, when in alignment,
constituting a pathway to permit of movement of the sleeve upon the arm to open
the lock by uncovering the separable ends of the arms.
The combinations of the lock are effected by the inner end of the spline of the
sleeve operating the outermost ring by a stud upon the outer face of the latter,
while the second ring in turn is actuated by a stud upon the inner side of the outer
ring, engaging a stud upon the outer face of the next succeeding ring, and so on
throughout the series of rings, the possible changes or multiplications of the
combination being greatly increased with each additional ring employed.
In the present instance I have employed two rings wherewith to represent the
combination, and these rings are shown at C and D in the Drawings, as formed
each with a peripheral notch a¹ or b', and enclosing the shank of p, with sufficient
friction to prevent their accidentally or prematurely turning upon the latter, while
to prevent escape of the rings altogether from such shank I extend through
the outer one a screw, the inner end of which enters a peripheral groove in the
shank.
The two rings C and D are connected and caused to rotate together at certain
times by a stud 8 from the inner face of the outer ring C, engaging or operating
with a stud t upon the outer face of the inner ring D, while the outer ring C is
rotated by the inner end of the spline of the sleeve acting upon a stud u projecting
from the outer face of the outer ring C.
The spline of the sleeve is shown at vas secured to or formed upon the inner
wall of such sleeve, and this spline is of such length as when the sleeve is retracted
to its extreme limit in opening the lock it shall enter the notches of the entire
series of rings, and in so doing prevent displacement of such rings, and when the
sleeve is pushed outward to its limit in closing the lock the inner end of the spline
shall stand outside of or out of engagement with the outer ring, and in a position
to engage the spur u of such ring when brought to it.
The usual scale of divisions common to combination or permutation locks is
engraved upon the exterior of the sleeve, at its outer end, as shown at win
the Drawings, and this scale of divisions subdivided each into half and quarter
divisions.
This scale w operates with a zero mark upon the adjacent part of the arm l, as
shown at x, and when the rings are put upon the shank in arranging the combina-
tion they are to be placed with their notches in alignment.
In order to increase the number of changes of combinations of which the lock is
capable, we tap in the outer face of the ring C a series of concentric holes, and we
employ interchangeable with such holes a screw, the head of which constitutes
the outer stop of the said ring C before alluded to. By changing the position of
the screw u of the ring C with respect to the notch of such ring the combination of
the lock is accordingly changed, since this necessitates a change in the relative
positions of the two rings and of the scale upon the sleeve with respect to the zero
mark upon the arm, that is to say, the combination is changed with respect to the
first two numbers.
The stop or screw o in the shank p, in addition to the function it performs in
preventing escape of the sleeve, also contributes an important factor in the combina-
tion, since the sleeve cannot be pushed outward upon the shank to close the lock until
the portion of the bayonet connection or passage q, r, coincides with this stop

page_text: hence the conjoint or coinciding notches of the two rings must always take the
same relative position with respect to this stop and to the zero mark upon the arm l,
with which such stop coincides.
As represented in the accompanying Drawings the portion or passage r of the
connection q, r, of the sleeve coincides with the 23, division of the scale upon the
sleeve, and this, as well as the relative position of the passage r, the stop o, and the
zero mark, remain unchanged, hence the mark 23/4 coincides with the passager and
with the zero mark when the sleeve is pushed outward to close the lock.
To adjust the parts after setting the screw or stop u of the outer ring C to the
desired point, place the notches of the two sleeves in alignment, slip the sleeve over
the shank 2, and the rings with its spline ventering the conjoint notches screw in
the stop o in the shank p, and the lock is in readiness to be closed.
To close it bring the two arms k, l, together, turn the sleeve until its passage r
coincides with the said stop o and with the zero mark, and then push the sleeve
outward to its fullest extent, in doing which it will enclose the lapped ends of the
said arms k, l, and its spline v will leave the notches of the rings C, D, and remain
in a position to act upon the stop u of the outer ring C, it being observed, as before
stated, that at this time the passage », stop o, zero mark, and 23%, mark of the scale
upon the sleeve are in alignment or coinciding while the conjoint notches of the
two rings stand in line with or opposite the division or mark 41, of the scale.
As arranged in the accompanying Drawings the combination is set for the numbers
4/11/2³/
The sleeve is now turned in any direction so as to disturb the position of the
rings, and the lock is closed or locked, the position of the notches in the ring being
so changed that the spline of the sleeve cannot enter them until they are restored
to their original order.
To unlock the combination turn the sleeve to the left a full revolution, or slightly
more, and continuing in the same direction the division 41, of the sleeve opposite
the zero mark, which brings the upper or outer ring with its stop u opposite the
zero mark, and the stud o of the shank, the notch of the inner ring standing at
this time the same distance from the zero mark, and the stops' u and o, but upon the
opposite side.
The sleeve is now turned in the opposite direction, that is, to the right, until the
division mark 11/2 has passed once by the zero mark and arrived opposite the latter
a second time, by which the notch of the ring C is brought into alignment with
that of the ring D, and both stand a point ninety degrees of a circle to the right of
the zero mark, or practically so.
The sleeve is now turned in the opposite direction, that is, to the left, a second
time, and without effect upon the rings until its 23/, mark is restored to its normal
or original position opposite the zero mark, the spline of the sleeve (which, as before
stated, is opposite the 4'/, division mark) being, by the act brought into coincidence
with the two notches. The sleeve is now free to be drawn inward, and the abuting
ends of the arms uncovered, permitting the lock to be opened.
As before stated the numbers to which the lock is set, that is, the arrangement of
its combination, is determined by the respective positions of the screw or stop u,
and the spline of the sleeve, therefore these numbers and the combination will be
changed by changing the position of the screw.
In lieu of the combination lock thus made and operating a keylock may be
employed, and in Figure 9 of the Drawings we have shown one form of such a lock as
composed of a swinging lever or latch c¹ disposed within a chamber d¹ in the arm l,
and pivoted therein by a pivot e', the outer end of this lever bearing a nose fl
which extends through a slot g¹ in the arm, and enters an annular groove h¹ created
in the inner periphery of the sleeve.
The pivot of the lever extends at one end through the side of the arm, and is to
be adapted to be turned by a proper key which fits it, the pivot in this case being
fixed to and moving with the lever, but loose in its bearings.
In lieu of this arrangement of the pivot the lever may be loose upon the pivot,'

page_text: and have upon one side, upon opposite sides of said pivot, ears, to which
correspondingly notched key may fit.
a
The nose of the lever is pressed outward by a spring i, suitably applied, and we
prefer that the lever should be as nearly balanced upon its fulcrum or pivot as
possible in order to prevent its being displaced by thrusts or blows upon the
block.
In lieu of disposing the lever within the arm, and operating with a groove or
notch in the sleeve, this arrangement may be reversed and the lever be contained
within the sleeve to operate with a groove or notch in the arm.
CLAIMS,
First. In padlocks of the class herein first referred to, the combination with the
separable ends of the arms of a sleeve, encompassing and sliding upon one, and
adapted enclose the other, and provided with a suitable lock to prevent movement
of the sleeve when the lock is closed, substantially as set forth.
Second. In combination with a padlock of the class hereinbefore named, a
combination or permutation lock adapted to prevent end wise movement of the
sleeve upon the arm, essentially as explained.
:
Third. The lock composed of the spring impelled lever or latch c', pivoted within a
chamber in the arm 7, and operating with a notch or groove in the sleeve to prevent
end wise movement of the latter, essentially as stated.
Fourth. The combination or permutation lock herein described, consisting of the
sleeve B with its spline or spur, the rings C, D, etc., with their peripheral notches and
stops, and the stop o upon the arm, the sleeve being provided with its scale of
divisions, and a zero mark being added to the arm, and the whole operating as
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Prentiss Loring, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty
PRENTISS LORING. (LS.)