IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DOORS, SAFES, BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE LOCKS OR FASTENINGS ARE REQUIRED
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Allen, of Bitterne, Southampton, Boiler
Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DOORS,
SAFES, BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE LOCKS OR
FASTENINGS ARE REQUIRED."
Sealed the 19th October 1866, and dated the 20th April 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Allen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th April
1866.
I, JAMES ALLEN, of Bitterne, Southampton, Boiler Maker, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS
FOR DOORS, SAFES, BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE LOCKS OR
FASTENINGS ARE REQUIRED," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in an improved arrangement or construction of
fastening for doors, safes, boxes, drawers, and other applications where locks
or fastenings are required.
The improved fastening or lock is composed of a circular or other suitably
formed wedge bolt of iron or other metal; this bolt is placed in the centre of
a framework of metal, and serves to put in action one or any number of bolts
placed around it. This wedge bolt after it has been caused to force out the
bolts around it is made secure by perforated or slotted revolving steel plates
or bolts fixed on pivots or shafts in the framework of the fastening or lock;

page_text: the perforations or slots in these said revolving plates or bolts passing over
pins or hooks fixed to the wedge bolt, the revolving plates or bolts are moved
by indicators on the outside fixed on the ends of the pivots or shafts; these
indicators can be reversed from the back or front of the lock or fastening as
often as desired. The wedge bolt is moved inwards and outwards by turning
a revolving screw, the head of which is placed outside. This revolving screw
moves the wedge bolt by working on a pin fixed to the said wedge bolt.
When it is desired to close the improved lock or fastening the wedge bolt is
moved inwards by turning the revolving screw, and the bolts placed around it
are forced out; the wedge bolt is then locked or held firm by the revolving
plates or bolts on the pivots or shafts, and which revolving plates or bolts are
moved into the required position to fasten the wedge bolt by means of the
indicators on the outside of the fastening or lock. To open the lock or
fastening the revolving plates or bolts are moved back to their first position
by means of the said indicators, when the wedge bolt can be moved out by
turning the revolving screw in the opposite direction to that previously
described; and the bolts placed around it will be brought back into the
framework of the lock by means of suitable springs. For a chest or box
lock the action of the wedge bolt is reversed, for to open the chest or box
the wedge must be moved inwards so as to raise the bolt, and when the
box is closed the bolt will be lowered by a spring, and the wedge bolt
locked or held firm by the revolving plates or bolts in the manner before
described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Allen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
October 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
ALLEN, of Bitterne, Southampton, Boiler Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Allen, Her special licence that I, the said James Allen, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said James
Allen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the

page_text: term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and.
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR
DOOBS, SAPES, BOXES, DRAWERS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS WHERE LOCKS OR
FASTENINGS ARE REQUIRED," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said James Allen, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
. NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Allen, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed, and to the
figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists in an improved arrangement or construction or
fastening for doors, safes, boxes, drawers, and other applications where locks
or fastenings are required.
The improved fastening or lock is composed of a circular or other suitably
formed wedge bolt of iron or other metal; this bolt is placed in the centre of
a framework of metal, and serves to put in action one or any number of bolts
placed around it. This wedge bolt after it has been caused to force out the
bolts around it is made secure by perforated or slotted revolving steel plates
or bolts fixed on pivots or shafts in the framework of the fastening or lock;
the perforations or slots in these said revolving plates or bolts passing over
pins or hooks fixed to the wedge bolt; the revolving plates or bolts are moved
by a key fitting in the ends of the pivots or shafts; the position of these shafts
can be altered from the back or front of the lock or fastening as often. as
desired. The wedge bolt is moved inwards and outwards by turning a
revolving screw, the head of which is placed outside. This revolving screw
moves the wedge bolt by working on a pin or in a nut fixed in the said wedge
bolt. When it is wished to close the improved lock or fastening the wedge bolt
is moved inwards by turning the revolving screw, and the bolts placed around
it are forced out; the wedge bolt is then locked or held firm by the revolving
plates or bolts on the pivots or shafts, and which revolving plates or bolts are
moved into the required position to fasten the wedge bolt by turning the ends
of the pivots or shafts on the outside of the fastening or lock. To open the
lock or fastening the revolving plates or bolts are moved back to their first

page_text: position by turning the pivots or shafts, when the wedge bolt can be moved
back by turning the revolving screw in the opposite direction to that pre-
viously described, and the bolts placed around it will be brought back into the
framework of the lock, aided by suitable springs. For a chest or box lock
the action of the wedge bolt is reversed, thus to open the chest or box the
wedge must be moved inwards so as to raise the bolt, and when the box is
closed the bolt will be lowered by a spring, and the wedge bolt locked or held
firm by the revolving plates or bolts in the manner before described.
In order to make my Invention better understood I will now describe it'
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a back
elevation on line A, B, of Figure 2, of a fastening or lock, suitable for a safe,
constructed upon my improved system; Figure 2, plan of the lock, half being
shewn in section; Figure 3, front elevation of part of a door furnished with
my improved lock; and Figure 4, plan of the keys. Similar letters of
reference are used in the several Figures to represent parts which are
similar.
a, a, is the circular wedge bolt; b, b, metal framework of lock; c, c³, cll, clll,
bolts around wedge a, the tail pieces e of these bolts fit into and work in the
under cut or dovetail grooves f in the wedge; 9, 9', moveable cylindrical steel
bolts fixed on the pixots or shafts h, h, h", h, the front ends of which pass
through to the front of the door j, two or more small notches being made in
the end, as shewn, for receiving the key; i, i, is the screw for moving the
wedge bolt
a, this screw turns in the nut k fixed in the wedge a; the head of
the screw passes through to the front of the door, two or more notches being
cut on the edge, as shewn, for the reception of the key; 1, 1, pins or studs
fixed on the wedge, the free ends moving in the grooves or slots m in the
bolts g, g, g, g; n, studs or pillars passed through the slots o in the bolts
c, c, c, cl, so as to guide them, a small spring is, when required, placed on
the studs to aid in withdrawing the bolts when the lock is opened.
The action of the lock is as follows:-The projections r of the keys are
inserted in the notches in the end of the screw i, and about half a turn given
to the screw; this moves forward the wedge bolt a until the small end rests
against the collet t; the wedge in moving inwards pushes out the bolts
c, c¹, c, c, placed around it; the pins t, l, of the wedge a are now free of
the slots m, and the bolts 9, 9', are turned by inserting the projections of the
key u in the notches in the ends of the shafts h, h¹, h", h, thus fixing the
wedge by means of the pins resting against the ends of the bolts g, g¹.
If desired the ends of these latter can be perforated, and hooks may be
employed instead of the pins 1, P, which would hook in the said perforations.

page_text: When it is desired to open the lock the bolts g, g', are turned back to their
primary position (which is ascertained by means of suitable moveable indi-
cators and a small point on the key u), and the screw being turned in an
opposite direction to that before described, the wedge is brought back to its
first position, at the same time withdrawing the bolts. Instead of the tail
pieces of the bolts moving in the grooves f of the wedge, this latter can be
provided with pillars passing through holes in the tail pieces of the bolts. As
an additional fastening to the wedge bolt a small lock can, if desired, be
attached to one of the bolts g, the keyhole of which lock would be in one of
the shafts h, h', h", or h¹¹.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details herein laid down and shewn in the Drawing; but what I
claim is,
First, the general arrangement and construction of fastenings or locks, as
herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, the employment of the circular wedge bolt a (either with grooves
or pillars) in combination with the screw i for putting in action one or a
larger number of bolts placed around it, as herein-before described and shewn
in the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly, the employment of one or a larger number of moveable shafts and
bolts for locking the wedge bolt, as herein-before described and shewn in the
accompanying Drawing,
In witness whereof, I, the said James Allen, have hereto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-six.
Witness,
GEO. F. REDFERN,
4, South St., Finsbury.
JAS. ALLEN. (LS.)