IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF SPRINGS TO LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS, TO PAPER HOLDERS, TO CANDLE LAMPS, TO BLINDS, WINDOW SASHES, AND DOORS, AND TO SEATS AND ELASTIC SURFACES FOR SITTING AND RECLINING UPON
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
PERRY, of Woodland Place, Saint John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eleventh day of January, in the eighth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Stephen Perry, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Stephen Perry, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Stephen Perry, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the
term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF SPRINGS TO LOCKS AND
OTHER FASTENINGS, TO PAPER HOLDERS, TO CANDLE LAMPS, TO BLINDS, WINDOW
SASHES, AND DOORS, AND TO SEATS AND ELASTIC SURFACES FOR SITTING AND
RECLINING UPON;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I,
the said Stephen Perry, shall 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 Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in. and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Stephen Perry, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to

page_text: that is to say:-
My Invention consists,―
First, in applying springs of a certain preparation of india rubber (caout-
chouc) to the moving of spring bolts or latch bolts of locks, and of other
fastenings having such bolts.
Secondly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) to portfolios and other instruments for holding
papers.
Thirdly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) to candle lamps, for raising candles therein up
to the nozels as they are consumed.
Fourthly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) to the apparatus used for raising roller blinds.
Fifthly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) for raising window sashes.
Sixthly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) to closing of doors; and,
Seventhly, my Invention consists in applying springs of a certain preparation
of india rubber (caoutchouc) in forming surfaces for sitting and reclining upon.
In order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me
in performing the same. It is well known that india rubber, in its
natural state, becomes hard with low temperatures and materially injured
by high temperatures; and further, that if india rubber be held for some
time in a distended state that it becomes set, and loses its elasticity till
heat is applied; but within a few years it has been discovered that by
combining india rubber with sulphur, and submitting such combination to
high degrees of heat, that the india rubber becomes more permanent in its
elastic character, and is not affected to any practical extent by changes of
temperature to which this climate is subject, such preparations of india rubber
being now known under the name of "Vulcanized India Rubber," and sold by
the manufacturers, Mess" Macintosh and Company, of Manchester, such
manufacture of india rubber being secured by Letters Patent granted to
Mr. Thomas Hancock in One thousand eight hundred and forty-three, and I
mention these circumstances in order to give the best information to the
manufacturers, and to state that I make no claim to the preparation of india
rubber herein mentioned, my Invention consisting of applying springs of such
preparation of india rubber in constructing or manufacturing the articles
kerein mentioned.

page_text: Figure 1 is the interior view of a door lock, in which the spring bolt a has
a spring applied according to my Invention. 6 is the spring, made of what is
called vulcanized india rubber. The spring is fastened at c to the lock; and it
is attached to the upper part of the back end of the spring bolt; hence, when,
the front end of the bolt a strikes against the striker, it will slide back;
stretching the prepared india-rubber spring, which by its elasticity will press.
back the bolt and force it outwards when permitted. d is the follower of the
lock.
I would remark, that with the exception of the spring b the lock is of an
ordinary construction and forms no part of my Invention: And in a similar way
my Invention may be applied to mortice and other arrangements of locks
having spring bolts, for it will be evident that the application of springs
according to this part of my Invention is not confined to the particular arrange:
ment of parts contained in the lock Figure 1. I have not thought it necessary.
to enter into a description of the various other parts of: the lock: shewn! as they
are well understood.
Figure 2 shows a back view, and Figure 3 a section of a small lock, having!
only a spring bolt a, with a sliding handle e fixed to the bolt.
Figure 4 shows an inside view of another lock, having, only a spring bolt a,
but the same is moved by a follower acting in the notch: of the bolt a. In
each of these Figures 6 is the spring of prepared. india rubber, which is made
into a strap like the previous one, holes being cut at each end, by which.
the strap is attached to the pin.f, which is fixed to the bolt a, the strap spring
of prepared india rubber embracing the pin g, which is affixed to the framing.
of the lock; hence the bolt a, in being forced back, the spring is stretched, and
the reaction will force out the bolt a.
Figure 5 shows a latch-bolt fastening, the bolt a of which has a spring 6 of
prepared india rubber attached to pins f and g, as shewn, by which the bolt is
constantly drawn downwards; and in this manner levers or latch bolts of locks
or fastenings may be acted on by having springs applied according to my
Invention.
Figure 6 shews an end'view, and Figure 7 an interior view of a portfolio,
having springs applied made of the prepared india rubber above mentioned.
h, h, are the covers, and i the back of the portfolio, the covers being shown as
open, and partly cut away in Figure 7. 1, 2, are a series of thin springs of
the prepared india rubber, stretched and fixed at their ends, so that a series of
folded sheets of paper may be placed under each, and by the elasticity of the

page_text: springs they will be securely held, yet when desired any of them may be readily
removed.
Figure 8 shews another instrument for filing or holding papers by means of
springs of the prepared india rubber herein mentioned. j is a surface of card-
board or other suitable material, having the elastic spring strap k of the
prepared india rubber fixed across from side to side; and is another spring
strap of the prepared india rubber, which is fixed at its upper end, and by a
bent catch m, affixed at its lower end, it is attached to the surface j, and can
readily be removed when filing papers, which is done by placing them under
the spring strap k, and then fastening the strap at the lower end. By this
arrangement a few or many sheets of paper may be securely held on the
surface j, owing to the elasticity of the straps k, l. And I would remark, that
although I have described the spring used in these instruments for holding
papers, as being in their whole length of the prepared india rubber, they may
be only partly formed of such material, the other parts in such cases being
formed of leather or cord, or other suitable material, the required elasticity
or spring being obtained by applying thereto suitable lengths of the prepared
india rubber; and the arrangement of the portfolios and the springs thereof,
may be varied so long as the springs used are of the prepared india rubber
herein-before mentioned.
Figure 9 shews the section of a candle lamp, the spring for raising the
candle therein being of the prepared india rubber herein mentioned. n is a
spring fixed at the top of the candle lamp, the other end being affixed to the
cylinder o, as is shown, the spring passing under pulley p; hence when the
candle is forced down into the lamp the spring will be stretched, and as the
candle consumes the spring n will contract and continually keep the upper end
of the candle at the top of the nozel.
Figure 10 shows a front view, and Figure 11 a longitudinal section of
apparatus, used for the endless cord used for raising roller blinds.
Figure 12 shews a front view, and Figure 13 a longitudinal section thereof,
of another arrangement of apparatus for such purpose. These apparatus
differ slightly, but they depend on the same means of action, the spring 9,
which is of the prepared india rubber herein mentioned, which tends at all
times to draw down the pulley r, over which the endless cords of roller blinds
work; by this means the endless cord used for moving a roller blind will at all
times be kept tight. And I would remark, that in some cases I make the endless
band itself of the prepared india rubber, in place of the cord heretofore used,
in which case the axis of the pulley r may be fixed, or the endless band may
be only partly made of the prepared india rubber, the other part being of the
ordinary cord.

page_text: Figure 14 shews a window sash where springs of india rubber are employed
as a means of raising window sashes, in place of the cords and weights
heretofore used. The window sashes are to be caused to move with sufficient
friction in the frame, so as not to be drawn up by the springs s, which are
affixed to the sashes and to the frames in which the sashes slide, the object
being that the springs of the prepared india rubber should only aid the hand
of the person when sliding up a window sash, and not be alone the means
of raising the sashes, in like manner to what is now effected by the weighted
cords; but if be desired that the sashes should move freely in their frames,
and have the springs of a strength to lift the sashes, then suitable stops must
be applied to retain the sashes in any position, which stops being withdrawn
will allow the sashes to be drawn up by the springs.
Figure 15 shews part of a door and a door post, and Figure 16 a section
thereof, having a spring of the prepared india rubber applied as a means of
closing the door. t is the spring. The spring t is affixed to a projection v
on the upper part of the door, the strap passes into the interior of the lintel
over a pulley, and is then at the other end affixed to the door post; hence when
the door is opened the spring t will be elongated, and when released the
contracting of the spring will close the door.
Figure 17 shews a plan, and Figure 18 a section of part of a seat, or the
frame of any other surface suitable for a person to sit or recline on; the object
of this part of my Invention being to obtain elastic surfaces for such purposes
by the use of the prepared india rubber herein mentioned. u, u, are two rails
to which are affixed two portions of webbing w, w, which are connected
together by means of a strap of the prepared india rubber a, as is shewn; and
the webbing of a seat of a chair, or other article where a frame is used to produce
a surface for sitting or reclining on, may be thus formed, the desired elasticity
being obtained by the prepared india rubber, and such webbing may be stuffed
in the ordinary manner, or the whole webbing of seat may be composed of the
prepared india rubber, and the arrangements of it may be varied so long as
the desired elasticity is thus obtained. I would remark, that in those cases
where the prepared india rubber above mentioned is required to be perforated
for the purpose of fixing it to any other matter, that care should be observed
in forming the holes by cutting out cylindrical portions, or by otherwise avoiding
making a slit, and the pins or other instruments put through such holes
should be cylindrical, otherwise the prepared india rubber may, when drawn
on and stretched, split, which I have not found it to do when care has been
observed as above suggested.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the means pursued

page_text: by me in carrying the same into effect, I would wish it to be understood that
I do not claim any of the separate mechanical parts, nor their combination,.
other than the application of springs of the preparation of india rubber herein
mentioned; nor do I confine myself to the mechanical details herein described,
as the same may be varied so long as the use of springs of the preparation of
india rubber herein described; in the manufacture of such articles, be retained;
But what I claim is,
First, the application of springs of the preparation of india rubber herein
mentioned, to the spring bolts and latch bolts of locks-and other fastenings.
Secondly, I claim the applying springs of the preparation of india rubber
herein mentioned to portfolios and instruments for holding papers.
Thirdly, I claim the applying springs of the preparation of india rubber
herein described, to candle lamps for raising candles up to the nozles.
Fourthly, I claim the application of springs of the preparation of india.
rubber to the apparatus used for raising roller blinds.
Fifthly, I claim the applying of springs of the preparation of india rubber.
herein mentioned to the raising of window sashes.
Sixthly, I claim the application of springs of the preparation of india rubber,
herein mentioned to the closing of doors; and,
Seventhly, I claim the application of springs of the preparation of india
rubber to frames, as herein mentioned, in forming elastic surfaces for sitting.
and reclining upon.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Perry, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-five.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and forty-five.