Carriage Doors and for other Purposes, and in the Manu- facture thereof.
Year: 1885

page_text: Carriage Doors and for other Purposes, and in the Manu-
facture thereof.
1. 1
I JAMES MATTHEW MATTHEWS of N° 12 Lorne Road Finsbury Park N in the
County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR RAILWAY & OTHER CARRIAGE DOORS
& FOR OTHER PURPOSES & IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF to be as follows:-
My invention relates more especially to locks or latches such as are generally
used to secure Railway carriage doors and is designed to provide additional
security to same by so constructing the lock that it shall be partially self acting
while retaining the simplicity of a common latch as in general use by most
Railway Companies and also to provide a simple and ready means of repairing or
replacing a defective or broken spring. In constructing locks upon my improved
plan, I form the case of brass iron or other suitable material either cast or wrought
in two parts the one forming the box or case containing the works and the other
the lid or cover, and I so construct the box that when the lid or cover is fitted in
its place it is firmly held by one screw only, upon the front plate of the case
I form an indent or channel, the cover being chamfered to fit into same, and at the
back it fits against two stops or studs cast on the risers or ends of the case. I form
the bolt with a portion on the upper edge projecting beyond the face of the lock
case the said projecting part being bevilled somewhat similar to the bolt of an
ordinary door latch the lower end of the bolt has hollow or concave edges the
centres of the arcs being in a line with the centre of motion or axis of the bolt,
and the point at which the two arcs meet is rounded, I also provide inside the lock
case a lever the lower end of which is rounded so as to fit into the bolt and thereby
retain it in a vertical or horizontal position as the case may be, by this means
I give a rolling motion to the working parts of the lock reducing the friction and
wear to a minimum, the lever moves upon a pin or pivot about its centre the upper
portion being continued to near the top of the lock case, in place of concave
surfaces straight or other outlines may be used, the lever being made to correspond.
The upper part of the lock case has a shield or web cast in it which forms a
chamber for the reception of a helical spring which is inserted through an aperture
in the face of the lock case and presses against the upper end of the lever. In

page_text: order that a spring may be easily and conveniently replaced, in the event of one
being broken, or otherwise defective, without the screws which hold the lock in
the door style being withdrawn or the lock reinoved, and afterwards held securely
in its place, I cast or otherwise form in the top of the lock case immediately above
the bolt, a circular opening having two slots at opposite sides passing through the
lock plate, & on the inside of the lock plate I form two precisely similar slots but
not pierced through the case and at right angles to the other slots, I also cast
stamp or otherwise form a circular stud having webs at opposite sides & corre-
sponding to the slots in the lock case, an ordinary screwdriver slit or other
suitable device is provided in order to insert the stud and fix it. In order to
replace a spring it is only necessary to press the stud partially inwards by means
of an ordinary screwdriver and then give it half a turn when it can be withdrawn
and a new spring inserted in the lock, the stud being replaced by pressing it in
against the spring until the webs have cleared the slots and then giving it half a
turn when the spring forces the webs into the indents and it is securely fixed;
although I consider the stud as herein described the most secure and simple
method, other means such as a screw or plate may be substituted.
The action of the lock is as follows, upon a door being pushed or pulled to, the
projecting lip on the bolt is forced inwards by coming in contact with the striking
plate until the door is closed when it is immediately forced by the action of the
spring into a receptacle provided for it in the striking plate and door post, and in
this position the door is firmly and securely fastened and cannot be opened except
by manipulating the handle; the handle can now be turned in the ordinary way
by the porters or guards when a further portion of the bolt is forced into the door
post.
.

page_text: Carriage Doors and for other Purposes, and in the Manu-
facture thereof.
I JAMES MATTHEW MATTHEWS of N° 12 Lorne Road Finsbury Park N in the
County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR RAILWAY & OTHER CARRIAGE
DOORS & FOR OTHER PURPOSES AND IN THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly, described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates more especially to locks or latches such as are generally
used to secure 'Railway carriage doors and is designed to provide additional
security to same by so constructing the lock that it shall be partially self acting,
while retaining the simplicity of a common latch as in general use by most Railway
Companies; and also to provide a simple & ready means of repairing or replacing
a defective or broken spring. In constructing locks upon my improved plan,
I form the case of brass iron or other suitable material either cast or wrought, in
two parts the one forming the box or case containing the works, and the other the
lid or cover, and I so construct the box that when the lid or cover ia fitted in its
place, it is firmly held by one screw only, upon the front plate of the case I form
an indent or channel, the cover being chamfered to fit into same, and at the back
it fits against two stops or studs cast on the risers or ends of the case. I form the
bolt with a portion on the upper edge projecting beyond the face of the lock case,
the said projecting part being bevilled somewhat similar to the bolt of an ordinary
door latch, the lower end of the bolt has hollow or concave edges, as shewn, and
the point at which the two arcs meet is rounded, I also provide inside the lock
case a lever the lower end of which is rounded so as to fit into the bolt, and
thereby retain it in a vertical or horizontal position as the case may be, by this
means I give a rolling motion to the working parts of the lock reducing the
friction and wear to a minimum, the lever moves upon a pin or pivot about its
centre, the upper portion being continued to near the top of the lock case, in place
of concave surfaces straight or other outlines may be used, the lever being made to
correspond The upper part of the lock case has a shield or web cast in it which
forms a chamber for the reception of a helical spring which is inserted through an
aperture in the face of the lock case and presses against the upper end of the lever.
In order that a spring may be easily and conveniently replaced, in the event of
one being broken, or otherwise defective,' without the screws which hold the lock
in the door style being withdrawn or the lock removed; and afterwards held
securely in its place, I cast or otherwise form in the top of the lock case imme-
diately above the bolt, a circular opening having two slots at opposite sides passing
through the lock plate, and on the inside of the lock plate I forin two precisely
similar slots but not pierced through the case, and at right angles to the other
slots, I also cast, stamp, or otherwise form, a circular stud, having webs at opposite
sides, and corresponding to the slots in the lock case, an ordinary screwdriver slit

page_text: or other suitable device is provided in order to insert the stud and fix it; In order
to replace a spring it is only necessary to press the stud partially inwards by
means of an ordinary screwdriver and then give it half a turn when it can be
withdrawn and a new spring inserted in the lock, the stud being replaced by
pressing it in against the spring until the webs have cleared the slots, and then
giving it half a turn when the spring forces the webs into the indents and it is
securely fixed; although I consider the stud as herein described the most secure
and simple method, other means such as a screw or plate may be substituted.
The action of the lock is as follows, upon a door being pushed or pulled to, the
projecting lip on the bolt is forced inwards by coming in contact with the striking
plate; until the door is closed, when it is immediately forced by the action of the
spring into a receptacle provided for it in the striking plate, and door post, and in
this position the door is firmly and securely fastened and cannot be opened except
by manipulating the handle; the handle can now be turned in the ordinary way
by the porters or guards when a further portion of the bolt is forced into the door
post.
Having described the nature of my invention I will now proceed to describe the
manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figs. 1. 2 & 7 are side elevations of my improved lock with the cover removed
shewing the internal parts in different positions, Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the
said lock, Fig. 4 is a side elevation with the cover: in its place and screwed down,
Figs. 5 & 6, are front and side elevations of the striking plate, Fig. 10 is an end
view of the lock, Fig. 11 side and end views of the stud, and Fig. 12 a back view
of the front plate of the lock, shewing the indents for holding the stud in its
proper position, Figs. 8 & 9 are side and front views of a smaller lock adapted for
Broughams Cabs &
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawings.
The construction of my improved lock as shewn in Figs. 1 to 13 is as follows,
that is to say A is the lock case and a, the cover for same, it will be seen by
reference to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 7, & 10 that a rib a¹ is formed upon the case against the
front plate B which is chamfered or bevilled from the under side, as shewn at a¹
Fig. 10, the cover a Figs. 4 & 13 being bevilled to match, at the back of the case
upon the risers or ends, are two studs b b cast or formed with the case and the
cover has two notches cut out as at a³ Fig. 13 which fit against the studs b b it
will readily be seen that when the cover is placed in the position as shown at
Fig. 4 it is firmly held by the screw c; a slot F is cast or otherwise formed in the
front plate B to admit of the tumbler or bolt working in the striking plate on the
standing pillar of the carriage, immediately above the slot Fa circular opening e
Fig. 12 is formed having two slots e¹ el at opposite sides, and at right angles to the
slots e el are two indents or recesses not pierced through the plate B as shewn
at ee Fig. 12, a stud E Figs. 3 & 11 having two webs e³, e³, fits into the circular
opening e-two holes e e are drilled in the front of the stud E to enable it to be
readily inserted and fixed, or removed as the case may be, an ordinary pair of
round nosed pliers answering the purpose, a shield a³ is cast or otherwise formed
in the case to enclose the spring and prevent any dust from getting to it, or any
broken pieces of spring from getting into the working parts of the lock. C Figs. 1.
2. & 7 is the bolt which is formed with a lip c which projects beyond the front
plate B and is bevilled as shewn in Fig. 10 to admit of its adjusting itself in the
striking plate Figs. 5 & 6 to automatically fasten a door when it pulled to, the
action being similar to an ordinary door latch, the lower end of the bolt C has two
hollow or concave surfaces c¹ c¹ the junction of the two being rounded as c³ the
lever D Figs. 1. 2 & 7 is rounded to fit the bolt at c¹ c¹ so as to retain it in the
different positions as shewn in Figs. 1. 2: & 7, in Fig. 7 the bolt C is constructed
to stand at an incline and the handle to correspond, so that when the bolt is
entirely withdrawn from the striking plate, preparatory to opening a door as
shewn by the dotted lines, the handle stands perpendicular; at the upper end of
T

page_text: the lever D a sliding plate d is provided which is left free to rise and fall with the
motion of the lever and which rests upon the shield a³ and slides upon it entirely
enclosing the spring G, the lever D works upon the screw c which fastens the
cover to the lock case thereby simplifying it and reducing the cost. In Fig. 1 the
dotted lines shew the position of the bolt and lever when the bolt is withdrawn
for opening a door, Fig. 2 shews the position of the bolt C when the handle has
been turned in the usual way by porters, guards, or others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein before described and
illustrated, but I declare that what I claim is
1. The construction of the case with a lip or rib & stops which shall hold the
cover substantially as described.
2. The stud, having webs which shall partially return into suitable provisions
and so prevent it from working loose, substantially as described and delineated.
3. The construction of the bolt with the hollow surfaces & lever to follow
substantially as described.
4. The telescope or sliding shield entirely enclosing the spring substantially as
described.
5. The combination of the several parts for the purposes specified substantially
as described and illustrated.
JAS M. MATTHEWS.