Improvements in Spring Locks and in Detectors therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Locks and in Detectors therefor.
I, EDWIN JOHN TURNER of 24, Falmouth Chambers, Falmouth Road, New Kent
Road, in the County of London, Locksmith, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in spring locks and in detectors therefor.
According to my invention I provide a lock adapted to be operated by a key having
the bit formed as a longitudinal extension of the stem instead of being arranged
laterally or radially on the said stem as ordinarily.
In carrying out my invention I provide a spring bolt arranged to move in guides
in the ordinary manner and having a projection or step by means of which it is
operated by a pivoted arm. The said arm is actuated by a pin on a plate pivoted to
the lock plate.
To the said plate I pivot a number of arms having projections which extend into
the key hole and in connection with the said arms I provide a stop whereby they are
prevented from moving except when they are caused to assume a predetermined
position on the insertion of the key proper to the lock.
In connection with my spring lock I sometimes employ an arm pivoted to the
lock plate and designed to keep the bolt out of engagement with the locking plate
or staple of the lock by coming into contact with a projection on the said bolt. To
release the bolt I provide a rod or the like adapted to be operated by an external
push button or the like.
The detector which I employ comprises a number of spring tongues or the like
adapted to be operated by a corresponding number of pins or studs. The pins or
studs are depressed by projections on the pivoted arms when the said arms are caused
to assume a predetermined position by the key proper to the lock. A pivoted lever
is also provided which lever is rotated on its pivot, when any of the aforesaid arms is
moved too far by a wrong key, so as to bring it into contact with a fixed stop and
thus prevent the key being turned. The backward movement of the lever is
prevented by the spring tongue which has been released by the arm operated by
the key.
In the case of locks for heavy doors or the like wherein a key having a long stem
is ordinarily required I provide a tube enclosing a number of pins designed to
operate the pivoted arms, the said pins being operated by the key as herein before
described.
In the case of box locks I provide one of the links with a stop adapted to slide in
a groove in the said link so that when desired it can be moved into the path of the
sliding bolt of the lock and prevent it entering the slots in the links.
By making the bit thicker at one end than at the other that is to say by
tapering it I obtain double the number of combinations with the same pivoted
arms.

page_text: Improvements in spring Locks and m Decor H
I, EDWIN JOHN TURNER, of 24, Falmouth Chambers, Falmouth Road, New Kent
Road, in the County of London, Locksmith, 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 :-
.
This invention relates to improvements in spring locks and in detectors therefor.
According to my invention I provide a spring bolt arranged to move in guides in
the ordinary manner and having a projection or step by means of which it operated
by a pivoted arm. The said arm is actuated by a pin on a plate pivoted to the lock
plate and hereinafter referred to as the tumbler plate.
To the said tumbler plate I pivot a number of arins hereinafter referred to as lever
arms having projections which extend into the key hole and in connection with the
said lever arms I provide a stop whereby they are prevented from moving except when
they are caused to assume a predetermined position on the insertion of the key into
the lock.
In connection with my spring lock I sometimes employ an arm hereinafter referred
to as the retaining arın pivoted to the lock plate and designed to keep the bolt out of
engagement with the keeper plate or staple of the lock by coming into contact
with a projection on the said bolt. To release the bolt I provide a rod or the like
adapted to be operated by an external push button.
The detector which I employ comprises a number of spring tongues or the like
arranged in connection with a corresponding number of pins or studs and adapted to
be moved by projections on the lever arms when the latter are caused to assume a
predetermined position by the proper key of the lock. A pivoted lever is also
provided which lever is rotated on its pivot, when any of the aforesaid lever arms is
moved too far by a wrong key, so as to bring it into contact with a fixed stop and
thus prevent the key being turned. The backward movement of the lever is
prevented by the spring tongue which has been released by the arm operated by the
key.
In the case of locks for heavy doors or the like wherein a key having a long stem
is ordinarily required I provide a tube enclosing a number of pins designed to operate
the lever arms, the said pins being operated by the key as hereinbefore described.
In the case of box locks I provide one of the links on the keeper plate with a stop
adapted to slide in a groove in the said link so that when desired it can be moved
into the path of the sliding bolt of the lock and prevent it entering the slots in the
links.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a drawer lock constructed according to my invention;
and,
Figure 2 is a similar view of the same with certain parts removed:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 figure 2:
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 figure 2; and,
Figure 5 is a view similar to figure 4 but shewing the parts in a different
position:
Figure 6 is a detached view of the tumbler plate in connection with the pivoted
operating arm and the bolt:
Figures 7 and 8 are a plan view and side view respectively of one of the lever
arms:
Figure 9 is a side view of the retaining arm :

page_text: Figure 10 is a sectional elevation showing the opposite side of the tumbler plate
from that shewn in figure 2 and illustrating the arrangement of the detector
mechanism :
Figure 11 is a section on the line 11-11 of figure 2;
Figure 11 is a view of a detail drawn to a larger scale:
Figures 12 and 13 are an elevation and an end view of the key which I use in
conjunction with my lock; and,
Figure 14 is a section through the bit of the key on the line 14-14 figure 12:
Figure 15 is a sectional view somewhat similar to figure 2 illustrating a
modification of my invention:
Figure 16 is a section on the line 16-16 figure 15; and,
Figure 17 is an end view of figure 15 looking in the direction of the arrow:
Figures 18, 19 and 20 are views illustrating the arrangement which I employ when
applying my lock to street and other doors, figures 18 and 19 being longitudinal
sections at right angles and figure 20 a section on the line 20-20 figure 19:
Figures 21, 22 and 23 are views showing an arrangement which I employ in
conjunction with box locks, figure 21 being a sectional elevation of the keeper plate,
figure 22 an end view of the same and figure 23 a section on the line 23-23 figure 21
looking in the directon of the arrow in the said figure.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is the lock plate and a is the cover plate b is the bolt which slides through a
slot in the flange a' of the lock plate and at its inner end is guided upon a stud a²
on the said lock plate. c is a spring which normally tends to hold or move the said
bolt in or into its locking position, is the tumbler plate which is also acted upon by
the spring c which bears against a pin d¹ on the said tumbler plate d for the purpose
hereinafter described, the said tumbler plate being provided on the rear side with a
ring d² which works in an annular channel d³ in the lock plate of the said ring and
channel forming the pivot of the said tumbler plate. e, e are two lugs upon the
tumbler plate into which the key is inserted and by means of which the said
tumbler plate is rotated the desired extent to operate the bolt.
g is the arm which is pivoted to the lock plate at g¹ underneath the tumbler
plate against which a pin h on the back of the tumbler plate is designed to act, the
pin h serving to move the bolt b inwards by impinging against a lug on the latter
when the tumbler plate is moved in the required direction by the key. The manner
in which the several parts thus far mentioned operate will be readily understood by
reference to figure 6 in which it will be seen that the introduction of the key between
the lugs e, e will enable the tumbler plate to be turned so that the pin h on the latter
(which is immediately behind the pin d¹ on the back of the tumbler plate and
therefore not seen in figure 6) will act upon the pivoted arm g and move the bolt b
inwards against the pressure of the spring c the said spring when the twist upon the
key is removed serving to again lift the bolt to its locked position.
The key which I prefer to use is of the kind shewn in figure 12 (indicated by the
letter i) that is to say, a key having a bit formed as a longitudinal extension of the
stem and projecting equally on both sides of the stem instead of being arranged
radially on the said stem as has hitherto been usual, the bit of the key having guide
pins designed to enter recesses 22, ³ in the lugs e, e figures 1, 2 & 3.
j, j are the lever arms for ensuring that the lock shall only be operated by the
proper key; these lever arms are pivoted on the stud j¹ on the tumbler plate and are
each arranged in conjunction with a spring 2, one end of each spring being fixed to
its lever arm whilst the other end bears against the pin d. 3 is a stud upon the
tumbler plate which limits the movements of the said lever arms under the action of
the said springs. Each of these lever arms is provided with a pin extension k and
upon the lock plate adjacent to these pin extensions is a guard plate having in it a
number of holes k² arranged in different positions and opposite to which the several
pin extensions must be brought before the tumbler plate can be rotated upon its
axis. The guard plate k¹ is advantageously provided with horizontal V-shaped
grooves as shewn in figures 11 and 11 and the ends of the alternate pin extensions

page_text: are bevelled so that should an attempt be made to fix the tumbler plate and to force
the lock, the pressure brought to bear upon the lever arms for the purpose of bringing
their pin extensions opposite the holes 2 would cause the said bevelled pin extensions
to slide into the said V-shaped grooves thus preventing the person tampering with
the lock from bringing the pin extensions opposite the holes k².
To effect the placing of the lever arms opposite the holes 2 each of them is
provided with a lateral arm ³ terminating in an inclined surface which projects
into the space between the two key lugs eye. The key is provided with a series of
inclined surfaces 1, respectively designed as the key is pressed inwards between the
lugs e, e to act upon the incline surfaces in order to move the same to the required
extent to bring the pin extensions opposite to their respective holes which will be
accomplished when the key has been pressed home between the said key lugs, the
tumbler plate can then be turned in the manner herein before described the several
pin extensions entering the corresponding holes 2 in the guard plate k¹.
When, after the bolt has been withdrawn, the tumbler plate is returned to its
normal position the key can again be withdrawn when the lever arms will return to
their normal positions one above the other. It will be understood that if the inclined
surfaces, are not properly adjusted to bring all the pin extensions opposite to
their respective holes k² simultaneously the lock cannot be operated.
The bit of the key as shewn in figure 13 is made thicker at one end, viz. the top
end, than at the other and the key hole in the cover plate a° and the recesses i², 22
in the lugs e, e correspondingly shaped as shewn in figure 1 so as to prevent the key
being introduced into the lock in a wrong position. It will be obvious by altering
the taper, that is to say, by making the top of the bit the thinner and the bottom the
thicker and correspondingly altering the shape of the key hole 2° and recesses 22, 12
that I double the number of different keys which I can obtain with a given number
of combination of lever arms.
The arrangement which I employ for indicating whether attempts have been made
to pick the lock comprises, as herein before stated, a number of spring tongues m, m
which are arranged on the back of the tumbler plate inside the ring d², as shewn in
figure 10. These spring tongues are each provided with a stud m¹ (figure 3) which
can project through the tumbler plate d into the path of a projection m2 on the
underside of the extension arms ³, figures 3 and 8. Normally these studs are held
practically out of the path of the projections m² by a pivoted arm m³ which occupies
a position between the ends of the said spring arms and the tumbler plate, as shewn
in figures 3 and 10. On the opposite side of the tumbler plate d to the arm m³ is
another arm m* as shewn clearly in figure 11 which arm is attached to the boss of
the arin m³ and consequently moves therewith. Adjacent to the end of the arm m³
is a stop plate m³ which is fixed upon the lock plate a as indicated by the dotted
lines in figure 2 and in section in figure 10. So long as the lock is not tampered
with, this arm m³ is in the position indicated by the full lines in figure 10 where it
offers no obstruction to the movements of the tumbler plate by the key to operate
the bolt. Should an improper key be introduced into the lock, however, the effect
would probably be to displace one of the lever arms j farther than would be necessary
to bring its pin extension k opposite to its corresponding hole the result of which
would be that the projection m² on the underside of the extension arm k³ would act
upon the lever m² and move it together with the arm m³ to the position shewn in
dotted lines in figure 10, that is to say, into a position in which it would come into
such relation with the stop plate m³ as to prevent any movement of the tumbler
plate to withdraw the bolt. If after this displacement of the levers m³, m has been
effected the proper key is introduced into the lock the lever m³ will prevent the
tumbler plate from being turned in the required direction to unlock the bolt owing
to the impingement of the said lever against the stop plate m³ thereby informing
the person with the proper key that the lock has been tampered with.
In order to reset the detector by moving back the arm m³ underneath the spring
arms m, m it is only necessary after the key has been pushed into the lock to rotate
it in the reverse direction to that in which it is turned when withdrawing the bolt.

page_text: The movement of the tumbler plate in the reverse direction causes the projection m®
on the back of the tumbler plate to impinge against an arm m pivoted on the lock
plate a so that the said arm m' presses against the arın m³ and moves it beneath the
ends of the springs arms m, m which have been previously pressed back during the
insertion of the key by the impingement of the projections m² against the studs m¹
which project into the path of the said projections previous to the introduction of
the key, it being obvious that when the projections m² impinge against their corres-
ponding studs m¹ the latter being upon the springs m will be pushed back into
their normal position shewn in Figure 3.
n is the retaining arm which I sometimes employ in connection with the bolt for
holding it back after it has been withdrawn. This retaining arm is pivoted at n¹ to
a pillar n² on the lock plate a, figure 4, and at its free end is formed with a T-head
as indicated in figure 2 one side n³ of the said T-head being designed to operate in
conjunction with an inclined slot n in a lug n³ upon the bolt b whilst the other
end n of the said T-head works in conjunction with a tooth n upon the tumbler
plate.
When the bolt b is in the locked position the end n³ of the T-head acts as an abutment
beneath the portion of the lug n5 at one side of the slot n to prevent the bolt from
being moved inwards as shewn in figure 4. When, however, the tumbler plate is
rotated by the key the tooth n in passing the end n of the T-head moves the said
head so as to bring the end n³ thereof opposite to the slot n in the lug n³ and
thereby permit the inward movement of the bolt. When the lug n³ during the
movement of the bolt has moved past the T-head of the retaining arm the said arm
will again move into position to engage above the lug n³ with a portion thereof to
one side of the slot n', as shewn in figure 5, thereby preventing the upward move-
ment of the bolt under the action of the spring c. To withdraw the key from the
lock it will be obvious that it must be turned back till opposite the key hole, this
backward movement returning the tooth n to its normal position above the end no
of the T-head, the consequent movement of the said head only causing the end ³
to engage more fully with the lug n' than it normally does when the bolt is held
retracted. n, nº, figure 4, are springs at each side of the retaining arm serving to
retain the same out of alignment with the slot n either above or below the lug.
In order that the bolt 6 may be shot when desired without the use of the key I
arrange in conjunction with the retaining arm n the push button o the pressure
against which when the parts are in the position shewn in figure 5 serves to move
the retaining arm so that the part n³ of its head is brought opposite to the slot n
thereby allowing the spring c to shoot the bolt. When the bolt reaches its locked
position the said retaining arm assumes the position shewn .in figure 4 to prevent the
inward movement of the bolt until such time as the retaining arm is displaced by
the movement of the tumbler plate d.
Instead of using the retaining arm arranged as hereinbefore described I sometimes
make use of the arrangement shewn in figures 15 to 17; in this arrangement the
pivoted lever g instead of being operated by the tumbler plate in one direction only
is operated in both directions by the said tumbler plate for which purpose the latter,
in addition to having the operating surface or pin h, has the surface p which serves
to return the arm to its normal position when the key is turned back to remove it
from the lock. Upon the bolt I pivot a tongue q which is also capable of sliding
upon its pivot q' against the pressure of a spring q². This pivot tongue operates in
connection with a stud q³ which when the bolt is in its outward position moves the
said tongue to the position shewn in full lines in figure 15 in which position it is in
contact with the end of the pivoted arm g which operates the bolt, the said arm g
thus forming an abutment against which the pivoted tongue presses to prevent the
bolt from being pulled inwards.
is a spring retaining arm the free end r¹ of which projects into a slot 2 in the
bolt the said spring serving when the bolt is moved inwards to engage behind a
tooth in the said slot and hold the bolt b down against the pressure of the spring c
in a similar manner to the retaining arm n herein before described. It will be

page_text: understood that this inward movement of the bolt is effected by the action of the
pivoted arm g against a lug or projection on the bolt bas herein before described.
The bolt having been withdrawn by the key the catch holds the said bolt in its
inward position whilst the arm g returns to its normal position; during this movement
of the arm to its normal position it acts against the tongue q and causes it to occupy
the position indicated by the dotted lines in figure 15. As when the tongue comes in
contact with the pin q³ under the action of the arm g there would not be room for the
said arm g to assume the position in which the key could be removed from the lock,
I form the adjacent faces of the arm g and tongue 9 inclined so that when the
tongue strikes the pin q³ the continued movement of the arm will cause the
movement of the arm q longitudinally upon its pivot q1 against the pressure of
the spring q². If, whilst the arm is in this position, the bolt is released by disen-
gaging the spring catch from the projection 3, for instance by means of a push
button such as o hereinbefore described, the tongue q owing to its contact with the
pin q3 is moved to the position shewn in full lines in figure 15, the spring q² after
the end of the tongue has passed above the end of the arm g pushing the said tongue
inwards so as to engage with the said arm.
In applying my lock to a thick door I arrange in combination with the extension
arms a cylinder 8 of a length suited to the thickness of the door and in this cylinder
I arrange a tube s¹ (figure 20) of a section corresponding with the section of the bit
of the key, for instance of the shape shewn in figure 13, in this tube I place a series
of bars s², s² corresponding in number with that of the lever arm. These bars 82 in
their normal position are level at their outer ends, as shewn in figure 19, and are at
their inner ends adapted to bear against the inclined surfaces k of the lever arms.
When the key is introduced into the key-hole in the end of the cylinder and pressed
against the bars it will move the lever arms j to precisely the same extent as if the
key had been directly applied, that is to say, this arrangement practically has the
effect of increasing the length of the key.
In carrying out that part of my invention relative to spring box locks, that is to
say, locks in which the action of introducing the links of the keeper plate into the
lock would have the effect of causing the bolt to shoot, I apply to one of the said
links a sliding stop t working in dovetailed grooves in one of the said links, as shewn
in figure 21. When this stop is in the position shewn in figure 22 the bolt is free
to engage with the notches in the links in the usual manner, when, however, the
said stop is moved to the position indicated by the dotted lines in figure 22 so that
it projects into the path of the bolt, it comes into the path of the bolt and so prevents
the same from engaging with the links of the keeper plates.
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. In a spring lock the combination with a pivoted tumbler plate of an arm for
communicating the motion imparted to the said plate by the key to the spring bolt
and a series of lever arms pivoted upon the said tumbler plate and provided with
extension arms projecting into the path of the key in such a manner that when the
key is introduced into the lock the said lever arms will be moved in order to
cause the ends of the same to coincide with a series of openings in a guard plate,
substantially as described.
2. In a spring lock the bolt of which is operated from a pivoted tumbler plate
through the medium of an arm and wherein a series of lever arms work upon the
said tumbler plate in connection with a guard plate for ensuring that the lock shall
only be operated by a proper key, the combination with the said lever arms of detector
mechanism comprising a series of spring arms m and a double lever m³, m¹ which
lever, when improper means are used for opening the lock, is pushed from beneath
the spring detector arms and held in a position which prevents the lock from being
operated to unlock it, the detector mechanism being reset to open the lock by
turning the tumbler plate in a backward direction, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In a spring lock the bolt of which is operated from a pivoted tumbler plate
through the medium of an arm, the combination with the said bolt of a retaining
catch which serves for preventing the bolt from being pushed inwards by pressure
upon the outer end of the same or pushed outwards by the spring, the said retaining
arm working in conjunction with a slotted lug upon the bolt and being operated by
a projection upon the tumbler plate, substantially as described.
4. In a spring lock provided with a retaining arm operating to retain the belt in
either of its two positions, the combination with the said retaining arm of a push
button for disengaging the arın from the bolt to allow the latter to spring outwards
under the action of the spring, substantially as described.
5. In a spring lock wherein the bolt is operated from a pivoted tumbler plate
through the medium of a pivoted arm, arranging the said plate to operate the arm
positively in both directions and providing the bolt with a pivoted tongue capable
of moving longitudinally upon its pivot, all being constructed, arranged and operating
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated by reference to
figures 15 to 17 of the drawings.
6. The combination with a spring lock of the kind hereinbefore described of the
extension cylinder designed to project into the door, substantially as described by
reference to figures 18 to 20 for the purpose specified.
7. In a spring box lock the combination with one of the links of the keeper plate
of a slide, such as t, arranged to operate substantially in the manner herein before
described by reference to figures 21 to 23 of the drawings for the purpose specified.
8. The manufacture and use of spring locks provided with the improvements
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 20th day of October 1807
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4 South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.