A COMBINATION OR ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS OR MACHANISM TO BE USED BY ITSELF, OR APPLIED TO LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS FOR MORE EFFECTUALLY PROTECTING PROPERTY
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM'
RUTHERFORD, junior, of Jedburgh, in that part of the United Kingdom called:
Scotland, Writer and Bank Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King William the Fourth,.
by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fourteenth day of April, in the first year of His reign, did,
for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Rutherford, His especial licence, sole privilege and authority, that
I, the said William Rutherford, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Rutherford, my exors, adñiors, 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 mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "A COMBINATION OR ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS OR
MACHANISM TO BE USED BY ITSELF, OR APPLIED TO LOCKS AND OTHER FASTENINGS
FOR MORE EFFECTUALLY PROTECTING PROPERTY;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso, that I, the said William Rutherford, 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 His 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
William Rutherford, junior, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described
and ascertained in manner following (that is to say) :-

page_text: Drawing is intended to represent a combination of mechanism applicable
to secure the bolt of any lock fixed on the seat, box, or other part of any
coach or vehicle in which property may be placed; or it may be combined
with the lock of any box, chest, or other receptacle used to inclose property
until it arrives at its place destination, the necessary time for which must
have been previously determined upon.
Fig. 1, A, represents a front elevation of a brass pinion fixed on the barrel
arbor of a spring clock, or any other suitable combination of machinery
actuated by a spring and regulated by a balance or fly, so constructed as to
measure time correctly. The pinion A is connected with the great or guard
wheel B, which turns or moves on the strong stud C. B' reprosents an iron
guard plate, which may be turned round on the stud C, and fixed or clamped
to the guard wheel B at any convenient place or point by the clamping
thumbscrew D, which scrow may be placed in either of the holes a, a, a, a, a, a,
tapped on the guard wheel B; the pierced aperturo made in the guard plate
at E will enable any person to adjust it for position in the most accurate
manner, and when so adjusted it can be firmly clamped to the guard wheel
by the thumbscrew D. E represents a recess cut or formed in the guard
plate to receivo one end of the bolt of a lock when it is thrown back or
unlocked, (in which state it is shown in this Figure). G shews a lock secured
to the seat or box of any vehicle used for the conveyance of valuable property.
His tho bolt of the lock, having a lengthened portion which is united to the
moveable guard piece, I by being hinged or jointed thereto in the.manner
shown at J; K is a brass strap or saddle in which the end of the bolt slides
freely, and when tho bolt His advanced forward by the key being applied to
the look, the jointed part slides under the saddle or strap K, which secures it
from being elevated; but when the bolt is thrown back, as shown in this
Figure, it may bo clovated or turned, up, cas shewn at I, in Figure 2. I
Fig. 1, shews an index fixed at any convenient part of the box, or it may.bo
attached to, any suitable part of the frame of the machinery. This points.to
the divisions which indicate hours and half hours, seen on the edge of the
gunrd plate BM shows the position of a stud fixed in the guard plate B';
this is applied in such a position as (to, como against a fixed stop.N at-the
period of time when it is desired the bolt should be thrown back by the key,
the recess Fin the guard plate being thon in, a proper position to receive it, as
seen in Fig. 1. This will also, have the effect of stopping the clock or other
machinery which may have been employed to move the guard. wheel and
guard plate connected therewith.
Having enumerated tho principal parts, and shown how they are combined

page_text: with the clock work or any other suitable machinery or self-acting apparatus,
I shall now describe the manner of adjusting them; so as to secure the bolt
of a lock or other kind of fastening for a given period of time :-
The first thing to be done is to wind up the spring of the clockwork (which
is supposed to be removed in these Figures in order to show the various parts
more distinctly); secondly, elevate the moveable guard pièce until it assumes
the position shewn at 1, in Figure 2; thirdly, loosen the thumbscrew D; and
having determined how many hours it will be necessary to secure the bolt or
other fastening, set the guard plate to the index L accordingly, and then
clamp the guard plate B' to the guard wheel B by tightening the thumb-
screw D. The guard plate in Figure 3 is represented in such a position as
to secure the bolt for twenty-four hours, the hour so'numbered being exactly
opposite the index L; the property may then be placed in the box or other
receptacle to which the combined apparatus is applied, and when the bolt is
carried forward and double-locked, the moveable guard picce I, coming in
contact with the saddle or strap K, will be forced down, and the jointed parts,
being placed under the saddle K, will be secured, and render the bolt as
effective as if the two parts were immoveably united in one solid piece. It
will now be evident that, if any attempt is made cither to pick 'the lock or
open it by means of a false key, it will be quite impossible to throw back the
bolt of the lock and guard plate in its present position (as shewn in Figure 3),
rendering any movement of the bolt impossible until the motion of the whole
machinery brings the recess formed in the guard plate at F exactly opposite
the end of the guard piece I, in which state the key may be used to throw
back the bolt, and place it in the position shown in Figure 1. By adopting
a spring as the moving power, and regulating that by means of a balance or
fly in a similar manner to that used in the escapeinent of common watches,
the whole will be found to answer perfectly well, although it may be subjected
to the motion of a coach, caravan, or any other carriage or vehicle used for
the conveyance of property.
:
It will be evident that if proper attachments are made or contrived, such a
combination of machinery may be made to apply to a variety of boxes, cases,
or other receptacles by means so obvious to workmen, that it will be needless
to enumerate them here. In all cases where safes, presses, chests, or any
other receptacles for the security of property are fixed and immoveable, I
prefer the use of a clock or clocks, with a weight or weights, as the moving or
maintaining power, in preference to any kind of spring, and in this case the
actuating weight or weights may be made to descend, and in their passage,
rest or bear upon one end of a lever, by which means the opposite end will be

page_text: raised and withdrawn from a notch or cavity formed in any bolt or other
fastening at any period of time that may be determined, the whole combina-
tion of machinery being enclosed within the receptacle which it is used to
protect.
I shall now describe a method of combining and applying machinery
suitable for securing the fastenings of every kind of fixed safe or other
receptacle, using, in this case, the power of a descending weight or weights in
place of a spring, as before described, regulating the same by a pendulum or
pendulums instead of a balance or fly, as before described; but as the construc-
tion and combination of clockwork is so well understood, I have purposely
omitted making any Drawings thereof, as my Invention does not consist in any
improvement in clockwork, but in the method of combining and adapting
it with machinery or apparatus for the purposes nained in the title of this
Patent.
Drawing 2, Figure 1, represents a front elevation of a lever guard,
applicable to secure the bolt of a lock, or any other fastening made use of in
any fixed safe or other receptacle in which valuable property is to be deposited.
A is an iron plate, which should be screwed to one side of the safe, closet, or
other receptacle, in the inside; B is a lever guard attached to the plate A by
the stud a, upon which it is at liberty to move; C represents a fragment of a
lock attached to the iron door of any safe or other receptacle, a small portion
of which is seen at D; E shows the bolt of the lock, having a recess formed
in it at the front end to receive one end of the guard B; the position of the
recess formed in the bolt of the lock will be moro plainly seen at B, in
Figuro 2, which represents a plan or birds'-eye view of the same parts.
Figure 1, F represents the weight, applied to any clock or other suitable
machinery or apparatus fixed within the safe or other receptacle, and con-
stituting the maintaining power of such clockwork machinery, or other suitable
apparatus. When this descends low enough, it will press down the lightest
end of the lever guard seen at G, until it rests on the bracket H, which will
raise the other end shown at B, and release it from the bolt of the lock, in which
case it will assume the position shewn in Figure 3, and then the weight,
ceasing to act by its gravity, will cause the clock or other machinery to stop at
any period that may have been determined upon. Figure 4 represents a front
view of the bolt of a lock, detached, and also the end of a lever guard, in the
relative position they assume when the bolt is unlocked and without the
protection of the lever guard. One end of the bolt near d is formed into an
inclined plane or curvo, and the same form is given to the end of the lever
guard, by which means, when the bolt is advanced forward in the act of

page_text: locking, it lifts the lever sufficiently to enable it to drop into the recess b, in
which state it assumes the position shewn in Figure 5. In the plan or
birds-eyo view, Figure 2, c, c, represents a part of an iron case, (which, in this
Figure, is supposed to be cut through by an horizontal plane); this case com-
pletely covers and incloses the lever guard, and prevents the possibility of
getting any tool or implement to it, so as to lift it from the recess in the bolt;
and in order to render every part secure, the weight and cord or chain, by
which it is suspended, is inclosed within an iron tube; also when this combina-
tion is to be put in operation, the weight must be wound up a sufficient height
to make the machinery go any given period of time, which may be indicated
either by the height of the weight within the tube, which may be seen through
a vertical slit in the tube, or any suitable means being adapted for that pur-
pose; or it may be indicated by a dial and dial work combined with the clock,
or other mechanical apparatus, and when so adjusted the pendulum must be
set in vibration, and the door being closed, the bolt of the lock must be
advanced by the key, which will raise one end of the lever until it drops into
the recess constructed to receive it in the bolt, forming an effectual security
until the weight descends and lifts the lever out of the recess. In these
Figures there is but one bolt and one lever shewn, but where it is desired, any
number of levers and bolts may be combined, so as to be all released by the
same means, at the option of the workmen employed to construct the same;
and, as an additional security, I have also combined a locking bar with my
lever guard, by the application of which, in the way I shall describe, the lever
guard may also be locked in such a way as to render it impossible to be lifted
out at the bolt until the weight descends. This may be accomplished in the
following manner: Figure 6 represents a front elevation of a locking bar,
which springs freely on the fixed centre or stud shewn at the upper end of the
locking bar; one portion of this bar is formed into an inclined plane at P.
e represents a notch or recess formed at the lower end to receive one end of
the lever guard; frepresents a sliding index, which can be placed at any
height on the locking bar, and then it may be clamped by the thumbscrewg;
F, shews the weight that is used to set the clock in motion, and also to move
the lever guard when it is to be raised to release the bolt of the lock. The
locking bar O also serves as a guide to place the weight at any given height
that may be necessary, and for this purpose a scale of hours and half hours aro
marked thereon. The method of adjusting these parts and setting them in
action will be as follows:-Place the sliding index f in such a position on the
locking bar O as to leave the exact number of hours below its pointer that it
is desired the clock shall go before the weight descends sufficiently to lift the

page_text: lever guard; then wind up the weight F, until the upper part stands a very
minute quantity above the index f. In this case the index will rest against tho
weight, and the locking bar will be forced out from a perpendicular position,
and so far distant from the lever guard as to leave it free to drop into the
recess of the bolt, in the manner before described, when the safe or receptacle
is locked. But when the weight descends to the position shewn at F in this
figure, the index will cease to bear.or. rest against the weight, and then the
locking bar O falling into a perpendicular position will permit the end of the
lever guard to enter the notch formed on its lower end, in which state it will
completely secure the lever from being moved except by the descent of the
weight; but when the weight descends the lower part will come in contact
with the inclined plane P, which it will force outwards, and the locking bar,
being thrown out of perpendicular to the position shewn in dotted lines, will
unlock or release the end of the lever guard preparatory to its being raised
by the weight F when placed thereon; the change in the position of each
part is shown in dotted lines. As a further precaution, and in order to prevent
as far as possiblo any failure from an accidental stoppage of a single clock,
I prefer using two clocks in all fixed safes, presses, or other receptacles used
for the security of property, in which case the maintaining weights of both
clocks must be so placed that both may in their descent rest upon one end
of the lever guard, and thereby release it from the bolt of the lock or other
fastening at the proper time; and as it is very improbable that two clocks
should accidentally stop at the same time, either of them that continues to go
would be sufficient to effect the motion of the lever guard in the manner
previously described.
My Invention consists in combining, arranging, and applying any suitable
kind of mechanism, apparatus of self-acting power or powers with the bolt
or bolts of any kind of lock or locks, bars, sliding or drop bolts, or any other
fastenings; by the application of which, in all or any of the ways previously
described, any bolt of a lock, any bar, bolt, or other fastening may be secured
or locked until such combination of machinery or self-acting power shall bavo
performed certain movements or revolutions, or shall by any means have.
changed its previous place or position, the whole machinery or apparatus so
applied being at all times placed and secured within the press, box, safe, or
any suitable receptacle protected by its operations.
And I hereby further declare that although I prefer the simple, well known,
and effective combinations of clockwork above described, by the power and
nction of which when united or combined in the way and manner I have
described with locks, bolts, bars, or any other suitable kind of fastenings, they

page_text: may be rendered perfectly secure for any given portion of time (violence alone
excepted), yet the same valuable effects may be produced by other combinations
of mechanism impelled by any suitable power capable of rendering them self-
acting, and thereby performing certain movements in certain given times,
such as the old and well known passage of sand, which falling through a
small aperture may be made to supply in any given time sufficient weight
at one end of the locking lever to lift or raise the other end, or vice versa.
The same effect may also be attained by using either the well-known measurer
of time, commonly called a clepsydra, or the principle thereof, or any suitable
self-acting power capable of being applied as a measurer of time, and likewise
of producing the necessary and requisite motion of the parts that lock and
secure the moveable fastenings above described. A similar effect may also
be produced by consuming oil or any other suitable inflamable substance or
material, which, being applied in any suitable vessel on one end of the locking
lever, will by its consumption while burning become lighter, and thereby
cause the elevation of the end to which it is applied at any given period of
time..
And, lastly, I further declare that I have not given any scale or directions
for the dimensions of the parts of my mechanism or apparatus, because they
may be made of any dimension to suit the various safes, presses, boxes or
other receptacles to which they may be applied, that being a subject at all
times optional, and at the discretion of the manufacturer or the purchaser.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Rutherford, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and thirty-one