IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF Locks
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Dorman Hodgson, of 5, Paper Buildings,
Temple, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
Locks."
Sealed the 16th February 1866, and dated the 26th August 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Dorman Hodgson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th August 1865.
I, EDMUND DORMAN HODGSON, of 5, Paper Buildings, Temple, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF LOCKS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of locks.
In order to obtain greater security I employ in addition to the ordinary bolt
and tumblers another bolt actuated by the same key, and by one movement
or rotation thereof immediately the first bolt is shot the second bolt is by the
continued rotation of the key locked into or behind the first bolt, so as to
block it.
In a similar manner three or a greater number of bolts may be shot in
succession by a single movement or rotation of the key,each bolt in succession
locking the bolt shot immediately before it. There may be tumblers in

page_text: connection with each bolt, or one or more only of the bolts may be furnished
with tumblers. The last bolt of the series also I block by means of a spring
blocking piece actuated from the keyhole by the end of the key. The end
of the key is notched like that of a Bramah lock,and the instrument against
which it comes when introduced into the keyhole carries' corresponding projec-
tions; the key when put into the keyhole pushes back this instrument, and with
it the spring block of the last bolt,and having done this it will have entered
sufficiently far to be turned round to act on the bolts in succession.
For safe and similar locks where bolts are required to be shot from two
or more sides of the lock case the blocking bolts above mentioned may
be made to project out of the lock case; otherwise they may be entirely
contained within it. The spring blocking working in the manner herein.
before described may be used in tumbler locks where but one bolt is
employed.
or
According to another arrangement a cylinder or barrel is employed, and
on this are teeth or projections which when the barrel is turned move first
the main bolt and then a secondary bolt, which comes in behind it and blocks
it; if desired more than one such secondary bolt may be employed. The
cylinder or barrel is rotated by the key, it has a keyhole in its centre, and
the first act of the key when turned is to arrange tumblers which before by
their gatings retained the cylinder or barrel; as soon as the cylinder or barrel
is free the key commences to rotate it and cause it to act on the bolts. In
some cases I employ in conjunction with a straight bolt, to which tumblers
may be applied if desired, a bolt of a semicircular form (or it may be greater
less than a semicircle); the key in locking first shoots the straight bölt and
then rotates the curved bolt so as to cause its end to lock into the tail of the
said straight boit. I also in some cases employ in combination two semicircular
bolts (or they may be other portions of a circle), one to act as the main bolt
and the other as a secondary bolt to block it. The key after arranging
tumblers or otherwise rotates the main bolt, and so causes one of its ends
to pass out of the lock case on one side, and after travelling over to enter
it again on the other side; in doing this it catches into the door or lid to be
secured when the key is withdrawn from the keyhole, the secondary bolt is
thrown up by a spring and blocks it. The key is made with notches at the
end like a Bramah key, and there are corresponding projections at the bottom
of the keyhole ou an instrument in connection with the secondary block.
When the key is introduced into the keyhole to unlock or withdraw the boltit
first depresses the secondary bolt,and then having entered just sufficiently farit
can be turned round to move the main bolt:

page_text: Another part of my Invention relates to improvements on an Invention for
which a Patent was granted to me dated 14th March 1865 (No. 714), and
which consisted in part in securing the doors of safes where the doors were
made to slide in place of opening on hinges by introducing blocking pieces into
the spaces in which the doors moved. According to my present Invention I
actuate such blocking pieces by means of the safe locks. I connect the
blocking piece with the bolt by levers turning on centres so that the motion
of the blocking piece is transverse of or at an angle to the direction in which
the bolts shoot. A similar motion may be given to the blocking piece from
the lock bolt by means of inclines. Also in the Specification of my said former
Patent I have described a method of securing the doors of safes when they
work on hinges by means of blocking bars made to enter behind lugs on the
door, but such blocking bars were employed on two sides only of the door;
I now employ them on all four sides. By a combination of levers on the door
actuated bya handle the blocks are all simultaneously drawn inwards to secure
the door, and pushed outwards to free it when unlocked. The levers are not
attached to the blocks, but they catch into them when the door is closed,
and leave them when the door is opened.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edmund Dorman Hodgson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th February 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
DORMAN HODGSON, of 5, Paper Buildings, Temple, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and graut unto me, the
said Edmund Dorman Hodgson, Her special licence that I, the said Edmund
Dorman Hodgson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edmund Dorman Hodgson, 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 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF LOCKS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edmund Dorman Hodgson, my executors or adminis-

page_text: trators, 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 Edmund Dorman Hodgson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of locks.
In order to obtain greater security I employ in addition to the ordinary bolt
and tumblers other bolts actuated by the same key, and by one movement or
rotation thereof, immediately the first bolt is shot the second bolt is by the
continued rotation of the key locked into or behind the first bolt so as to
block it, and so with the third bolt. In this manner three or greater
number of bolts may be shot in succession by a single movement or rotation
of the key (which is an ordinary single bitted key), each bolt in succession
locking the bolt shot immediately before it. There may be tumblers in
connection with each bolt or one or more only of the bolts may be furnished
with tumblers. For safe and similar locks where bolts are required to be
shot from two or more sides of the lock case, the blocking bolts above
mentioned may be made to project out of the lock case, otherwise they may
be entirely contained within it.
Figure 1 is a plan of a lock constructed with a series of bolts blocking
each other in succession in the manner above stated; Figure 2 is a similar
view with the bolts shot out as when locked; in both views the cover plate
of the lock is removed. Figures 3 shew the parts separately. a is the
first bolt of the lock; it has a stump a¹ upon it; b is a tumbler working
therewith, it turns upon a pin b¹, fixed into the lock plate; and this pin also
serves as a guide for the bolt a; it passes through a slotted hole in the bolt;
c is the second bolt of the series; it has slots c¹, c', in it, through which pins
fixed in the lock plate project; one of these pins serves as a centre for the
tumbler d, which works with the stump on the bolt. As soon as the first
bolt a is shot by the key in the usual way the bolt c immediately follows and
its tail centers the notch a² in the bolt a; e is another or extra bolt coupled
with the bolt c by the leverf turning at f' on a stud on the lock plate; g
a third bolt in the sories, and g', g', are guide slots therein through which
studs on the lock plate project; his a tumbler turning on one of these studs
and working with the stump g2 on the bolt. When the key as it is turned
is

page_text: round comes up to this bolt, it, as with the previous bolts, places the tumbler
and then shoots the bolt forward, and the rear end of the bolt enters the
recess c'in the boltc, and so blocks it; i is the last bolt of the series; it works
in the same way as the other bolts; it has a stump i¹ upon it with which the
tumblerj works; this tumbler has a separate spring j¹fixed in the lock plate.
When the bolt i is shot its tail ³ enters a recess g³ in the bolt g and blocks
it, the point 3 of the bolt i also enters behind the bolt a and further secures
it. It will be seen that this lock can only be picked by operating in succession
on each bolt of the series. In locks for large safes each of the bolts a, c, g,
and e may be formed as is indicated at k in the 'Drawing. The last bolt of
the series may if desired be blocked by means of a spring blocking piece
actuated from the key hole by the end of the key. The end of the key is
in this case notched like that of a Bramah lock, and the instrument against
which it comes when introduced into the keyhole carries corresponding
projections; the key when put into the keyhole pushes back this instrument
and with it the spring block of the last bolt, and having done this it will have
entered sufficiently far to be turned round to act on the bolts in succession.
The spring block working in the manner herein-before described may be
used in locks where but one bolt is employed.
Figure 4 is a plan of a lock in which a spring bolt is employed to block
the main bolt as soon as it is shot. Figures 5 and 6 are sections of this
lock taken at the line 1, 1, Figure 4; in one of these sections the bolt is in
the position it occupies when shot, in the other it is shown withdrawn. In
the lock shown there is only one bolt besides the blocking bolt, but it is
evident that a spring blocking bolt may be employed when a greater number
of bolts are employed; a, a, is the main bolt on which the key acts in the
usual manner, it may if desired be furnished with tumblers as is usual, and in
this case the gating of the tumblers should be such that the tumblers will
take back
any
which
pressure
may be applied to the bolt a; b is the spring
or blocking bolt fixed on a spring arm b¹ secured to the lock plate by the
screw c. There is a hole through the spring arm b¹ surrounding the key pin d,
and in this hole a ring e is fitted so as to be able to turn round, and in this
ring are smali ribs or feathers projecting up to different heights and corre-
ponding with notches cut in the end of the barrel of the key. When the key
is put into the lock it presses down the spring arm 6', and whon the key is
stopped by the back plate of the lock it will have moved this arm just
sufficiently to bring the blocking bolt 6 opposite the slot a', cut for it in the
tail of the main bolt, and then the key on being turned is able to act and
shoot back the bolt. False notches may be made in the tail of the bolt a, to

page_text: catch the blocking bolt b, should the bolt a be pressed back when the
blocking bolt is incorrectly set.
Figure 7 is a plan of a lock (with the cover removed) in which in another
manner a bolt is by means of a spring caused to enter behind the main bolt
after it has been shot so as to block it. Figures 8 show some of the parts
separately. a is the main bolt, upon it the tumbler is centred at 6'; c
is the blocking bolt, it is placed behind the main bolt, and arranged to slide
vertically, being guided by slots c' in it, which studs on the lock plate enter;
it is pressed downwards by the spring c²; c³ is the part of this bolt which
descends behind the main bolt a so as to block it; cf is a stump working with
the tumbler b; d is another lever or tumbler fitted with a springdi pressing
it towards the centre pin of the key. The action is as follows:-The key
first places the lever d so as to allow the stump c* to rise in the slot formed
for it in the bolt, the key then raises this stump to a suitable height by acting
on the blocking bolt c, and at the same time it lifts the part c³ of this bolt up
from behind the end of the bolt a, afterwards the key places the tumbler b
and shoots back the bolt a; c³ is a stud on the blocking bolt c which for
additional security catches into the top of the bolt a when it is shot.
Figure 9 is a plan with the cover removed of a lock in which the spring
blocking bolt is arranged to turn on a centre in a similar manner to a
tumbler.
Figure 10 is a similar view to that shewn at Figure 9, but with the parts
of the lock in such a position that the bolt may be drawn back or unlocked.
Figures 11 show some of the parts separately. a is the main bolt sliding on
guide pins a¹, a², on the lock plate; 6 is the blocking bolt turning on the
pin a¹; it is acted on by a spring b¹, which when the bolt a is shot brings up
its tail 63 behind the bolt a so as to block it. 63, 63, are stumps on the piece b,
projecting through it on each side, and on the under side they enter slots or
gatings in the bolt a. c and d are tumblers with springs c¹ and d¹; these
tumblers work with the upper ends of the stumps 63, thus in unlocking the
key has first to arrange the tumblers c and d so that their gatings may allow
the blocking bolt b with its stumps to move; the key then acts on this
blocking bolt. and depresses its end 62 clear of the back of the bolt a, at the
same time bringing the stumps 63 into the longitudinal part of their slot in
the bolt a; lastly, the key shoots back the bolt which is then free, the springs
bring back the parts b, c, and d. In locking the key arranges these parts
before shooting the bolt.
Figure 12 is a plan, with the cover removed, of another lock with a spring
blocking bolt turning on a centre or pivot. Figures 13 shew some of the

page_text: parts separately. a is the main bolt sliding on a guide pin a', and having a
stump a upon it. bis the blocking bolt fitted with a spring, and turning on
the pin a¹; its thickened part b at the back comes behind the bolt a. This
part is recessed to receive the tail of the bolt a; and it also has false
notches formed in it, as is, shown, corresponding with similar.notches in the
tail of the bolt a. c is an ordinary tumbler with a spring; it also turns on
the pin a; more than one such tumbler may be employed if desired. In this
arrangement, if back pressure is put on the bolt with the object of picking
the lock the pressure is taken first by the tumbler or tumblers c, the gating
in the bolt b being made wide. Should the arrangement of tumblers be found
(as it may be) the bolt a will go back on to the blocking bolt b, and be
caught by the false notches therein, and from these it cannot be freed without
again, letting down the tumblers; d is a lump on the lock case which sup-
ports the blocking bolt b. In some cases I employ in conjunction with a
straight bolt, to which tumblers may be applied if desired, a bolt of a
semicircular form (or it may be greater or less than a semicircle), the key in
locking first shoots the straight bolt, and then rotates the curved bolt, so as
to cause its end to lock into the tail of the said straight bolt.
Figure 14 is a plan of the lock with the cover, plate removed, and with
the bolt drawn back as when unlocked. Figure 15 is a similar view, but
with the bolt shot. a is the main bolt which the key is able to move from
one position to the other in the usual manner, first arranging the tumblers b
which turn on the stud 6', fixed into the lock plate so that their gatings may
allow the stump a¹ of the bolt to pass. c is another or blocking bolt which is
moved by the key in a curved course in which it is guided by the slots c¹, c¹,
formed in it, through which studs on the lock plate project; this bolt has a
stump cupon it which works with tumblers & turning on a stud d¹ on the
lock plate. The bolt c it will be seen when shot descends behind the end of
the bolt a and blocks it, so that any back pressure put upon the bolt with
the object of feeling the gating of its tumblers, is taken by the bolt c, and is
transferred to the lump e on the lock plate, so that it does not fall on the
tumblers; thus the object is defeated. In using the key in locking it first
arranges the tumblers 6 and shoots the bolt a, and then it arranges the
tumblers & and shoots the bolt c behind the bolt a; in unlocking the order is
reversed, the bolt c is first drawn back, and then the bolt a follows: I also
in some cases employ in combination two semicircular bolts (or they may be
other portions of a circle), one to act as the main bolt, and the other as a
secondary bolt to block it. The key after arranging the tumblers or other-
wise rotates the main bolt, and so causes one of its ends to pass out of the
a,

page_text: lock case on one side, and after travelling over to enter it again on the other
side, in doing this it catches into the door or lid to be secured when the key
is withdrawn from the keyhole; the secondary bolt is thrown up by a spring
and blocks it.
2
Figure 16 shows a plan of a lock thus constructed, the cover being removed.
a is the main bolt, which is shown as it appears when shot; b is the blocking
bolt; it is held between guides c, c. Under one end of the bolt 6 is a spring d,
tending to throw it upwards, so that when the bolt a is shot it rises up beoind
it and blocks it; in unlocking or shooting back the bolt a the key first presses
down the blocking bolt b, and then when turned round it catches on the
horn a' of the bolt a and carries it forward, causing it to enter between the
guides c, c, and over the blocking bolt b. When the bolt a is fully withdrawn
the key comes round again to the keyhole and is withdrawn. In locking or
shooting the bolt forward out of the lock the key when introduced enters
between the horns a¹ and a², and as it is turned it carries the bolt with it, until
when fully locked in consequence of the eccentricity of the keyhole to the
guides c, c, the key escapes past the shorter horn a³, and is free to be with-
drawn at the keyhole, at the same time the blocking bolt b is thrown up by
its spring behind the bolt a. The key may in this case, as in Figures 4, 5,
and 6, be made with notches at the end, like a Bramah key, there being
corresponding projections at the bottom of the keyhole on an instrument in
connection with the secondary block. Or in place of locking the curved main
bolt by means of a spring blocking bolt, a bolt shot by the key may be
employed.
Figure 17 is a plan of such a lock with the cover removed; Figures 18
shew some of the parts separately. a is the curved bolt which the key partly
rotates in the manner described in respect to Figure 16. b is a straight
blocking bolt which the key acts on after it has shot the main bolt a ; it slides
on the guide pins 61, 61; 62, 63, are notches at the top of the bolt for the
stump c; it is mounted on a lever d which is pressed downwards by the
spring d'; the key as it comes round raises the lever d so as to clear the
stump c from the notch 62 in the bolt; the bolt 6 is then shot, and the stump
redescends into the notch 63 and secures the bolt. The bolt b when shot"
blocks the bolt a at both ends, the bolt a having recesses a', a', for the ends
of the bolt c to enter. In place of the lever d and stump c ordinary tumblers"
may be applied.
Another part of my Invention relates to improvements on an Invention for
which a Patent was granted to me, dated 14th March 1865 (No. 714), and 1
which consisted in part in securing the doors of safes where the door's were

page_text: made to slide in place of opening on hinges by introducing blocking pieces
into the spaces in which the doors moved.
According to my present Invention I actuate such blocking pieces by means
of the safe locks. I connect the blocking piece with the bolt by levers
turning on centres, so that the motion of the blocking piece is transverse of or
at an angle to the direction in which the bolts shoot.
Figure 19 is a front view of a safe with sliding doors having a lock with
a blocking piece combined with the bolt in such manner that when the bolt is
shot the blocking piece is thrown forward into the space into which the doors
slide on opening. Figure 20 is a horizontal section taken at the line A, A,
Figure 19; and Figure 21 is a vertical section taken at the line B, B,
Figure 19.
These Figures were shown in the Specification of my said former Patent
with a view to the explanation of the construction of the safe, and of the
general principle of applying blocks. a, a, is the frame; b, b, the sliding
doors on the two sides; c is the central door to which the lock is fixed; dis
the lock, and e is a bar fixed to its bolt, so that when the bolt is shot the bar
is raised. f, f, are rods jointed to the end of the bar e and linking it with
levers g, g, centred at g¹ to the frame a; his a blocking bar or piece fixed at
the ends of the levers g, and which when the bolt of the lock is raised by
the motion communicated to the leversg brought down in between the sliding
doors b, b, so as to block them and prevent them moving. A similar
motion may be given to the blocking piece from the lock bolt by means of
inclines.
2.
This arrangement is shown in plan at Figures 22, and in front view at
Figure 23. a, a, is a lock fixed to the door, or it may be to the frame of
the press; b, b, are inclines fixed to the lock bolt; c, c, are similar inclines
on the blocking piece, and these by working with the inclines b throw the
blocking piece forward when the bolt is shot. In place of these arrange-
ments a screw may be employed to throw the blocking piece forward.
This arrangement is particularly applicable when a Bramah lock is
employed.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,-
First, the use of three or more bolts acted on by the same key and key bit
and by the same rotation thereof, blocking each other in succession as
described in respect to Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Second, I claim the blocking a bolt shot by the key by means of a blocking
bolt caused by a spring to enter behind the first-mentioned bolt when it is

page_text: shot, as is described in respect to Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
I also claim the arranging the said spring blocking piece to be withdrawn
by means of the endway pressure of the key, as is described in respect to
Figures 4, 5, and 6.
Third, I claim the combining with a straight main bolt a blocking bolt
entering behind it when it is shot at a convenient curve or angle, as described
in respect to Figures 14 and 15.
Fourth, I claim the combining a blocking bolt with a semicircular or
curved main bolt as is described in respect to Figures 16, 17, and 18; also
the constructing t'e said blocking bolt of a semicircular or curved form, and
acting upon it by means of a spring, as illustrated in. Figure 16...
Fifth, I claim (in respect to constructing locks for securing the doors of
safes when the doors are arranged to slide) the combination of a blocking
piece with the bolt of the lock in such manner that when the bolt is shot the
blocking piece is thrown forward into the space the sliding door would
enter in opening. I also claim the combining the blocking piece with the
bolt of the lock by means of levers, as is described in respect to Figures 19,
20, and 21. I also claim the combining inclines with the bolt of a lock so as
to cause it to throw forward a blocking piece, as is described in respect to
Figures 22 and 23.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Dorman Hodgson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six: "
E. DOKMAN HODGSON. (L.S.)