IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES, AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING LOCK AND LATCH HANDLES, AND IN THEIR SPINDLES OR AXLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Matthias Hart at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st May 1880.
JOHN MATTHIAS HART, of the Firm of Hobbs, Hart, and Company, of Cheapside,
in the City of London, Lock and Safe Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
AND LATCHES, AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING LOCK AND LATCH HANDLES,
AND IN THEIR SPINDLES OR AXLES."
The improvements relate, firstly, to obtaining increased facility in the action and
the securing of the bolts of locks and latches, and the improvements are par-
ticularly applicable to locks and latches for the doors of railway and other
carriages.
Secondly. The improvements relate to obtaining increased facility in affixing
and adjusting lock and latch handles.
In carrying the first part of my improvements into effect by one system I form
the head of the bolt of the lock or latch with an obliquo bevil to it, curved
so as to allow of the bolt readily gliding with a minimum of friction over the
striking plate into the recess for it.
The spring and locking action of the bolt are effected by two trigger levers
working against the axial motion or follower or against the bolt, one of these levers
acting to block the bolt when in a locked position.
According to another system the latch and dead bolts work either together, or
the latch bolt may be working while the dead bolt is withdrawn into the
lock.
I work this compound movement by means of two arms from the axial motion
or follower.
The latch bolt is formed with a curved recess, which receives one arm of the
follower for withdrawing the latch bolt, and at the same time preventing any
accidental blocking of the latch. The dead bolt is worked by the second arm
acting on one end of an independent reversing lever, the opposite end of which
works in a recess formed for it in the dead bolt. The axial motion or follower is
held in correct position by the action thereon of the toothed end of a separate
trigger lever working from a separate centre, and actuated by a spring, the
circumference of this axial motion or follower being formed with inclined recesses
to aid the action of the toothed end. The two arms of the axial motion or
follower are in position, such that when the dead bolt is withdrawn into the
lock the latch bolt is perfectly free to act as a latch; or if the handle be turned
partly round in one direction to withdraw the latch bolt into the lock the dead

page_text: bolt will remain unmoved, and the action will be simply that of a latch. If
however the handle is turned partly round in the opposite direction until the tooth
of the trigger-lever catches into another notch provided for it, this lever arm will
actuate the reversing lever of the dead bolt, and thus cause the dead bolt to be
thrown forwards into a locked position, and by the same action the first arm will
be caused to abut against the curved portion of the recess in the latch bolt to
effectually block that bolt also in position, thereby giving the lock an amount of
strength equal to two dead bolts. The position of the handle will at once indicate
the position of both bolts, whether the door is on latch, or locked, or unfastened.
According to another arrangement I actuate the latch bolt by means of the dead
bolt. In this case the axial motion or follower is formed with an arm or with
teeth and a series of notches. The notches receive one end or part of the trigger
acting lever already referred to whilst the latch bolt has its spring action inde-
pendent of the axial motion, and is moved and worked in position by the dead
bolt by which the latch bolt is also withdrawn.
The arm or the teeth of the axial motion work in a corresponding recess or in
teeth in the dead bolt.
According to the second part of the Invention increased facility is afforded for
applying the same lock or latch handles to doors of different thicknesses. According
to one arrangement a series of holes are formed through the spindle as close to each
other lengthwise of the spindle as is consistent with retaining the required strength
to the spindle, and corresponding boles are formed in the neck of the handle but
ranged in a spiral direction around the neck of it. Four holes on opposite sides or
surfaces of the neck of the handle is a convenient number, but these may be
varied, each hole being formed so as to act a little in advance of its preceding hole.
By thus arranging these screw holes in the neck of the handle spirally around
the inner part or shoulder of the handle the distances between successive screw
holes in the spindle becomes practically divided into four parts, enabling the handle
to be brought close to the door with great accuracy even for different doors varying
from each other considerably in thickness. Before applying the handle to the spindle
the "rose
"is passed forward onto the neck of the handle, and after the handle has
been secured by screwing it as stated in position, the " rosc is then passed back
over the base of the neck of the handle and is screwed over the neck of the handl
or to the door, thereby covering from view the screw in the neck of the handle.
This completes the operation, leaving the usual appearance to the door handle with
the advantage of greatly increased security to the door handle.
"
According to another arrangement the "rose" is formed in two parts, one capable
of screwing on or into the other. The inner portion is first passed on to the spindle
and against the door, to which it is held by studs. The outer portion, which may in
appearance be similar to the usual door handle rose, is then screwed over or into the
inner one to draw out the inner portion until the adjustment between the outer end of
this inner portion, and the inner edge of the handle is complete; or this adjustment
of the inner to the outer portiou may be otherwise effected, when that outer portion
also is screwed to the door, covering up the inner portion entirely. The connection
of the handle to the spindle in this case may be through a single screw hole in the
handle.
When the spindles or axles are made longitudinally in two parts, each part at
its handle end is formed with a recess for the handle to allow of the two parts
being firmly rivetted to its handle without impeding the travelling of the respective
parts of the spindle, as the recesses prevent any obstruction. Such divided spindles
may be obliquely grooved on their adjoining faces to increase the gripping power
of them when they are held together by their retaining screw.