IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING INCREASED SECURITY TO THE LOCKS OR OTHER FASTENINGS OF SAFES AND OTHER DEPOSITORIES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Matthias Hart, of the Firm of Hobbs, Hart, and
Company, of Cheapside, in the City of London, Lock and Safe Manufacturers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING
INCREASED SECURITY TO THE LOCKS OR OTHER FASTENINGS OF SAFES AND
OTHER DEPOSITORIES."
Sealed the 3rd November 1876, and dated the 21st June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Matthias Hart at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June 1876.
JOHN MATTHIAS HART, of the Firm of Hobbs, Hart, and Company, of Cheapside,
in the City of London, Lock and Safe Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING INCREASED SECURITY TO THE LOCKS OR OTHER
FASTENINGS OF SAFES AND OTHER DEPOSITORIES."
The object of the Invention is to obtain increased security to the locks or other
fastenings of safes and other depositories by the application of change key and
automatic arrangements by which the bolts of locks may be held, blocked, retained,
or secured when locked, and the openings for the passage of the keys may be
retained closed for periods capable of regulation. For this purpose I employ rotary,
sliding, or other surface capable of being moved into position for blocking the bolts
of locks, also for stopping up the keyhole or keyholes, and the automatic arrange-
ment then locks such surface in position for the time desired determined upon,
during which the keyhole or holes are securely closed against access even by the
proper key or keys or other instruments, or the introduction of acids, gunpowder,
or other destructive or explosive matter.
The means for securing the keyholes may also effect the blocking of the bolts of
the lock.
The automatic arrangement I employ is a watch. alarum, tell-tale, or other known
clockwork arrangement, or a series of such like movements capable when wound up
of movement for and regulation to the time during which it may be desired to
retain the fastening closed.
The surfaces for closing the keyholes and retaining or securing the bolts may be
operated as desired by other key or keys or handle. The key or keys used may bo
capable of being changed at pleasure to give increased security from the use of false

page_text: or duplicate keys, and may operate the bolt of a lock made with ordinary tumblers
or levers provided with sliders held by fixed teeth.
In place of a key a handle or handles may be employed. The surface or surfaces
when closed are held for the desired time by a bolt or other holding means retained
by the automatic means employed, or the automatic means may act directly to
retain the closing means. The means of securing the handles for working the
surfaces so as to prevent those handles from falsely indicating, and to prevent
violence to the locks, is by forming the shaft or spindle in two parts, with recessed
V grooves held in position by means of a set screw passing into the recessed groove
in the axis that works the closing surface or surfaces.
The
The position of the axis being enclosed all means of tampering with the position
of the handle is avoided, thereby securing correct indication by its means.
holding power of the set screw being limited prevents the interior parts of the
mechanism from being damaged by force or other pulling means.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Matthias Hart in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
December 1876.
JOHN MATTHIAS HART, of the Firm of Hobbs, Hart, and Company, of Cheapside,
in the City of London, Lock and Safe Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS
OR APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING INCREASED SECURITY TO THE LOCKS OR OTHER
FASTENINGS OF SAFES AND OTHER DEPOSITORIES."
The object of the first part of the Invention is to obtain increased security to the
locks or other fastenings of safes and other depositories by the application of means
acting with automatic arrangements by which the openings for the passage of the
keys may be retained closed, and the bolts of locks held, blocked, retained, or
secured when locked for periods capable of regulation. For this purpose I employ
rotary, sliding, or other surface capable of being moved into position for blocking
the bolts of locks or fastenings, also for stopping up the keyhole or keyholes, and
the automatic arrangement then locks such surface in position for the time desired
determined upon, during which the keyhole or holes are securely closed against
access, even by the proper key or keys or other instruments, or the introduction of
acids, gunpowder, or other destructive or explosive matter.
The means for securing the keyholes may also effect the blocking of the bolts of
the lock or fastenings.
"
In place of keys a handle or handles may be employed. The moving plates or
surfaces when closed are held for the desired time by a bolt or other holding means
retained by the automatic means employed, or the automatic means may act directly
to retain the closing means.
The automatic arrangement I employ is a watch alarum, tell-tale, or other known
clockwork arrangement, or a series of such like movements capable when wound up
of movement for and regulation to the time during which it may be desired to
retain the fastening closed.
The key or keys used may according to the second part of my Invention be
capable of being changed at pleasure to give increased security from the use of false
or duplicate keys, and may operate the bolt of a lock made with ordinary tumblers
or levers provided with sliders held by fixed teeth.
In order the better to secure the handles for working the surfaces so as to prevent
those handles from falsely indicating as well as to prevent violence to the locks I
according to the third part of the Invention form the shaft or spindle thereof in
two parts with recessed grooves, and the parts are held in correct relative position
by means of a set screw passing into this recessed groove.
The parts of this axis are enclosed, so that all means of tampering with the

page_text: the exercise of undue force on the axis.
In order however that the Invention may be more fully understood I will by the
aid of the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me in
carrying the same into effect,
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an internal or sectional front view, and Figure 2, a horizontal
sectional view of one arrangement of apparatus according to my Invention. In both
Figures the same letters apply. In this case a represents a plate of a circular form
capable of partial rotation within the outer and inner plates b and c of the door or
other surface to which it is applied. This plate a is provided with a pivot or axis a¹
by which it is capable of turning freely in a suitable hole formed for it in the outer
plate b, and which pivot may either be formed with a slit like that of an ordinary
screw head, or it may be otherwise formed to receive a suitable key, or it may be
provided with a handle, by which the desired partial rotations may be effected; d
and e represent parts of main or other bolts applied to the interior of the door or
other surface, and which when desired are moved into position by any suitable
means for effecting the locking or secure holding of the door or other surface to
which they are to be applied; and the object of the Invention is further to secure
such bolts in such locked position as shown. It is assumed that the bolts d and e
have been locked or shot, and when so shot the bolt d is first held in position by
the bolt of the lock f. The keyhole f of this lock is then closed by the partial
turning of the plate a, by which the holes in the plates b and c corresponding with
that to the lock fis closed by the corresponding hole in the plate a, being in the
partial rotation of the plate a removed to a short distance therefrom, and at the
same time the outer end of a bolt a² applied to the disc a enters a recess e¹ formed
for it in the bolt e to hold that bolt e locked. The dotted lines h and i show the
position of other keyholes formed through the plates b and c, but closed by the
partial rotation of a plate a and the consequent removal of the corresponding holes
in the plate a to h¹; i, j, represents another lock, the bolt of which may be used to
lock the plate a when desired.
k represents the outline of an automatic arrangement of locking means, by the
lock k¹ of which the plate a may be held from partial rotation when in the position
indicated. The tendency of this bolt k¹ is when the plate a is turned so that the
recess a³ for it comes opposite to the bolt k¹ to lock itself, and at the same time to
release the clockwork or such like movement indicated by the dials k³, k², which
movement is capable of being set as is well understood in relation to such apparatus
to run for a given number of hours, and then by a catch of acting on the bolt k¹ to
withdraw it from its corresponding recess in the plate a, so as to admit of that plate
then being partially turned to admit of access to the respective keyholes. In the
partial rotation of the plate a as described another bolt a affixed thereto enters a
recess in the bolt f¹ to hold that bolt securely in position.
The thickness or number or character of the plates represented by a, b, and c may
be varied, as may also the material of which they are composed.
Figures 3 and 4 show another arrangement, in which a plate a of the character
described is formed as before with a bolt a3 affixed thereto to lock into a recess e
in a bolt e to lock it, and when so locked that bolt as may be held by the bolt of
a lock I, and at the same time a stud a' on the bolt a acts on the sliding rod m,
which is capable of sliding freely by its slotted openings m³ on the fixed studs m³,
m¹, and by its pin m² on one end of the rocking lever n, which lever n is capable of
turning on a fixed stud n¹, and at its other end by the pin o¹ of acting on the bolt o
to slide it, so that one end o³ of it may enter a corresponding recess d¹³ in a bolt d to
hold that secure as desired. k represents the case of an automatic arrangement
provided with a bolt, which so soon as the end o³ of the bolt o is withdrawn from a

page_text: recess therein acts by a bolt therein to close that opening, and prevent the return of
the end o within that case until the automatic arrangement has been at work for
a period previously determined upon, and capable of being varied at pleasure by
those in charge. When the block to the re-entry of the end o³ of the bolt o is
again removed to admit of the re-entry of that part o³, and the partial rotation of
the plate a to release the bolts d and e, and bring the holes a, a, in the plate a
again coincident with the holes * on the plates b and c for the action therein of
suitable keys on enclosed locks, the door or other enclosure may then be opened.
Figure 5 shows a modification in which the plate a when turned so as to remove
the keyholes therein from being coincident with those in the fixed plates of the
door or other part to which it is applied, also operates by teeth thereon acting in
corresponding teeth in bolts p, q, to cause their ends p¹, q', to lock into corresponding
recesses formed for them in bolts d and e to retain those bolts in position when they
have been otherwise locked. represents the case of an automatic arrangement
such as already referred to, with a bolt to prevent the return therein of the end pe
of the bolt p until on the expiration of the time determined upon, and to which the
automatic arrangement has been set.
Figure 6 shews the same arrangement in the position for the parts being released
for opening.
Figure 7 represents a modification in which keyholes r, ?, to internal locks
are capable of being closed by the sliding of the ends of plates 8, 8, over those
holes, as shown by Figure 8. These plates 8, 8, are, like the plates a, to be enclosed
within the inner and cuter plates of the door or other part, and they are slided as
desired by a handle or other key actuating the axis t¹ and acting by the teeth of
the pinion t on corresponding teeth to those plates 8, 8, as shown, or by other
suitable means. When moved into the position indicated by Figure 8 they may
be locked both by the bolt u¹ of a lock u and by the bolt of an automatic
arrangement k, timed to withdraw that bolt k' again when desired to withdraw the
slides 8, 8.
Figures 9 and 10 show two similar internal views, but with the parts in different
positions, of parts of a lock arranged according to the second part of my Invention.
Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 shew parts separately.
A represents parts of the case of the lock; A', the key or "drill" pin for the
support and guidance of a suitable key in its action on the parts of the lock; B, the
bolt; C, the keyhole, which however may be otherwise situated for the admission
of the key employed for operating the parts of the lock in locking and unlocking,
but this may be varied, as is well understood; E and F represent tumblers or levers
of the ordinary character, and which may be greatly varied; G and H show slides
according to this part of the Invention to act with the tumblers or levers E and F
and with the fixed teeth I. The tumblers or levers E and F shown turn upon a
fixed stud J, and they have a tendency to be borne in one direction in the usual
way by the slight springs E, F, but the means of holding and thus bearing on the
tumblers used may be varied. Each of the tumblers is formed with a notch or
recess E or F2 to receive a projection G or H' from the slides G and H. The
slides G and H are formed each with a slotted opening G2 and H2 respectively
through them to receive pins K standing out from the bolt B, by which, whilst
those slides are capable of vertical motion on the pins K, they are controlled to
move to and fro with the bolt B in its movement for locking or unlocking.
According to the arrangement shown there are two slides G, each being formed
with similar notches G³, corresponding in form and distance apart with the teeth I,
and these slides G may be applied, one on the top and the other at the bottom of
the series of slides G, H, whilst the slides H, in number determined upon at
pleasure, occupy the intermediate space, each slide G and H having a corresponding
tumbler or lever to act with it; or all the series may be alike in having a larger
number of such notches.
The key used in locking must be formed not only to throw the bolt correctly, but
also so that the tumbler E may lift the slides G, so that as they are carried forward

page_text: with the bolt, the notches thereof G³ may go directly on to the teeth I; the steps or
rises on the key for acting on the intermediate tumblers or levers F for raising the
intermediate slides must be simply such as will cause the slides H to be raised, so
that as carried forward by the bolt B some of the notches H³ therein may be caught
by the fixed teeth I, when all the slides will then be held in that relation to each
other until it is desired to unlock the lock, and consequently it will be seen that in
order to release the respective tumblers and slides the same key, or one with the
same rises or steps as that used for the locking, must be employed for the unlocking,
but for re-locking, another key or one with changeable rises or steps to act on the
tumblers F, and through them on the slides H, may be employed, and in liko
manner may any number of changes in heights and relations of heights of the steps
of the key used for acting on the tumblers or levers F and slides H of such a lock
may be adopted; but in all cases the same key or arrangement of key must be
employed for the unlocking as has been used for the locking.
The forms and means of action of the parts, together with the number and form
of the teeth I employed, may be greatly varied.
In this lock, as shewn, the key to be employed is of the description known as a
"pipe" key, but it will readily be understood that the ordinary adaptation only will
be required to fit it for the use of a "pin" key or a "flat" key when desired.
Figure 17 by sectional view, and Figures 18 and 19 by side views, represent an
illustration of the third part of my Invention, in which L and M represent the two
parts of the spindle, which may be that employed to actuate the plate a or other of
the parts or the followers of the locks, and these parts of the spindle are passed
through the follower N or other. part to be actuated thereby, such as, for instance,
the axis a¹ of the plate a, or the axis t¹ of the pinion t (in Figures 7 and 8), or other
part to be moved, and are there held correctly and firmly by the action thereon of a
screw O, to which access is obtainable only through the lock.
In Figure 18 this double spindle is represented as adapted to the use of only one
handle, and Figure 19 shews the same adapted for the use of a handle at each end
thereof.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangements of parts as shewn and described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention; but what I claim
is,-
First. The arranging or combining parts of locks or other fastenings of safes and
other depositories whereby rotatory sliding or other surfaces may be moved so as to
act in checking the bolts, and also for stopping up the keyholes to locks thereof, and
such surfaces may be held for periods capable of regulation by automatic arrange-
ments, substantially as described.
Secondly. I claim the arranging the parts of locks for safes and other depositories
with slides adapted to act with suitable tumblers or "levers" and holding teeth to
facilitate effecting changes in the keys used with such locks, substantially as
described.
Thirdly. I claim the forming the spindles or shafts of locks used with locks or
other fastenings of safes and other depositories in two parts held firmly in the
follower or such like part by set screw, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Matthias Hart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.