Improvements in Door Bolting Mechanism and in Indicators therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Bolting Mechanism and in Indicators therefor.
I, HENRY DEFRIES, of 147, Houndsditch, London, E.C., Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of indicators for
lavatory doors and the like purposes, with the object of indicating whether or
not the lavatory or interior is engaged. My invention is applicable to right or
left hand doors of varying thickness and consists essentially of two portions, the
inner and outer portion.
The inner portion operated by the occupant of the lavatory or room consists
of a casing and a bent or cranked lever, one arm of which enters a staple in the
door frame, the other arm being used as a handle or lever for this purpose. The
cranked lever is secured upon a spindle passing through the casing and entering
the door and this spindle, preferably of square section, acts as a socket upon a
spindle projecting inwardly from the outer casing or portion of the indicator.
This spindle is fitted with a crank, a cam, or other similar device, which on
being rotated causes a tablet or similar indicator to rise or fall vertically in front
of a window in the outer casing.
On suitably actuating the inner cranked lever, therefore, the outer indicator
will be correspondingly altered.
In carrying out my invention I propose to construct the inner portion of a
metal casing or shallow box through which passes a hollow spindle. The outer
end of this spindle is secured to the angle of a bent or cranked lever, one arm
of which is fitted with a knob to serve as a handle and the other arm of which
is intended to enter a staple in the door post. To this spindle and within the
box casing is affixed a suitable cam bearing against a flat or curved spring also
secured within the casing by means of which spring and cam the spindle and,
consequently, the cranked lever may be held in the desired position."
Suitable studs or stops are secured to preferably the face of the lock casing to
limit the movements of the lever.
The hollow spindle may be screw-threaded and a nut or bush screwed thereon
partly entering the casing and serving as a bearing for the said spindle.
This inner casing is secured to the door by means of screws or otherwise. As
already stated the hollow spindle of the inner casing projects into the framework
of the door and passes over a spindle projecting inwardly from the outer casing
or indicator proper, in such a manner that the hollow spindle causes this second
spindle to partially rotate with it, and for this purpose the spindles may be of.
square or similar shaped section, or a screw device may be employed therefor.
The outer casing is fitted with a window or slot through which a tablet bearing
the words "vacant," "engaged" or similar indications may be perceived. This
tablet slides vertically in the casing and its rear portion is furnished with a
link, loop or slot in which a pin secured to a crank arm may travel. The
crank arm in its turn is secured to the end of the second or smaller spindle so

page_text: that when the latter is given a quarter-turn the crank and pin will cause the
tablet to rise or fall as the case may be.
The tablet is fitted with suitable guides in the casing, and in lieu of the
crank and pin slot device, a suitable cam or equivalent device may be employed.
As the tablet rises the portion of it in front of the window changes from
to engaged, or rice versa.
vacant"
Since the hollow spindle passes over the whole or only a portion of the second
spindle in the manner of a sheath this improved indicator may be applied to
doors of varying thickness,
The whole is so arranged that when the door is closed and the projecting and
locking arm of the cranked lever has been caused to enter the door post the
window shows" engaged and when the lever is in'it's alternate position the
"
window shows vacant
improvements in Door Bolting Mechanism and in Indicators therefor.
1, HENRY DEFRIES, of 147, Houndsditch, London; E.C., Manufacturer, 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 follow-
ing statement: —
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of indicators for
lavatory doors and the like purposes, with the object of indicating whether or
not the lavatory or interior is engaged. My invention consists as usual, of an
inside door-bolting mechanism working in conjunction with an exterior and
always visible indicator device, the parts being operated in a novel manner;
my invention is applicable to right or left-hand doors of varying thickness.
Referring to the annexed drawings,
Figure 1 is an elevation of the door bolting mechanism secured to the inside
of the door.
Figure 2 is a similar side view of the bolting mechanism and the indicator.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the indicator attached to the outside of the
door.
Figure 4 is a rear view of the indicator detached from the door.
The bolting mechanism is composed of a metal casing or shallow box a through
which passes a hollow spindle b. The outer end of this spindle is secured to
the angle of a bent or cranked lever cone arm of which is intended to enter a
staple in the door post. To this spindle 6 and within the box casing a. is affixed
a suitable came bearing against a flat or curved spring f also secured within
the casing by means of which spring and cam the spindle and, consequently,
the cranked lever may be held in the desired position.
Suitable studs or stops are secured to preferably the face of the lock casing
to limit the movements of the lever c.
The hollow spindle is screw-threaded and a nut or bush h screwed thereon
partly entering the casing and serving as a bearing for the said spindle.
This inner casing is secured to the door by means of screws or otherwise.
As already stated, its hollow spindle b projects into and partly through the frame-
work of the door and passes over a spindle 61 also projecting inwardly but from

page_text: the outer casing or indicator proper m, in such a manner that the hollow spindle b
causes this second spindle b' to rotate with it, and for this purpose the spindles
may be of square or similarly shaped section, or an ordinary screw device, as
commonly employed for door handles, may be employed therefor.
The outer casing m is fitted with a window or slot through which a tablet "
bearing the words "vacant," "engaged or similar indications may be perceived.
This tablet slides vertically in the casing m and its rear portion is furnished
with a link, loop or slot o in which a pin p secured to a crank arm may travel.
The crank arm in its turn is secured to the end of the second or smaller spindle &
so that when the latter is given a quarter-turn the crank and pin will cause
the tablet to rise or fall as the case may be!
The tablet is fitted with suitable guides in the casing m, and in lieu of
the crank and pin slot device, a suitable cam or equivalent device may be
employed for lifting the indicator and in this case, when it is desired to again
lower the tablet, the cam-movement will be reversed and the tablet will con-
sequently fall.
::
As the tablet rises, the portion of it in front of the window changes from
vacant" to "occupied or vice versa, as may be arranged for. On the draw-
ings, the upper portion thereof denotes vacant and the lower "engaged."
Since the hollow spindle passes over the whole or only a portion of the second
spindle in the manner of a sheath, this improved indicator may be applied to
doors of varying thickness.
The whole is so arranged that when the door is closed and the projecting and
locking arm of the cranked lever has been caused to enter the door post, the
window shows "engaged" and when the lower is in its alternate position the
window shows vacant."
On Figure 4 it will be seen that the upward motion of the indicator tablet is
arrested by the central sliding rod, abutting against the top of the casing, and
the downward movement of the tablet by the driving pin upon the crank arm
reaching the end of the slot in the back of the tablet. By this or by similar
means, the rise and fall or the tablet and the quarter-turn of the spindle are
suitably restricted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1). In a door-bolting mechanism and indicator therefor, the combination
comprising a partially rotatable hollow spindle provided with a bell-cranked lever
whose movement is limited by stops, one arm of which lever is provided with a
handle, the other arm engaging the door-post or a staple attached thereto, the
said spindle passing through a casing containing a flat spring acting upon a
cam upon said shaft, and said hollow spindle engaging a spindle projecting
inwardly from the indicator attached to the outside of the door, which second
spindle is provided with a crank arm and pin working in a transverse slot of
a sliding indicator, whereby said sliding tablet may be moved across a window
in the front of the indicator, substantially as described.
(2). A door bolting mechanism and indicator therefor, constructed, combined
and arranged to operate as herein described and as illustrated on the accompany-
ing sheet of drawings.
Nakon 1000