An Improved Method of Fastening or Locking Boxes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left. 12th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Fastening or Locking Boxes.
HERBERT YOUNG DICKINSON 140 Inverness Terrace Bayswater London, W.
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
I use generally two disks, made of tin or other suitable metal, which I fix inside
the box, (flat against the side where an ordinary lock is placed), on either side of
the hasp. The disks are connected each through their centres to an index hand or
finger, (similar to that of a clock) on the outside of the box. There is a slot cut
on the edge of each disk and these index bands serve to turn the disks from the
There is a
outside of the box, so as to bring the slots to any required position.
hole in the side of the box between the disks, and which they partly close on either
side, except when they are turned so that their slots come even with the hole, in
which case the slots correspond with the hole. There is a T piece fixed to the hasp,
which piece passes through the hole in the box, and by moving the index
fingers to another position, the disks on either side lock the arms of the T piece.
The hasp it will be evident, can only be withdrawn, when the index hand of each
disk is turned so as to bring each slot even with the hole again. I arrange
letters or figures in a circle around the index hands as guide. I also in some
cases corrugate the edges of the disks, the corrugations running the same way as the
spokes of a wheel. I do not bind myself to use any particular number of disks, or
to the material used in manufacture.
Dated this 12th day of December 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Fastening or Locking Boxes.
I, HERBERT YOUNG DICKINSON, of 140 Inverness Terrace Bayswater London,
Gentleman, 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
following statement :-
This invention consists in arranging or placing certain discs in such positions as
shall lock or unlock the hasp fastening of Boxes or padlocks.
These discs are placed upon a centre and so arranged that they almost touch each
other and they are placed in the case of boxes on the inside of that part of the box
where the lock is usually arranged and although I may use several discs, I find that
two are sufficient to form a good and safe lock.
These discs aforementioned are connected with a smaller disc in a manner hereinafter
described and this smaller disc has a pin which projects through the box as its
centre, and upon this centre the discs revolve and at the outside of this centre is
a hand or pointer and by means of this pointer on the outside of the Box the
discs on the inside are turned round. On each of the larger discs a slot is cut
out at the outside edge of the disc and in a line with the diametrical centre line
of the disc. A slot is also cut in the box side itself in such a position that the two
slots in two discs may exactly agree with same.
Radiating corrugations are formed near the edge of each disc.
A hasp is now arranged to the lid of the box in such a manner that a T shaped
If the discs are now
end to same may pass through the slot in side of box.
turned round the hasp will be secured as the slotted parts of the discs are moved
away from the slot in the box.

page_text: To re-open the lock these slots in the discs must be brought exactly to agree
with the slots in the box.
In order to know exactly when these slots are in position for withdrawing the
hasp I place letters or figures or similar signs on the box around a circle which
is described by the hand or pointer and I arrange the discs in such a manner that
I know when the hands point to certain letters or figures then the hasp is unlocked
and if either hand point to another letter or figure then the hasp is locked.
As it may be desirous to re-arrange the letters at which the hasp opens I arrange
the following device a further portion of my Improvements.
The smaller disc aforementioned (and of which the pointer is an integral part)
has upon it a projecting pin and the large disc is perforated with as many small
holes in a circle as there are letters or signs upon the outside of the box. The
large disc is secured to the smaller one by placing it so that the pin of the
smaller disc passes through one of the holes of the larger disc and then a sinall
screw nut is added. These small holes are stamped with the same letters or signs
as are placed upon the outside of the box-It will thus be readily seen that by
these means the discs and pointer can be so arranged or re-arranged that any one
letter or sign indicate that position which shall mean the unlocked hasp. I can
arrange my discs in a padlock and the T piece of hasp at the end of a small chain in
such a manner as to enable me to secure such articles as a chain will fasten and I
intend to make this variation for the locking of Bycicles and such like.
In order that the nature of my said improvements may be the more fully understood
I will now proceed to describe the various Figures on the sheet of drawings hereunto
annexed all of which figures are marked with the like letters of reference throughout.
Figure 1, is a front elevation of a box shewing my said improvements the lid is
shewn slightly raised.
Figure 2 is a section through the box shewing the discs in interior.
Figure 3 is a part view of the interior of the box shewing smaller disc and the
dotted lines shew both the larger disc and the pointer beyond.
Figure 4 shews the larger discs more in detail.
In Figure 1. A is the hasp on lid with the T shaped termination, B, B are the
hands or pointers which can be turned to point to any of the letters shown in circles,―
C is the hole or slot in box.
In Figure 2. D D are the discs which can be arranged to either partially cover or
wholly uncover the slot C. & C are the slots in these discs.
In Figure 3. E is the smaller disc having the pin F near its circumference.
In Figure 4, the small holes marked each with a letter of the Alphabet are those
holes that receive the pin F. the radiating lines near the circumference are corruga-
tions which assist in disguising the real position of the slot in the disc-G is the
screw nut.
As my improvements are capable of some modifications without departing from the
principle thereof I do not restrict myself to materials, dimensions, or the precise form
or placement of the several parts thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what 1
claim is :-
A lock which is locked and unlocked through the agency of two or more revolving
discs controlled by means of pointers substantially as hereinbefore set forth in this
specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of September 1889.
RAYNER & CASSELL,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.