AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE STRIKING PLATES OR STAPLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER CARRIAGE DOOR LOCKS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wilkes, of Bloxwich, in the County of, Stafford,
Locksmith, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE STRIKING PLATES
OR STAPLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER CARRIAGE DOOR LOCKS."
Sealed the 24th April 1878, and dated the 3rd November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wilkes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1877.
WILLIAM WILKES, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Locksmith. "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE STRIKING PLATES OR STAPLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND
OTHER CARRIAGE DOOR LOCKS."
"
The object of my Invention is to prevent a bolt or latch from shaking in its
striking plate or staple, or jerking out of it, should the lock spring become broken,
but to retain the bolt or latch securely therein until the handle of the lock is turned
to open the door.
I
propose to effect my object by the application of a spring to the striking
plate in such a manner that this spring shall yield gently to the bolt or latch as it
is raised or lowered, or shot by the handle, but always maintain a lateral pressure
against one side of the latch or bolt when locked sufficient to restrain it from lifting
or oscillating in the striking plate.
I propose to place on the inside of the striking plate, and preferably on the
side of the bolt opening furthest from the inside of the carriage, a lever working
in a slot in a projection near one end of the striking plate, and on a pin or stud at
the other end, near which end it will receive the pressure of a spring, also secured
on the inside of the striking plate. When this striking plate is placed over the
mortice in the door jamb, or forms the joint of a box, the aforesaid lever will partly
project over the bolt opening, but only slightly, at the point at which the bolt or
latch first enters. Thus, when the latch or bolt is shot or turned into the striking

page_text: plate, one of its sides will press against the lever, forcing it back from the opening
until the bolt or latch is fully shot or turned, the spring always keeping the lever
pressing against the latch or bolt, and preventing its oscillating or rising.
As the latch or bolt is turned from the striking plate to open the door, the lever
resumes its normal position, and so on.
Instead of a lever and spring I might let or otherwise secure a spring in the
striking plate so as to bring pressure on one side only of the bolt, keeping it firmly
pressed against the rigid side of the bolt opening.
I may also apply a spring to the staples of carriage-door locks to press upon one
side of the bolt or latch when shot or turned into the staple.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Wilkes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th
April 1878.
WILLIAM WILKES, of Bloxwich, in the County of Stafford, Locksmith: "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE. STRIKING PLATES OR STAPLES OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND
OTHER CARRIAGE DOOR LOCKS."
The object of my Invention is to prevent a bolt or latch from shaking in its
striking plate or staple, or jerking out of it, should the lock spring become broken,
but to retain the bolt or latch securely therein until the handle of the lock is turned
to open the door.
I effect my object by the application of a spring to the striking plate in such a
manner that this spring yields gently to the bolt or latch as it is raised, or lowered,
or shot, by the handle or key, but always maintains a lateral pressure against one
side of the latch or bolt when locked sufficient to restrain it from lifting or oscil-
lating in the striking plate.
I place on the inside of the striking plate, and preferably on the side of the bolt
opening furthest from the inside of the carriage, a lever working in a slot in a pro-
jection near one end of the striking plate, and on a pin or stud at the other end,
near which end it receives the pressure of a spring, also secured on the inside of the
striking plate. When this striking plate is placed over the mortice in the door
jamb, or forms the front of a box, the aforesaid lever will partly project over the
bolt opening, but only slightly, at the point at which the bolt or latch first'
enters.
I may make my lever and spring of steel or any suitable metal or material,
and vary the shape and dimensions to suit different locks, striking plates, and
staples.
The accompanying Sheet of Drawing shows a striking plate and staple embodying
my Invention.
Figure 1 representing a front view of a mortice lock, the striking plate being shewn
in section.
Figure 2, a sectional plan of the same.
Thi

page_text: G, slot for lever E to work in.
H, a latch plate; and
I, staple for latch.
It will be seen that when the latch or bolt C'is shot or turned into the striking
plate D, or staple I, one of its sides will press against the lever E, forcing it back
from the opening until the bolt or latch is fully shot or turned, the spring F always
keeping the lever E pressing against the latch or bolt and preventing its oscillating
or rising.
As the latch or bolt is turned from the striking plate to open the door the lever
resumes its normal position, and so on.
Instead of a lever and spring I might let or otherwise secure a spring in the
striking plate so as to bring pressure on one side only of the bolt, keeping it firmly
pressed against the rigid side of the bolt opening, and I may also apply a simple
spring to the staples of carriage-door locks to press upon one side of the bolt or
latch when shot or turned into the staple; but I give preference to the lever and
spring arrangement herein-before set forth and shown on the Drawing.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, I desire it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise details herein-before described and shown, as my
improvement may be fitted in any suitable manner to existing striking plates and
staples; and that what I claim as secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, in combination with the striking plates or staples of railway
carriage and other carriage-door locks, the means herein-before described of obtaining
a side pressure on the lock, bolt, or latch, substantially as and for the purposes
herein-before specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wilkes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM WILKES.
WILKES. (LS.)