IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR LOCKS OR LATCHES AND THE KNOBS OR HANDLES Therefor
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALFRED OVERFIELD of Leek, in the County of Stafford, Cabinet Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR LOCKS
OR LATCHES AND THE KNOBS OR HANDLES Therefor” to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in actuating the latches of door locks or
latches, the objects being to obviate the necessity of employing the ordinary spindle
and to securely fasten the knobs or handles.
Upon one edge of the stem of the latch is formed a toothed rack, which rack
gears with the teeth of a segment of a wheel formed on an angle-shaped or bell-
crank lever pivoted in suitable bearings. Upon each side of the pivot or fulcrum
of the lever is pierced a hole in the plates of the lock, one on one side of the inner
plate and one on the other side of the outer plate, through which pass suitable pins
or rods for pressing upon the two arins of the lever. In the case of mortise locks
the knobs or handles are securely fastened by screws or otherwise on the door, one
opposite each hole in the respective plates, but in the case of rin locks or latches
one knob or handle is fastened on the door and the other on the plate of the lock.
or latch. Through these knobs or handles holes are formed for the passage of the
pins or rods above mentioned.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows:-In order to open the door the
pin or rod on either side is pushed inwards and presses upon one of the arms of
the lever, thus causing the toothed segment to turn sufficiently to withdraw the
latch on account of the same gearing with the rack on the latch. When the
pressure is removed a suitable spring forces back the latch and the arm of the lever
will therefore push the pin or rod outwards to its normal position. It will be
understood that the pin or rod upon the opposite side of the door will act upon
the other arm of the lever and cause the same effect and will be returned to its
normal position in the same manner as just described.
In order to prevent the latch being forced too far forward by the spring a
suitable stop is arranged upon the tongue of the latch or upon the stem of same.
Dated this 001 day of Anal 1001

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
ES
I, ALFRED OVERFIELD, of Leek, in the County of Stafford, Cabinet Maker, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN DOOR LOCKS
OR LATCHES AND THE KNOBS OR HANDLES THEREFOR," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My Invention relates to improvements in actuating the latches of door locks or
latches, the objects being to obviate the necessity of employing the ordinary spindle
and to securely fasten the knobs or handles.
The essential feature of my invention cousists in the employment of a push pin
or rod, the inner end of which is arranged so as to force back the latch or bolt
when its outer end is pressed inwards from the outside of the lock. By this
arrangement the handles can be firmly secured to the door or to the case of the
lock, instead of being fitted on a spindle which by turning the knob by hand draws
back the bolt, as has hitherto been the practice.
Upon one edge of the stem of the latch is formed a toothed rack, which rack
gears with the teeth of a segment of a wheel formed on an angle-shaped or bell-
crank lever pivoted in suitable bearings. Upon each side of the pivot or fulcrum
of the lever is pierced a hole in the plates of the lock, one on one side of the inner
plate and one on the other side of the outer plate, through which pass suitable pins
or rods for pressing upon the two arms of the lever. In the case of mortise locks
the knobs or handles are securely fastened by screws or otherwise on the door, ono
opposite each hole in the respective plates, but in the caso of rin locks or latches
one knob or handle is fastened on the door and the other on the plate of the lock
or latch. Through these knobs or handles holes are formed for the passage of the
pins or rods above mentioned.
Instead of forming the latch with a rack on one edge and the lever with a
toothed segment to gear with such rack, a single pin or tooth on the lever may be
caused to bear against a corresponding pin or tooth projecting from the latch, or such
pins may be connected by a rod, so that in either case the latch will be drawn back
by the rocking movement of the lever when actuated by either push pin. Or if
desired the lever may be abolished and the end of the push pin be arranged to
act upon an inclined surface formed on the bolt, when either push pin is pushed
inwards.
When it is only required to actuate the latch from one side of the door or other
part to which it is applied, one push pin only is employed, and the lover may be
formed with one arm only; or in the case of the push pin acting upon an inclined
surface on the latch, only one such surface will be requisite.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of my improved lock in
which the latch is drawn back by a toothed segment on the lever (the back plate
of the lock being removed to show the parts), and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of
the same.
A is the latch, upon one edge of the stem of which a rack A¹ is provided and
gears with the teeth of the segment B¹ formed on the lever B, which is mounted
.

page_text: to turn on a pivot C secured to the case of the lock. Upon the opposite sides of
the pivot Ca hole D is formed respectively in the back and front plates of the
lock case. Through each hole passes a pin or rod E, bearing respectively against
one arm of the lever B. The handles F are secured one opposite each hole D in
the respective plates of the lock, on opposite sides of the door, and through each a
hole is formed for the passage of the outer end of the push pins or rods E.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows:-In order to open the door the
pin or rod E on either side is pushed inwards with the hand or thumb, and presses
upon one of the arms of the lever B, thus causing the toothed segment B¹ to turn
sufficiently to withdraw the latch A, on account of the teeth of the segment B¹
gearing with the rack A¹ on the latch A. When the pressure is removed a suitable
spring G forces back the latch A and the arm of the lever B will therefore push
the pin or rod E outwards to its normal position. It will be understood that the
pin or rod E upon the opposite side of the door will act upon the other arm of
the lever, when pushed inwards, and cause the same effect, and will be returned to
its normal position in the same manner as just described.
In order to prevent the latch being forced too far forward by the spring, a
suitable stop is arranged upon the tongue of the latch or upon the stern of same.
The arms of the lever at the points where the ends of the push pins or rods bear
against them may be provided with rollers capable of turning on an axis, so as to
reduce the friction.
In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings a modification is shown in which the toothed
segment B on the lever B is replaced by a single tooth or pin B', and the rack A¹
on the latch A by a single tooth or pin A¹, these two teeth or pins bearing against
each other. In a further modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the two pins_A¹
and B, instead of bearing against each other are connected by a rod H. The
action of both these modifications is similar to that of the arrangement first
described, the lever B when acted upon by either push pin or rod, being caused to
turn on its pivot, and the pins or teeth A¹ and Bi (either through the medium of
the connecting rod H, or by bearing against each other) then draw back the latch.
In Figs. 7 and 8 a further modification is shown in which the inner end of cach
push pin or rod E is inclined or wedge shaped, and bears against a correspondingly
inclined surface A' formed on the latch A, so that when either push pin or rod E
is forced inwards the inclined surface on its inner end pushing against the inclined
surface A¹ on the latch A, will force the latter back; if the latch is arranged
horizontally, or force it up or down, when it is arranged vertically.
Instead of actuating the push pins or rods E by directly pushing them inwards
with the hand or thumb, they may be each operated as shown in Fig. 9 of the
drawings, in which drop handles F are securely fastened to the door by a base
plate F, but the handle itself is capable of turning on a pivot secured to such
plate, and is provided with a projection F2 forming an eccentric or cam, which
when the handle is raised acts upon the outer end of the push pin or rod E, and
so forces back the latch as above described. The full lines show the handle Fin
the raised position, the push pin or rod E being forced right in, and the broken
lines show the normal position of the handle and push pin. Instead of the solid
form of drop handle shown, it may be in the shape of a ring or of any other
suitable shape.
In Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, the arrangement of the parts of the lock or latch
which are not referred to in connection with these figures remains the same, and
such parts are indicated by similar letters, as in the arrangement shown and
described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
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. The improved lock or latch in which the handle or handles are securely
astened in position outside the lock, and through which passes a push pin or rod

page_text: capable of being forced inwards, so that its inner end will cause the latch of the
lock to be withdrawn from the closed to the open position, all substantially as
described and shown.
2. In the improved lock or latch the employment of a push pin or rod passing
through the handle or handles (which are securely fastened in position outside the
lock), and capable of being forced inwards so as to cause its inner end to act upon
one arm of a pivoted lever, whereby such lever is made to turn on its pivot, and
by means of a toothed segment formed on it and gearing with a rack formed on
the latch of the lock, withdraw the latter from the closed to the open position, all
substantially as described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
3. In the improved lock or latch the employment of a push pin or rod passing
through the handle or handles (which are securely fastened in position outside the
lock), and capable of being forced inwards so as to cause its inner end to act upon
one arm of a pivoted lever, whereby such lever is made to turn on its pivot, and
by means of a single tooth or pin formed on it and hearing against a corresponding
tooth or pin on the latch of the lock, withdraw the latter from the closed to the
open position, all substantially as described and shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the
drawings.
4. In the improved lock or latch the employment of a push pin or rod passing
through the handle or handles (which are securely fastened in position outside the
lock), and capable of being forced inwards so as to cause its inner end to act upon
one arm of a pivoted lever, whereby such lever is made to turn on its pivot, and
by means of a rod connected to a pin on the lever and to a corresponding pin on
the latch of the lock, withdraw the latter from the closed to the open position, all
substantially as described and shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings.
5. In the improved lock or latch the employment of a push pin or rod passing
through the handle or handles (which are securely fastened in position outside the
lock), and capable of being forced inwards so as to cause its inner end to act upon an
inclined surface formed on the latch of the luck, and withdraw the latter from the
closed to the open position, all substantially as described and shown in Figs. 7
and 8 of the drawings.
6. In the improved lock or latch the means for actuating the push pin or rod
for effecting the withdrawal of the latch as described in all the preceding claims,
consisting in the employment of a drop handle or ring pivoted to a plate securely
fastened outsido the lock, such handle or ring being provided with an eccentric
or cam projection, which acts upon the outer end of the push pin so as to force it
inwards when the handle is raised, all substantially as described and shown in
Fig. 9 of the drawings.
•