Improvements in Locks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks.
I, WILLIAM FORD Gentleman, of 21 Revigny Gardens, Putney, S.W. in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Hitherto it has been an easy matter for the burglar or petty thief to pick a lock
either by a skeleton key or a key made from a wax impression (unless, in the former
instance, the lock is an expensive one).
The object of this invention is to provide a novel and cheap lock which is practicably
unpickable and which can be easily and inexpensively altered in case the key has been
copied or lost.
In carrying out my invention I make two locks (common or otherwise but common
ones will answer my purpose) and I have in one of them a hole through which the
key can pass and in the other one I use a pin, as in ordinary locks, for the key to
turn on or 1 may have a hole in the lock-back and a shoulder on the key as is
now used.
The two locks I fasten together touching one another or at some distance apart and
I may effect this by a distance-piece of wood or other suitable material or I may
adjust the distance apart by screws and lock-nuts or 1 may form my two locks so that
they can be turned one on the other to any desired angle.
It will be readily understood that 1 need not confine myself to a combination of two
locks, only, but that I can use three or more.
The key for such a combination I construct with two or more sets of wards on it
and such wards may have a radial and longitudinal adjustment so as to correspond to
any similar adjustment of my combined locks but in practice I prefer to supply two
keys and two wooden blocks, being sufficient for ordinary purposes.
It will be seen that by the aforesaid arrangement an infinity of permutations can
be made by the double adjustments in radial and longitudinal movements so that if
it is suspected that a key has been copied the owner of the combination lock can alter
the relative positions of his locks and use another key or alter the positions of the
wards on his key.
For holding the wards in position on the key I employ any of the well known
arrangements of screw, feather and nuts.
D11:00 1 JL. 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks.
I WILLIAM FORD Gentleman of 73 Clyde Road, Addiscombe, Croydon, in the
County of Surrey 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 :-
My Invention consists of a combination of two three or more locks 1 effect such
combination in the following manner.
I make two locks common or otherwise and I have in one of them which I call the
first lock a hole through which the key can pass and in the other one I use a pin as in
ordinary locks for the key to turn on or 1 have a hole in the lock back and a shoulder
on the key as is now used.

page_text: The first lock I fasten on the Safe Chest door or other receptacle for which it is to
be used in the ordinary way by means of screws.
I then make one two three or four bars turned as screws and fix them upon this
first lock and they project therefrom-The bar or bars is or are made the necessary
length to receive the plate or plates nut or nuts and the second or other locks herein-
after mentioned.
I then take the second or other locks and make a hole or holes in it or them
corresponding to the projecting bar or bars and slide the second or other locks on the
projecting bar or bars and fasten the two or other locks rigidly together by means of
a nut or nuts.
I then take a plate or any number of plates I may desire to use made of wood iron
or other metal say th of an inch in thickness-or any other thickness I may wish
to use with a hole or holes in it or them corresponding to the projecting bar or bars
attached to the first lock and also a keyhole made in the said plate or plates of wood
iron or other metal corresponding to the keyhole of the first lock to enable the key to
pass through to the second lock or other locks.
To obtain the permutations hereinafter claimed I unscrew the nut or nuts on the
projecting bar or bars and take off the second lock or locks and slide the plate or
plates of wood iron or other metal on the projecting bar or bars close to the first lock
and then put the second lock or other locks on afterwards by the same means and
they are kept rigidly together by means of the nut or nuts on the projecting bar or
bars The nut or nuts are placed at the back of the second or other lock.
Instead of the plate or plates before mentioned I can use lock nuts on the projecting
bar or bars to adjust the different distances.
The plate or plates nut or nuts is or are marked with numbers or letters to corre-
spond with the key or keys to be used with the corresponding plate or plates nut
or nuts or if I use locks instead of plates or nuts they are numbered in the same
manner.
Instead of the plate or plates nut or nuts I can use locks.
I do not confine myself to two locks but can use three or more.
The key for such combination I construct with two or more sets of wards on it and
such wards have a radial and a longitudinal adjustment so as to correspond to any
similar adjustment of my combined locks.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews two locks screwed or bolted together;
and Figure 2 shews the key to be used therewith.
I supply one key for the two locks and one key for each lock I use instead of plates
as above mentioned and one for each plate or plates nut or nuts and such key or keys
is or are marked with a number or letter corresponding with the plate or plates nut
or nuts to be used-Should I use locks instead of plates or nuts they are numbered or
lettered in the saine manner.
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 I
claim is
1. My combination of locks provides a novel simple and inexpensive lock which is
practically unpickable.
2. That an infinity of permutations can be made by the double adjustments in
radial and longitudinal movements so that if it is suspected that a key has been copied
or lost the owner of my combination lock can easily and inexpensively alter the
relative positions of the lock or locks and use another key or alter the positions of the
wards on the key so that the key which has been copied or lost will be useless to open
the lock unless the said lock has been placed in statu quo.
3. That any number of locks of different constructions can be used as one lock by
means of my invention.
4. That two or more ordinary common locks combined by my invention can be
made practically unpickable.

page_text: 5. That my invention is an absolute protection against the burglar or petty thief it
being impossible to pick the two or more locks combined by my invention above
described upon which I found my claim for protection.
Dated this 25th day of October 1889.
WM. FORD,
73, Clyde Road, East Croydon.