Improvements in and relating to Padlocks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Padlocks.
I, SAMUEL PHILIP STEIN, of the Town of Milton, in the County of Northumberland,
in the State of Pennsylvania, and United States of America, Inventor and Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
My invention has relation to improvements in padlocks, and the object is to provide
a padlock of simple construction, and of great security against unauthorized attempts
to unlock the same.
My invention consists in the novel construction of parts and their combination, as
will be hereinafter fully described, and as will be specifically pointed out in the claims
as required by the statute.
I have fully and clearly illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings,
wherein
Figure 1 is an elevation of the padlock with one of the plates removed, showing
the mechanism in locked relation.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in unlocked relation.
Figure 3 is a view showing the position of the parts when an imperforated key is
inserted.
Figure 4 is details of the tumblers.
Figure 5 is a view of the key.
A designates the casing, consisting of face-plates 1, one only of which is shown,
connected by a rim-piece 2, in which are formed the usual openings 3, 4, to take the
hinge-end and nose of the shackle 5, and having a keyhole 6. In the casing is pivoted
the shackle 5, having at its hinge-end a lug or seat 7, against which or in which, the
free end of a spring 8, rests and serves to throw the shackle upwards out of the casing
when the nose-end is released from the catch in the tumblers. The spring 8, has its
other end secured to the rim-piece, substantially as shown in the drawings at 9. The
nose-end of the shackle is of arrow-head shape to afford catches for the locking-lugs on
the tumblers; the one for the locking-lugs of the tumblers and the other to be
engaged by the inner lugs of the tumblers should an attempt be made to lift the
tumblers by other means than the proper key. Vertically projected from the rim-
piece, with its key-face on alignment with the edge of the key-hole, and extending
a distance into the casing, is a key-guard or guide 10, which serves as a guard to the
entrance of the key and also to prevent the projecting points on the heels of the
tumblers from passing too far through the apertures in the key. On the inner face of
the rim-piece at the opposite edge of the key-hole may be a short piece 11, which
serves as a guide to the key in conjunction with the more extended guide or
guard 10.
In the casing is fixed a stud 12, on which the tumblers are pivoted and mounted,
and another stud 13, is fixed in the casing against which the inner edges of the
tumblers lodge and rest when in locked position, substantially as shown in Figure 1
of the drawings.
B designates the tumblers. These are of the form shown in Figure 4, consisting
of metal plates having a bearing-hole to receive the bearing or pivot 12 in the casing.
Each tumbler has a spring 14 fixed thereto, the free end of the springs resting
against the inner face of the rim-piece and operating to always throw the tumblers
into engagement with the nose of the shackle, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.
The catch of the tumblers consist of a recess 15, having oppositely inwardly extending
lugs 16, which engage the nose of the shackle in the locked position, or when the
tumblers are pushed in the opposite direction by the entrance of an unfitted key or

page_text: plate. At the rear of each tumbler is a shoulder 17, against, which the end of the key
engages when pushed in the lock and results in lifting the tumbler-catch out of
engagement with the nose of the shackle. These shoulders are of different depths or
heights in the respective tumblers in order that they may be pushed to alignment or
in operative arrangement by the different steps on the end of the key. At the heel
of each tumbler is a projection 18, preferably made round, to engage in similarly
shaped holes or perforations in the key, as hereinafter more specifically specified.
These tumblers may in number, be two or more, I have shown thein five in number in
the lock illustrated.
C designates the key, made of a flat plate with the end provided with a number of
steps 19, graduated or arranged to suit the varying positions of the shoulders on the
respective tumblers. In the key are a number of holes or apertures 20, in which the
projecting heel ends of the tumblers enter when the key is inserted in the lock.
These holes 20 register with the line of movement of the projections on the tumblers,
so that when a key is inserted which is designed to unlock the mechanism the pro-
jections will enter the holes of the key when the key is pushed in far enough to lift
the tumblers to their unlocked position. It will be observed that if a key is inserted
in the lock, which has no holes, or which has holes which do not rogister with the line
of movement of the heel-projections of the tumblers, that the tumblers cannot be
moved far enough to unlock them from their engagement with the nose of the
shackle. It will also be observed that the arrangement of these pin-holes or apertures
in the key is such that if the lock is tampered with by wires or pins or any of the
skeleton utensils of dishonesty, it will be impossible to direct the means employed
with any certainty to any one of the tumblers. If it is attempted to push the
tumblers into disengagement with the shackle by lifting them with any means usually
employed for that purpose the attempt will result in moving them beyond the centre
of movement and into engagement with the inner or reverse side of the catch of the
shackle, and thus the attempt to obtain unauthorized entrance be foiled and prevented,
because the lock will then he secured by the interlocking of the shackle with the
inner lug or catch of the tumblers.
The tumblers serve the double purpose of tumblers and also of locking-dogs to
engage the end of the shackle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I
claim is :
1. The combination with the casing and the shackle, of the pivoted tumblers B
formed with a catch to engage the nose of the shackle and having projecting heel-
portions to engage in apertures in the key, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the casing and shackle, of the tumblers B formed with
oppositely arranged catches to engage the nose of the shackle, and having projecting
heel-portions to enter the apertures in the key and shoulders to engage the end of
the key, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the casing provided with a key-hole having a vertically
arranged key-guide or guard extending into the casing, and the shackle formed with
a spear-shaped nose end, of the tumblers formed with a recess having oppositely
arranged lugs to engage the nose of the shackle, shoulders to engage the steps in the
end of the key and heel-portions to enter the apertures in the key, and the key
having steps on its end to engage the shoulders on the tumblers and apertures to
receive the heel-portions of the tumblers, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.