IMPROVEMENTS IN MORTICE Locks
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Elsley, of No. 32, Great Portland Street,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MORTICE Locks."
Sealed the 6th October 1875, and dated the 2nd June 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Elsley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd June 1875.
I, THOMAS ELSLEY, of No. 32, Great Portland Street, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN MORTICE Locks," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mortice locks.
In order that the lock may readily be used either as a right-hand lock
or a left-hand one I form the stem of the spring latch bolt in two
parts held together by a screw pin passed through both parts, where
they meet and interlock with one another. The head of this screw pin
may lie in a slot formed through the bottom of the rim surrounding the

page_text: case of the lock so that this screw can readily be taken out and the
forward part of the bolt then withdrawn and its position altered so as
either to be suitable for a left-hand lock or for a right-hand lock, as may
be required, and be then again secured by the screw, or in place of the
lock being formed so that the connecting screw may be got at through
the rim the screw may be placed in other convenient position so that it
may be got at without taking the lock to pieces. Thus the lock can
readily be changed from a right-hand lock to a left-hand lock, or vice
versa, without in any way interfering with the lock itself.
The cover plates of the lock are let into the rim in place of being
laid on, as is usual, so that the rim cannot be bent in, being kept
extended by the cover plates.
In order also to improve the construction of the frame or case of a
mortice lock, and to enable the mortice which is to receive it to be
quickly and readily cut I form the rim which passes around the top, :
bottom, and back of the frame or case of the lock in one piece of metal
rounded on its outer side at the same time that I make the back end of
the case of a rounded form in place of rectangular, as heretofore for the
most part usual.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, a
filed by the said Thomas Elsley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd December 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
ELSLEY, of No. 32, Great Portland Street, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Elsley, Her
special license that I, the said Thomas Elsley, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Elsley,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MORTICE LOCKS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Elsley, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Elsley, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in mortice locks.
In order that the lock may readily be used either as a right-hand lock
or a left-hand one I form the stem of the spring latch bolt in two parts,
held together by a screw pin passed through both parts, where they
meet and interlock with one another. The head of this screw pin may
lie in a slot formed through the bottom of the rim surrounding the case
of the lock, so that this screw can readily be taken out and the forward
part of the bolt then withdrawn and its position altered so as either to be
suitable for a left-hand lock or for a right-hand lock, as may be required,
and be then again secured by the screw, or in place of the lock being
formed so that the connecting screw may be got at through the rim the
screw may be placed in other convenient positions so that it may be got
at without taking the lock to pieces. Thus the lock can readily be
changed from a right-hand lock to a left-hand lock, or vice versa,
without in any way interfering with the lock itself.
Figure 1 shews a plan view of a mortice lock, with the stem of the
spring latch bolt in two parts held together, as above described, by a
screw pin, the head of which can readily be got at and the screw pin
taken out without taking off the cover plate of the lock. A is the stem
of the latch bolt in two parts which interlock with one another. B, the
screw pin by which the two parts are held together. The head of this
pin lies in a slot C in the rim of the case of the lock, as shewn at

page_text: Figure 1, and also at Figure 2, which is a transverse section of the lock
taken through the line 1, 2, Figure 1. D is the spring acting upon the
tail end of the stem of the bolt as usual, and E is the lever for with-
drawing the bolt by the knob or handle. F¹, F¹, the horns on the piece F
through which the spindle carrying the knobs passes. The bolt which
is to be shot by the key, and the other parts of the lock in connection
therewith are not shewn in the Drawing. An edge view of the latch
bolt is shewn at Figure 3.
In order also to improve the construction of the frame or case of a
mortice lock, and to enable the mortice which is to receive it to be
quickly and readily cut I make the back end of the case of a rounded
form in place of rectangular, as heretofore for the most part usual,
whilst at the same time I make the rim of the case of a rounded form
in cross section. The rim I either form in one piece of metal passing
around the top, bottom, and back of the case, and separate from the
cover plates, or I form it together with the cover plates, as herein-after
described.
When the rim is made separate from the cover plates I let the cover
plates fit within the rim in place of being laid on to it, as is usual. By
this means the rim cannot be bent in as it is kept extended by the cover
plates. The case of the lock shewn at Figure 1 has its rim G formed
separate from the cover plates and rounded externally; the back of the
case is also of a rounded form to enable the mortice which is to receive
the lock to be readily and quickly cut. The cover or side plates H, H,
also fit within the rim as shewn.
When I form the rim together with the plates H I form each plate
together with one-half of the rim, so that when the two plates are put
together the two halves of the rim meet at the centre of the edge or
thickness of the lock. The plates and rims may be of cast metal, by
preference malleable cast iron, or they may be of wrought metal shaped
between dies or stamps. When they are formed of cast metal the pins
and stumps on which the works of the lock are fitted may be cast on
the side or cheek plate of the lock, as shewn at Figure 4, whilst at the
same time the several slots and holes are formed not only in this plate
but also in the other or cover plate, as shewn at Figure 5.
Figure 6 shews a transverse section of the two plates brought together
to form a lock case. If the plates are of wrought metal I first stamp

page_text: them to form, as shewn at Figures 7, and afterwards stamp or cut out
the necessary holes and slots and fix to one of them the required stumps
and pins.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of mortice locks with the stem of the spring
latch bolt in two parts, connected by a screw pin or other fastening
which can readily be withdrawn through a slot in the lock case without
interfering with the other parts of the lock, substantially as and for the
purpose above described.
Second. The construction of the case of mortice locks with its back
end of a rounded form, whilst at the same time the rim is externally of
a rounded form in cross section, substantially as described.
Third. The construction of the rim of the lock in one piece of
metal externally of a rounded form in cross section, substantially as
described.
Fourth. The construction of the case of a lock of two parts in cast
metal, substantially as described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
Fifth. The construction of the case of a lock of two parts in wrought
metal, substantially as described with reference to Figure 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Elsley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
THOMAS TT ST BV