Improvements in Locks and Keys.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks and Keys.
We, ALBERT BARKER, of 5 New Bond Street, Silversmith, and HENRY WILSON,
of 18 London Terrace, Dalston. Watchmaker, both in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in locks and keys, and has for its object the
construction of a lock which shall be unpickable. The improvements relate more
particularly to that class of lock known as tumbler or lever locks.
According to this invention the tumblers are formed as solid pieces capable of
turning about a pin or axis projecting from the lock-case, and provided with tails
which are acted upon by the wards formed in the bit of a peculiarly constructed
key hereinafter described. These tumblers are controlled by springs for the purpose
of driving their heads into a notch in the bolt, or against a projection on the bolt,
so as to hold it in a secure position to prevent the lock being picked or unlocked
by any other instrument until the key, by its forward motion, presses the tails of the
tumblers against a pivotted lever, one end of which engages with another notch in the
bolt, or a projection thereon, and so causes it to draw back said bolt.
The bit of the key is formed in two pieces, one being integral with the barrel or
pipe and the other, which is moveable, turns about a rivet pin or axis connecting it
to the extremity of the first mentioned piece. The moveable piece, whose movement
about its rivet pin or axis is limited, is formed with wards or fingers which are of
such a length as to press equally upon the tails of the tumblers, otherwise the bolt
cannot be released for the purpose of being shot or withdrawn. When the key is
inserted into the keyhole these two pieces are in the same plane, and by turning the
key to withdraw the bolt, the movable piece comes against a fixed curved plate
carried by the lock-case and thus causes the movable piece to turn on its rivet pin
or axis and to take up a position at or about right angles to the bit proper. By a
further notion of the key this movable piece is caused to bring its wards into contact
with the tails of the tumblers and by their pressing against the pivotted lever which
engages with the bolt, said bolt is withdrawn and the lock so unlocked. Upon turning
the key in the reverse direction the movable portion of the bit comes into contact
with a stud on the lock-case and the parts of the key are again brought into the
same plane, whereby the key can be withdrawn from the keyhole.
The fixed curved plate before mentioned also serves as a protector plate dividing
the lock mechanism from the keyhole and thus prevents the parts from being seen
through the keyhole as well as preventing them from being tampered with. This
curved plate has notches or openings formed in it opposite the tails of the tumblers
to permit of the wards or fingers on the movable bit coming into contact with said
tumblers.
The above description relates to latch locks, but the invention can be equally well
applied to locks of other constructions.
When applying the improvements to a mortise, or to a cabinet, lock, the pivotted
lever is provided with a tail piece against which the movable bit of the key strikes
when shooting the bolt, so bringing such movable portion into the same plane as the
fixed portion of the bit, and the stud mentioned above, for the purpose of restoring
the bit, is thereby dispensed with.
Dated this 18th day of February 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Locks and Keys.
We, ALBERT BARKER, of 5 New Bond Street, Silversmith, and HENRY WILSON
formerly of 18 and now of 10, London Terrace, Dalston, Watchmaker, both in the
County of London, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in locks and keys, and has for its object
the construction of a lock which shall be unpickable. The improvements relate more
particularly to that class of lock known as tumbler or, lever locks.
According to this invention the tumblers are formed as solid pieces, capable of
turning about a pin or axis projecting from the lock case and provided with tails
which are acted upon by the wards formed in the bit of a peculiarly constructed key,
hereinafter described. These tumblers are controlled by springs for the purpose of
driving their heads into a notch in the bolt, or against a projection on the bolt, so
as to hold it in a secure position to prevent the lock being picked or unlocked by any
other instrument until the key, by its forward motion, presses the tails of the tumblers
against a pivoted lover, one end of which engages with another notch in the bolt or
projection thereon and so causes it to draw back said bolt.
The bit of the key is formed in two pieces, one being integral with the barrel or
pipe, and the other, which is movable, turns about a rivet pin or axis connecting it to
the extremity of the first mentioned piece. The movable piece, whose movement about
its rivet pin or axis is limited, is formed with wards or fingers which are of such a
length as to press equally upon the tails of the tumblers, otherwise the bolt cannot be
released for the purpose of being shot or withdrawn. When the key is inserted into
the keyhole these two pieces are in the same plane, and by turning the key round in
the direction to withdraw the bolt, the movable piece comes against a fixed curved
plate carried by the lock-case and thus causes the movable piece to turn on its rivet
pin or axis and to take up a position at or about right angles to the bit proper. By a
further motion of the key this movable piece is caused to bring its wards into contact
with the tails of the tumblers and by their pressing against the pivotted lever, which
engages with the bolt, said bolt is withdrawn and the lock is unlocked. Upon turning
the key in the reverse direction, the movable portion of the bit comes into contact
with a stud on the lock case and the parts of the key are again brought into the
same plane, whereby the key can be withdrawn from the keyhole.
The fixed curved plate, before mentioned, also serves as a protector plate dividing the
lock mechanism from the keyhole or keyway, and thus prevents the parts from being seen
through the keyhole, as well as preventing them from being tampered with. This
curved plate has notches or openings formed in it opposite the tails of the tumblers
to permit of the wards or fingers on the movable bit coming into contact with said
tumblers.
The above description relates to latch locks, but the invention can be equally well
applied to other kinds of locks.
When applying the improvements to a mortise or to a cabinet lock, the pivotted
lever is provided with a tail piece, against which the movable bit of the key strikes
when shooting the bolt, so bringing such movable portion into the same plane as the
fixed portion of the bit, and the stud mentioned above for the purpose of restoring the
bit is thereby dispensed with.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect, we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, with the cover plate removed, showing a latch-lock
constructed according to our invention, and the parts in their locked position.
Fig. 2.is a horizontal section of the same, on the line A, A, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3
is a vertical section on the line B, B, of Fig. 1.

page_text: position.
Figs. 5, 5, 5, 5, and 5ª are detail views of the sliding piece which directly acts
upon the bolt.
Figs. 6 and 6ª are detail views showing the pivotted lever.
Figs. 7, 7%, and 7b are detail views of one of the spring controlled tumblers.
Figs. 8, 8, and 8 illustrate the improved construction of key for use with this
lock.
Fig. 9 is a front elevation showing a modified construction, in which the improve-
ments are applied to a mortise lock.
Figs. 10, 10, and 10 illustrate the key for use with this lock.
a is the bolt which, in the case of a latch-lock, is free to be operated by the knob
or button a' without affecting the other parts. 6 is the sliding piece which actuates
the bolt when the key is turned to unlock the mechanism. This sliding piece is
furnished with two slots 6x, bx, for the reception of the screw band stump 63 which
serve to guide it in its movements. is a projection formed with a notch or recess 71
(see Fig. 5b) with which engage the forward ends or noses of the tumblers c. In
this lock there are two tumblers, but any suitable number may be employed. bis
another projection formed with a notch 68 for receiving the end of the pivotted
lever d. e is the fixed protector plate which divides the lock mechanism from the
keyway and prevents the mechanism being tampered with, or seen from the
keyhole.
The key for this lock is seen at Figs. 8, 8, and 8%, and consists of the barrel f
provided with a fixed projection or bit f¹, to which is pivotted, by means of the
rivet ping, the movable bit g, and this bit is formed with wards or fingers gl, gl.
When the key is inserted through the keyhole, the movable bit g occupies the
position shown by Fig. 8b, and by turning the key in the direction of the arrow,
shown in Fig. 4, the movable bit comes against the curved portion of the protector
plate e (or against a pin or projection) which causes the said bit to turn on its pivot
and bring its wards or fingers into a position nearly at right angles to the fixed bit fl
(Fig. 8). Then by a further rotation of the key, the wards or fingers are pressed
against the tails of the tumblers c, the protector plate being provided with apertures e¹, e¹,
shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, to permit of the wards or fingers passing through it. The
tumblers are thus turned about their pivot c¹, and their noses are disengaged from the
recess or notch 6, thereby rendering the sliding piece free to be withdrawn.
withdrawal of this piece is effected by the tail cx of one of the tumblers coming
against the pivotted lever d, and the parts are so arranged that immediately the noses
of the tumblers leave the recess 6, the tail c* commences to turn this lever about its
pivot and thereby withdraw the sliding piece b. The bolt a is provided with a
projection as against which the sliding piece bears when withdrawing the bolt.
The
When the key is turned in the opposite direction, the parts return to their normal
position, under the action of the springs and i, and the movable bit g, so soon as
it strikes against a stud g*, is caused to assume the position shown by Fig. 8b, and the
key can then be withdrawn from the keyhole.
In the modified construction shown at Fig. 9, the bolt a is operated directly by
the lever d, and without the interposition of the sliding piece b. The curvature of
the protector plate e being, as before explained, such as to cause the movable bit to
turn into the required position for its wards or fingers to pass through the apertures e¹
and to act upon the tumblers.
The key for this lock is shown at Figs. 10, 10, and 10%, and is similar in construction
to that shown in Figs. 8, 8, and 8, except that the movable bit is provided with three
wards or fingers instead of with two, there being three spring controlled tumblers in
this lock to be acted upon. The pin g* for restoring the bit is also dispensed with
in this construction, and the lever d is formed with a tail-piece or projection d', so
that when the key is turned in the contrary direction to that required for shooting
the bolt, the movable bit comes against this tail-piece or projection and is thereby

page_text: brought into the position shown by Fig. 10%, and, at the same time, shoots the bolt;
the key is then free to be withdrawn from the keyhole.
The number of wards or fingers g¹ with which the key is provided will depend
upon the number of tumblers employed in the lock.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to he performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The improved construction of locks in which the bolt is withdrawn by a pivotted
lever actuated by one or more of the tails or projections formed on the tumblers, said
pivotted lever engaging either with a sliding piece operating the bolt, or with the
bolt itself, substantially as described and shown by the annexed drawings.
2. The use of a curved protector plate for separating the lock mechanism from the
keyway, and for causing the movable bit of the key to assume the position for acting
upon the tumblers, said plate being provided with apertures corresponding in
number with the tumblers and with the fingers or wards of the movable bit,
substantially as described and shown by the annexed drawings.
3. The improved construction of key in which the bit is formed in two portions one
being movable and formed with wards or fingers, the other being integral with the
barrel and carrying said movable portion, substantially as described and shown and
for the purposes set forth, said movable portion being operated either by the
protector plate, or by a stud, to bring it into position to act upon the tumblers, as
specified.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
latch-lock, substantially as herein before described and as shown with reference to
Figs. 1 to 7, both inclusive, of the annexed drawings.
5. The modified construction of lock substantially as herein before described and
shown with reference to Fig. 9 of the annexed drawings, and as applied, by way of
example, to a mortise lock.
Dated this 14th day of November 1890.
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.