CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Lewis Lawrence, of Bury Street, St.
James', in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of * CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS."-A communication from
abroad by William H. Akins, of Ithaca, in the United States of
America.
Sealed the 18th July 1871, and dated the 30th January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Lewis Lawrence
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th January 1871.
I, CHARLES LEWIS LAWRENCE, of Bury Street, St. James', in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by William H. Akins, of Ithaca, in the
United States of America, to be as follows:-
In padlocks generally, and particularly in those for mail bags, it is
desirable that the shackle should spring open when unlocked, that the
keyhole should be small to prevent the introduction of gunpowder, that

page_text: the bolt cannot become detached from the shackle by any concussion
or blow on the lock either accidental or designed, that the tumblers
cannot be examined through the keyhole, and that the lock can remain
open but the bolt remain in a position that the hasp has only to be
pressed down and the bolt will spring to its place and hold the hasp,
or else the bolt has to be withdrawn by the action of the key before
the shackle can be pressed into place, so that the closing of the lock
may or may not be under the sole control of the person holding the
key.
In the padlock the subject of this Invention all these various require-
ments are met, the lock is strong, not liable to get out of repair, and
opportunity is afforded for sealing the inside of the lock to detect any
attempt to open the lock.
In the accompanying Drawing forming part of this Provisional
Specification, Figure 1 is a view of the lock with the cap plate removed 1
and the shackle locked; Figure 2 is a similar view with the shackle
thrown back, and Figure 3 shows the key for a four tumbler lock.
The case a is of any desired size and shape, b is the shackle swinging
upon the pin c and thrown up by the spring d. The bolt e swings
upon the pin i and has an offset or talon 2 that enters the notch 3 in 2
the shackle when locked. The tumblersf swing upon the pin 4 and
are acted upon by the spring g, between the stud 5 and tumbler tails,
or said springs might be applied in any convenient manner. The ends
of the tumblers contiguous to the bolt e are formed as arcs of circles
and are notched, the key being a plate key that is introduced through 2
the key hole 6, and the bits are of such a length that the notches of
the tumblers are brought on line to receive the detent 7 of the bolt e,
so that the bolt may be thrown back by the spring o. The sliding
bolt is fitted to move in the lugs 8; 8, by the action of a helical or
other spring, and the head of the bolt forms a case closer, a bolt holder, a
and a shackle mover. It is now to be understood that when the bolt e
is thrown back by the spring o after the tumblers have been placed by
the key, that the head of the bolt acts to start the shackle and eject.
the swinging end from the case, then the head holds the bolt e and
offset 2 in position as in Fig. 2, and this head of the bolt fills the 3
opening or mortice through which the shackle passes, so as to exclude
dust and prevent the swinging end of the said shackle falling into the
lock and catching accidentally in case the spring d is broken or too weak.

page_text: to hold up the shackle. When the shackle is placed to press the bolt r
this bolt is forced down and the bolt e thrown by the springs 8, so as
to hold the shackle, and the tumblers being liberated from the talon 7
assume their normal position and effectually prevent the bolt being
moved back by concussion or otherwise until the tumblers are properly.
placed. This spring s intercepts any pick as it comes between the key-
hole and tumblers, and the projection 9 of the bolt e becomes a fence
to cut off access to the tumbler notches.
When the parts are in the position of Fig. 2 no opportunity exists.
for the lock to become injured by dirt or foreign substances, there being
no more opportunity for any such substance to get into the lock than
there is when the lock is locked. The key can be withdrawn, and when
the hasp or shackle is pressed into place it will catch. If the bolt ris
pressed down when the shackle is thrown back the bolt e and tumblers f
will assume their normal position, and the key will have to be intro-
duced before the shackle can be pressed into the lock. By taking off
the cap
of the lock a seal can be applied between the fence 9 and the
keyhole fence 10, or between the tumblers fand spring & so that an
effort to open the lock can be detected.
▷ SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Lewis Lawrence in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
LEWIS LAWRENCE, of Bury Street, St. James', in the County of Middle-
sex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Lewis Lawrence, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Lewis Lawrence, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Lewis Lawrence,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter.
during the term therein expressed should and lawfully might make,

page_text: use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
" CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PADLOCKS," a communication to me from
abroad by William H. Akins, of Ithaca, in the United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Lewis Lawrence, 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 Charles Lewis Lawrence, 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, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawing and to the figures and letters of reference
placed thereon, similar letters of reference being placed upon and
denoting similar parts in each of the Figures respectively.
In padlocks generally, and particularly in those for mail bags, it is
desirable that the shackle should spring open when unlocked, that the
keyhole should be small to prevent the introduction of gunpowder, that
the bolt cannot become detached from the shackle by any concussion
or blow on the lock either accidental or designed, that the tumblers
cannot be examined through the keyhole, and that the lock can remain
open but the bolt remain in a position that the hasp has only to be:
pressed down and the bolt will spring to its place and hold the hasp,
or else the bolt has to be withdrawn by the action of the key before
the shackle can be pressed into place, so that the closing of the lock
may or may not be under the sole control of the person holding the
key.
In the padlock the subject of this Invention all these various require-
ments are met, the lock is strong, not liable to get out of repair, and
opportunity is afforded for sealing the inside of the lock to detect any
attempt to open the lock.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a view of the lock with the
cap plate removed and the shackle locked; Figure 2 is a similar view
with the shackle thrown back, and Figure 3 shews the key for a four
tumbler lock

page_text: The case a is of any desired size and shape; b is the shackle swinging
upon the pin c and thrown up by the spring d. The bolt e swings upon
the pin i and has an offset or talon 2 that enters the notch 3 in the
shackle b when locked. The tumblers f swing upon the pin 4 and are
acted upon by the springs g between the stud 5 and tumbler tails, or said
springs might be applied in any convenient manner. The ends of the
tumblers contiguous to the bolt e are formed as arcs of circles and are
notched, the key being a plate key that is introduced through the key-
hole 6, and the bits are of such a length that the notches of the tumblers
are brought on line to receive the detent 7 of the bolt e, so that the bolt
may be thrown back by the spring o. The sliding bolt r is fitted to
move in the lugs 8, 8, by the action of a helical or other spring, and the
head of the bolt forms a case closer, a bolt holder, and a shackle mover.
It is now to be understood that when the bolt e is thrown back by the
spring o after the tumblers have been placed by the key that the head of
the bolt r acts to start the shackle and eject the swinging end from the
case, then the head holds the bolte and offset 2 in position, as in Figure 2,
and this head of the bolt r fills the opening or mortice through which
the shackle passes so as to exclude dust and prevent the swinging end of
the said shackle falling into the lock and catching accidentally in case
the spring d is broken or too weak to hold up the shackle. When the
shackle is placed to press the bolt this bolt is forced down and the
bolt e thrown by the spring & so as to hold the shackle, and the tumblers
being liberated from the talon 7 assume their normal position and
effectually prevent the bolt being moved back by concussion or otherwise
until the tumblers are properly placed. This spring & intercepts any
pick as it comes between the keyhole and the tumblers, and the projec-
tion 9 of the bolt e becomes a fence to cut off access to the tumbler
notches.
When the parts are in the position of Fig. 2 no opportunity exists
for the lock to become injured by dirt or foreign substances, there being
no more opportunity for any such substance to get into the lock than
there is when the lock is locked. The key can be withdrawn and when
the hasp or shackle is pressed into place it will catch. If the bolt r is
pressed down when the shackle is thrown back the bolt e and tumblers f
will assume their normal position and the key will have to be introduced
before the shackle can be pressed into the lock. By taking off the cap

page_text: fence 10 or between the tumblers fand spring 8 so that an effort to open
the lock can be detected.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention communicated
to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is to be performed I
desire it to be understood that I claim as secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent.
First. The bolt e, offset 2, and talon 7, in combination with the
tumblers and swinging shackle b, substantially as set forth.
Second. The keyhole spring & in combination with the plate key,
tumblers, bolt e, and shackle b, as and for the purposes set forth.
Third. The bolt applied substantially as specified in combination
with the bolt e and shackle b, for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The fences 9 and 10 in combination with the bolt e and
tumblers and springs, and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Lewis Lawrence have here- 1
unto set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.