IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAL LOCKS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills, of the Firm
.
of Harris and Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SEAL LOCKS."-A communication from abroad by the American
Seal Lock Company, of the City, County, and State of New York,
in the United States of Amonion
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Joseph
Barnard Mills at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 25th January 1872.
I, BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS, of the Firm of Harris and
Mills, of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEAL LOCKS," a communication to me from abroad
by the American Seal Lock Company, of the City, County, and State of
New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a lock adapted to be secured by seals, con-
structed according to Letters Patent granted to B. J. B. Mills, dated

page_text: May 30, 1871, Number 1440, of rigid and frangible material, which seals
may be produced in advance in large numbers at trifling cost in a
manner that precludes the possibility of successfully counterfeiting or
duplicating them, and may be applied to the locks with great facility.
The seals may be formed of glass variegated by dark colouring matter
which may be either introduced into the substance of the glass or
applied to the under surface of the sheets. A large number of seals may
be made in a single sheet by applying thereto suitable colouring matter
in irregular and broken lines, or in any manner which may prevent any
two portions of the sheet presenting a precisely similar appearance. The
seals may be numbered consecutively, after which a photographic repre-
sentation may be taken of the whole for purposes of subsequent identifi-
cation. The seals may then be cut apart and will be ready for use.
or in
The lock with which these seals are to be used is made in two parts,
one sliding upon or within the other, and secured together by a spring
catch, which catch is protected by a seal constructed as above described,
any other way that may
be adapted to produce the same effect.
One part of the lock may consist of a bow or shackle to pass through a
staple over the hasp of a door or shutter, or the cover of a chest or other
receptacle. The other part may consist of a cross bar fitted to slide
within sockets in the ends of the bow, or formed with sockets into which
the ends of the bow may pass, or if preferred the parts may be hinged
together and the free end of one may pass into a socket in the other,
more after the manner of a padlock. In either case a spring catch is
employed to secure the ends together, and a seat is formed in one or the
other member for the reception of the seal, the parts being so formed and
arranged that while the seal is in position and unbroken it cannot be
removed, will be exposed to view, and will prevent access to the catch.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills in the Great Seal 30
Patent Office on the 25th July 1872.

page_text: The seals may be formed of glass variegated by dark coloring matter
which may be either introduced into the substance of the glass or applied
to the under surface of the sheets. A large number of seals may be
made in a single sheet by applying thereto suitable coloring matter in
irregular and broken lines, or in any manner which may prevent any
two portions of the sheet presenting a precisely similar appearance. The
seals may be numbered consecutively, after which a photographic repre-
sentation may be taken of the whole for purposes of subsequent identifi-
cation. The seals may then be cut apart and will be ready for use.
The lock with which these seals are to be used is made in two parts,
one sliding upon or within the other and secured together by a spring
catch, which catch is protected by a seal constructed as above described,
or in
any other way that may be adapted to produce the same effect..
One part of the lock may consist of a bow or shackle to pass through a
staple over the hasp of a door or shutter, or the cover of a chest or other
receptacle. The other part may consist of a cross bar fitted to slide
within sockets in the ends of the bow, or formed with sockets into which
the ends of the bow may pass, or if preferred the parts may be hinged
together and the free end of one may pass into a socket in the other,
more after the manner of a padlock. In either case a spring catch is
employed to secure the ends together, and a seat is formed in one or
the other member for the reception of the seal, the parts being so formed
and arranged that while the seal is in position and unbroken it cannot
be removed, will be exposed to view, and will prevent access to the
catch

page_text: •
The parts being in the position shown in the Drawing, it will be seen
to be impossible to separate them without breaking the seal or destroying
the lock.
When the seal is broken a pointed instrument may be used to press
back the catch C, and the parts can then be separated without difficulty.
If desirable for additional security the slide B or A¹ may be formed
below the socket E with any desirable number of apertures 1, 1, for the
reception of lead seals L, which may be applied by different parties or at
different times. :
A recess H may be formed in the slide to engage with the catch C to 1
prevent the entire removal of the slide from the socket.
It is manifest that the two parts may if preferred be pivoted together
more after the manner of a padlock, the free end of one entering a
socket in the other, and being there held by the spring catch.
Having. thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the 1
manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that what I claim is, a seal lock constructed substantially as herein
set forth, with two members sliding one upon or within the other, and
secured together by a spring catch protected by a seal, which must be
broken to obtain access to said catch.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Joseph Barnard Mills,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of
July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-two.