Improvements in and relating to Locks and Keys therefor.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Locks and Keys therefor.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford,. in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to locks such as used for securing doors, safes, boxes and
the like. The invention also has reference to keys for use with my improved locks.
The said invention is designed to provide a construction of lock which can be
opened by the mere act of inserting the key, and which shall nevertheless be as
difficult to open without the proper key, as are ordinary locks which require the
key to be turned after it is inserted.
A lock constructed according to my invention is provided with a series of spring-
actuated levers or pins which serve as catches and which project into the key hole.
The key, which is without wards, is provided with a series of annular or other
swellings or projections corresponding to the levers or pins, and the arrangement
is such that when the key is pushed into the key hole, the levers or pins are
moved thereby into such a position that they permit the part of the lock in which
they are situated to be displaced, such displacement serving to effect the operation
of the bolt of the lock.
According to one arrangement, applicable for example to door locks, the spring
levers are mounted in a cylinder or cylindrical block fitted to slide endwise in the
lock casing. The keyhole extends axially through this cylinder, and the levers,
which are arranged in slots transversely of the keyhole, have their edges projecting
slightly into the said keyhole, while their extremities project into grooves in the
lock casing, and so prevent movement of the cylinder. The central portions of
the walls of the grooves in the casing are however cut away so as to form gaps, and
the arrangement is such that when the key is inserted, the projections thereon raise
the levers till their extremities come on a level with the gaps, and so permit of
the cylinder moving endwise, whereas if the levers were raised too high, for example
by the use of the wrong key, they would move past the gaps into the other parts
of the grooves and so render such endwise movement impossible.
The levers are mounted on a rod or pin on which the cylinder is free to slide.
The said cylinder is also provided with a projecting stem or finger which bears
upon one arm of a bell-crank lever for operating the lock bolt, and serves through
the medium of the said lever to withdraw the bolt when the cylinder is moved
inward.
The casing of the lock is formed with a bell-mouthed aperture forming a con-
tinuation of the keyhole and the key has a tapered or conical extremity so as to
facilitate insertion of the key.

page_text: The aperture in the casing is of the same diameter as the key whereas the key-
hole is of slightly larger diameter. As a slight inclination of the key might
affect the lift of the levers and prevent the disengagement of the cylinder I pro-
vide means for centreing the inner end of the key truly, the outer end being of
course centred by reason of its fitting truly in the aperture of the lock casing.
To this end at the inner extremity of the keyhole I provide a conically recessed
end-piece adapted to receive the conical extremity of the key, and to thus form
a self-centreing device which serves to keep the key in its proper position.
To guard against the lock being tampered with, the said end piece may be made
of hardened steel so that it cannot be drilled out, say to permit of a wire being
passed through the key hole to operate the bolt without moving the cylinder.
The key may be formed or adapted to serve as a pencil case or other small
pocket implement.
When the key is pressed home into the lock, the annular projections move the
levers so as to release the cylinder. After this a continued pressure on the key
moves the cylinder endwise and withdraws the bolt as before described, and may
then push the door open, if the latter be suitably arranged.
It will therfeore be seen that in order to open the door it is only necessary to
insert the key into the key-hole and press the same steadily inwards in a longi-
tudinal direction when the continued pressure will perform all the operations
required for unfastening the lock and opening the door.
In some cases, the key may be ribbed or be star-shaped in section, in which case
the aforesaid projections are formed along the edges of the ribs..
The invention may be applied to locks wherein the endwise movement of the
cylinder or barrel is restrained by spring-pins arranged in the lock-casing in a
radial direction relatively to the cylinder and projecting into radial recesses or
passages in the latter. Sliding pins, situated in these radial passages, abut against
the spring pins and extend different distances into the key-hole. The insertion
of the key presses back the pins until their extremities are flush with the surface
of the cylinder when of course the latter can be moved endwise exactly as in the
preceding example.
Instead of pins, pivoted levers or plates may be arranged in narrow grooves or
recesses in the casing and in, the cylinder, so that the plates appertaining to the
casing abut against the edges of those in the cylinder, and the latter plates pro-
ject slightly into the key-hole.
Dated this 29th day of Decomber 1907
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, LOUIS SILVERMAN, of Crayford Works, Crayford, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, 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:-
This invention has for its chief object to so construct a lock that it can be
opened by a key which does not require any care as to its position for inserting
it into the key-hole, that is to say there is no necessity to consider which side of

page_text: the key shall be held upward to permit it to enter the key-hole provided its proper
end be presented thereto. For this purpose the bolt of the lock is adapted to be
retracted by the endwise movement of a cylindrical or other block carrying a
series of tumblers so contrived as to be operated by pushing in the key which is
a tapered stem or spindle having a smooth or a longitudinally ribbed surface with
a series of projections or depressions symmetrically disposed with relation to the
axis of said spindle. The shape and position of these projections or depressions
is such that when the key is thrust into the key-hole the series of tumblers will
be shifted into a position to release the block or tumbler-carrier and permit the
latter to be pushed inward by the key and disengage the bolt of the lock.
The lock is also so constructed that even if all the tumblers should be surrep-
titiously moved by an instrument other than the proper key, into a position to
disengage them from their locking position, they would not of necessity thereby
release the said tumbler-carrier, means being provided whereby the movement
of any one of them beyond a predetermined position, depending upon the forma-
tion of the proper key, would re-lock the tumbler-carrier and prevent it from being
shifted inward as aforesaid.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which :-
:-
Figure 1 is a horizontal section of a latch-lock constructed in accordance with
any invention and applied to a door.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the lock as seen from the inside of the door, and
Figure 3 is an elevation of the lock as seen from the outside of the door.
Figures 4 and 5 are transverse sections taken respectively on the lines 1, 1,
and 2, 2, of Figure 1 and drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 6 is an elevation and Figure 7 a cross section on the line 3, 3, of
Figure 6 shewing a slotted fixed sleeve with which the tumbler-carrier is sur-
rounded, the purpose thereof being hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a side view and Figure 9 a front view of the key (on an enlarged
scale) for use with this lock.
Figures 10 and 11 are similar views shewing a modified construction of the key.
Figure 12 is an elevation similar to Figure 3 and shews the shape of the key-
hole when a key of the kind illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 is employed.
In all these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
A is the bolt, which in the example illustrated is adapted to slide horizontally
against the resistance of a spring A¹ contained in a lock casing A2. B is a knob
by which such bolt can be operated by a person from the inside of the door. C is
the tumbler-carrier or block which is connected with the bolt A so as to with-
draw the latter when said carrier is moved inward as hereinafter explained; D D
are the tumblers.
The said tumbler-carrier is preferably of cylindrical shape, with a central hole c
for the key to enter; it also has a number of transverse slotted openings c¹ for the
reception of the tumblers which are all retained in place by a single pivot pin ./.
These tumblers are adapted to normally lie with a portion d' of their inner edge
projecting slightly into the said holes c and with their free ends or noses pro-
Jonged beyond the surface of the said cylindrical carrier C. The said noses are
kept pressed toward the bottom of the slotted openings c¹ by springs d³ as shewn
in Figure 4. The said carrier C is enclosed in the fixed sleeve E which is formed
with two series of transverse or radial slots el e², each series opening into a longi-
tudinal slot e situated between the two series (see Figures 6 and 7). When the
tumblers are in the normal position above referred to their noses lie in the afore-
said slots. The inner end of the said sleeve is closed by a fixed disc e³
(Figure 1) around which the inner edge f of a thin outer casing F is bent to pre-
vent any liability of the said disc to be pushed out of place by the cylindrical
carrier. This disc is preferably composed of hardened steel so as to resist the
action of a drill or other tool. The said casing F encloses the aforesaid sleeve,

page_text: and is connected therewith by radial screws f¹ f', (Figures 4 and 5). It is uro-
vided with a hollow collar that bears against the surface of the door G and
supports the outer end or boss E¹ of the said fixed sleeve E. The door to which
the lock is applied is formed with a hole or cavity into which the casing F,
containing the sleeve E and the tumbler carrier C, is fitted and held in place by
a screw extending from the sole plate of the lock casing A2 to the disc e as
clearly shewn in Figure 1. The said tumbler carrier C has a longitudinal pin c
which is of such a length that its inner end will lie adjacent to one limb of a bell-
crank a contained in the lock casing A², the other limb of such bell-crank
engaging with an arm or shoulder a¹ on a sliding rod a² connected with the
bolt A. The spiral spring A¹ surrounds the said rod and acts to press the
bolt A into a position to engage with the socket on the door jamb G. By
these means the tumbler-carrier is released as hereinafter explained and pushed
inward, and its pin operates the bell-crank which in turn acts upon the
shoulder a¹ and rotates the bolt A to permit the opening of the door. The afore-
said knob B which projects through a slot in the lock casing is attached to a
sliding piece b¹ whose end lies in front of the aforesaid shoulder a. The rod a
can thus be actuated from the inside of the door, to retract the bolt A, by operating
the knob B.
The key for operating the tumblers 1) and releasing the carrier C to permit of
its being shifted inward as aforesaid, is in Figures 8 and 9, in the form of a
slightly tapered spindle H having a series of annular acting surfaces formed by
grooves or depressions h symmetrically disposed therein. The number and
position of these acting surfaces is such that as the key is thrust into the lock,
they will shift the tumblers out of the path of the key and permit it to fully
enter the lock. The portions of the tumblers will then enter the depressions
which are so shaped that all the noses d² of the tumblers will occupy a position
in alignment with each other in the longitudinal slot c. The tumblers, having
assumed this position, no longer resist the inward movement of the carrier C
when the latter is pushed inward by the thrust on the key. The extent to which
the key can be pushed into the carrier to release the tumblers is limited by forming
its inner end with a shoulder to bear against a corresponding cavity in the
inner end of the carrier. Thus when the key is pushed into the carrier it first
brings the noses of the tumblers into the longitudinal slot e to release the carrier
as above explained, and then, by the action of the shoulder the continued inward
movement of the key compels the carrier to slide inward toward the end disc e³.
During this inward movement the carrier causes the pin to act upon the bell-
.crank as aforesaid and through the intervention of the shoulder al on the rod a²,
withdraws the bolt A and unlocks the door. As the key is withdrawn, the spring
A re-acts and by 'causing the bell-crank to resume its normal position returns
the carrier to its original position. The tumblers thus again arrive opposite their
respective slots el in the sleeve E with which slots they engage under the in-
fluence of their springs and re-lock the carrier in its fixed position. I some-
times construct one of the depressions in the key with its walls less curved
than that shewn in the drawings, so that when the key is engaging with the
tumblers this particular depression will temporarily connect the key with the
carrier so that the latter can be moved inward and outward by the key as the
latter is thrust into or withdrawn from the key-hole. By these means the out-
ward movement of the carrier is prevented from being wholly dependent upon the
spring A for returning it to its normal position and I am therefore enabled to
employ a comparatively weak spring A whose resistance to the movement of the
bolt A when the latter is being retracted by pushing in the carrier, is very small.
Instead of utilizing one of the aforesaid depressions for this purpose however
I prefer to arrange at the front end of the carrier an auxiliary tumbler D¹
(Figure 5) the nose of which does not project into the slots in the sleeve E, and
to form the key with an annular groove or depression to engage with said
tumbler when the key is fully home in the carrier. The said depression h² should

page_text: not be made too deep otherwise difficulty will be experienced in disengaging it
from the auxiliary tumbler when the key is to be withdrawn from the key-hole.
in the
With a key of the kind illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, the key-hole
boss E is of circular formation as shewn at Figure 3, the mouth of said hole being
situated in a conical or similar cavity e in the boss E¹. Such conical cavity
serves as a guide to direct the point of the key properly into the hole. Without
this conical cavity difficulty might sometimes be experiencd in putting the key
into its key-hole owing to the small diameter of the latter.
In order to avoid as much as possible the entrance of dust or the mischievous
insertion of foreign particles into the key hole, I prefer to make it with radial
slits as illustrated in Figure 12. The key is then constructed in the form repre-
sented in Figures 10 and 11, that is to say instead of being circuiar in cross-
section, as in Figures 8 and 9, it is formed with longitudinal radial ribs which
fit the slits in the key-hole. The surfaces for acting upon the tumblers are
formed in the edges of all of the said ribs and serve identically the same purpose
as the annular recesses in the key shown in Figures 8 and 9. The head I
of the key, especially when said key is made in accordance with Figures 10 and 11
is preferably connected to the spindle portion by a swivel joint so that the said
spindle portion can turn and adapt itself to the position of the radial slits as
the point of the key comes against the conical cavity and enters the key-hole.
In the event of any of the tumblers being moved out of the slots e into a
position beyond that necessary to bring their noses into the longitudinal slot e
in the sleeve E as already described, they will enter the series of slots e². There-
fore notwithstanding the fact that the tumblers may all be disengaged from the
slots e, it will be observed that even if only one of them be shifted beyond the
proper position, it will enter one of the slots and therefore still prevent the
carrier C from being shifted longitudinally. It will consequently be obvious that
it would be a task of extreme difficulty, without the proper key, to so move all
the tumblers that their noses would be shifted only just far enough to be dis-
engaged from the series of slots e and not so far as to come into engagement
with the other series of slots 2, Moreover it will be readily understood that in
the construction of locks and keys according to my invention a very slight altera-
tion in the position occupied by the tumblers with respect to one another and of
the position and depth of the acting surfaces of the key, will render one lock
incapable of being operated by any other than the identical key made for it;
therefore although a number of keys, all very similar in appearance, may be ob
tained, only that one which has the exact depth and position of depressions in it,
will act properly upon all the' tumblers of a particular lock, to bring them into
a position to lie exactly between the two series of slots el in the sleeve E.
Although I have described and shewn a lock with tumblers I wish it to be
understood that radially arranged spring-pins may be used in place of the
tumblers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. A lock adapted to be actuated by a key having its stem or spindle provided
with symmetrically disposed projections or depressions for the purposes specified.
2. The sliding tumbler-carrier having a key-hole into which the tumblers
slightly project, in combination with a fixed sleeve formed with transverse and
longitudinal slots substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
3. The means substantially as described whereby the aforesaid tumblers are
caused to re-lock the tumbler-carrier in the event of the tumblers being shifted
beyond their unlocking position.
4. The means whereby one tumbler operates in conjunction with a depression
in the aforesaid key substantially as described so that the carrier can be moved
thereby for the purpose specified.

page_text: 5. A lock having its parts constructed arranged and combined to operate sub-
stantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the pur-
poses specified.
6. A key formed substantially as described with reference to Figures 8 and 9
or Figures 10 and 11 of the drawings for the purpose specified.
Dated th 20th day of January 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.