IMPROVEMENTS IN PERMUTATION LOCKS
Year: 1884

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I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PERMUTATION LOCKS a communication from Robert Derret Green of Columbus,
Lowndes, Mississippi, United States of America, Gentleman, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to certain improvements in permutation locks similar to
that for which Letters Patent N° 262,406 of the United States were granted under
date of August 8, 1882.
•
The present invention is not only applicable to pad locks but to locks for doors,
desks, pianos and various other purposes as well as to seal locks such as are used
in transportation of goods and merchandise by railway or otherwiso.
This invention consists essentially in a novel construction, arrangement and
combination of the lock mechanism itself and of devices used in connection with
said mechanism when applied to. a seal lock.
Reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1. is a general view of the lock mechanism as applied to a casing of any
suitable description.
Figure 2. is a front view of a seal lock with my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 3, is a back view of the same.
Figure 4. is a view showing the front plate removed and the parts unlocked.
Figure 5 is a similar view showing the parts locked.
Figure 6. is a view of the inside of the front plate.
Figure 7. is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the line x x of Figure 2.
Figures 8, 9. and 10 are detail views.
.
A designates the lock plate of a casing or shell being provided with a peripherical
rim and B designates the front plate of said casing: which when thus constructed
is provided with a bow or shackle b, and a ring or staple 63, such as are usually.
employed in seal locks.
Ċ, designates the main plato which carries the lock mechanism, which plate may
be of any suitable form, but as here shown is circular. In this plate C, at four
points about equidistant from each other are four-short shafts or pivots which
D

page_text: extend on both sides of said plate. To one end of each pivot is attached a toothed
wheel D, on which is formed a boss or extension d concentric with the axis of said
wheel and provided with a projecting rib or tongue d² to serve as a thumb piece as
hereinafter described. Each toothed wheel D, is engaged by a spring pawl d³ d'
carried by the plate C. At the opposite end of each pivot is a circular plate or
disc E having a peripherical rim extending towards the front plate. In this
peripherical rim is a notch e, and on the periphery of the disc are a number of
notches for the purpose hereinafter described. The disc E is loosely attached
to said pivot so that it may turn thereon when required. Between the disc E and
the main plate C, is a circular plate F in which are a number of holes, corre-
sponding with the number of teeth and notches in the wheel D, and having a
tooth projecting beyond its periphery. In the centre of this plate is a square
hole, fitting a square portion of the pivot so as to turn with it.
When the parts
are in place, the disc E is connected to the plate F by a screw f2 passing through
the disc and into one of the holes in the plate, so that said plate and disc will move
together. By unscrewing the screws f the disc E may be turned on the pivot so
as to cause the screw to engage with a different hole in the plate, so as to change
the combination.
Another mode of connecting and disconnecting the disc and plate is shown in
the disc marked 4, in which, instead of the screw f' a spring f³ is employed.
One end of the spring is secured to the disc E and the other end is bent so as
to extend through a hole in the disc and engage with one of the holes in the
plate F. By withdrawing the point of the spring from the hole in the plate, the
disc may be turned independently of the plate, and when the spring is released,
the parts are again connected so as to move together.
When the screws f3 are used, the combination may be changed without removing
the front plate by turning the discs until said screws are opposite revolving
barrels S in the front plate, so that a screw-driver may be inserted and the screws
turned as described.
G represents the beak plate. It is placed over the discs E, so as to oscillate on
a pivot c, projecting from the centre of the main plate C: At its upper portion
is a beak g for engagement with the nose or hook on the shackle b. At points
near the peripheries of the discs E are pins h, extending rearward from the inner
sides of the plate. On two opposite sides of the pivot are two holes ii and above
the pivot is a slot 2².
In the back plate A, are four round holes corresponding in size and location with
the four bosses or extensions d. Around each hole is marked a circle of figures
corresponding in number and location with the teeth and notches on the discs E.
In the centre of the plate B is a circular opening in which is fitted a circular
plate J, with a wide notch j on its upper edge. This plate is held in place by
a bar K, attached to the rear side and having its ends engaging with rebates at
the edge of the opening. On the rear side of the plate Jare two rearwardly-
extending pins l, l, for engagement with the holes i, i in the beak plate.
In the front plate B, above the notch j, is an opening provided with grooves in
which slides a skeleton frame M, the lower end of which terminates in an clongated
tongue m, which extends down and works between the circular plate J and
fastening bar K, and carries a rearwardly projecting pin mx. At the upper end of
the frame is a forwardly projecting lug m³ in which is a hole. Between the side
pieces of the frame M slides a plate P, provided with a slot running parallel with
the vertical side pieces of the frame M. A screw p passes through this slot and
into the back of the plate B, and by this means the frame M and plate P are
connected so as to slide parallel: with but independent of each other. On the front
surface of the side pieces of the frame Mare two forwardly-projecting pins m³
and on the front surface of the plate P, on either side of its slot are two similar
pins p³.
.
+
To the lower end of the slotted plate Pois hinged another plate, Q, which may
be either of solid metal or skeleton form with a glass, face. At the upper right

page_text: hand corner of this plate Q is a lateral lug q, and at the upper left hand corner is
another lateral lug q, and between these lugs is a vertical lug q³. The lug is for
the purpose of raising the plate Q when enclosed; the lug q is for engagement
with a recess R, in which the seal is placed, and the lug q³ is for engagement with
the hole in the lug m³.
The operation of the invention is as follows.
"
In order to form a combination so that the shackle and the beak plate will
engage with each other, the discs are turned by means of thumb pieces d² so that
the notches e and e² are opposite the respective pins h. Then by turning the
circular plate J in the direction indicated by the arrows, the engagement of the
pins l, with the holes i throws back the beak g so that the nose of the shackle
may be inserted in place. Then by turning the plate J, in the opposite direction
the shackle is locked. The plate Q is then moved down until it engages with the
notch jin the circular plate, and thus prevents it from turning. The label or register
is placed in position in the recess containing the pins p³ and m³, and if desired said
label may be secured by adhesive substance. The hinged plate Q is then turned
up so that its lug q' lies in the recess R, and is secured by lowering the frame M
so that the hole in the lug m³ engages the lug q³. The seal is then placed in the
recess R. The mechanism is now securely: locked by two different means, first by
the engagement of the plate Q with the notch to prevent the plate J from
turning; and secured by the engagement of the pin mx on the tongue m of the
frame M with the slot in the beak plate, so as to prevent said beak plate from
moving. But as a further security, the discs E are turned by means of the thumb
pieces to positions other than those at which the mechanism was locked. For
example: Referring to Figure 3. it will be seen that the thumb pieces d also serve
as indicators, and the combination there indicated consists of the figures 1. 2. 3. 4.
By turning one or more of these indicators to any other figure this combination is
destroyed, thus baffling any attempt at tampering with the lock.
When the parts
are locked the plate J covers the screws by which the plates are secured together,
so that they cannot be reached in order to unscrew them.
In order to unlock the mechanism the indicators are turned to. the former
combination. Next, the plate Q. is released by raising the frame M so as to
disengage the hole in the lug m from the lug q.. Next the plate Q is swung open
and backward which breaks the seal by the lug q². Next the frame M is raised to
its highest point, carrying with it the plates P and Q; cancelling the label or
register by tearing it with the pins m³, p³; and releasing the plate Q from the
notch and the pin mx from the slot 2. Then by turning the plate J the beak is
disengaged from the shackle and the lock is opened. When the pins.h are not to
be used, they may be unscrewed from their holes and placed in other holes h³, in
the beak-plate for safe keeping.. This lock mechanism as shown in the general
view, Fig. 1, and the detail views, Figs. .8 and 9, is entiroly independent of any
particular form of shell or casing, and may be manufactured and sold. in such
shape, in the same manner as the mechanism of clocks and watches is furnished, so
as to be applied to casings of any desired form or locks for any desired purpose.
The various parts of the mechanism are of such a character that they may be
struck out with dies from sheet metal. When the pins h have been removed from the
holes and placed in other holes (marked h³) they will then engage with the notches e²
in the periphery of the discs, and the clicking sound will still be heard when the
discs are turned. By this means, when it is suspected that the combination has
been discovered by a suspected person, the pins may be removed without the
knowledge of said person, who, finding the lock will open without difficulty, will
suppose he has discovered the proper combination, and will thus be detected.
When the pins are thus placed so as to engage with the notches e³, their relation
to the pawls d³ and the wheels D is such that in forming the combination the
pawls are made to engage with the top of the teeth of the wheel instead of the
spaces or notches between the teeth, so that the combination may be set at positions

page_text: intermediate between the figures shown on the back plate, and thereby further
complicate the combination.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is as follows
First. The carrying plate C, and. beak plate G pivoted together and con-
structed as described to support a lock mechanism independently of any outside
frame, thereby adapting such mechanism to a frame of any desirable character:
substantially as herein shown and described.
Second. The combination of the beak plate G provided with the pins h, the cup
shaped discs E, each having a notch e, on the wall or flange and series of notches c²
on the periphery and the spring pawls d³ & d' engaging the notches, substantially
as shown and described.
Third: The back plate A. provided with holes surrounded by figures or other
characters in combination with the. wheels D having bosses or extensions d
arranged in the holes and thumb picces or indicators d' on the bosses or extensions
substantially as herein described. .
Fourth. The combination with a lock mechanism constructed as described of a
front plate B, provided with a circular plate J, carrying the pins l, l, and the beak
plate having holes i to receive the pins, substantially as and for the purposes
specified.
Fifth. The combination with the front plate B. having the recess R. and the
circular plate J, having the notches j of the swinging and sliding register-covering
plate Q and the plate or frame constructed and operating substantially as herein
described.
Sixth. The combination with the swinging register plate Q and the sliding
plate P having pins p³, of the sliding frame M having pins m³ substantially as and
for the purpose described.
Seventh. The combination with the front plate B, and the lock mechanism herein
described, of a circular plate J arranged to cover the screw holes when locked and
the revolving barrels S carried by said plate and arranged to admit a screw-driver
substantially as herein described.
Eighth. The combination with the disc E and the perforated plate F of the
spring mounted on the disc to engage the plate for connecting and disconnecting
the parts, substantially as berein described.
Ninth. The combination with the discs E having the notches e, e2; the toothed
wheel D, spring pawls engaging said wheels and the beak plate G, of the removable
pins h, whereby provision is made for the destruction of the combination without
dispensing with the clicking produced by the action of the pawls d³ on the toothed
wheels D, as herein shown and described. .
Tenth. The combination with the (toothed) wheels D and discs E having the
notches e on their peripheries of the (beak) plate G having the removable pins h
and holes whereby provision is made for setting the combination at points
intermediate between the teeth of the wheels substantially as herein described.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1884.