IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOBS AND ROSES, USED WITH LOCKS, LATCHES, AND SUCH LIKE FASTENINGS AS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH SPINDLES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Pitt, of Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
KNOBS AND ROSES, USED WITH LOCKS, LATCHES, AND SUCH LIKE FASTENINGS AS
ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH SPINDLES."-A communication.
Sealed the 6th February 1855, and dated the 9th August 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles Pitt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th August 1854.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES PITT, of Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF KNOBS AND ROSES, USED WITH LOCKS, LATCHES, AND SUCH LIKE
FASTENINGS AS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH SPINDLES," (a communication from a
foreigner residing abroad,) to be as follows:-.
This Invention relates to a new mode of constructing knobs or handles, such
are commonly employed for actuating the spindles of door locks or latches,
and also in the construction of the "roses" employed in combination there-
with; and the novelty of this Invention consists, first, in the constructing knobs
with a long neck or collar, which fits upon and covers all or nearly all of that
of the spindle which projects beyond the size of the case of the lock or latch;

page_text: and, secondly, in forming the rose with a hole at its center, of the same size
as the diameter of the neck or collar of the knob, for it to turn or work in
freely; or I form a flanch or "rose" upon the knob, as a substitute for the
loose rose commonly used, and of one and the same piece of material as the
said knob, whether the same to be made of metal, china, porcelain, glass,
wood, horn, or other similar materials.
But in order to explain the nature of this Invention more fully, and to point
out in what respects it differs from the modes hitherto commonly practised of
constructing door knobs, I would remark, that the modes heretofore generally
employed in the construction of knobs and roses for door locks and latches has
been to make the knobs bear against the rose when fixed on the side of the
door. But by this Invention it will be seen that by making the hole in the
"rose" of the same size as the diameter of the neck or collar of the knob, and
making such said neck or collar of the same length, or nearly so, as the pro-
jecting part of the spindle, as before stated, the knob will work through the
rose," and thus adjust itself to doors of various thicknesses, and will also
be preserved steady when in action, and is not, therefore, liable to become
loose on the spindle, in consequence of having a longer bearing on the spindle
and in the door, as above stated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Charles Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th February 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES PITT, of Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Charles Pitt, Her special licence that I, the said William
Charles Pitt, my executors, administrators,.. and assigns, or such others 8
as I, the said William Charles Pitt, 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, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and. Isle of Man, an s

page_text: Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF KNOBS AND ROSES, USED
WITH LOCKS, LATCHES, AND SUCH LIKE FASTENINGS AS ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH
SPINDLES," (a communication,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Charles Pitt, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, 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 William Charles Pitt, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof (that is to say):-.
The Invention relates to a new mode of constructing knobs or handles, such
as are commonly employed for actuating the spindles of door locks or latches,
and also in the construction of the "roses" employed in combination therewith.
And the novelty of the said Invention consists, firstly, in constructing the
knobs of locks or latches with a long neck or collar, which fits upon and covers
the whole, or nearly so, of, that part of the spindle which projects beyond the
sides of the case of the lock or latch; and, secondly, in forming the "rose" with
a hole through its centre, of the same size, or nearly so, as the diameter of the
neck or collar of the knob, for it to turn or work in freely; or I form a flanch
or "rose" upon the knob, as (heretofore practised,) as a substitute for the loose
rose" commonly used, and of one and the same piece of material as the said
knob, which is constructed to receive a metal neck or socket which extends
to the sides of the lock, whether the said knob be made of metal, china,
porcelain, glass, wood, horn; or other similar materials.
But in order to explain the nature of this Invention more fully, and to point
out in what respects it differs from the modes hitherto commonly practised of
constructing door knobs and "roses," I would remark, that the modes heretofore
generally employed in the construction of knobs and "roses" for door locks and
latches has been to make the knobs bear against the "rose" when fixed on the
side of the door. But by this Invention it will be seen that by making the hole
in the "rose" of the same size, or nearly so, as the diameter of the neck or
collar of the knob, and making such said neck or collar of the same length, or
nearly so, as the projecting part of the spindle, as before stated, the knob will
work through the "rose" instead of bearing against it, and thus adjust itself
to doors of various thicknesses, and will also be preserved steady when in
action; and not liable to become loose on the spindle, having a bearing in the
w

page_text: door and against the lock, and a longer bearing on the spindle than heretofore,
as above stated.
In order to explain the said Invention as completely as possible, I now pro-
ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawing hereunto
annexed to these presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively, as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 exhibits the application of the Invention to a mortice lock and door,
the several parts being exhibited in section; Figure 2 shews another mode of
connecting the improved knobs and "roses" to locks and latches; Figure 3 is
a transverse section of a "rose" made of wood or china, shewing the mode of
constructing the same for connecting it to a door; Figure 4 shews the inside
of the socket of the knob; at Figure 5, showing the appearance it would
present if laid open, and the mode of arranging the adjusting holes therein,
through which the screw is to be passed for connecting the knob to the spindle
of a lock or latch; Figures 5, 6, 7, aro detached views, hereafter referred to.
At each of the foregoing Figures I employ similar letters of reference to denoto
corresponding parts, in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of
the said Figures respectively. At Figures 1 and 2, A, A, marks a china or
wood knob constructed with a long neck B, B; C, C, is the spindle of a lock
or latch; said spindle is formed square, as commonly practised, and the ends
thereof fit into square holes formed in the knobs A, A, as exhibited; D, D, are
screws for connecting the knobs A, A, to the spindle C, which spindle has
screwed holes formed therein for that purpose. By this mode of adjusting the
knobs A to the spindle of the lock, it will appear
evident that any variation in
the thickness of the doors will not affect such adjustment, and the necks or
collars B of the knobs being always in contact with the sides of the lock, will
_keep them steady when in action. I would remark that in constructing knobs
of wood or china, according to the method exhibited at Figure 6, I proceed as
follows: First, as regards wooden knobs, I form the knob and fixed rose in
one piece, I then form a circular hole a in or through the same, and drive a
metal socket therein, and partly through the same, so as to allow a portion
of said socket to project beyond the face of the fixed rose c to the lock, and I
form a square hole in the socket 6 to receive the square end of the spindle of
the lock or latch.
An important feature in this part of the said Invention consists in

page_text: forming a "neck" or "socket," which extends from the knobs to the sides of
the lock, and in drilling holes 1, 2, 3, 4, in the projecting part of the said
neck or socket of the knob A, A, through each of the sides of the square
hole therein, in the order exhibited at Figures 4, 5, 7, so that by passing the
screw D through one or other of the said holes the knobs may be readily
adapted to doors of different thicknesses. By this mode of adjusting the knobs
A to the spindle of the lock, it will appear evident that any variation in the
thickness of the doors may be accommodated by the adjusting holes in the
projecting neck or socket of the knob, the said knobs being kept steady by the
neck or socket working in the door; and as regards china and wood knobs, I
form the hole a partly through the same instead of entirely, as before stated,
and I fix the metal socket into the china knob with cement. At Figure 1, E, E,
are loose "roses" of china or wood, which may be securely fixed to the door by
pins or screws; these "roses" have a hole made through them of the same
size, or nearly so, as the diameter of the neck of the knob.
"
I would remark that I also construct "roses" of wood or china, as follows:-
I employ a metal "under rose" with a screw formed thereon, said "under
rose being fixed to the door by small screws, and I form a corresponding
screw in the loose "rose," as exhibited at Figure 3, so that when it is screwed
to the "under rose," such said rose will be hidden, and the loose "rose"
only will be exposed: Another and a more simple mode of connecting the
loose "rose" to the "under rose" may be effected by making the projecting
part of the "under rose" (exhibited at Figure 3) plain instead of screwed,
and by making several saw cuts in the same, so that when the hole in the
loose "rose" is passed over the aforesaid plain part of the "under rose" it will
spring, in consequence of the saw cuts, and thus hold and connect the loose
"rose" thereto; to ensure this, however, the hole in the loose "rose" and the
plain part of the "under rose "should be made taper (the largest diameter
being outermost).
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention of
"Improvements in the Construction of Knobs and Roses, used with Locks,
Latches, and such like Fastenings as are Constructed with Spindles," and in
what manner the same is to be and may be performed, I would remark, in
conclusion, that what I claim is,―
Firstly, the constructing of knobs with a long neck or collar B, as at Figures
1, 2, 5, 7.
Secondly, the mode set forth and exhibited at Figures 4, 5, 7, of arranging
the holes in the socket or neck of the knob for adjusting it on the spindle C.

page_text: Thirdly, the mode set forth and exhibited at Figure 6 of constructing knobs
of wood or china.
And, fourthly and lastly, the mode set forth and exhibited at Figure 3 of
constructing "roses" in china or wood.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Pitt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
WILLIAM CHARLES PITT. (L.s.).
Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.