IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LOCK FURNITURE
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Henry Tucker, of 6, Southampton Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Lock Manufacturer, for the
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LOCK FURNITURE.”
Scaled the 29th December 1874, and dated the 22nd July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Henry Tucker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd July 1874.
I, WALTER HENRY TUCKER, of 6, Southampton Street, Strand, in the
County of Middlesex, Lock Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LOCK FURNITURE,"
to be as follows:-
. The first portion of my Invention consists of improvements in the
forms and arrangement of the parts which constitute that which is
technically termed the "latch action" in such locks or latches as have
one or more bolts driven outwards by a spring or springs, and in which
such latch bolts" are drawn back by the use of handles from the
outsides of such locks, or of the articles to which they are attached.

page_text: And the purpose of my improvements is the diminution of the friction
and consequent wear which result from the latch actions commonly in
use; and to this end I form the "followers" of such locks with a rounded
or circular "horn" or horns in place of the straight or slightly curved
horns in general use, whilst I also in locks constructed with "cranks"
make that part of the crank on which the follower horns act in carrying
back the bolt circular in form, and so arrange them in relative position
that the circular portion of the crank (which by preference I construct
as a friction roller) comes between the two circular horns of the follower
in such a manner that when the handle is turned one or the other of the
follower horns acts upon the roller or rounded portion of the crank with
a continuous rolling motion, whereby the friction in place of being
confined, as in the present latch actions to a very small surface, is much
more widely diffused, and the wear at any particular point is thus very
materially diminished.
In locks or latches wherein the followers are made to act on the bolt
directly, or on some intervening piece other than a crank, the circular
part or roller, lierein described as applied to the crank, would be
attached to or form part of such bolt or other intervening piece, and
be in like manner actuated by the horn or horns of the follower.
Another advantage resulting from the form in which I construct the
follower horns is that the follower can be turned round or reversed, and
its durability be thereby doubled.
The second portion of my Invention consists of improvements in the
construction of lock furniture, by which I obtain increased adherence
for such furniture to the doors or other articles to which it may be
attached, and greater facility for fixing the same; and one arrangement
by which I produce the desired effects is as follows:-I attach one of
the handles of such furniture permanently to one end of an ordinary
square spindle, the other end of which is wormed on its angles so as to
enable an adjusting cup, which fits into and holds down the rose, to be
screwed on to it so as to accommodate the furniture to the varying thick-
nesses. of doors. This adjusting cup overlaps the inner circle of the
rose so that the fingers can turn it round when screwing it into its
place, and is made cup shaped in its outer surface so as to receive the
base of the loose handle, which is made with a square hole in it so as to
slide on to the spindle without turning until it reaches its position in

page_text: the adjusting cup, when by means of a screw, spring, or pin, or bolt
actuated by a spring, and situated either in the rim of the adjusting cup,
or in the base of the handle, the two may be fixed together by the screw
or spring bolt from the one passing into a hole or recess in the other in
such a manner that they cannot become detached unless it is designedly
effected, either by direct communication from the outside or by so
bevelling the point of the spring bolt, when that is used, that it may be
freed by turning one of the two parts while the other is held fast.
By another method I vary the manner in which I effect the adjust-
ment to the door and the iconnection of the handle with the adjuster
by making the latter in pieces, to one of which I so connect the handle
that while they cannot be separated the one may turn freely within the
other. This piece I then rivet or otherwise fix to the screwing part of
the adjuster, by which arrangement, as that is screwed on to the
spindle, the handle slides upon its square and is retained there until the
adjuster is again screwed off. But as the adjuster would be liable to
become unscrewed were not some means employed to prevent its turning
of itself, I connect it with a locking cup which fits on to the base of the
handle or knob and into the rose, somewhat in the same manner as the.
adjusting cup described for the first arrangement, but having a spring
between it and the base of the knob, the tendency. of which spring is to
keep them apart, from each other so that a projection from the base of
the knob may enter into a hole or recoss in the cup, and thus prevent its,
movement around the knob, until by means of the overlapping part of.
the cup it is pulled towards the base of the knob, the projection from
which becoming thereby released from the holes in the seat of the cup
the one can be turned round upon the other, and the adjuster and the
cup being suitably connected for the purpose it is only when the cup
pulled towards the knob that the adjuster can be screwed on or off, and,
the furniture applied to or taken from the door.
is
In both the foregoing plans there are no screw or pin holes visible.
when the furniture is in its place on the door, but in a third and more
simple arrangement, which I now proceed to specify, I connect the fixed.
knob or handle to the rose in such a manner that the handle can turn.
round without being separable from the rose, and then by means of
visible screws I fix the rose to the surface of the door.
.
As in the other methods I worm the free end of the spindle on to
which the other rose is made to screw so as to obtain the required.

page_text: adjustment for varying doors, and as I also connect the loose knob with
that rose so that they can turn upon each other without being separable
it follows that as the rose is screwed on to the spindle the knob also
slides on upon its square and remains fixed until the rose is again
screwed off.
To prevent the rose becoming loose it is, like the other, made with
external screw holes, through which it is fastened to the door. By this
plan it will be seen that both the knobs are secured to the spindles and
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Henry Tucker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
HENRY TUCKER, of 6, Southampton Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Lock Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Walter Henry Tucker, Her special
licence that I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter Henry
Tucker, 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,.
usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LOCK FURNITURE," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, 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
%

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :—
دو
66
The first portion of my Invention consists of improvements in the
forms and arrangement of the parts which constitute that which is
technically known as the 'latch action," in such locks or latches as
have one or more bolts impelled outwards by a spring or springs, and in
which such. bolts are drawn back into the locks by handles from the
outside. And the purpose of my Invention is the diminution of the
friction and consequent wear which result from the latch actions
commonly in use, and to this end I form the "followers" of such locks
or latches with a circular or rounded "horn "
or "horns" in the place
of the customary and ordinary straight, or but slightly curved or rounded
"horn
or "horns" in general and common use in locks as heretofore
made and constructed without my improvements being contained therein,
whilst in order to efficiently carry my design into execution, and to
reduce the friction and attendant wear of the parts to the smallest point,
I also make that part of the "crank on which the follower horns act
in carrying back the bolt circular in form, and so arrange them in
relative position that the circular portion of the crank, which by pre-
ference I construct as a friction roller, comes between the two circular
horns of the follower in such a manner that when the handle is turnod
one or the other of the follower horns acts upon the roller or circularly-
formed portion of the crank, and carries it back by such a continuous
rolling motion that the friction in place of being confined, as in the
present latch actions to a very small surface, is so diffused over a more
extended one that the amount of friction at any particular point is
so reduced that the durability of the parts is very materially increased.
د,
Another advantage intended and obtained by the manner in which I
form the follower horns is that the follower can be reversed, and its
durability be thereby redoubled.
In locks or latches made without cranks in which the follower is
made to give direct action to the latch bolt, or to some movable piece
acting upon the said bolt, the circular part or roller herein-before

page_text: described for the crank is attached to or forms part of the said movable
piece or bolt, and its use or application to the same for the purpose
mentioned is hereby claimed by me as constituting a part of my
improvement.
The second portion of my Invention consists of improved arrange-
ments of parts in the construction of lock furniture, by which I obtain
increased adhesion for such furniture to the doors or other articles to
which it is attached; and one arrangement by which I produce the
desired effect is as follows:-I fix one of the handles of such furniture
permanently to one end of the ordinary square spindle, at the other end
the spindle is wormed on its angles so as to enable an adjusting cup,
which fits into and holds the rose to the door, and is made with a
suitable hole in it to enable it to be screwed on to the spindle to adjust
the furniture to the varying thicknesses of doors. This adjusting cup is
so formed as to overlap the inner part of the rose into which it fits in
such a manner that the fingers can be made to turn it round in screwing
it into its place, and is also made cup shaped in its outer surface for the
purpose of receiving the seat or base of the loose handle, which handle
is made with a square hole in it so as to slide on to the spindle without
turning on it until it reaches its position in the adjusting cup, when by
means of a spring, or pin, or bolt actuated by a spring or otherwise, or
by means of a screw, situated either in the rim or other part of the
adjusting cup, or in the base of the handle, the two can be locked or
fastened together by the spring, pin, bolt, or screw from the one passing
into the other, in such a manner that they cannot again be separated
or the adjustment shifted until the fastener is released by a screwdriver
or some other suitable instrument, or by so shaping the spring, pin, or
bolt that it may be freed by turning one of the said parts so connected,
while the other is held fast.
•
J
By another method I vary the manner in which I effect the adjust-
ment to the door and the connection of the handle with the adjuster by
making the latter in pieces, to one of which I so connect the handle
that while they cannot be separated the one may turn freely within the
other. This piece I then rivet or otherwise fix to the screwing part of
the adjuster, by which arrangement, as that is screwed on to the
spindle, the handle slides upon its square and is retained there until the
adjuster is again screwed off. But as the adjuster would be liable to
shift were not some means used to prevent its turning of itself I connect

page_text: it with a locking cup which fits on to the base of the handle and into
the rose, somewhat in the manner of the adjusting cup described for the
first arrangement, but having a spring between it and the base of the
knob, the tendency of which spring is to keep them apart from each.
other, until by means of the overlapping part of the cup it is pulled
towards the base of the knob and the connection between them thereby
broken, so that the adjuster may be free to turn upon the spindle, as
may be required.
It will be apparent that the main feature of the present method is the
application to the handle of a spring locking cup or piece which prevents
the adjuster turning on the spindle until the said locking piece is
pulled or brought towards the handle for the purpose of enabling it to-
do so; and I hereby claim, not alone the precise form and arrangement-
of parts for the purpose herein-before detailed, but the use and appli-
cation to the handle or handles of any otherwise formed piece or spring,"
producing the like or parallel effects.
In both the foregoing plans there are no screws or screw holes visible
in the roses when the furniture is in its place on the door, but in a third
and more simple arrangement, which I now proceed to specify, I
connect the fixed knob or handle to one of the roses, in such a manner
that the handle can turn in without being separable from it, and then
by means of visible screws I fix the rose to the surface of the door.
As in the other methods I worm the free end of the spindle, on to.
which the other rose is made to screw, so as to obtain the required
adjustment for varying doors, and as I also connect the loose knob with
that rose so that they can turn upon each other without being separable
it follows that as the rose is screwed on to the spindle the knob also
slides on upon its square, and remains fixed thereon until the rose is
again screwed off.
To prevent the rose becoming loose it is, like the other, made with
external screw holes, through which it is fastened to the door. By this
plan both knobs are secured to the spindles, and to the doors also by
means of the roses; and it is this compound connection of the knobs
with the roses and with the spindles that I hereby claim as constituting
this feature and portion of my improvements in lock furniture, whether
applied to one only or to both of the knobs or handles of the same.

page_text: Figure 1 in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a mortise
lock with the improved latch action applied to it. Lis the latch bolt;
S, its spring; C, C, the crank; R, the friction roller attached to the
same; F, the follower; H, H, the horns of same.
It will be seen that by turning the follower in either direction one or
the other of its horns will act upon the friction roller and carry it back,
together with the crank and the latch bolt connected with it.
Figure 2 is a separate sectional view of the crank and friction roller,
and Figure 3 is a similar sectional view of the follower.
Figure 4 represents the lock furniture first herein-before described.
Fis the fixed knob; L, the loose or adjusting knob; S, the spindle;
R, the rose; B, the locking bolt, which, impelled by its spring N,
connects the loose knob to the adjusting cup C. Figure 5 is a plan
view of the same furniture.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, have here. 1
unto set my hand and seal, this 19th day of January, A.D.,
WALTER HENRY TUCKER. (L.S.)
Witness,
ROBT. HUGHES,
46, Methley Street,
Kennington Cross.