AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOY STADLES AND STRIKING PLATES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Leopold Parnell, of Little Queen
Street, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Lock Manufac-
turer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF BOY STADLES AND STRIKING PLATES"
Sealed the 23rd March 1853, and dated the 23rd November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Leopold
Parnell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 23rd November 1852.
I, MICHAEL LEOPOLD PARNELL, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF Box
STAPLES AND STRIKING PLATES" to be as follows:-
My improvement consists in making that portion of the front
of the box staple or striking plate against which the bolt of the
lock strikes, moveable, so as to yield to the bolt in its passage into
the staple or striking plate, the moveable piece being returned to
its original position by a lever placed on the front or side of the
box staple or striking plate.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Michael Leopold Parnell in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 23rd May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MICHAEL LEOPOLD PARNELL, of Little Queen Street, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, Lock Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in
the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Michael Leopold Par-
nell, Her special licence that I, the said Michael Leopold Parnell,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Michael Leopold Parnell, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF BOX STAPLES AND STRIKING PLATES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Michael Leopold Parnell, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Michael Leopold Parnell, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My improvement in box staples and striking plates has for its
object to do away with or at least to reduce the concussion and noise
commonly produced in closing doors, occasioned by the latch bolt
not yielding with sufficient readiness; and the mode in which I

page_text: effect this consists in making an aperture in the front part of the
box staple, or in the face of the door post to which the striking
plate is attached, to admit of the latch bolt passing into the box
staple or striking plate; the aperture being covered when the door is
either open or closed, either directly by a swinging shield or end
plate, or by a sliding or swinging plate acted upon by a hanging
lever.
Figures 1, 2, and 3, shew one mode of applying my Invention to
box staples; Figure 1, being a side view; Figure 2, a back elevation,
shewing the position of the parts when the door is either open or
closed; and Figure 3, a front view, shewing the position of the swing-
ing shield when pushed aside by the latch bolt as it enters into the
box staple.
a, is the box staple having a notch or aperture 6, in the front plate
c, which, when the door is at rest, is covered by the hanging shield
d, that turns upon a pin e, and is supported against the outward
thrust of the latch when the door is closed by a groove f, formed
upon the front plate, and in which the lower end of the shield
swings. There is a stop g, on the shield, to limit the extent of its
motion, and to bring it up to a level with the inner face of the front
plate c; so as to prevent the latch from rattling.
Figures 4, 5, and 6, represent another arrangement of my Inven-
tion for box staples; Figure 4, being a slide elevation, Figure 5, a back
clevation, and Figure 6, a front elevation, shewing the position of the
moving parts when the latch is in the act of entering the box staple.
a, is the box staple, having a notch or aperture b, in the front
plate c, which is closed when the door is at rest, by a sliding plate
c', which is acted upon by the hanging lever d, turning upon a pin
The sliding plate has grooves f, f, at top and at bottom, to
sustain it against the outward pressure of the latch bolt when the
door is shut, or the plate may slide in grooves formed in the front
plate.
at e.
Figures 7, 8, and 9, represent one arrangement of my improved
striking plates attached to a door post; Figure 7, being a front view
of the plate; Figure 8, à transverse section on the line z, z, shewing

page_text: the position of the parts when closed; and Figure 9, an end view
shewing the position of the moveable part when the latch bolt is
entering the plate; a, is a portion of the door frame; b, the striking
plate; c, the aperture for the locking bolt; d, the aperture for the
latch bolt. The portion e, of the striking plate upon which the latch
bolt strikes turns upon a pin or hinge joint at f. This swinging piece
is prolonged and turned at right angles at e¹, so as to clip the door
post, a portion of which is cut away at g, to allow the swinging
plate to recede when pressed back by the latch bolt as it enters the
striking plate; but when the door is either open or closed, the
swinging plate returns by its gravity (or it may be by the action of
a spring) to a perpendicular position, and the part e¹, covers the gap
in the door post.
Figures 10, 11, and 12, shew an arrangement precisely similar to
that just described, except that the swinging piece e, has no returned
part e¹, but is acted upon by the hanging lever which also serves
as a shield to cover the gap in the door post. This arrangement has
this advantage over the preceding one, that the swinging picce not
clipping the door post, it may be made of sufficient width to suit any
width of door post likely to be met with in practice, and any excess
of width may be removed by filing. Note.-For the hanging lever h,
a spring may be substituted, but I prefer the arrangement shewn
in the Figures.
Having thus described my Invention, and the mode of carrying the
same into effect, I proceed to state my claims in respect thereof,
observing that I do not limit myself to the precise forms or the
arrangements of the parts, as they may be varied without departing
from the principle of my Invention; but I claim,-
First. The constructing box staples, with a notch or gap in the
front plate to admit the passage of the latch bolt, the said notch
being covered when the door is at rest, either by a hanging shield or
guard, or by a swinging or sliding plate acted upon by a hanging
lever.
Second. The constructing that portion of striking plates against
which the latch bolt impinges with a hinge joint, so as to yield to

page_text: the latch bolt as it enters the striking plate, a gap or recess being
cut in the face of the door post for that purpose, and the hinged
piece being returned to its original position, either by a spring or a
hanging lever, or the force of its own gravity.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Leopold Parnell, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of May,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
MICHAEL LEOPOLD PARNELL. (L.S.)
Witness
JAMES MURDOCH.