IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Matthew Matthews, of No. 12, Lorne Road, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN
LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES,
AND FOR OTHER DOORS."
Sealed the 30th June 1876, and dated the 6th January 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Matthew Matthews at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th January 1876.
JAMES MATTHEW MATTHEWS, of No. 12, Lorne Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF
RAILWAY AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS."
My Invention has reference to locks such as are used for the doors of railway
carriages. The said locks, as ordinarily constructed, consist of a spindle carrying
a latch and a handle, the spindle working in a box or plate, and being held by a
spring when the latch and handle are in either a horizontal or a vertical position.
When in the former position the latch engages with a staple on or a mortise in
the door post and secures the door. When in the latter position the door is
unfastened.
In order to avoid the necessity for turning the handle when shutting the door
this arrangement has been modified so that the lock shall act automatically on the
mere closing of the door. In this arrangement the latch is held in its vertical
position by a stop or catch, which, on the door being closed, strikes against the
door post or an incline affixed thereto, whereby the latch is liberated and is caused.
by the spring to engage with the staple. These automatic locks are however.
attended by disadvantages which it is the object of my Invention to remedy.
In constructing locks according to my Invention I form on or affix to the latch
or latch spindle a toothed cam with which a catch engages, the said spindle and
catch being actuated by a spring or springs, as herein-after described. The said
catch consists of a short lever, one end of which is jointed to the plate or frame of:
the lock, the other end being free and projecting from the end of the look and the.

page_text: door to which it is secured. A tooth is formed on the said lever which bears on
the cam or engages with the tooth of the said cam, according to the position of
the latch.
The striking plate consists of a flat plate of metal which is secured to the door
post. On the said plate is formed a stop or lug, below which a short lever (herein-
after termed the striking lever) is jointed so as to be capable of turning freely,
which lever (or part thereof), when in its lowest position, forms an incline, which
acting on the projecting end of the lever catch when the door is being closed,
disengages the tooth of the said catch from the tooth on the cam. The spindle
being thus liberated it is caused by the action of the spring to turn a quarter of a
revolution, by which.. motion the latch is caused. to engage with the staple and the
catch lever is raised by the. cam, the free end of the said catch lever passing
behind the stop or lug on the striking plate. “Qn turning the handle to open the
door the catch.lever is drawn downward by the spring until by the motion of the
spindle the tooth on the cam is brought under the tooth on the said catch lever,
which then again become engaged. This engagement however cannot take place
until the latch is brought into a vertical position, and although the said latch may
pass from the staple before assuming that position the engagement of the lever
catch and the lug on the striking plate prevents the door from being opened.
When the handle is thus turned into a vertical position the hand may be removed
from it if necessary before pushing open the door, the parts of the lock being held
in the open position by the lever catch and cam as before stated, the projecting
end of which catch now lies behind the striking lever on the striking plate, which
lever, on the door being pushed open, is raised by the said projecting end of the
catch lever, and after it has passed the said striking lever falls by gravity into its
normal position, in which position it forms the incline by which the catch lever is:
raised on the door being closed.
Instead of arranging the catch lever so that the end which is acted on by the
incline shall project from the lock or the face of the door, the face of the lock may
be partly cut away so as to allow the striking. lever and the lug on the striking.
plate to enter the said lock.
.
My Invention, although especially applicable to locks for railway and other
carriages, is also applicable to other locks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said James Matthew Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th July 1876. ·
JAMES MATTHEW MATTHEWS, of No. 12, Lorne Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS OR FASTENINGS FOR THE DOORS OF RAILWAY
AND OTHER CARRIAGES, AND FOR OTHER DOORS."
:
My Invention has reference to locks, such as are used for the doors of railway
carriages. The said locks, as ordinarily constructed, consist of a spindle carrying a
latch and a handle, the spindle working in a box or plate and being held by a
spring when the latch and handle are in either a horizontal or a vertical position.
When in the former position the latch engages with a staple on or a mortise in the
door post and secures the door. When in the latter position the door is
unfastened
In order to avoid the necessity for turning the handle when shutting the door.
this arrangement has been modified so that the lock shall act automatically on the
mere closing of the door. In this arrangement the latch is held in its vertical
position by a stop or catch, which on the door being closed strikes against the door
post or an incline affixed thereto, whereby the latch is liberated and is caused by

page_text: the spring to engage with the staple. These automatic locks are however.
attended by disadvantages which it is the object of my Invention to, remedy...
In constructing locks. according to my Invention I form on or affix to the latch
or latch spindle a toothed cam with which a catch engages, the said spindle and.
catch being actuated by a spring or springs, as herein-after described. The said
catch consists of a short lever, one end of which is jointed to the plate or frame.
of the lock, the other end being free and projecting from the end of the lock and.
the door to which it is secured. A tooth is formed on the said lever which bears
on the cam or engages with the tooth of. the said cam, according to the position of
-the latch.
The striking plate consists of a plate of metal which is secured to the door.
post. On the said plate is formed a stop or lug, below which a short lever
(herein-after termed the striking lever) is jointed so as to be capable of turning
freely, which lever (or part thereof), when in its lowest position, forms an incline,
which acting on the projecting end of the lever catch when the door is being.
closed, disengages the tooth of the said catch from the tooth, on, the, cam. The
spindle being thus liberated it is caused by the action of the spring to turn a
quarter of a revolution, by which motion the latch is. caused to engage with the
staple and the catch lever is raised by the cam, the free end of the said catch lever
passing behind the stop or lug on the striking plate. On turning the handle to
open, the door the catch lever is drawn, downward by the spring until by the
motion of the spindle..the tooth on. the cam is brought under the..tooth on the said
catch lever, which, teeth, then again become engaged... This engagement however
cannot take place. until, the latch is brought into a vertical position, and although
the said latch may, pass from the staple before assuming that position.the.engage-
ment of the lever catch and the lug on the striking plate prevents the door from
being opened. When the handle is thus turned into a vertical position the hand
may be removed from it if necessary before pushing open the door, the parts of
the lock being held in the open position by the lever catch and cam as before.
stated, the projecting end of which catch now lies behind the striking lever (or the
inclined part thereof) on the striking plate, which lever, on the door being pushed.
open, is raised by the said projecting end of the catch lever, and after it has
passed the said striking lever falls by gravity into its normal position, in which
position it forms the incline by which the catch lever is raised on the door being
closed.
The same
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe the .
manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
letters and figures of reference indicate like parts in the several Figures of the
.Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation of part of the door of a railway carriage, and of the
jamb of the said door; and Figures 2 and 3 are end elevations of parts of the door
and jamb, respectively, with a fastening constructed according to my Invention .
applied thereto. A is the latch spindle on which is formed the latch a¹ and the
handle a², and which is secured to the door by means of the nut a³ in the usual
manner. B is the cam formed on a collar bs, through which the spindle A passes';
b is the tooth, and 68 is the rise of the said cam. Cis the catch lever on which is
formed the tooth c¹, which when the door is opened engages with the tooth b* of.
the cam B. D is the frame or case of the lock, and c is the pin or screw on which
the catch lever C turns ; c is the free end or nose of the catch lever C which projects
from the lock case D. E is a volute spring attached at the end e¹ to the collar b³,
and at the end e³ to the catch lever C. b is a projection formed on the collar b³,
which when the door is closed bears against a stop pin d' screwed into or formed on
the lock case D. is the front or outside plate of the lock by which it is secured
..to the door, part of which door is shown at F. G is part of the jamb of the door
to which is screwed the striking plate, which consists of a plate of metal H'having
>

page_text: a stop or lug h¹ formed on it, and a lever 8 which turns on the screw h³. On the
said lever ha lug his formed, the said lug being inclined on its upper and lower
sides. I is the staple screwed to the jamb G, with which staple the latch a¹ engages
when the door is closed.
The action of the said fastening is as follows:-On the handle as being turned to
open the door the tooth 6¹ on the cam B is brought under the tooth c¹ on the catch
lever C, which is then by the action of the spring E drawn down, the tooth c¹ of
the catch lever falling in front of the tooth 61 of the cam B, and the nose c³ of the
catch C falling behind the lug h* of the lever h² on the striking plate H. The
tooth 6 when the handle is released bears against the tooth c¹, the parts of the lock
being thereby held in the position to which they have been brought by the turning
of the handle. The door is now unfastened and may be pulled open, the nose c³ of
the catch lever C raising the lever h² into the position indicated in dotted lines in
Figure 3, and passing under it as the door is opened, the said lever h² falling by
gravity when the said catch lever has passed from under it. On again closing the
door the nose of the catch lever bears against the lug h of the lever h² on the
striking plate H, the said catch lever being thereby raised and the tooth c¹ thereon
disengaged from the tooth 61 on the cam B. The latch spindle being now released,
it is caused by the spring E to turn until the projection 64 bears against the stop d¹.
By this motion the latch a¹ is caused to engage with the staple I, and the nose c³
of the catch lever C is (by the action of the rise 6 of the cam B on the tooth c¹ of
the catch lever) pushed up behind the lug h¹ on the striking plate H. By this
arrangement the door is prevented from being opened until the parts of the lock
are secured in their open position (i.e., in such a position that the latch and handle
shall be vertical, or nearly so) owing to the engagement of the nose of the catch
lever with the lug h¹ on the striking plate H, which parts are not released until the
tooth c on the said catch lever falls in front of the tooth b¹ on the cam B.
For the doors of carriages other than railway carriages, the latch and staple may
bé dispensed with. This modification of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 4,
5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawings, the portions of the doors and jambs of
the carriage, and the fastenings illustrated in the said Figures corresponding
(except as regards the points herein-before adverted to) with Figures 1, 2,
and 3.
Instead of causing the catch lever to engage with a fixed lug on the striking
plate when the parts of the fastening are in their closed position, the said catch
fever may be caused to engage with the back of the inclined lug on the lever of the
striking plate. This is effected by forming a concentric flange on the collar 6³ in
place of the cam B, and cutting away portions of the said flange so as to form a
tooth and a stop corresponding with the tooth and stop b¹, 6, the fixed lug h¹ on
the striking plate H_being in this case dispensed with. This modification is illus-
strated in Figures 7, 8, and 9, of the accompanying Drawings. Figures 7 and 8
are elevations of the box of the lock and the mechanism contained therein, the front
plate and latch spindle, and the parts formed thereon, being removed; and Figure 9
is an elevation of the striking plate.
In Figures 7 and 8 the mechanism is shown in its closed and open positions 4
respectively. J is the flange formed on the collar 63; 1 is the tooth which engages
with the tooth c¹ of the catch lever C, and is the stop or projection which bears
against the stop d'. This arrangement acts as follows:-On the door being closed
the catch lever C rises into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 8 as it
passes over the lug h, thereby liberating the latch spindle A. The latch a¹ then 5
engages with the staple, as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, and 3, and the
catch lever C simultaneously falls into the position shown in full lines in Figure 8,
the tooth c¹ resting on the periphery of the flange J, and the nose c³ of the said
cátch lever lying behind the upper part of the lug h' on the striking lever h³ of the
striking plate H, by which means the door is prevented from being opened until 5
the handle a has been again turned, so as to bring the tooth j¹ on the flange J under

page_text: the tooth c✶ on the catch lever U, which then falls into the position shown in
Figure 7, in which position the upper edge of the nose lies lower than the upper
edge of the lug h* on the striking lever, when the door may be opened.
In applying my Invention to mortise locks I form a tooth on the latch, and
arrange the catch lever so that one end shall project from the face of the lock, and
I form on the other end of the said catch lever a tooth which, when the latch is
withdrawn from the staple, engages with the tooth formed on the said latch.
This arrangement is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11, Figure 10 being a side
elevation, and Figure 11 a front elevation of the said lock with the spindle and
handle and one of the side plates removed.
Figure 12 is a side elevation, and Figure 13 is a front elevation of the form of
striking plate which I prefer to use with this arrangement. The action is similar
to that of the arrangement herein-before last described, that is to say, on the door
being closed the projecting end or nose c³ of the catch lever C is raised in passing
over the inclined lug h* of the striking plate, the latch spindle A and latch a¹ are
then turned by the spring E so as to cause the said latch to engage with a slot h³ in
the striking plate, and the nose of the catch lever C is caused to fall behind the
upper part of the lug h* of the striking plate, where it remains engaged until the
handle is turned, and the latch is brought into the position shown in Figure 10,
when the tooth c¹ of the catch lever C, and the tooth a* on the latch a¹ again
becoming engaged the projecting end o³ of the said catch lever falls behind the
lower part of the lug h* of the striking plate, and the door is unfastened and may
be pushed open.
Figure 14 is a side elevation, and Figure 15 is a front elevation, showing a
modification of the striking plate herein-before described and illustrated. In this
arrangement an additional lever similar to the lever his used. The said additional
lever is marked K, and has formed on it a lug k², and is mounted and works on the
screw h³, on which the lever h³ works. The action of this arrangement (which I
will describe in connection with the lock illustrated in Figures 10 and 11) is as
follows: On the door being closed the nose c³ of the catch lever C rises on the
lug h*, raising the lever h². When by the motion of the door the nose of the catch
lever is carried past the the lugs h, k, the latch is liberated and falls into the slot ho,
and the lever K falls, the lug k¹ thereon then lying in front of the nose c³ of the
catch lever C. The door is thereby prevented from being opened until the latch is
again raised by the turning of the handle sufficiently to allow the tooth c¹ on the
catch lever to engage with the tooth a* on the latch a¹, when the nose c³ of the
catch lever C having fallen behind the lug /* the door may be opened, as herein-
before described. By this arrangement the necessity for raising the tooth of the
catch lever above the rounded face of the latch a¹ is avoided, and the simultaneous
action of the said latch and of the catch lever C to secure the door are insured.
In each of the arrangements herein-beforo described and illustrated, instead of
arranging the catch lever so that the end which is acted on by the inclined lug on
the striking plate shall project from the lock or the face of the door the face of the
lock may be partly cut away so as to allow the striking lever and the said lug to
enter the said lock.
My Invention, although especially applicable to the fastening of the doors of
railway and other carriages is also applicable to the fastening of other doors.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein-before described and illustrated, and that I do not claim
so constructing door fastenings that the latch shall merely fall or be forced auto-
maticlly into the staple on the closing of the door, and be held in its withdrawn
position when the door is open, but I claim as my Invention of "Improvements in
Locks or Fastenings for the Doors of Railway and other Carriages, and for other
Doors," so constructing the said locks or fastenings that the mere closing of the
doors to which they are applied shall cause the said fastenings to automatically

page_text: secure the said doors in such a manner that they cannot be again opened until the
parts of the locks are secured in their open position by the turning of the
handles.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Matthew Matthews, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
W. T. WHITEMAN.
JA, M. MATTHEWS. (L.S.)