IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS, AND KEYS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hunter Henry Murdoch, of No. 7, Staple Inn,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS, AND KEYS FOR THE
SAME.”—A communication from abroad by Ernest Baudot and Oscar
de Négrier, both of Douai, in the Empire of France, and Isidore
Farinaux and Edward Roettger, both of Lille, in the said Empire of
France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Hunter Henry Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th November 1870.
I, HUNTER HENRY MURDOCH, of No. 7, Staple Inn, in the County of
5 Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS, AND
KEYS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:—
This Invention relates to the construction of locks and padlocks and
of keys for the same, and consists of the novel combinations of parts

page_text: herein-after described whereby all attempts to pick or open the said
locks or padlocks without their proper keys are frustrated.
The entrance or keyhole of the lock consists of a tube, which may be
termed the "key tube," the inside of which is square or polygonal, and
contains four or other number of square or polygonal bars which are
capable of a sliding motion in the said tube, the said bars being
depressed as required by means of a key consisting of a handle fixed to
a ring, the interior of which is square or polygonal, so as to contain
short bars or bits corresponding in shape and number with the sliding
bars aforesaid. The said short bars or bits are capable of adjustment, as
herein-after described, and are fixed in position by means of a set screw.
Upon the lower ends of the bars in the key tube are projections to
prevent their being drawn out of the said tube. Inside the lock is a
frame, to which the bolt is fixed, and which. frame is capable of partial
rotatory motion in bearings affixed to the top and bottom plates of the
lock. The said frame is composed of a top plate or disc having upon it
a central tubular projection passing through the upper plate of the lock,
in which tubular projection the lower end of the key tube is fixed by
means of a screw or otherwise. The said top plate of the bolt frame
rests upon the upper edge of a socket projecting upwards from the
bottom plate of the said frame, which said bottom plate is secured to the
upper plate by pins or stays rivetted to each of the said plates, and the
said bottom plate has upon its under side a projecting axis, which turns
in a bearing in the lower plate of the lock. To the said socket are
jointed levers corresponding in number with the bars or rods in the key
tube. The inner arms of the said levers project towards the centre of
the lock just underneath the key tube, and are acted upon by the bars or.
rods in the said tube. The outer arms of the said levers project radially
each to near the periphery of a barrel, the axis. of which barrel is
mounted vertically in the upper and lower plates of the lock, the said
barrel being capable of rotatory motion and of being fixed in position by
a screw or otherwise. Upon each of the said barrels are formed six or
any suitable number of projecting ribs extending from the top to the
bottom of the barrel. In each of the said ribs is a notch or opening
sufficiently large to allow of the end of the lever to pass through it. In
each of the said ribs the notch is formed at a different height; and by
turning the barrel any one of the said ribs and notches may be brought
into position opposite its lever end, and each bar or rod forming part of
-

page_text: the key must be so adjusted higher or lower that it will press down the
inner arm of the lever it actuates into such a position that the end of
the outer arm of such lever will rise to the extent necessary for it to pass
through the notches in the rib opposite to it. It will be readily under-
stood that when each of the lever ends is in position to pass through the
said notches the key may be turned and the bolt be locked or unlocked
as required. When the key is removed from the key tube the levers are
acted upon by springs, which cause their outer ends to drop to the
bottom of the lock, causing the moveable bars in the key tube to risc
and assume their normal position. It will be readily understood that by
causing one or more of the barrels to rotate partially and fixing it or
them in a different position as regards the levers a new combination will
be formed, and the position of the bars or bits of the key must be altered
'so as to bring the lever ends opposite the notches in the ribs of the
barrels as then placed; and for this purpose the said bars or bits of the
key are graduated, having upon them marks corresponding with similar
indications, showing the position of the barrels. The locking frame may
be made to actuate a second bolt or several bolts, as may be required.
Padlocks constructed according to this Invention are of a similar
character to the locks herein-before described; they consist of a
cylindrical case in which a locking frame capable of rotating partially
has fixed to it the bolt of the padlock. The said frame is provided with
levers actuated by the key, the bars or bits of which act directly upon
the inner arms of the levers, and the outer arms of the said levers may
be made to pass through notches in the ribs of barrels, as herein-before
described, or the said barrels may be replaced by ribs projecting from
the inside of the padlock case, having notches cut in them for the
passage of the lever arms when brought into the proper positions by the
action of the key.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, Her special licence
that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMBINATION LOCKS AND PADLOCKS, AND KEYS FOR THE SAME," (a communi-
cation from abroad by Ernest Baudot and Oscar d'Negrier, both of
Douai, in the Empire of France, and Isidore Farinaux and Edward
Roettger, both of Lille, in the said Empire of France, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or-one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describo and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bẹ
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:―
"
This Invention relates to the construction of locks and pádlocks and
of keys for the same, and consists in the novel combination of parts
herein-after described whereby all attempts to pick or open the said
locks or padlocks without their proper keys are frustrated.
The entrance or keyhole of the lock consists of a tube which may bo
termed the "key tube," the inside of which is square or polygonal and
contains four or other number of square or polygonal bars, which are
capable of a sliding motion in the said tube, the said bars being depressed
as required by means of a key consisting of a handle fixed to a ring, the
-interior of which is square or polygonal so as to contain short bars or bits
corresponding in shape and number with the sliding bars aforesaid. The

page_text: .
said short bars or bits are capable of adjustment as herein-after described
and are fixed in position by means of a set screw. Upon the lower
end of the bars in the key tube are projections to prevent their being
drawn out of the said tube. Inside the lock is a frame to which the
3 bolt is fixed, and which frame is capable of partial rotatory motion in
bearings affixed to the top and bottom plates of the lock. The said
frame is composed of a top plate or disc having upon it.a central tubular
projection passing through the upper plate of the lock, in which tubular
projection the lower end of the key tube is fixed by means of a screw
or otherwise. The said top plate of the bolt frame rests upon the upper
edge of a socket projecting upwards from the bottom plate of the said
frame which said bottom plate is secured to the upper plate by pins or
stays rivetted to each of the said plates, and the said bottom plate has
upon its under side a projecting axis which turns in a bearing in tho
lower plate of the lock. To the said socket are jointed levers corre-
sponding in number with the bars or rods in the key tube. The inner
arms of the said levers project towards the centre of the lock just under-
neath the key tube, and are acted upon by the bars or rods in the said
tube. The outer arms of the said levers project radially cach to near
the periphery of a barrel, the axis of which barrel is mounted vertically
in the upper and lower plates of the lock, the said barrel being capable
of rotatory motion and of being fixed in position, by a screw or otherwise.
Upon cach of the said barrels are formed six or any suitable number
of projecting ribs extending from the top to the bottom of the barrel.
In each of the said ribs is a notch or opening sufficiently large to allow
the end of one of the levers aforesaid to pass through it. In each
of the said ribs the notch is formed at a different height, and by turning
the barrel any one of the said ribs and notches may be brought into
position opposite its lever end, and each of the bars or bits of the key
must be so adjusted higher or lower that it will press down the inner
arm of the lever it actuates into such a position that the outer end of such
lever will rise to the extent necessary for it to pass through the notch
in the rib opposite to it. It will be readily understood that when the
ends of the levers aforesaid are in position to pass through the aforesaid
notches the key may be turned and the bolt be locked or unlocked as
required. When the key is removed from the key tube the lovers
are acted upon by springs which cause their outer ends to drop to the
bottom of the lock, causing the moveable-bars in the key tube.to riso
and assume their normal position. It will be readily understood that

page_text: by causing one or more of the barrels to rotate partially and fixing it
or them in a different position as regards the levers a new combination
will be formed, and the position of the bars or bits of the key must be
altered so as to bring the lever ends opposite the notches in the ribs of
the barrels as then placed, and for this purpose the said bars or bits of
the key are graduated, having upon them marks corresponding with
similar indications showing the position of the barrels. The locking
frame may be made to actuate a second bolt or several bolts as may be,
required.
Padlocks constructed according to this Invention are of a similar
character to the locks herein-before described. They consist of a
cylindrical case in which a locking frame capable of partial rotation
has fixed to it the bolt of the padlock. The said frame is provided.
with levers actuated by the key, the bars or bits of which act directly
upon the inner arms of the levers, and the outer arms of the said levers
may be made to pass through notches in the ribs of barrels as herein-
before described, or the said barrels may be replaced by ribs projecting
from the inside of the padlock case having notches cut in them for the
passage of the lever arms when brought into the proper positions by the
action of the key.
Having explained the nature of this Invention as communicated to
me I will proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying
Drawing the manner in which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical cross section through A, B, C, Figure 2,
a lock and key constructed according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a
horizontal section of the same through D, D, Figuro 1. The same
letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 and 2.
- a is the key hole or "key tube" herein-before referred to, the inside
of which is square and contains four bars 6, 6, of square section capable
of a sliding motion in the tube a, the said bars being depressed as.
required by a key consisting of a handle e fixed to a ring c¹, the interior
of which ring is square so as to contain four short bars or bits c², c³,
corresponding in sectional shape with the sliding bars b, b. The said
bits are capable of adjustment within the ring c³, and arc fixed in
position by means of a set screw c³. If preferred the inside of the key 3
tube a and ring e' may be formed to contain instead of four any suitable
number of polygonal sliding bars and bits to actuate a corresponding
number of levers. The lower ends of the bars 6, 6 are formed with.
i

page_text: .
.
projections 6', 6', upon them to prevent the said bars from being drawn..
out of the tube a. Inside the lock is a frame d carrying the bolt e.
The said frame d is capable of partial rotatory motion in bearings ƒ,`ƒ?,
affixed respectively to the top and bottom plates g. 9, of the lock.
5 The said frame d is composed of a top plate or disc d³, having upon
it a central tubular projection a passing through the upper plato g.
of the lock, in which tubular projection & the lower end of the-key
tube a:is fixed by means of a screw a². The top plate & of the bolt
frame & rests upon the upper edge of a socket d projecting upwards
0 from the bottom plate of the said frame;, the said bottom plate d³ is
secured to the upper plate ¹ by pins or stays d' rivetted to each of tho
said plates, and the said bottom plate has upon its under side a pro.
jecting axis d³ which turns in the bearing and is pressed upon by a
scrow acted upon by an elastic plate '. i, i, i, i, are levers jointed at
5,,,, to the frame d. The inner arms of the said levers project
towards the centre of the lock and may be depressed by the rods b, b,
with which they correspond, each rod 6 bearing upon one of the said,
arms. The arms i, i, project radially each to near the periphery of
one of the barrels k, k, k, k, the axes of which barrels are mounted
0 vertically in the upper and lower plates g, g', of the lock. The said
barrels k, k, are each furnished with longitudinal ribs k³, k', in each of,
which ribs a notch is formed sufficiently large to allow of the end
of the lever i to pass through it. Each barrel k can be turned upon its.
axis so as to bring any one of its ribs
T
into the path of the end of the
position by means of a screw Z.
"
5 levers i when the said barrel is fixed in
In each of the said ribs ³, the notch is formed at a different height,,..
and in order that the end of each lever shall be enabled to pass through
the notch in the rib opposite to it the bits c² of the key must be so,
adjusted higher or lower that each bit will depress the lever arm 1³ which
0 it actuates to such an extent that the end of the outer arm i'of such lover
will rise to the position necessary to bring it opposite such notch. It
will be readily understood that when the ends of the levers i are in
position to pass through the notches in the ribs opposite to the said levers
the key may be turned, and the bolt-e be locked or unlocked as indicated
5 in Figure 2 by the blue and red lines respectively. When the key is
removed from the key tube a the levers i are acted upon by the springs
m, m, which cause the arms i to fall to the bottom of the lock, and the
inner lever arms to rise, causing the moveable bars b, b, to assume their
normal position in the key tube. It will be readily understood that.by.

page_text: causing one or more of the barrels & to rotate partially and fixing it or
them in a different position as regards the levers i a new combination
will be formed, and the position of the bars or bits c² of the key must be
altered so as to bring the lever ends i opposite the notches in the ribs
k' of the barrels as then placed, and for this purpose the said bars or bits
care graduated, having upon them marks corresponding with similar
indications on the bottom plate g' and the axes of the barrels showing
the position of the barrels. The locking frame may be made to actuate
a second bolt or several bolts as may be required.
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings represent respectively
a vertical and a horizontal section of a padlock constructed according to
this Invention. Figure 3 is a section through the line E, G, Figure 4,
and Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the line H, H, Figure 3.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 3 and 4.
Tho said padlock is of a similar character to the lock herein-before
described. It consists of a cylindrical caso a in which is a locking frame
b capable of rotating partially. To the said frame b is affixed the bolt c
of the padlock, and the said frame 6 has jointed to it at d, d, d, d, levers
c, c, c, e, the inner arms e' of which levers are actuated by the key f
the bars or bits f¹, f¹ of which act directly upon the said inner arms e¹, e¹
of the levers. h, h, are springs which restore the said levers to their
normal positions after the withdrawal of the key. I, I, I, I, are ribs
projecting from the inside of the padlock case a. In each of the said
ribs g is a notch g' for the passage of the lever arms e when brought into
the proper position by the action of the key. If preferred, the projecting
ribs g, g may be replaced by barrels having ribs, upon them and notches
formed in the said ribs as described in reference to the lock herein-before
described and represented in Figures 1 and 2.
•
The action of the padlock is as follows:-The bits f¹ of the key having
been adjusted so as to project downwards to the required extent the said
bits are inserted into the key-hole and pressed down so as to depress
cach of the inner arms e¹ of the levers e, and thereby to bring the outer
ends of the said levers into position to pass through the notches g¹ of the
ribs g. The key is then turned and the said levers traverse the notches
g', whilst the frame 6 rotates partially, so as to cause the bolt o to open 8
or lock the padlock as required.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and means for
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not

page_text: confine myself to the precise details herein-before described and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawing, as the same may be varied without
departing from the nature of the said Invention; but I claim, as the
said Invention, the improved lock and padlock, and the key for the same,
herein-before soverally described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hunter Henry Murdoch, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
B. WILLCOX,
his Clerk.
H. H. MURDOCH. (L.S.)