Ax IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF COMBINATION LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, for the Invention of "Ax IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF COMBINATION
LOCKS AND LATCHES."-A communication from abroad by Theodore
Kromer, of Neustadt, in the Grand Duchy of Baden.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abal
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th November 1870.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
5 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OP
COMBINATION LOCKS AND LATCHES," to be as follows:-
This Invention. consists in an improved construction of combination
locks or latches wherein two or more discs are situated behind each

page_text: other upon a rotatable spindle inside a casing, one of the dises being
fixed on the spindle while the others are loose. The loose discs each
carry a rim capable of being shifted round upon them, and upon each such
rims, as also upon the circumference of the first-named discs, are notches
which, if all brought in a line, allow the stud of a bolt or latch to full
into them, thereby effecting the opening of the bolt or latch of the lock.
For bringing the notches into such position the disc that is fixed on the
spindle has a projecting stud, which in rotating with the disc strikes
against a stud on the second disc, another stud on which is caused to
strike against a stud on the third disc, and so on.
Each looso disc may
be brought into a different relative position to the
rim by holding these latter stationary by the introduction of a key, and
then rotating the discs as described.
notch in its shiftablo
The arrangement of the several parts employed by preference for
carrying out this principle of action is shown on the accompanying
Drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a back view of the improved lock, the
back plate of the casing and the loose discs (of which there are two in
this instance) being removed; Figure 2 shows a section of the complete
lock on line Y, Y; Figure 3 shows a front view of the lock, and Figures 4
to 6 show detached details.
The spindle A carries fixed upon it the external graduated disc or
dial N and the internal disc S, while the two other discs S', S., are loose
upon it. S' has a shiftable rim R held on it by screws i¹ and in such
manner that by slightly loosening the rim can move loosely on the
disc, while by tightening this screw the rim cannot move readily. The
disc S'has an annular projection, which is pressed against the back
plate D of the lock by means of a spring F situated between S' and Sª in
order that by the friction thus produced the disc S' may be prevented
from being carried round by the spindle A. except as hereafter described.
This disc S³ is in like manner provided with a shiftable rim R' held in
precisely the same manner as R' by two screws 1, 1, of which operates
in the same manner as '. R³ has a groove in its periphery, in which
presses a fixed spring F', so as by the friction produced to prevent S*
from being carried round by the spindle A. Each of the rims R³, R²,
has a notch r³, ², diametrically opposite the screws 1, 1, (Figures 4 & 5) ;
and of such a size that the stud C of the bolt or latch G can enter them.
The disc S (secured to the spindle A by the pin u) has a number of
shallow or false notches all round its circumference and one deep one ³

page_text: corresponding with r³,, so that when all three notches are situated in a
line and vertically over the centre line of the spindle the stud c can enter
them and will thus allow the latch or bolt G (turning upon a pin G¹) to
fall from the position shown in dotted lines (in which it is locked) into
the position shown in full lines in which it is unlocked. Each disc carries
a stud s³, s³, &, all situated at the same distance from the centre, so that
when S³ is turned to a certain extent & will strike against &*, and on S
being thus turned (which projects on both sides of S²) will strike.
against ³ and cause S' to turn. From this arrangement it will be seen
that if each of the loose discs S¹, S³, is so set relatively to its respective
rim that when the notch of the latter is in the position above described
the stud of the disc is in a position corresponding with a certain division.
of the dial N, then assuming the discs to have been moved out of that
position so as to raise and thus lock the inner end of the latch G, it will
be necessary in order to bring the discs. into the above position again for
the purpose of unlocking the latch to turn the spindle A (and with it
the disc S³ and dial N) by means of the knob N' firstly, so as to bring
all the pins s',.s³, &³, in contact with each other, then so as to bring the
pin &³ in its proper position, which is effected by turning the dial N until
the corresponding division is opposite the mark on the casing, after
which by turning the spindle in the contrary direction the pin & with its
disc S³ is in like manner brought into its proper position, and lastly
again reversing the motion of the spindle the disc S³ is brought into its
proper position. For bringing all the pins in contact in the first instance
it will be necessary to cause the spindle and disc S? to perform at most
two completo revolutions. The discs S', S³, may if desired be shifted so
as to correspond with different divisions of the dial after cach locking
and unlocking. This is effected by introducing the key L, Figure 6,
through the hole O in the casing and into the correspondingly formed
O holes in the screws 1, 3, which when the discs are in the unlocked
position are both situated exactly opposite the hole O; by then turning
the key so as to locsen the screws and consequently also the rims R³, R³,
the discs S', S³, may be consecutively turned by the stud &³ into any
desired position, while the rims R', R³, are held stationary by the key,
5 and after cach disc has assumed such position the screws P, F, are
tightened and the key L is withdrawn. The disc S' with its falso notches
on the periphery is of slightly greater diameter than R', R, which have
no false notches; by this means any picking of the lock by trying for
the notches is rendered impossible.

page_text: The improved lock or latch may either be used by itself or in con-
junction with a sliding bolt so arranged to slide in contact with the
under surface g, n, of the latch G, that when the bolt is shot forward
the outer end of the latch in being depressed into the dotted position
and then locked by turning the discs will prevent the backward motion 5
of the bolt.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth 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 Charles Denton Abel, Her special licence
that I, the said Charles Denton Abel, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Denton Abel, 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 "AN IMPROVED CON-
STRUCTION OF COMBINATION LOCKS AND LATCHES," (a communication to me from
abroad by Theodore Kromer, of Neustadt, in the Grand Duchy of
Baden, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles
Denton Abel, 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, a
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 Charles Denton Abel, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same 3
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and

page_text: by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thercon, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in an improved construction of combination
locks or latches wherein two or more discs are situated behind each
other upon a rotatable spindle inside a casing, one of the discs being
fixed on the spindle while the others are loose. The loose discs each
carry a rim capable of being shifted round upon them, and upon each
such rims, as also upon the circumference of the first named discs, are
notches which, if all brought in a line, allow the stud of a latch or lever
to fall into them, thereby effecting the opening of the latch or lever
of the lock. For bringing the notches into such position the diso
that is fixed on the spindle has a projecting stud, which in rotating with
the disc strikes against a stud on the second disc, another stud on which
is caused to strike against a stud on the third disc, and so on. Each
loose disc may be brought into a different relative position to the notch
in its shiftable rim by holding these latter stationary by the introduction
of a key and then rotating the disc as described,
The arrangement of the several parts employed by preference for
carrying out this principle of action is shewn on the accompanying
Drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a back view of the improved lock,
the back plate of the casing and the loose discs (of which there are two
in this instance) being removed; Figure 2 shows a section of the
complete lock on line Y, Y; Figure 3 shows a front view of the lock;.
and Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew respectively a separate front and side view
of the disc S', a front and sido view of the disc S³, and a front and
end view of the key L.
The spindle A carries fixed upon it the external graduated disc or
dial N and the internal disc S', while the two other discs S¹, S², are
loose upon it; S¹ has a shiftable rim R' held on it by screws and A
in such manner that by slightly loosening the rim can move loosely
on the disc, while by tightening this screw the rim is prevented from
shifting by the head of the screw being made to nip the disc S'. The
disc S¹ has an annular projection a, which is pressed against the back
plate D of the lock by means of a disc spring F situated between S¹
and S', in order that by the friction thus produced the disc 8' may be
prevented from being carried round by the spindle A except as hereafter
described. The disc S' is in like manner provided with a shiftable>

page_text: rim R², held in precisely the same manner as R', by two screws i², l³, of
which operates in the same manner as A; R³ has a groove in its
periphery, in which presses a fixed spring F', so as by the friction pro-
duced to prevent S² from being carried round by the spindle A. Each
of the rims R', R³, has a a notch 7, ³, diametrically opposite the
screws F, F, (Figures 4 and 5), and of such a size that the stud C of the
bolt or latch G can enter them. The disc S³ (secured to the spindle A by
the pin ) has a number of shallow or false notches all round its circum-
ference, and one deep one ³ corresponding with 71, 72, so that when all
three notches are situated in a line and vertically over the centro line
of the spindle the stud C can enter them, and will thus allow the latch
or lever G (turning upon a pin G') to fall from the position shown in
dotted lines (in which it is locked) into the position shewn in full lincs
in which it is unlocked. Each disc carries a stud 8³, 8º, 8³, all situated
at the same distance from the centre, so that when S³ is turned to a
certain extent 8 will strike against 8³, and on S* being thus turned 8ª
(which projects on both sides of S²) will strike against s' and cause §¹
to turn. From this arrangement it will be seen that if each of the
loose discs S¹, S³, is so set relatively to its respoctive rim that when the
notch of the latter is in the position above described the stud of the
disc is in a position corresponding with a certain division of the dial N,
then assuming the discs with their rims to have been moved out of that
position so as to raise and thus lock the inner end of the latch or lever G
it will be necessary in order to bring the discs into the above position
again for the purpose of unlocking the latch to turn the spindle A (and
with it the disc S³ and dial N) by means of the knob N', firstly, so as to
bring all the pins 8¹, &³, 8³, in contact with each other then so as to bring
the pin s' in its proper position, which is effected by turning the dial N
until the corresponding division is opposite the mark x on the casing,
after which by turning the spindle in the contrary direction the pin &*
with its disc S is in like manner brought into its proper position, and
lastly by again reversing the motion of the spindle the disc S³ is brought
into its proper position. For bringing all the pins in contact in the first
instance it will be necessary to cause the spindle and disc S³ to perform
at most two complete revolutions. The discs S', S³, (that is to say, the
rims R³, R², thereof) may if desired he shifted so as to correspond with
different divisions of the dial after each locking and unlocking. This is
effected by introducing the key L, Figure 6, through the hole O in the
casing and into the correspondingly formed holes in the screws i¹, ³,

page_text: which when the discs aro in the unlocked position are both situated
exactly opposite the hole O, by then turning the key so as to loosen tho
screws, and consequently also the rims R³, R², the discs S¹, S², may
bo consecutively turned by the stud into any desired position, while
the rims R³, R³, aro held stationary by the key, and after each disc
has assumed such position the screws P, P, are tightened, and the
key L is withdrawn. In effecting this operation the rim R³ is first
adjusted in position and the screw tightened, after which the key is
partially withdrawn so as to be situated in l, only the rim R' is then
adjusted upon S¹, and is afterwards fixed by screwing up F. The disc S³
with its falso notches on the periphery is of slightly greater diameter
than R', R³, which have no false notches, by this means any picking of
the lock by trying for the notches is rendered impossible.
The improved lock or latch may either be used by itself (the projecting
latch or lever G being made to catch into a hasp) or in conjunction
with a sliding bolt X, so arranged to slide in contact with the under
surface g, n, of the lever G, that when the bolt is shot forward tho
outer end of the lever in being depressed into the dotted position and
locked in such position by turning the discs will prevent the backward
motion of the bolt.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner it is to be
performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
preciso combination or configuration of the several parts constituting the
improved lock as herein-before described with reference to the accom-
panying Drawing, as these may be variously modified without departing
from the essential features of the Invention, nor do I claim generally
the employment of two or more rotatable discs for producing different
combinations by the alteration of their relative positions, as I am aware
that this has been proposed before, but what I claim is,—
First. Constructing combination locks with one or moro rotatable discs
or tumblers having shiftable rims arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purpose herein-before set forth.
Second. Securing the aforesaid shiftable rims upon their discs by
means of screws capable of being so actuated by a key or instrument
that by turning them in one direction the rims can be shifted upon their
discs, while by turning them in the reverse direction they fix the rims
upon the discs, substantially as herein-before set forth.

page_text: Third. The rocking piece or lever G, one end of which is formed to
enter the notches of the discs or tumblers of the lock while the other
end when in the locked position serves as an obstruction for preventing
the sliding back of a locking bolt, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. I claim in combination the spindle A with fixed notched!
disc S³, loose discs S', S', with shiftable notched rims R', R³, and latch
or lever G all arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have here.
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in 1
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.