Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLISTON ISAAC ALVORD, residing at 167 Maple Street, Bridgeport in the
County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, in the United States of America,
gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in the con-
struction of padlocks, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective
device of this description, and with these ends in view my invention consists in
certain details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter fully and
in detail explained and then specifically designated by the claims.
In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may
more fully understand its construction and operation, I will proceed to describe
the same referring by letter to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this.
specification in which,
Figure, 1, is an interior view of my improved padlock with the cover thereof
removed showing the position of the several parts when the shackle is locked, and
Figure, 2, is a like view showing the shackle when unlocked, and
Figure, 3, a section on the line, x-x, of figure, 1.
Similar letters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.
A, is the tumbler shell, and, B, the key-post projecting upward from the padlock
casing through the bottom of the shell, A, whereby the latter is pivoted so as to
turn freely.
C, are the tumblers arranged within the shell, A, and extending through opposite
sides thereof, and, D, are the tumbler springs.
E, is the key guide. F, is a hook shaped lug projecting from the side of the
shell, A, and adapted to engage with the nose, G, of the shackle, when the said
shell is rotated as will be presently explained.
H, is a stop projecting inwardly from the side of the padlock casing and I, is a
recess formed in the opposite side thereof.
J, K, are lugs extending from the tumbler shell and padlock casing, respectively,
and between which is confined a coil spring, L, the function of which is to impart
a spring action to the rotation of the shell, A.
The operation of my improvement is as follows:
By turning the key against the inner edges of the tumblers the latter are drawn
inside of the shell, A, and out of contact with the stop, H, and by a continued

page_text: turning of the key the said shell is rotated until it assumes the position shown at
Fig. 2.
In locking the shackle, the latter is thrown down and the key turned against
the guide, E, thereby rotating the shell until the hook; F, engages or overlaps the
nose, G, on the shackle, when the tumblers will have thereby been carried beyond
the stop, H, and thrown into abutment with the latter by their springs, as shown
at figure, 1. The recess, I, affords a safeguard as against ordinary picking, since
any manipulation of the tumbler, in order to withdraw them from abutment with
the stop, H, is apt to throw them within said' recess, and in this event the
shell, A, could not be rotated since the tumblers would abut against the upper
wall of said recess.
One of the peculiarities of this padlock is, that after the shackle has been
unlockod, the shell, A, has to be rotated back to its locked position before the key
can be withdrawn, so that it will be obvious, that when it is desired to secure the
shackle the key can not be withdrawn until said shackle is locked.
The spring, L, facilitates the movement of the shell, A, in locking the shackle,
but it is not a necessary element in my improved construction and I do not there-
fore do not wish to be circumscribed by the use of the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In a padlock, the combination with the nose of the shackle and a stop projecting
from the side of the padlock casing, of a rotary shell having arranged therein
tumblers adapted to slide laterally and having extending from its sides a hook,
said tumblers and hook adapted to engage with said stop and nose respectively
when the said shell is rotated to lock the shackle substantially as set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1886.