IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry Pearce, of 163 & 165, Euston Road, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry Pearce at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd June 1876.
HARRY PEARCE, of 163 & 165, Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex.
** IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in locks.
Locks which are provided with a spring bolt are usually made with the bolt
either right or left handed, as the case may be, but in some case the bolt has been
made reversible.
One object of my Invention is to admit of the bolt being reversed with greater
facility than heretofore, and without taking the lock apart. For this purpose I
make the bolt in two pieces, the part on which the head of the bolt is formed
terminates within the case of the lock in a stem which passes through guides formed
on the other or inner portion, which receives motion to shoot and withdraw the
bolt from the mechanism of the lock in the usual manner. Thus the bolt is capable
of being elongated by one part sliding in the other, but a coiled spring is applied
to prevent this, and in ordinary work the bolt operates as if in one piece; but
when it is desired to reverse the head of the bolt it is only necessary to draw it
forward, compressing the coiled spring until the head, which is rectangular in
section, is clear of the passage formed for it in the lock case, and the head can
then be turned half round and allowed to return. Nothing further is required
to reverse the lock and make it work either right hand or left hand as may be
required.
Where a spring bolt in addition to being operated by a handle or knob can be
also locked by a key it is very advantageous to make the bolt in two parts, as
described, so that locking with the key may not fix the knob or handle. In this
case the use of the key renders fast only the head end of the bolt, whilst the
other end is free to move under the action of the knob or handle, which then
operates simply to elongate the bolt, as already described, but in the opposite or
inward direction.

page_text: In order to facilitate the fitting together of the parts of these and other locks, in
place of employing a flat brass plate to form the fore end of the lock, as is usual, I
form this fore end with flanges around the bolt hole or holes. These flanges forin
guides for the bolts to work in, and render it unnecessary to file or fit truly the
bolt holes in the iron lock case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Harry Pearce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd December
1876.
HARRY PEARCE, of 163 and 165, Euston Road, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in locks.
Locks which are provided with a spring bolt are usually made with the bolt
either right or left handed, as the case may be, but in some cases the bolt has been
made reversible.
One object of my Invention is to admit of the bolt being reversed with greater
facility than heretofore and without taking the lock apart. For this purpose
make the bolt in two pieces, the part on which the head of the bolt is formed
terminates within the case of the lock in a stem which passes through a guide
or guides formed on the other or inner portion, which receives motion to shoot
and withdraw the bolt from the mechanism of the lock in the usual manner.
Thus the bolt is capable of being elongated by one part sliding in the other, but a
coiled spring is applied to prevent this, and in ordinary work the bolt operates as
if in one piece; but when it is desired to reverse the head of the bolt it is only
necessary to draw it forward, compressing the coiled spring until the head, which is
rectangular in section is clear of the passage formed for it in the lock case, and the
head can then be turned half round and allowed to return. Nothing further is
required to reverse the lock and make it work either right hand or left hand, as
may be required.
Where a spring bolt, in addition to being operated by a handle or knob can be
also locked by a key it is very advantageous to make the bolt in two parts, as
described, so that locking with the key may not fix the knob or handle. In this
case the use of the key renders fast only the head end of the bolt, whilst the other
end is free to move under the action of the knob or handle, which then operates
simply to elongate the bolt, as already described, but in the opposite or inward
direction.
In order to facilitate the fitting together of the parts of these and other locks
in place of employing a flat brass plate to form the fore end of the lock, as is usual.
I form this fore end with flanges around the bolt hole or holes. These flanges form
guides for the bolts to work in, and render it unnecessary to file or fit truly the
bolt holes in the iron lock case.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood, and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
Figure 1 is a front view of a lock provided with a reversible latch bolt con-
structed according to my Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the latch bolt separately.
a, a, is the case of the lock, within which is fitted a key bolt b arranged in the
ordinary manner; c, c, are the tumblers in connection with this bolt; d is the

page_text: part of the latch bolt has two studs f2 on its under side, which enter corresponding
slots in the lock case, and so the bolt is kept in its place and guided as it slides in
and out. The portion f of the latch bolt, as the Drawing shows, has the form of
an open frame, through the front of which the stem g' of the other part g of the latch
bolt is passed. g² is an enlargement at the inner end of this stein, it forms one
abutment for the coiled spring h which, at its other end rests against the end of the
frame-like opening in the part f of the bolt; g3 is the latch head of the bolt, it is
inclined in the usual manner; i is the ordinary spring of the latch bolt. When it
is desired to reverse the head of the bolt it is only necessary to draw it forward
until it is clear of the passage in the front of the case, then to turn it and allow it
to recede to its working position, by this simple means the lock is changed and made
right or left-handed at pleasure; j is the brass plate at the front of the lock, it is,
as is usual, attached to the front of the case by means of tap screws, but in place of
being flat, as heretoforo, this plato has flanges formed around the bolt holes, and
the holes in the front of the lock case are made of sufficient size to receive these
flanges.
With this construction no accurate fitting of the holes in the front of the lock
case is needed.
The lock shewn in the Drawings is provided with an independent key bolt, but
very commonly the key bolt is made to act within the lock case to prevent the
withdrawal of the latch bolt, where the latch bolt is constructed in two parts
according to my Invention; this is a very convenient and simple arrangement, the
key bolt being so formed as to impede only the head of the latch bolt, leaving the
spindle free to be turned as when the door is unlocked.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim-
First. The construction of the latch bolts of locks in two parts, having a spring
connection admitting of the inclined latch head being drawn forward and turned
round without taking the lock apart, substantially as described.
Second. The construction of the front plates of locks with flanges around the
bolt hole or holes to fit within the holes in the front of the lock case, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Harry Pearce, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
HARRY PEARCE. (LS.)