IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Henry Tucker, of 6, Southampton Street,
Strand, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."
Sealed the 13th May 1870, and dated the 16th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Henry Tucker
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
On the 16th November 1869.
I, WALTER HENRY TUCKER, of 6, Southampton Street, Strand,
London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LOCKS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists of improvements in what is
technically termed the "latch action" of locks by which their latch bolts
are impelled outwards by springs and drawn back by the turning of
knobs or handles from the outsides of the said locks or of the doors to
which they are attached. The common latch action in locks, which is too
well known to need description here, results in great and very unequal
wear of the parts, and my improvement consists in substituting for the
horned "follower" and the long "crank" now used in them a follower,

page_text: of
having teeth on its circumference, which work in teeth in another
pivoted piece so formed as to act on the latch bolt and carry it back as
the handle is turned in either direction. The result of this arrangement
is that the friction is diffused over a more extended surface and the wear
any one point thereby materially reduced, while through the piece
which carries the latch bolt being concentric in its action the wear is
uniform in both directions. In addition I so arrange the bolt spring
that its action is confined to the bolt itself, by which means the mischief
resulting from the repeated impulsion of the crank against the follower
in the ordinary arrangement is prevented and the durability of the parts
greatly enhanced.
The second part of my Invention consists of improvements in a class
of locks known as "label locks" in which the distinctive feature is the
use of a label to cover the keyhole, or be so connected with it that
the key cannot be placed into the keyhole without the previous rupture
of the label, in either of which cases the door which covers the label
cannot be locked until after the keyhole is closed and the key itself
thereby excluded from the lock; and my improvements consist in such
an arrangement of parts that the said door may be locked by the key
itself when the keyhole is open, while it shall be as impracticable to
unlock the said-lock without rupturing the label as in the locks hitherto
in use.
And this purpose I effect by the use of a rotating or traversing
cutter provided with teeth usually on its circumference or edge, and so
placed as to be acted on by a piece attached to or moving in conjunction
with the bolt in such a manner that as the bolt is unlocked the said
piece shall convey motion to the cutter and cause it thereby to tear the
label, while as the bolt is locked forwards by the key the piece shall pass
the cutter without giving motion to the same. And I would wish it
understood that it is the use of such an arrangement of parts as will
enable the said locks to be locked by a key through the keyhole, while
they cannot be unlocked without the rupture of the label, which I
hereby specify as constituting my improvements in label locks without
limiting myself to the details of the arrangements herein-before described
for the production of this novel effect.
The third part of my Invention consists of improvements in the
modes of securing the handles or furniture of locks to doors, and one
mode by which I effect this object is as follows:-To one end of the
ordinary squared spindle I permanently connect one of the knobs, and
J.:

page_text: to the other end, which is wormed at the angles, I screw on (into the
rose which is placed close to the door) a hollow adjusting cup having a
screwed hole through it to fit the screw on the spindle, and thus enables
the furniture to be adjusted to the varying thicknesses of doors, and
which is otherwise so formed that when the other knob, which has a
squared hole in it to fit the spindle, has been placed on over it
irregularities from the one enter into irregularities in the other and hold
the adjusting cup in its position. The rim of this cup is also so wormed
that a correspondingly wormed rim in a washer which is fastened.to but
free to turn on the base of the knob may be screwed into the cup; and
thereby retain the knob in its required position. By preference I so
form this washer that when it is screwed into its place it shall be under
the surface of the rim of the adjusting cup, by which means the said
washer cannot become accidentally unscrewed by the fingers as the knob
is turned, and as the adjusting cup cannot be again turned on the
spindle until the knob is released from it the permanence of connection
of the furniture with the door is thereby assured:
In another mode by which I effect the same object I use a similar
spindle and a similar permanent knob at one end, as in the plan
previously described, but in place of the adjusting cup used in that plan.
I screw on to the spindle next to the rose an adjusting piece. having, a
spring so connected with it as to tend to separate the adjusting piece
from a locking piece which is formed to slide on over the square. of the
spindle without turning on it, and which is otherwise so irregularly
formed as to fit corresponding irregularities in the base of the second
knob. This knob has a wormed hole in it to enable it to be screwed on
to the spindle down upon the locking piece, which must then be
pressed towards the adjusting piece and the knob screwed on to tho
spindle to follow it. When this has been done and the locking piece
relieved from the pressure which kept it down the spring mentioned will
drive the locking piece into or upon the irregularities in the base of the
knob and thus prevent its being again unscrewed; and as there are also
irregularities in the adjusting piece which engage in the locking piece
all the parts will be retained in their positions, and no external indication
will show how the fastening is effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Henry Tucker in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
HENRY TUCKER, of No. 6, Southampton Street, Strand, London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Walter Henry Tucker, Her special licence
that I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, 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
Locks," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Walter Henry
Tucker, 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, 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 Walter Henry Tucker, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
The first part of my Invention consists of improvements in what is
technically termed the "latch action "of locks by which their latch
'bolts are impelled outwards by springs, and drawn back, by the turning
of knobs or handles from the outsides of the said locks or of the doors
to which they are attached. The common latch action in locks, which
is too well known to need description here, results in great and very

page_text: "
unequal wear of the parts, and my improvements consist in substituting
for the horned "follower" and the long "crank now used in them a
follower having teeth on its circumference, which work in teeth on
another pivoted piece so formed and situated as to act on the latch
bolt and carry it back as the handle is turned in either direction. The
result of this arrangement is that the friction is diffused over a more
extended surface and the wear of any one point thereby materially
reduced, whilst through the piece which carries the latch bolt being
concentric and uniform in its action the wear is the same in both
directions. In addition I so arrange the bolt spring that its action
is confined to the bolt itself, by which means the mischief resulting
from the repeated impulsion of the crank against the follower in the
ordinary arrangement is prevented, and the durability of the parts greatly
enhanced.
And I hereby claim as part of this my first improvement, the use in
locks for the purposes before specified of the toothed follower, and,
second, toothed concentric piece, acting together as herein-before
described.
And I also claim as part of the same improvement, and for the purpose
before mentioned, the use of a bolt spring so arranged as to act on the
latch bolt only, without conveying pressure to the follower as is now
the practice.
The second part of my Invention consists of improvements in a class
of locks known as "label locks," in which the distinctive feature is the
use of a label to cover the keyhole, or be so connected with it that the
key cannot be placed into the keyhole without the previous rupture of
the label, in either of which cases the door which covers the label cannot
be locked until after the keyhole is closed, and the key itself thereby
excluded from the lock; and my improvements consist in such an
arrangement of parts, that the said door may be locked by the key itself
when the keyhole is open, whilst it shall be as impracticable to unlock
the said lock without rupturing the label as in the locks hitherto in use.
And this purpose I effect by the use of a rotating or traversing cutter
provided with teeth usually on its circumference or edge, and so placed
as to be acted on by a piece attached to or moving in conjunction with
the bolt in such a manner that as the bolt is unlocked the said piece
shall convey motion to the cutter and cause it thereby to tear the label,

page_text: whilst as the bolt is locked forwards by the key the said piece. shall
pass the cutter without giving motion to the same. And I would wish
it understood that it is the use of such an arrangement of parts as will
enable the said locks to be locked by a key through the keyhole after
the label is in its place, whilst it shall not be practicable to unlock them
again without the rupture of the label, which I hereby specify and claim
as constituting my improvements in label locks, without limiting myself
to the precise details herein-before described for the production of this
- novel effect.
:
The third part of my Invention consists of improvements in the modes
of securing the handles or furniture of locks to doors, and one mode by
which I effect this object is as follows:-To one end of the ordinary
squared spindle I customarily fix one of the knobs, and to the other end,
which is wormed at the angles, I screw on (into the rose which is placed
close to the door) a. hollow adjusting cup which has a screwed hole
through it to fit the worm on the spindle, and thus enables the furniture
to be adjusted to the varying thicknesses of doors, and which is otherwise
so formed that when the other knob, which has a squared hole in it to
fit the spindle, has been placed on over it irregularities from the one
enter into or engage with irregularities in the other and hold the
adjusting cup in its position. The rim of this cup is also so wormed
that a correspondingly wormed rim in a washer which is connected with
but free to turn on the base of the knob may be screwed into the cup
and thereby retain the knob in its required position. By preferenco I
so form this washer that when it is screwed into its place it shall be
lower than the surface of the rim of the adjusting cup, by which means
the said washer cannot be accidentally unscrewed by the fingers as the
knob is turned, and as the adjusting cup cannot be again turned on the
spindle until the knob is released from it the permanent connection of
the furniture with the doors is thereby assured.
And this arrangement I hereby claim as constituting my third
improvement without limiting myself to the precise details herein-
before described, so long as the general nature and effect of the arrange-
ment are maintained.
In another mode by which I effect the same object I use a similar

page_text: the plan previously described, but in place of the adjusting cup used in
that plan I screw on to the spindle next to the rose an adjusting piece
having a spring so connected with it as to tend to separate the said
adjusting piece from a locking piece which is formed to slide on over
the square of the spindle without turning on it, and which is otherwise
so irregularly formed as to fit corresponding irregularities in the
adjusting piece and in the base of the second knob. This knob has a
wormed hole in it to enable it when it is being attached to the door to be
screwed on to the spindle down upon the locking piece mentioned,
which must then be pressed towards the adjusting piece and the knob
screwed on to the spindle to follow it. When this has been done and
the locking piece been relieved from the pressure which held it down
the spring mentioned will drive the locking piece into, against, or upon
the irregularities in the base of the knob, and thus prevent its being
again unscrewed, and as there are also irregularities in the adjusting
piece which engage in the locking piece all the parts will be retained
in their positions until (by the use of a special instrument) the locking
piece is pressed back and the knob thereby again set free.
And I hereby claim as constituting this my last improvement the
general arrangement of parts herein-before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
And I also claim as the essential feature of this my improvement in
lock furniture, the use of a locking piece acted on by a spring as
described, for the purpose of holding and locking together the several
parts of the said furniture and retaining them in connection with the
door and the lock, without limiting myself to the precise position for
or form of locking piece or spring herein described and illustrated, so
long as the essential features of their action and effect are produced
and retained.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 shews in section
the adjusting knob and the general arrangement for its fixing described
as my last improvement, L representing the locking piece therein
mentioned, A the adjusting piece, and S the spiral spring which tends
to keep the said two pieces apart; Figure 2 represents in plan the
locking piece L separately, showing the piercings or irregularities which

page_text: engage with and retain the knob and the adjusting piece in their positions
on the spindle.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Henry Tucker, have here-
tofore set my hand and scal, this Fourteenth day of May, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
ROBERT HUGHES,
1, Buxton Place,
Lambeth Road.
WALTER HENRY TUCKER. (L.S.)