AN IMPROVED Lock
Year: 1858

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Taylor Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th July
1858.
I, JOHN TAYLOR DAVIES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Provision
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
Lock," to be as follows, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of said lock, the cover being
removed therefrom; Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the working parts
in the respective positions when the lock is locked; Fig. 3 represents a
vertical cross section through the lock; Fig. 4 represents a perspective view
of the key of said lock, the case of the same being represented as partly
broken away; Fig. 5 represents a top view of said key; Fig. 6 represents
one of the key bits; Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17, represent
detached views of the different parts of which this lock is composed, and
which will be described more fully hereafter.
The nature of the said Invention relates to that class of combination locks
which have no keyhole, and consists, firstly, in the peculiar construction of the
key and of the corresponding parts of the lock, by means of which said key
can be applied directly to the lock and the lock operated therewith without
referring to any index, signs or figures, as has been the case heretofore in
locks of this description.
i

page_text: It further consists in the use of two working shafts, one within the other,
one of which has a rotating movement in which every point describes-a circle,
while the other has a rectilinear movement only, both produced by the use of
the key making movements resulting from the action of the key bits, while
the separate movements of these shafts, when moved by hand and without the
application of the key, result for each given point irrespectively in a circle
and straight line, thereby giving no clue of the extent of the movements of
the sliding tumblers.
A represents the case of the lock; B, the bolt of the same, which is shown
in a detached view in Fig. 14; the bolt is guided in its rectilinear motions by
the projections C on the bottom of the lock case. D, in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 12,
represents a hollow shaft, resting with its bearing within the seat a; E repre-
sents a round solid steel shaft, which fits loosely within the shaft D, and can
be moved up and down within the same. The bit F of the shaft E extends
through a slot 6 of the shaft D, as represented in Figs. 3 and 12. G is a
circular plate extending from the lower part of the hollow shaft D, as repre-
sented in Fig. 12; to this plate is secured the pin c, which when the lock is
put together drops within the recess H of the bolt B, and thus by turning the
shaft D the bolt is moved in and out. I is a block, which is firmly secured
to the bottom of the lock by means of the screws d: The shape of this block
is more particularly represented in Figs. 7 and 8, Fig. 7 being a perspective
view of the said block from its upper, and Fig. 8 a perspective view of the
same from its bottom side. The brackets K of the block I serve to support
the sliding tumblers y, y', y, y³, y. L represents a cam ring, the inner cir-
cumference of which is a circle, and which can play freely on its seat on the
lower side of the block I. To the lower face of this cam is secured a small
block g, which when the parts are put together and the lock is operated
comes in contact with the abutments f and f¹ of the plate G, for the purpose
to be hereafter described. N represents a sliding carriage, the shape of which
is represented in Fig. 9; this carriage is supported and guided by suitable,
bearings in the lock case, and is actuated at the proper moment by the cam L
which plays within the hollow part of said carriage; the carriage N also
supports between the brackets h and the second set of sliding tumblers
x, x1, x2, x³, x². To the top of the block I is fitted a cap O, represented in
Figs. 1 and 3, on which the key is placed when the lock is to be operated.
The key of this lock is. represented in Fig. 4; it consists of a cylindrical
case m, into which are placed a number of rings of the shape represented in
Fig. 6; the number of rings in the key is equal to the number of the sliding
tumblers in each of the above mentioned tumbler sets. When these rings

page_text: are set in their case they are held in their proper positions by the tongue n of
the case, entering a groove o in the circumference of the rings. Each ring
is fastened on its inner face with a circular key bit p, into which notches are
cut at different places, as represented at Fig. 4, and the different combinations
of the key and lock are obtained by the different positions of the notches;
the notches of the rings are all in one line, allowing the part F of the
working shaft which operates the sliding tumblers to ascend and descend in a
straight line through the notches q, while the notches r form the combination
of the key, as represented in Fig. 4. S is a small cylinder, represented in
Figs. 1, 3, & 5, which plays loosely within the key, having its bearings
on the lower flanch of the key case; this ring or cylinder has a notch cut in
its circumference which corresponds in shape with the notches q. The key is
closed at its top by means of a cover t, which confines the key rings within
their case.
P represents a metal cap, which can be set on and secured to the
steel shaft E by means of a pin u, in the manner represented in Fig. 3; to
this capp is secured at its lower edge a steel tongue v, which fits exactly
within the above-described notches and r of the key bits.
I
Figs. 15, 16, and 17 represent the sliding tumblers of this lock, those
marked 4 and 6 are the tumblers (y), which are supported by the brackets k
of the block I, while those marked 3 and 5 are the tumblers (a), working
between the brackets h and k of the carriage N. The tumblers of each
system are of the same shape, and only the lowest tumblers corresponding to
and y', are different from the others, and of the shape represented in
Fig. 17, for reasons hereafter to be stated. The different sliding tumblers
are separated from each other by intermediate brass plates 1 and 2 in Fig. 13,
the plates 1 lying between the tumblers y, and the plates 2 between those of a.
Q, Fig. 11, represents a sliding bar, having two pins T extending downwards
near its ends; this bar I call the slide restorer, and it plays in suitable
bearings over the tumblers y. Its object is to restore said tumblers to a
uniform position after certain movements have been effected in the lock. The
restorer Qis operated by means of cam R on shaft D operating upon the
stud S of said restorer. U is a knife, which is secured to the lock case by
means of a screw w, which enters into the rack V of the carriage N and into
corresponding notches a¹ of the slide x, when the bolt B is locked out. The
sliding tumblers and restorer Q are confined within their ways by means of
the ties y, which are screwed to the brackets of the block I and carriage N.
The operation of the lock is as follows:-The shafts D & E being in the
position represented in Figs. 2 & 12, the key (Fig. 4) is placed upon the cap
O in such a manner, that the pins 7, on said cap, will enter corresponding

page_text: holes in the bottom flange of the key; in this position the tongue v is in the
line of the notches 9 of the key, and the bit F of the shaft E-is in its lowest
position, and right under the notch 8, Fig. 7, of the block I; by taking hold
now of the handle W and pulling cap P upwards, the shaft E will be raised,
and the bit F will rise through notch 8 to the position represented in Fig. 3.
By now turning the handle W from the left to the right, the bit F is
supported in its movement by the flanch 9, Fig. 7, and as the shaft D is
caused to turn with the shaft E, by reason of the bit F passing through the
slot b, the pin c, by the partial revolution, actuates the bolt B, by working in
notch H, shooting out the bolt as represented in Fig. 1. When the bolt is
shot out to its full extent, the bit F just commences to enter the notches 10 of
the slides y.
In this position the bit F is just opposite the slides y, and the height of said
bit being equal to the combined thickness of the slides y, and their intermediate
pieces 2, it follows that if the bit F should be retained in its exact height,
and be turned further to the right, it would operate simultaneously on all the
sides y, and move them to the right also. During the turning of the shafts
E and D, the tongue v has been progressing on the uppermost key bit until it
finds the first notch r, through which said tongue descends until it strikes the
second key bit. Through this movement the bit F descends the thickness of
one key ring, which is just equal to the slide y, and its corresponding piece 2,
thus disengaging said slide at the point where the tongue vslipped down
through the notch r of the first key bit p. By now turning the handle W
slightly to the left, the tongue v will descend through the notch in the second
key ring p, thereby setting and releasing the slide y', then turning again to the
right, set and release slide y³, and so on, until the tongue v has passed succes-
sively through the notches of each key ring, thereby arranging the slides y to
a position which corresponds to the positions of the notches r in the key bits.
During these movements of the sliding tumblers, the slides x and y were in
positions represented in Figure 15, the tongues of the slides y reaching
within corresponding recesses of the slides x, and consequently the two sets
of slides moved together, and the slides were arranged in exactly similar
positions with the slides y.
When the movements of these slides have been effected, the tongue v has
passed through the entire height of the key, and the shaft E is again in its
lowest position.
By now turning the handle again to the right, the bit F will move below
the flange 9, Fig. 7, and the abutments f' will bear against the block g,
Figs. 7 and 8, thereby operating the cam L, this cam will be turned, and will

page_text: push the carriage N to the position represented in Fig. 2, the face of the cam
acting against the side of the carriage N. By this movement of the carriage
N, the slides x and y are separated and come to the position represented in
Figs. 16 and 17, while at the same time the knife U passes into notch V, and
into one of the notches a¹ of the slides x, thereby holding said slides in the
position in which they have been arranged; the distance of the notches a
from each other being proportioned to the positions of the notches in the
different key bits. The two sets of slides being thus separated, the further
movement of the shaft D causes the cam R to act upon the stud S of the
restorer Q, which restores the slides y to an even and uniform position, thereby
destroying all traces of the movement above described; the carriage in the
last position prevents the bolt B from being pushed back, for as seen in Fig. 1,
the rib A¹ of the bolt can enter the groove B¹ on the under side of the
carriage N, but when the carriage is moved outwards, as represented in Fig. 2,
position of the rib A¹ and groove B₁ do not correspond any longer, and the
bolt is effectually locked out.
To unlock the lock the shaft E is pulled out, as above described, and by
working the tongue v through the various key bits, in the manner above
described, but in a reverse direction, that is from the right to the left, the
slides y will be exactly arranged as they have been before they were restored
by the restorer Q, and by turning the shaft D further to the left, the cam L
will drive the carriage N back to its former position, the slides x and y will
enter each other, and the bolt B is unlocked by the further motion of the shaft
D to the left; it will be evident from the above description, that when the
handle or pin W is withdrawn from shaft P, the key can be placed upon
the hub O in its proper position, without the use of any light, or without
referring to any numbers, index, or marks. Further, that for the same lock
any combination of the bits will operate the lock, as the combination rests
entirely with the key, and not with the sliding tumblers, but that when the
lock is locked, it can only be unlocked with the combination with which it
was locked.
Further, that any marking substance fastened to the fixed
bearing of the hub O can only make a circular line which returns in itself, not
giving any tracings of the extent and time of the movements of the slides,
while any attempts to mark the shaft E, result in a straight line, which neither
gives any clue for unlocking the lock, as the shaft D cannot be moved in a longitu-
dinal direction, while shaft E can only be moved longitudinally within shaft D.
The shape of the ring cam L is such that it shall move the carriage N at
certains points up and down in the revolution of the shaft D, as above
described, while it shall hold the carriage fixed as at all other points, which

page_text: arrangement affords the means of using this lock as a right-hand or left-hand
lock.
The block g, on cam L, contains a piston 6', which is conical on both ends;
this piston can play loosely in its cylinder, being held herein by a pin c¹, which
passes through a slot of said piston, as represented in Fig. 3. At the point at
which the faces f¹ and f of the disk G impinge on block G, the lower conical
point of the piston is driven respectively into one of the holes d' by the
upper conical end of the piston coming in contact with the underside of the
block I, while at all other movements of the cam, the upper conical end runs
in the groove O¹, Figs. 8 and 3, in which position the disk G is not coupled to
the block G.
This is so arranged, that the cam L and disc G are coupled at the point
at which slides x and y can be brought in contact for the purpose of picking;
for, as the bit F is the only part by which the slides can be moved, and when
the slides are in contact, said slides are beyond the reach of the bit F; it
follows that to feel the slides, the motion of the bit F must be reversed, but
as the disk G, and the cam L are locked together, the bit F cannot be turned
back except the cam be also turned, which at once separates the two sets
of x, y.
D is a steel arm, the pin h¹ of which enters the hole i of the carriage N, and
which resting within the groove n¹, Fig. 7, extends in the unlocked position
into the aperture in which the bit F turns, and thus serves to limit the move-
ments of the bit F, while the peculiar shape of the stud y prevents any false
locking of the lock.
For additional security against boring into the lock to pick it, hardened steel
pins may be inserted in the steel and brass shafts below the external face of
the hub O.