IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Vaughan and Thomas Vaughan
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1883.
HENRY VAUGHAN and THOMAS VAUGHAN both of Willenhall Staffordshire
Lock Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS AND LATCHES
"
This Invention of improvements in locks and latches relates to the method of
operating the latch bolt of a latch or the latch bolt of a lock such as draw hack
locks rim locks rim and night latches and to the means of fixing either when the
latch is to be made fixed to act as a fastened or locked latch or when the bolt has
been shot with a key to fix it in the inside and also to the kind of latch called a
drop latch used either as right or left locks also to the opening of the latch lock
from the outside.
In the operatiorg of the latch bolt or latch I fix at the end of the latch within
the lock a piece of metal projecting at right angles or turn down the end of the
bolt or latch at right angles for a convenient length guided by the thickness of the
lock and in this I cut a slot and on from this I fix a bolt or rod of suitable section
either square or round oblong oval or other wise which is long enough to project
through the end of the case of the lock and the outer end of this rod is furnished
with a hook or knob. The bolt or rod is held to the slot in the turned down
portion of the bolt or latch by a projecting pin in the bar or the bar is turned down
to enter into the slot the bar thus let in, is guided or held in a proper opening in
the end of the case of the lock, along the bar are suitable projections or turned in
grooves, if the bar is square, and other slots are provided in and along the line of
the bar by suitable attachments to the back case, so that by pulling the handle or
hook the bolt or latch can be pulled back the ordinary spring being employed to
counteract the pull. The bar is capable of rotation so that if rotated when pulled
back a certain distance the projections lock into the slots mentioned or if the bar
is square or otherwise in section the turned in grooves allow the bolt to rotate
when opposite the slot so that the bolt or latch can be locked at any of the
positions desired that is when the latch or latch bolt is simply latched by the
closing of the door or when the key in a latch or bolt lock has shot the latch or
bolt or when the bolt or latch has been drawn back and it is desired to leave the
door open or unfastened.

page_text: The other means of operating the latch consists in having the same turned end
of the latch or lock slotted to receive the bar and the bar fitted with a hook or
knob for the purpose of actuating the latch inside the room but is also contrived
to be operated outside of the door. The case of the lock is slotted so that the bar
of the lock is exposed the bar is then perforated or a collar is raised on it or fitted
to it and the door is perforated to correspond; over the outer aperture of the door,
is screwed a plate, and in this plate is fulcrummed à lever with a knob or hook the
lateral movement of which operates on the bolt and draws back the catch.
The improvement in drop latches relates to the kind of latch which in place of
sliding to and fro is fulcrummed to rise over the catch and the object is to provide
against the wear and friction caused by the common construction of this latch I
turn down the end of the latch and fit thereon a friction roller which is kept in
place by a collar the end of the latch being rivetted over it.