IMPROVEMENTS IN Th PRO
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Gaskell and Richard Thomas Grocott, of Burslem,
in the County of Stafford, Potters, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Th
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Gaskell and Richard
Thomas Grocott.at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th
May 1880.
JOHN GASKELL and RICHARD THOMAS GROCOTT, of Burslem, in the County of
Stafford, Potters. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DOOR KNOBS AND THE
LIKE."
Our Invention consists in the first place of a small spring of india-rubber or
other substance. This spring has a hole through it, so as to allow it to slide on
to the spindle of the door knob. On each side of the spring is a washer, preferably
of metal, with holes through the centre to fit the spindle, and one of said washers
has a nib or projection.on the periphery. This nib is for the purpose of catching
into a notch or notches in the back of mount on knob, and thereby preventing
samé from turning round. The mode of fixing knobs to doors with our improved
fastening is as follows:-We use an ordinary spindle screwed at one end in the
usual manner, and at the plain end we fasten a knob permanently. We then put
on a rose, and place the spindle through the door, putting another rose on the
opposite side of the door. After this we put our spring on the spindle with the
plain washer towards the door, and the one with nib on outwards.
We then screw
on the knob until the back of mount presses against the washer, the nib on the
same preventing it turning any further."
To tighten the knob on to the door we insert a small screw driver or other tool
between the rims of mount and rose, pushing down the nib of washer, and at the
same time turning the knob until it is as tight as necessary. We then allow the
nib to drop into the next notch, and the knob is perfectly secure.
The knob may
be removed in a similar manner and with perfect ease.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Gaskell and Richard Thomas Grocott in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th November 1880.
JOHN GASKELL and RICHARD THOMAS GROCOTT, of Burslem, in the County of
Stafford, Potters. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR DOOR KNOBS AND THE
LIKE.
Our Invention consists in the first place of a small spring of indiarubber or other
suitable elastic substance. This spring has a hole through it, so as to allow it to
slide onto the spindle of the door knob. On each side of the spring is a washer,
preferably of metal, with holes through the centre to fit the spindle. One of the
said washers has a nib or projection on the periphery. This nib is for the purpose
of catching into a notch or notches in the back of mount or knob, and thereby
preventing same from turning round. The mode of fixing knobs to doors with our
improved fastening is as follows:-We use an ordinary spindle screwed at one end
in the usual manner, and at the plain end we fasten a knob permanently. We
then put on a rose, and place the spindle through the door, putting another rose on
the opposite side of the door.. After this we put our spring-washer on the spindle
with the plain washer towards the door, and the other washer with nib on outwards.
We then screw on the knob until the back of mount presses against the washer,
the nib on same preventing it from turning any further by catching in a notch on
the knob or mount.
To tighten the knob on the door we insert a small screwdriver or other tool
between the rims of mount and rose, pushing back the nib of washer, and at the
same time turning the knob until it is as tight as necessary. We then allow the
nib to drop into the next notch, or into the same one after another turn of the knob
if there is only one notch in the mount, and the knob is perfectly secure. The
knob may be removed in a similar manner and with perfect ease.
Reference being now had to the accompanying Drawings, in which like letters
represent like parts, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved mortice
furniture, and Figs. 2 and 3 a front and side view respectively of the spring
washer.
'
In Fig. 1, E is the knob permanently attached to the spindle S, and D the lose
or adjustable knob which screws onto the screwed end of spindle S. F, F, are
the roses, between which the door would come, and A, B, C, is the spring
washer.
+
A is the outer metal washer, and should be made strong; it carries the projecting
nib A¹. B is the indiarubber or equivalent spring, and C the inner metal washer.
These three washers are all preferably vulcanized or otherwise fastened together,
so as to form one washer, and have a square hole to fit over the ordinary square
spindle S.
When the spindle is placed through the door, as already described, with a rose
on each side, the spring washer A, B, C, is put upon the spindle S in the position
shown in Fig. 1, that is, with the strong washer upon the outside. The lose
handle D is then screwed up until the washer stops it; a screwdriver or other
instrument is then placed in the notch D¹ (of which there may be only one, or
more at pleasure), in which the nib has caught, and by pressing back the nib the
knob may be screwed up as far as necessary, the nib being pushed back every time
it falls into a notch. The holes in the metal washers are sufficiently large to allow
of the necessary play, and the rubber of course adapts itself readily. We have
only described and shown one nib on the washer, because it is more convenient to

page_text: use only one, the spring giving more when pressed from one side only than if it
had to be compressed bodily. Also if two nibs were used two tools (or one tool
made specially for the purpose) would require to be used when screwing up the
knob. But it will be seen that two or more nibs could be used without departing
from the principle of our Invention. In some cases also a metallic spring may be
substituted for the rubber washer described above, but these are mere alternative
arrangements, and do not effect the principle of our Invention.
CLAIMS.
Having now described our Invention, and the method of performing the same,
we wish it to be understood that what we claim, and desire to protect under the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. As a fastening for door or other similar knobs the combination of the
ordinary square spindle S, the spring washer A, B, C, with nib or nibs A¹, and the
slotted or notched knob or mount D', substantially as and for the purposes set
forth and shown.
Second. In a mortice furniture the employment of the spring washer A, B, C,
and slotted or notched mount or knob D³, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth and shown.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Gaskell and Richard Thomas Grocott,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Ninth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.