IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward John Nettlefold, and
Joseph Henry Nettlefold, of Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS."-A communication.
Sealed the 7th August 1855, and dated the 9th June 1855.
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Sutton Nettlefold,
Edward John Nettlefold, and Joseph Henry Nettlefold at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 9th June 1855.
We, JOHN SUTTON NETTLEFOLD, EDWARD JOHN NETTLEFOLD, and JOSEPH
5 HENRY NETTLEFOLD, of Holborn, in the County of Middlesex; do hereby
declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS" to be as
follows:-
These improvements are shown in the accompanying sketches:-
Figure 1 shews an improved mode of moving the bolt by means of a sliding
Oplate a; having an inclined slot b, in which a stud c in the bolt works for flush-
bolt desk or pianoforte locks.
Figure 2 shews the application of an oscillating tumbler a (attached to the
bolt-b); having an inclined slot.c for-moving the-bolt:
Figure 3 shews an improvement in the construction of tumblers; in which
the spring a is made of one and the same piece of metal as the tumbler b.
Figure 4 shews the application to locks of an expanding stump, which holds
the levers-when-end pressure is applied to the bolt. The stump is formed of

page_text: a fixed part a, and of a moveable part b; turning upon a pin, and upon pressure
being applied to the bolt the inclined face of the piece b is forced against an
incline upon the lever c, and upon attempting to raise the lever the piece bis
raised and prevented from entering the notch in the lever. This stump may
be made fast or loose by fitting it on a loose plate, either on the top of the bolt
or under it, the plate being attached to the bolt and moving with it.
Figure 5 shews the application of a double stump to counteract the effect of
end pressure upon the bolt. a and b.are two moveable discs, which move
together by a stud in the one working in the slot in the other. The disc a has
a pin or stump c in its face, and the disc has a stump d placed excentrically
on its face. When pressure is applied to the bolt, the lever e pressing upon
the stump d, causes the discs to turn, and brings them into the position shewn,
in which the stump d is raised, so that it cannot enter the notch in the
tumbler, and the pin c enters a notch in the back of the bolt e.
Figure 6 shews the application to locks of a sliding shield. a, .to prevent
access to the levers. The shield a is moved by the star wheel b, which is
turned by a projecting stud in the bottom of the key..
472
Figure 7 represents the application of an expanding key chamber a, a, to
.keep the interior free from dust. The two pieces a, a, are kept closed by a
spring b, but expanded, as shewn, when the key is turned. If it is required to
render the lock powder-proof a sliding shield should be combined with it.
*SPECIFICATION' in pursuance of the conditions of the 'Letters' Patent, filed
by the said John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward John Nettlefold, and Joseph
. Henry Nettlefold in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December
* 1855..
"
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, Jonn
SUTTON NETTLEFOLD, EDWARD JOHN NETTLEFOLD, and JOSEPH HENRY-NETTLE-
of Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting."
FOLD,
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five; in the eighteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward John Nettlefold, and Joseph Henry Nettle-
fold, Her special licence that we, the said John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward
John Nettlefold, and Joseph Henry Nettlefold, our executors; administrators,
and assigns, or such other's as we, the said John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward

page_text: John' Nettlefold, and Josephi Henry Nettlefold; four' 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 Inven
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKS," "(a' communication) upon the condition
(amongst others) that we the said John Sutton Nettlefold, Edward Jolin
Nettlefold, and Joseph Henry Nettlefold, by an instrument in writing under
our hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, anil in 'what
manner the same was to be perfornied, 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 Edward John Nettlefold, 'on' behalf of
myself and the said Jolin Sutton Nettlefold and Joseph Henry Nettlefold, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be "particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:
The nature of our Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into
effect; is ascertained and set forth in and by the following description thereof,
reference being had to the Drawings hereunto. annexed, and to the figures
and letters marked thereon, observing, that where two or more views are given
of 'one object, the same letters denote the same parts in each.
Figure 1 shews'an elevation (with the cap plate removed) of an improved
flush-bolt' desk or pianoforte lock; and Figure 2 an elevation, with the plate
removed..
+
The improvement consists in the mode of shooting the bolt. a is the bolt;
and 6, a sliding plate, moveable by the key to and fro upon the guide pin c, c.
In the plate is a diagonal slot d, through which passes a stud e, projecting from
the face of the bolt a, or there may be two pins in the bolt, acted upon by two
inclined planes on the opposite ends of the sliding plate b. The motion of the
plate in one direction, acting by means of the slot upon the stud in the bolt,
shoots out the bolt, and the motion in the opposite direction draws it back.
The bolt is guided in its movement by the pin'? working in the slot k.
We claim, in respect of this portion of our Invention, the moving the bolt
by means of a diagonal slot, or two inclined planes in a sliding plate acting
ipon a stud or studs in the bolt.
Figure 3 shews an elevation of an improved flush-bolt desk or pianoforte
ock (with the cap plate removed); in which motion is given to the bolt by

page_text: means of an oscillating tumbler; and Figure 4 is an elevation, with the
tumbler removed. a is the bolt; and b, the tumbler, suspended at 'one end by
the pin c, which projects from the bolt, and sustained at the other by the pin d
in the case of the lock, which enters into one or other of the notches e or fin
the tumbler; g is a spring acting upon the tumbler. In the action of shooting
the bolt, the pin d, which was resting in the notch e, serves as a fulcrum to the
tumbler, which, by the action of the key upon the curved face h of the tumbler,
is elevated, and at the same time carried forward, carrying with it the bolt;
and when the bolt is fully shot, the pin d will have passed into the notch f.
The bolt is guided in its movement by the pin i working in the slot k.
We claim, in respect of this part of our Invention, the application to locks
of an oscillating tumbler for moving the bolt, as above described.
Figure 5 represents an elevation of a lock (with the cap plate removed);
and Figure 6 an elevation, with the tumbler removed, in which the improve-
ment; consists in making the tumbler a and the spring 6 in one and the same
piece of metal; and we accordingly claim, in respect of this portion of our
Invention, the forming the tumblers or levers and their springs in one and the
same piece of metal.
Figure 7 shews an elevation of a lock, with the cap plate removed; and
Figure 8 an elevation, with the tumbler removed, shewing the application to
locks of an expanding stump, which holds the levers when end pressure is
applied to the bolt. The stump is formed of a fixed piece a and of a moveable,
piece b, turning upon a pin or centre, having an incline upon its outer end.
Upon end pressure being applied to the bolt c, the inclined face of the piece b
is forced against an incline upon the end of the lever d, and upon attempting
to raise the lever, the piece becomes raised, and is thus prevented from
entering the notch in the lever. Should a false key be introduced, it would
raise the lever, which, acting upon the under side of the piece b, would raise it,
and thus prevent its entering the notch.
We claim, in reference to this part of our Invention, the application to locks
of an expanding stump, constructed as herein-before described...
Figures 9 and 10 shew a modification of the preceding stump; Figure 9
representing the lock with the cap plate removed; and Figure 10 representing
it with the levers and plate 6 removed. a is the bolt, carrying a plate b; which
turns upon a pin c'in the bolt. In the plate 6 is a stud d, and in the top of
the bolt is an inclined notch e, which receives it. Upon applying end pressure
to the bolt, the inclined face of the notch e acting upon the stud d throws, up
the plate b, as shewn in Figure 9, and thus prevents the stump f, fixed to the
plate-b, from entering the notch 9 in the lever h.

page_text: We claim, in reference to this part of our Invention, the application to the
bolts of locks of a hanging plate, carrying a stump and also a stud which
enters an inclined notch in the bolt, so that when end pressure is applied to
the bolt, the inclined face of the notch acting upon the stud throws up the
hanging plate, and prevents the stump from entering the notch in the lever.,
Figure 11 shews, in elevation (with the cap plate removed), the application
of a double stump, to counteract the effect of end pressure upon the bolt;
and Figure 12 shews the same, with the lever e removed. a and b are two
moveable discs, which move together by means of a stud in the one working
in a slot in the other. The disc a has a pin or stump c on its face, and the
disc b has a stump & placed eccentrically.across its face, the end of the stump
d being formed as an incline, corresponding to an incline on the end of the
lever c.
When end pressure is applied to the bolt, the lever pressing upon
the inclined end of the stump & throws it up, and prevents its entering into
the notch in the lever, and at the same time brings the stump c into a notch f
in the back of the bolt.
We claim, in reference to this portion of our Invention, the application to
locks of two discs carrying. two stumps acting upon the bolt, so as to prevent
the stump on one of the discs from entering the notch in the lever, as herein-
before described, when end pressure is applied to the bolt.
Figure 13 represents a lock (with the cap plate removed) having a sliding
shield to prevent access to the levers; and Figure 14 represents the bolt
removed to shew the shield more clearly. a is the shield, having the lower
edge turned up, so as to prevent a false key from getting access to the levers.
This shield is moved a part of the distance by a stud in the bolt, and the
remaining portion by the pinion c acting upon the studs d, d. The pinion is
turned by a stud projecting from the bottom of the key, and entering the hole e
in the pinion.
We claim, in reference to this portion of our Invention, the application of
a sliding shield, operating as herein-before described, to prevent access to the
levers by means of false keys.
Figures 15 and 16 represent the application of an expanding chamber to
locks to protect the interior from dust; Figure 15 represents the lock with the
cap removed; and Figure 16.shews the same with the levers removed. a, a',
and b, bare two banging pieces, turning upon pins at c, c, and kept closed by
springs d, d, as shewn in Figure 16, when the key is withdrawn, but expanding,
as shown in Figure 15, when the key is turned. The parts a' and b' are of the
same depth as the space between the front plate and the back plate of the lock,
so-as-to fill up the same, and thereby to prevent the entry of dust. To protect

page_text: the tumblers from the action of gunpowder, a sliding shield, similar to that
shown Figures 13 and 14, may be combined with this lock.n
We claim; in reference to this part of our Invention, the application to locks
of two swinging pieces forming an expanding chamber, as herein-before
described:
1.
24
We would observe, in conclusion, that we do not limit ourselves" to the
precise
details" given in the foregoing description, as they may be variously
modified without departing from the principle of the Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Nettlefold, have hereunto
set my.
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
"
EDWARD JOHN NETTLEFOLD. (L.s.)
Witness,. .Int.