Improvements in Car-seals for Certain Kinds of Locks and Bolts.
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FRANCIS M. WARE and GEORGE W. BENJAMIN, both
of North Bend, in the County of Hamilton, U.S.A.]
Improvements in Car-seals for Certain Kinds of Locks and Bolts.
I, SAMUEL SIDNEY BROMHEAD of 97 Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent,
(Communicated) do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My device relates to improvements in car seals and locks, wherein I use a sea
made of sheet metal so disposed as to be connected to a peculiarly-constructed lock
the shackle or bolt of which automatically engages with a part of the seal within the
lock, thus preventing the shackle or bolt from becoming disengaged without cutting
the seal.
Figure I is a perspective view of one form of my improved car seal and lock.
Fig. 2, a side view of the same, a portion of one of the sides being broken away.
Fig. 3, is two similar views, parts being shown in section and showing the
shackle as partly engaged with the seal.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dog detached.
Fig. 5 illustrates a simple modification of my Invention.
Fig. 6 is an illustration of another modification of my Invention.
Figs. 7 and 8, detail views illustrating the internal construction of my new car
seal and lock.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, A is a lock-case constructed externally, as in
the usual manner, and B the shackle hinged at one side, C. to the case A, while
oppositely the inner side is provided with a hook D, inclined face E, and a metal
spring, F. The upper face of the forward part of the lock is provided with a usual
opening, G, to secure the forward end of the shackle, while immediately rearward
from this opening, and forming a part therein, is a vertical slot, H, both in the top
and partially down the side of the case A.
Immediately within the device forward of this slot H is a small metal piece, I, J, K,

page_text: the rear face, J, somewhat inclined, while in its front face it has a recess, K, so that
the shackle may pass down into the case without interfering with said metal piece.
This metal piece I, J, K, is disposed on two wings of a wire spring, L, hinged to a
lug, M, at the lower part of the case. This spring L is of a single piece of wire, the
two upper ends of which are secured in the metal piece, a metal loop, N, being formed
at the other end, which rests against the forward inner side of the case, so that the
normal position of the metal piece L will be with its inner face against the lug Pat the
upper part of the case inwardly from the slot H. In order that the link seal Q may
be placed within the lower part of the slot H, it must be entered at the upper part of
said slot, and then forced downward past the inclined face J of the metal piece, and
thence to the lower part of the slot. The metal piece I, J, K, will then regain its
position, thus securing the link in position. After the insertion of the link seal Q, the
shackle B is brought down and forced into position. As will be noticed, the hook, 1),
upon the lower part of the shackle, is in such a position, in connection with the
spring F, that when forced downwardly the transverse part of the link will be engaged
by the inclined face E of the shackle, and as the pressure is exerted the spring will
be forced outwardly, permitting the transverse part of the link seal Q to engage
within the hook D of the shackle. The entrance of the shackle into the opening G
prevents the metal piece I, J, K, from moving forward, and thus in turn prevents the
link Q from becoming disengaged from the case without being cut. The seal-link Q
may be made of various forms, either elliptical, rectangular, or, as we prefer it, of a
rectangular shape, as shown in the drawings.
Referring to Figs. 5, 7, and 8, in which is illustrated a modification of the Invention.
B' is a sliding bolt, having a hook D, at the bottom end E. This bolt enters the
metallic housing A¹ through a convenient hole. This housing is cleft with a cross
vertical slip H, placed a little to one side of the middle of the bolt_hole. Within
this housing is a piece of metal similar in all respects, to I, J, K, herein before
described, and hung upon a wire spring and arranged with regard to the bolt B',
substantially as hereinbefore specified in the description of Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Between
the legs of this piece of metal passes the hook end of the bolt, and when the bolt is
driven home, the hooked end thereof passes beyond the said piece of metal leaving
some space between the hook and said piece of metal. To seal this lock a rectangular
slip of sheet metal, Q¹ having two rectangular notches, one on each side, and opposite
each other, so as to form a neck in the middle of said slip, is passed down the slit in
the housing, in an horizontal position, with the neck in the housing, and the wider
parts projecting from the sides thereof, until it passes the said piece of
metal I, J, K. The bolt B¹ is then pushed in until the hook on the end thereof passes
the metallic slip Q. It will then be found that this metallic slip, not only prevents the
bolt B', from being drawn out, but is also itself prevented from coming out, by the
shoulders of the notches resting on each side of the housing, so that the metallic slip
must be broken before the lock can be opened. The housing A¹, may have a proper
base, N, by which it is fastened to a Railway car near the door.
The bolt B may
be secured to a chain M¹, fastened to the car. A hasp K', may be fastened to the door
of the car, over which and through the staple L' the bolt B₁ passes to secure the said
door, as illustrated in Fig. 5.
The modification of our Invention illustrated in Fig. 6, is similar in all respects to
that just described except that the base piece N¹, is longer, the bolt B' is directed by
the guide, L., and does not come out far enough to part from the said guide.
Having now fully described and ascertained what my Invention is, and how the
same is constructed and performed, as communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, I do hereby declare that what I claim as my Invention and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,
1. In a car seal and lock, the combination of the case provided with a slot, as
described, and having a shackle hinged thereto provided at its end with a recess and
spring, as set forth, a link seal, and means for securing said shackle within the case,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 2. In combination with the case A, having a hinged shackle, as set forth, and slotted
at H, the piece I, J, K, and spring L, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In combination with the case A, slotted at H, the spring L, having attached to
its upper end the piece I, J, K, recessed at K, and the shackle B, having hook D, and
spring F, substantially as described.
4. The case A, having slot H therein, and provided inside with the lug P, and
spring-actuated piece I, J, K, combined with the shackle and the link seal Q,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination of the base plate N₁, and the housing A¹, having slit H₁ metallic
piece I, J, K, and spring L, with the seal Q', and the bolt B¹, having hook D, and
inclined end E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
6.. The combination of the housing A¹, having base plate N¹, guide L, slit H¹,
metallic piece I, J, K, and spring L, with the bolt B₁, having hook D, and inclined
end E, the seal Q¹ the staple L' and the hasp K substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Dated this 10th love of Navan 1007
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C.,
Patent Agent.