An Improved Indicator for Lavatory and other Doors.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Indicator for Lavatory and other Doors.
We, WILLIAM MAW TROUSDALE, of Kingslyn, Harrogate, in the County of
Yorkshire, Engineer, and JOSEPH LOWES THOMPSON, of 15 Thornhill Terrace,
Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Ship Builder, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to an improved indicator for lavatory and other doors
which consists of the frame carrying shaft indicator fixed flush with the door-
frame, the door-frame and rebate being recessed to allow for the working of
the indicator inside them. The shaft is made sufficiently long to accommodate
the thickest door in use. A lever is fixed at one end of the shaft the boss of
which turns on a bearing on the frame the other end of the shaft that projects
from the parallel bearing is squared the edges being screwed so that a collar may
be fixed on it to prevent a side movement. The indicator having the hole in
the boss squared to suit the shaft is then fixed in the position required and
locked with a back-nut and when fixed on a door-frame will hide itself when
not in use in the recess. A lever lighter than the indicator is fixed on the same
shaft in the opposite direction and is held in the vertical position by the greater
weight of the indicator. The indicator when not in use is hidden in the recess of
the door-frame and by a lip and casing on the frame that carries it so that it
The indicator which is
cannot be tampered with from the outside of the door.
fixed to the shaft has the word ENGAGED written upon it (or any other
who
device) appears outside the door on the door-frame to inform anyone may
be desirous of using the apartment that it is engaged.
The indicator may be operated on in conjunction with our improved bolt or by
any other means. By the action of the bolt being shot the indicator is held parallel
with the floor by the nose of the bolt against the lever, but on releasing the bolt the
indicator by its own weight will simultaneously hide itself in the recess of the
door-frame.
J. P. BAYLY,
18, Fulham Place, W., Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Indicator for Lavatory and other Doors.
I WILLIAM MAW TROUSDALE of Kingslyn Harrogate in the County of York
Engineer and JOSEPH LOWES THOMPSON of 15 Thornhill Terrace Sunderland
in the County of Durham Shipbuilder do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :—―
Our invention relates to an improved indicator for lavatory and other doors,
which consists of the frame carrying the shaft indicator fixed flush with the door-
frame and rabbet being recessed to allow for the working of the indicator inside
them. The shaft is made sufficiently long to accommodate the thickest door in use.
A lever is fixed at one end of the shaft, the boss of which turns on a bearing on the
frame the other end of the shaft that projects from the parallel bearing is squared,
the edge being screwed so that a collar may be fixed on it to prevent a side
movement. The indicator having the hole in the boss squared to suit the shaft is

page_text: A lever
fixed in the position required and locked with a back-nut or headless screw and
when fixed on a door-frame will hide itself when not in use in the recess.
lighter than the indicator is fixed on the same shaft in the opposite direction and
is held in the vertical position by the greater weight of the indicator. The indicator
when not in use is hidden in the recess of the door-frame and by a lip and casing
having a slot-hole in it for the indicator to work through and arranged so that it
cannot be tampered with from the outside of the door. The indicator is in the form
of a semaphore-arm and is fixed on the shaft having the word ENGAGED written
upon it (or any other device) and when in use appears outside the door on the door-
frame to inform anyone who may be desirous of using the apartment that it is
engaged.
The indicator may be operated on in conjunction with our new improved bolt or
tower-bolt or by the lock-bolt of a rim or mortise lock or latch or by any other
means. By the action of the bolt being shot the indicator is held parallel with the
floor by the bottom edge of the bolt against the lever but on releasing the bolt the
indicator by its own weight will simultaneously hide itself in the recess of the door-
frame..
When the indicator is used in conjunction with our improved self-locking-bolt
Patent applied for April 6th 1891 No. 5890 which is screwed on the inside of the
door in a straight line with the edge of the lever and above the centre of the shaft,
the bolt-staple hiding the lever, the finger-piece being pressed the nose of the bolt
will come in contact with the edge of the lever causing it to revolve downwards and
the indicator fixed on the other end of the shaft will revolve upwards appears outside
the door on the door-frame having the word ENGAGED written upon it and
locked, by the bolt, being held parallel with the floor by the bottom edge of the bolt
against the lever thus informing anyone who may be desirous of using the apart-
ment that it is engaged. The bolt being withdrawn the indicator by its own
weight will simultaneously hide itself in the recess made in the door-frame.
When the indicator is used in conjunction with an ordinary tower-bolt the bolt
being shot into the bolt-staple, the nose of the holt coming in contact with the edge
of the lever hidden by the bolt-staple causing it to revolve downwards and the
indicator fixed on the same shaft appears outside the door, thus informing anyone
that the apartment is engaged. By releasing the bolt the indicator will simultane-
ously hide itself in the recess made in the door-frame.
The indicator when used in conjunction with a lock or latch to denote the time a
person purposes to return to business. The frame carrying the shaft, lever, and
indicator, is fixed flush with the door-frame. The lever being hidden in the box-
staple when used in conjunction with a rim-lock but if the lock is mortised the
position of the lever is varied to suit being recessed in the door-frame to suit the
lock-bolt. The lever being held in the vertical position by the greater weight of
the indicator. The indicator when not in use is hidden in the recess made in the
door-frame and has the words written upon a portion of it RETURN AT the
other portion is left blank being of a pottery material covering the indicator to
state any time the person desires to return to business. The lock which is fixed on
the door in a straight line with the edge of the lever and above the centre of the
shaft so that when the lock-bolt of the lock is thrown the nose of the bolt coming
in contact with the edge of the lever causing it to revolve downwards and the
indicator fixed on the same shaft will appear outside the door on the door-frame
being locked and held parallel with the floor by the bottom edge of the lock-bolt
having the words RETURN AT the person who is using the apartment affixing
on the blank portion of the indicator the time he purposes to return to business so
that if any person should call while the occupant is away he is informed what time
he will return, The door being unlocked the indicator by its own weight will
simultaneously hide itself in the recess of the door-frame.
The following is a description of the said indicator reference being had to the
accompanying drawings.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the indicator. A A the frame. B the casing of the
frame. C the shaft carrying the lever and indicator. D the lever. E the
indicator. F the headless-screw to lock the indicator on the shaft.
A A the
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1 showing the indicator when not in use.
frame. B the casing of the frame. the shaft. D the lever. E the indicator.
F the headless-screw. G the lip of the frame. HH the bearings on which the
indicator shaft revolves. I the collar on the shaft to prevent a side motion of
the indicator.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the position of the indicator when not in use
being hidden in the recess made in the door-frame. A the frame. C the shaft.
D the lever. E the indicator. G the lip of the frame.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation showing the indicator when in use and the position
that the bolt is fixed in when used in conjunction with my improved bolt. C the
shaft. D the lever. E the indicator in use. G the lip of the frame. J the bolt
shot and locked retaining the indicator parallel with the floor.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1st. The construction of parts constituting the improved indicator constructed,
arranged, and operating as herein before described with reference to the drawings,
2nd. The indicator being in the form of a semaphore-arm.
3rd. The pivoted lever or arm for operating the pivoted indicator as herein
before described.
4th. The semaphore-arm having a portion of it left blank being faced by a
pottery material so that the indication may be removed when not required.
Dated this 11th day of January 1892.
WILLIAM MAW TROUSDALE.
JOSEPH LOWES THOMPSON.