IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE DOOR HANDLES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Clifton, of Bradford, in the County of
York, Ironmonger, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE
DOOR HANDLES."
Sealed the 28th August 1868, and dated the 4th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Clifton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th March 1868.
I, EDWARD CLIFTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Ironmonger,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ADJUSTABLE DOOR HANDLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to door handles or knobs and spindles which
are capable of adjustment to the thickness of the door.
I employ the ordinary square spindle, one end of which may be
permanently fixed into one knob, and the other end having screw

page_text: threads formed on the angles to screw into the other knob, which is
by preference (but may or may not be) bushed with metal. In order
to secure the knob when screwed on the spindle to the thickness of
the door I apply a cotter in which is a slot hole, one part fitting.
the square of the spindle, and the other part being round or sufficiently
wide to allow of the spindle turning therein. This cotter is either
fitted into a dovetail slot formed across the face or that part of the
knob towards the door, or it may be passed through a slot formed
in the shank of the knob. The said cotter may be held in position
by the rose or washer, which may be either screwed on the knob or
on the door; or the said cotter may be made to spring, and thereby
remain or keep in position so as to hold the handle as adjusted to
the door.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Clifton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 3rd September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
CLIFTON, of Bradford, in the County of York, Ironmonger, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Clifton, Her special licence
that I, the said Edward Clifton, my executors, administrators, and.
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Clifton, my 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ADJUSTABLE DOOR HANDLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward Clifton, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, 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 Clifton, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement and accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is
to say)
:-
This Invention relates to door handles or knobs and spindles which
are capable of adjustment to the thickness of the door.
I employ the ordinary square spindle, one end of which may be
permanently fixed into one knob, and the other end having screw
threads formed on the angles to screw into the other knob, which is
by preference (but may or may not be) bushed with metal. In order
to secure the knob when screwed on the spindle to the thickness of
the door I apply a cotter in which is a slot hole, one part fitting
the square of the spindle, and the other part being round or sufficiently
wide to allow of the spindle turning therein. This cotter is either
fitted into a dovetail slot formed across the face or that part of the
knob towards the door, or it may be passed through a slot formed in
the shank of the knob. The said cotter may be held in position by
the "rose or washer, which may be either screwed on the knob or
on the door, or the said cotter may be made to spring, and thereby
remain or keep in position so as to hold the handle as adjusted to
the door.
"
In order that this Invention may be clearly understood I herewith
give reference to an accompanying Sheet of Drawings illustrating the
manner in which the same is performed or carried into practical effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a portion of a door shewn edgewise and marked A,
with a mortice lock B fixed therein. C is an ordinary square spindle
screwed on the angles and fixed in the knob D by any suitable
means, which spindle passes through the door and lock in the usual

page_text: manner. A bush E is screwed or otherwise fastened into the knob F,
and this bush is tapped to fit and screw upon the spindle. In order
to adjust and secure the knob in any desired position a cotter or slot
plate G is inserted, which fits the square of the spindle, and a dovetail
or square groove formed in the face of the bush.
Fig. 2 shews the form of the said cotter or slot plate, and Fig. 3
shews the manner of its application or fitting to the spindle and in
the groove of the bush. It will now be readily seen that by sliding
this cotter bar or slot plate in the groove until the circular part of
the slot hole H is placed concentric with the axis of the spindle the
said spindle may be turned in the bush to any other square, and the
slot plate reinserted; and it will be observed the spindle may be thus
fixed in the knob at any quarter of a revolution, and thereby the
adjustment thereof to the thickness of the door may be effected to
the greatest nicety. I is a washer, placed betwixt the face of the
bush and the door, having a boss to let into the door to prevent
lateral motion of the spindle, and J is a rose or washer screwed or
otherwise fastened to the knob or the door which keeps the cotter or
slot plate secure in position.
Fig. 4 shews the manner of fitting the cotter or slot plate through
the shank or bush of the knob, and also the rose screwed to the
door instead of upon the knob.
Fig. 5 shews the cotter open at the end, with a slight setting to
spring outward, so that if the groove be formed suitably this form of
cotter or slot plate will remain in the required position without the
aid of a rose or washer.
Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 shew a modification of this slidable cotter fitting
upon the face of the knob and into grooves therein, as will be readily
understood by the Drawings.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and shewn
by Drawings the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not
claim the whole of the parts which I have had occasion to shew and
describe, neither do I confine myself to the precise details thereof;
but what I claim as my Invention is, the mode of securing the knob
in any desirable position on the spindle by means of a slidable

page_text: cotter, fitting either on or into the face or through the shank of the
knob.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Clifton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
EDWARD CLIFTON. (L.s.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by
the within-named Edward
Clifton, in the presence of
W. WADDINGTON,
Book-keeper to Taylor & Clifton,
Bradford.