An Automatic Springless Latch Fastener or Lock.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 11th Oct. 1889-Accented, 23rd Nov.. 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Springless Latch Fastener or Lock.
We, CHARLES JAMES THOMPSON of 51 Abbey Street Joiner and AUGUSTUS BUSH
of 44 King Street, Locksmith, both of Derby, in the County of Derby, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to automatic or self closing springless latches or fasteners
for cupboard and other doors where an opening handle on one side of the door is all
that is required. They can be made to latch only, or if required to lock also.
The bolt of our improved latch consists of an angular metal plate somewhat similar
to a bell crank in form having one arm horizontal which carries the catch at its
extremity, and projects behind the door engaging there, with a suitable catch plate,
and another arm vertical. Both arms are connected at the corner of the angle where
there is a pin or stud working through the same, on which pin the bolt works to and
fro, as impelled by the handle.
The vertical arm or tail is attached to a horizontal spindle which projects through
the door and carries a knob, which knob by its weight holds the bolt in position with-
out the necessity of a spring. To open the latch this knob must be pulled outward
when the tail is drawn back and the horizontal catch depressed by which means the
door is unfastened.
When a lock is required, we construct a vertical locking bolt to shoot against and
stop the tail of the latch bolt. This locking bolt is actuated by a key in the usual way
and has a small tumbler and spring gated to fall into a notch and prevent its sliding
back.
Various modifications of the principle of my latch are possible which I will describe
in my final specification.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Automatic Springless Latch Fastener or Lock.
We, CHARLES JAMES THOMPSON of 51 Abbey Road, Derby, Joiner, and AUGUSTUS
BUSH 44 King Street, Derby, Locksmith, 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 :-
This invention relates to automatic, or self closing, springless latches or fasteners
for cupboard and other doors, having an opening handle on one, or on both sides of
the door. They can be made to latch only, or if required to lock and latch.
The bolt of our improved latch consists of an angular metal bar resembling, in
form, a bell crank, and it is pivotted near its angle to a horizontal pin attached to
suitable bearings on a metal plate adapted for fixing on a door.
One arm is horizontal and carries the catch at its extremity, and projects behind
the door engaging with a suitable catch-plate. The other arm hangs vertically and
its weight together with that of a knob and spindle attached thereto keep the upper
arm in its engaged or fastened position without the aid of a spring.
We will now describe some forms of the fastener as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a simple form of our latch adapted
for doors of cupboards and like purposes. It opens on one side of the door only. In
this case the fastener is opened by simply pulling the knob A which draws back the
vertical arm B of the crank thereby depressing the catch C. The catch plate H can

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be fixed to a horizontal shelf, or if there is no shelf convenient, to the rabbet or door
frame.
Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of a similar latch arranged to open on either side of
the door. In this case the knob A' on one side of the door must be pushed towards
the door in order to open the latch from that side.
The spindle S can be pivotted to the vertical arm B as shewn, to avoid depressing
the knob A¹.
Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of an arrangement for locking the latch. The lock L
is placed below the crank, and when the key is turned it shoots up a bolt M, which
engages with a tail T, at the lower end of the vertical arm, and so fastens the latch by
holding the crank fast. The lock contains one or more of the usual tumblers, or
levers, and the bolt M is gated to fall into a notch in the usual way, so as to prevent
its sliding back. The door-plate P is in this case and when preferred made angular
so as to cover the edge of the door where the wood is cut away. A horizontal exten-
sion of the arm B as shown at B' is necessary when the catch is placed near the edge
of the door.
Fig. shows one of our fasteners adapted to serve as a night latch, that is to say,
opening with a knob on the inside, and with a key from the outside. The inside
knob A is pushed as explained in Fig. 2. The key on entering the lock makes a half
turn clearing thereby the levers or wards of the lock, and then the bit of the key
passes behind the tail T which has an angular edge or flange T¹ to engage with the
key. The key is then pulled forward and so unfastens the catch C.
This is only one of several ways in which the key can be arranged to open the latch
from the outside.
Fig. 5. shows some details of the catch-plates and extension on arm B. X is the
escutcheon-plate for a simple latch, and Y is used for latches with a lock. H is the
catch-plate. B' is the horizontal extension of the vertical arm B.
It will be seen that when the door is closed the catch of the latch closes auto-
matically over its catch-plate in all cases, without the assistance of a spring. Our
improved fasteners can be made either hand, and can be adapted to almost any kind
of door.
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 :
1. An automatic fastener, or latch, having no spring, with an angular bolt or crank,
held in place by gravity as herein explained and set forth.
2. An automatic fastener or latch as before described in combination with a lock of
any well known kind, and with catch-plates spindles, and furniture, as herein explained
and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of October 1889
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.