IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS AND LATCHES, AND IN KEYS FOR THE CAMT »
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Vincent Scully, Esquire, and Bennett Johns Heywood,
Gentleman, both of the City of Dublin, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS AND LATCHES, AND IN KEYS FOR THE
CAMT »
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Vincent Scully and Bennett
Johns Heywood at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 18th July 1855.
We, VINCENT SCULLY, Esquire, and BENNETT JOHNS HEYWOOD, Gentleman,
both of the City of Dublin, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS AND LATCHES, AND IN KEYS FOR
THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the application to locks and latches of a novel
construction of guard, for protecting the internal mechanism of the lock or
latch from being tampered with, for the purpose of throwing the bolt or
lifting the latch.
In place of the ordinary keyhole we form a cylindrical chamber, through
which the key is inserted, and in this chamber we place and secure a swivel
pin, which is provided with a helical rib or feather, or other lateral projection
which will offer an obstacle to the insertion of a key other than that of a given
construction. Supposing the swivel pin to be provided with a helical rib or
ribs, the key barrel is slotted in a manner corresponding thereto, and when,
therefore, the key is inserted into the lock it will feel its way along the helix
until it reaches the tumbler, excentric, pinion, or other contrivance, which
either prevents or effects the movement of the latch, bolt, or other fastening;

page_text: the bolt may then be thrown, or the latch or other fastening released by any
suitable contrivance well known to lock makers, but without the key such
retarding or moving part cannot be effectually approached, the turns of the
helix preventing direct access thereto.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Vincent Scully and Bennett Johns Heywood in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 18th January 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, VINCENT
SCULLY, Esquire, and BENNETT JOHNS HEYWOOD, Gentleman, both of the City
of Dublin, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Vincent Scully and Bennett Johns Heywood, Her special license that we, the
said Vincent Scully and Bennett Johns Heywood, our executors, administra-
tors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Vincent Scully and Bennett
Johns Heywood, our 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 THE
CONSTRUCTION OF LOCKS AND LATCHES, AND IN KEYS FOR THE SAME," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that we, the said Vincent Scully and Bennett Johns
Heywood, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of one of us, 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 we, the said Vincent Scully and-Bennett Johns
Heywood, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):

page_text: This Invention relates to the application to locks and latches of a novel
construction of guard, for protecting the internal mechanism of the lock or
latch from being tampered with, for the purpose of throwing the bolt or
lifting the latch. In place of the ordinary keyhole we form a cylindrical
chamber, through which the key is inserted, and in this chamber we place and
secure a swivel pin, which is provided with a helical rib or feather, or other
lateral projection which will offer an obstacle to the insertion of a key other
than that of a given construction.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figures 1, 2, and 3 shew our Invention
applied to a common door latch. By the mere withdrawal of the key, it is
rendered casily convertible from the outside of the door into a secure fastening
without interfering with its efficiency as a common latch when the door is not
required to be locked. Fig. 1 shews the latch in side view; Fig. 2 is a
sectional plan of the same; and Fig. 3, a vertical cross section. a is the latch,
secured as usual to the door, and on the inner side thereof; b is the hasp or
catch, attached to the door jamb; c is a slot made in the latch to receive an
excentric or cam d, by which the latch is raised. This cam d is formed on
the end of a cylindrical collar or roller e, which is fitted in the door. Through
this collar a centre pin f passes, for the purpose of carrying a handle g, which
is held securely thereto by the head of the pin f being countersunk in the
handle. A recess is made in the handle to receive a swivel pin h, which is
fitted with a helical feather, for the purpose of covering a recess i made in the
collar, and preventing a pick or other instrument than the proper key (shewn
at Fig. 4) from entering the recess i. The use of the key in this arrangement
is to connect the collar e with the handle in such a manner as will permit of
the turning of the handle, and raising, by means of the cam or excentric d, the
latch a from contact with the hasp or catch, and thereby throw it out of
action, leaving the latch free to be moved by the handle. The barrel of the
key, it will be seen, is made hollow, and a helical groove corresponding to
the feather on the swivel pin is formed therein, in order to allow it to pass
down the handle and enter the recess in the collar e. When the key is thus
inserted, the collar and handle will be locked together, and the collar, and
consequently the cam d, which it carries, will answer to the axial movement
of the handle, which but for the insertion of the key would be powerless
to act upon the latch a.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 shew another mode of applying the helical protector
in connection with the handle of a door; Fig. 5 being a sectional plan view of
a door lock, the latch of which is enclosed within a box; Fig. 6, a sectional
elevation of the same; and Fig. 7, a section through the lock spindle. kis

page_text: the box containing the latch 7, which rocks on a centre pin affixed to the box,
and bears against a slotted plate attached to the door jamb. m is the lock
spindle, made hollow through nearly the whole of its length, for the purpose of
receiving a spring stop n, screw plug o, and swivel pin p. The handles q, q*,
are fastened in the ordinary manner to the spindle m, and an opening is made
in the handle q* for the insertion of the key for locking and unlocking the
door. A helical groove is formed in the lock spindle to receive the tail of the
latch 1, and, as the handle is turned, thrusts forward or draws back the latch.
The helical groove is met by a short slot, in which slides a finger projecting
from the spring stop n. A coiled spring is inserted in the hollow spindle, so as
to bear against the forward end of the stop n, and give it a tendency to move
rearwards. When this movement is permitted, the finger of the stop will
enter the helical groove and prevent the turning of the handle to operate the
latch. The spring stop cannot, however, change its position until released
from the pressure of the screw plug o, which is tapped into the spindle m.
To effect this, a key formed to pass the swivel pin and take on to the head of
the plug is provided, and the plug being turned back when the latch is required
to be locked, the spring stop will follow up its movement, and present an
obstacle, as above explained, to the turning of the spindle. The latch will
therefore as a consequence remain in contact with the latch plate affixed to
the door jamb, and the door will be as secure as if a bolt had been thrown.
By forcing back the screw stop to the position shewn in the Drawing, the
lock spindle will then again be free to turn. A counteracting spring r, which
surrounds the spindle, and is connected at one end to the box and at the
other to the spindle, is provided to return the spindle to its quiescent position.
Figures 8 and 9 shew another mode of applying our Invention to protect
a screw plug from being tampered with. This arrangement is intended as a
fastening for the lids of desks and other like uses. s is a plate attached to the
lid of the desk, and having a tubular projection passing up through the lid.
This tube is tapped to receive the threaded end of a hollow screw plug t, which
is inserted in the wood of the desk front, and is held in place by a plate u. A
swivel pin v is inserted in the screw plug, which is provided with a shoulder
to prevent the withdrawal of the pin, and a cross bar forms the only closing to
the bottom end of the screw plug. By inserting a key which will pass over the
helical feather on the swivel pin and take on to the cross bar, and then giving
the key one, two, or more turns, the screw plug will work itself up into the
tapped tube of the plates, and hold fast the lid of the desk.
Figures 10 and 11 shew a fastening constructed on the same principle
applied to a door. In this example the door carries a cylindrical box w,

page_text: which is secured firmly thereto, and in the box, before the outer end is partially
closed (as shewn), a screw plug & and swivel y are inserted. A tapped plate z
to receive the threaded end of the screw plug æ is attached to the door jamb,
and the head of the screw plug, being squared or otherwise shaped for the key
to take hold of the screw, is driven forward by the turning of the key, and
made to enter the tapped hole in the plate, and thereby secure the door.
Figures 12 and 13 shew, in front view and longitudinal section, the adap-
tation of our Invention to a lock suitable for carpet bags and other like uses.
The ordinary swivel piece which serves to close the frame is shewn at 1.
To this we joint a tubular piece 2, which is tapped to receive a screw plug 3.
This plug is inserted in a hollow barrel or case 4, which also contains a swivel
pin 5. The lower end of the barrel is left open to permit of the insertion of
the key 6, and the upper end is recessed to receive the tube 2. The head
of the screw plug, besides being squared to permit of the key acting upon it,
is formed into a ratchet, against the teeth of which steel clicks 7, 7, bear, as
shewn in the cross section, Figures 14. These clicks are rivetted to the inner
face of the barrel 4, and are for the purpose of driving the screw into the tube
2, and thus locking the bag without the use of the key. To effect this, it is
only necessary to turn round the barrel like an ordinary thumb screw, and the
bag will be locked, but if the action is reversed, the barrel will turn without
acting upon the screw plug. In order, therefore, to unlock the bag, the key 6
must be inserted in the barrel and turned round to the left, or the opposite
direction to the arrow, Figures 14; the plug 3 will then release its hold on
the tube 2, and the bag will be free to open.
A modification of this arrangement for a fastening for dogs' collars is shewn
in section at Fig. 15. The collar consists of two semicircular strips of metal
8, 8, jointed together, and furnished at their extremities with two semi-
cylindrical projections, which are tapped and come together to form a screw;
a hollow screw plug 9 takes on to this screw and clamps the parts 8, 8,
together. The head of this plug is shaped like a ratchet, as in the last
example, and a spring click (Fig. 16) takes into its teeth; a barrel 10 encloses
the screw plug, and a swivel pin 11 in rear of the plug. The attachment
may be made as in the former example, without the key, but the removal of
the lock can only be effected by means of the key.
Fig. 17 is a sectional view of a spring catch padlock, shewing the mode of
applying the safety swivel pin thereto. To unfasten the padlock, it is necessary
to thrust back the spring catch, which can only be done by a key that is
capable of passing over the helical feather of the swivel pin.
From the above explanation it will be evident that the swivel pin or

page_text: protector may be applied in various ways besides those already enumerated;
and that for very ordinary purposes, where less complexity is required to obtain
security, the helical feather may be dispensed with, and simple radial pro-
jections may be applied to the swivel pin, to prevent ready access to the parts
desired to be protected.
The helix also may make half a turn, a whole turn, or two or more turns
around its axis, as desired, and instead of being attached to a solid swivel pin,
it may form part of a hollow swivel pin, as shewn in section at Fig. 18, in
which case the key to be used therewith will have a solid barrel or stem, and
will pass down the centre of the swivel, winding its way down over the helical
feather or feathers, as before explained. An obvious modification of our
Invention, and a plan which we may in some cases find it desirable to adopt,
is to connect the barrel of the key, which is formed with a helical groove
therein (as before explained) to its handle, by means of a swivel joint, instead
of making it in one piece therewith, and to fix the helical protector in its
chamber instead of allowing it to swivel.
Having now set forth the nature of our Invention, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent we claim,—
First, the use of a swivel pin, when provided with radial or other guards for
preventing access, except by a proper key, to the bolts or latches of locks and
other fastenings, or to the parts commanding such bolts or latches.
Secondly, the employment for the like purpose of helical feathers or ribs,
whether applied to tubular or solid pins, and also the construction of keys as
above described, for passing such helical ribs or feathers that they may
operate upon the lock, latch, or fastening.
In witness whereof, we, the said Vincent Scully and Bennett Johns
Heywood, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Seventeenth
day of January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
VINCENT SCULLY.
(L.S.)
BENNETT JOHNS HEYWOOD. (L.S.)