Improvements in Door Latches.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1897--Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Door Latches.
I HUGO BEIEN of Wald, Rhenish Prussia, Germany, Manufacturer 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 invention relates to door latches and it consists in the improvement of the
old system according which as is well known the handle is generally made in a
very simple manner either wholly of metal or of metal and wood combined or of
horn combined with other materials. If metal is used the handle is almost made
perfectly smooth or it is made of cast iron and then provided with some decorations
which however vanish and do not appear sharply in consequence of the casting
operation. Such a handle has then an unfair sight.
The object of this invention is to make a door latch which is very light so that
no pressure is transferred to the spring of the bolt which is also perfectly in sight
and provided with decorations of all kind. The handle of the latch may also
serve instead of a plate it may be provided with inscriptions of any nature which
can be treated in such a manner that they are luminous at night.
How I carry my invention into effect is shown on the accompanying drawing
on which Figures 1 and 2 are plan views of a door latch provided with inscriptions,
decorations and the like; Figures 3 and 4 show a construction how to change said
inscriptions; Figure are cross sections of Figure 3; Figure 6 show a manner
of constructing the handle of the latch; Figure 7 is a cross section; Figures 8-11
represent a door latch with flat handle in different views and sections.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the drawing. As will be under-
stood from Figure 1 the handle a is of circular section and has a smooth exterior,
on the same the word "Welcome" may be engraved or affixed in any other
manner. The handle 6 in Figure 2 serves instead of a plate, it is provided with
the name or firm of the lodger and also may carry the number of the house or
room. This construction will be of great importance in hotels, boarding houses
and the like. I can also provide the firm in such a manner that it begins to light
by means of phosphorous or the like when day is over, which is also very con-
venient for lodgers and their visitors. The said inscriptions may beside the named
also have another character for instance a religious one
"God bless you," a
national God save the Queen," or my home is my world and the like. These
inscriptions may as stated above be directly engraved in the handle or specially
made on small plates of any materials which are then affixed to the handle the
plates may also be provided with decorations of any kind and material.
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Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate an arrangement, which is made to change the said
inscriptions at will. For this purpose the handle c has a round bolt d, upon which
is put a smooth or decorated shell of conical shape e which is turnable on said
bolt d, a nut f screwed against said shell holds the parts together. Into the shell
is cut a slot g by which the bolt is made partly visible, it carries on this part any
inscription as for instance 9 o'clock to speak or the like. By turning the shell

page_text: the inscription is covered. To secure the shell in both positions a little pin h
actuated by a spring may be provided for.
Figures 6 and 7 represent a construction of a door latch, which has a very light
and fair decorated handle. The latch is fitted with a pin i that carries a fitting
of light material as for instance wood, paper and the like. The fitting k is covered
by a casing of thin sheet metal or other material which is ornamentally or
otherwise decorated. All parts are held together by the nut m.
Figures 8-11 show a door latch with a Hat handle, which is also constructed
as light as possible. For this purpose the latch is made in two parts. The handle
is cast in form, it possesses on the top and bottom edge projections n serving as
a support for the covering plate o, which is fastened by furnishing the over
lapping edges of the handle over the plate o or by rivets or screws. This plate is
mostly made of decorated sheet metal as seen from Figure 8, it may however be
of other material as for instance celluloid and then the empty space in the handle
may be fitted with decorative articles as for instance flowers of any materials,
paintings and the like which are visible through the celluloid as is illustrated
on right side of Figure 10. The plate o may likewise carry inscriptions and the
like. The pin p is affixed to the handle by rivetting or screwing both parts
together.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The construction and arrangement of a door latch, the handle of which being
provided with names inscriptions and decorations and the like of any kind and
of any character, which may be directly applied to said handle or by means of
changeable parts, said names inscriptions, decorations and the like may partly
consist of a luminous mass.
2. The construction and arrangement of a door latch, the handle of which
having a light core of wood, paper and the like and being covered by a shell of
thin sheet metal or the like material having a decorated face.
3. The construction and arrangement of a door latch having a flat handle which
is made hollow and cast, pressed or stamped of iron or other material and covered
by a decorated plate of sheet metal or the like material which is fastened to said
handle in any convenient manner.
Dated this 6th day of July in the year of our Lord 1897.