IMPROVEMENTS IN REGISTERING LOCKS, AND KEYS FOR USE THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN REGISTERING LOCKS, AND KEYS FOR USE THEREWITH." A communication
from abroad by Henry Lewis Russell, of Bloomington, in the County of
McLean, State of Illinois, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th January 1880.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REGISTERING LOCKS, AND KEYS FOR
USE THEREWITH." [A communication from abroad by Henry Lewis Russell, of
Bloomington, in the County of McLean, State of Illinois, United States of
America.]
The object of this Invention is to provide a lock especially designed for fire
alarm boxes, railroad switches, etc., where it may sometimes be desirable to know
who unlocked it last, that must be opened with numbered keys, and will register
the number of the key that last unlocked it The lock is provided with the usual
bolt, which is held in its horizontal plane by a yoke and pin, and is thrown and
held out by a spiral and a bent spring. It is also provided with three tumblers
that are secured to the inside of the rim of the case, whose free slotted ends set over
a boss which projects upwards from a pivoted lever, and with three slides that are
held in place over the bolt with their pointed upper ends engaging in corresponding
holes in the tumblers by pins that pass through their slots and are secured in the
front plate of the lock. When a key is put into the lock and turned it will come
in contact with the lower edge of one or more of these slides, and cause it or them
to move the tumblers to release the boss from a shoulder or shoulders on said
tumblers, and hold them there until the key in its further turning is brought against
the lever (which engages with a stud on the bolt) and presses it back until the bolt is
drawn in. Then the key slips past the end of the lever, when the action of the
spiral spring restores the parts to their primary position.
Though the effects produced by their action resemble those of corresponding parts
in other locks, it will be seen that there is much novelty both in construction
and arrangement of the tumblers, slides, and lever, and this construction and

page_text: arrangement makes easy the construction and arrangement, and the accurate working
of the registering mechanism of the lock.
The registering arrangement consists of four levers placed side by side and
pivoted on a pin, which levers are kept from interfering with each other, and their
swing or movement is limited by two sets of plates within which they play,
and which are secured by screws to the front plate of the lock. Secured also on
the same screws, and by another screw to a lug on the inside of the rim, is a plate
which is provided with a central socket in which the key pivots when turned in the
lock, or when a pipe or barrel key is used a pin will be substituted for the socket,
or the plate may be altogether dispensed with and the pin or socket located in the
back of the lock. A rectangular block which is firmly secured to the front plate is
provided with four holes for the reception of the ends of springs that are bent
around a stud, and thence directed between the plates against the levers to assist
in operating them.
To one end of these levers are attached parallel segmental tablets, on each of
which are inscribed a cypher and the nine digits, and the other ends of the levers
are broadened into curved ratchets in which a spring pawl engages, each ratchet
being provided with as many teeth as there are numbers on the corresponding
tablet.
A sliding plate provided with an aperture that crosses the tablets at about a
right angle covers, or nearly covers, the tablets, and operated by a lever that is
mounted on a pin and connected with the said plate by means of a pin that plays
in a slot in the end of the plate. Through the aperture in the plate and a corre-
sponding one in the back of the lock may be seen the figures registered each time a
key has been applied. For each number there is provided a separate key, whose
application to the lock will invariably register a certain combination of numbers,
and none other, and each key will have stamped upon it the number of the
combination it will register, and in addition is a key called the "master key," that
does not change the register. Once applied to the lock and turned, no key save the
master key can be withdrawn until it has been turned completely around and has
moved the tablets to register its number under the aperture in the back plate of the
lock. The master key alone can move the plate to open the register.
In operating the lock care must be had that the slide or plate covering the
register is in its proper position; a key is then introduced into the key hole and
socket pressing down a lever against the pressure of a spring as it enters, so as to
disengage it from a revolving ring, and at the same time engaging in a slot in the
edge of the ring.
As the ring revolves to the right with the key an eccentric edge with which it
is provided presses against a slide, and forcing it against the spring pawl causes
the pawl to release the ratchet ends of the levers. Still turning, the key then
strikes one end of a lever and throws the other end up against the ratchet levers to
bring them again all parallel with each other, and then releases the lever, which
falls back to its primary position and comes in contact with the edges of one or more
of the ratchet levers and moves them, so that their combined tablets shall register
immediately under the aperture in the back of the lock, the number corresponding
with that imprinted on the key, at the same time the key is in contact with the
slides of the bolt and is causing them to operate upon the tumblers to make them
release the lever, by whose means the bolt is drawn back; then the key comes
in contact with this lever, and as it moves it backward the eccentric rim of the
revolving ring releases the slide which permits the pawl to re-engage with the
ratchets and hold the levers in place. Continuing its movement the key forces
back the lever and belt until the lock is unlocked, and then still turning it releases
the lever and permits the bolt to be thrown out again by the action of its
springs.
The "master key" when put in the lock and turned does not carry around with
it the revolving ring, but simply draws back and then releases the bolt until it
comes in contact with the lower arm of the lever that operates the sliding plate

page_text: which it presses down until the lever draws down the attached slide so that the
aperture in it is brought directly under that in the lock plate, thus opening the
register, and at this point the said lever is caught and held by a shoulder in a bent
spring. Pressure down upon a stud in the spring will force the spring down at any
time and release the lever, when a spring that bears against an arm of the lever
will cause it to force the plate upward and close the register.
The addition of another lever and segmental tablet would greatly increase the
combinations of numbers.
I do not confine myself to the precise form of registering tablets, nor to the exact
form of the tablet levers, for in a padlock, for instance, the tablets will be thick enough
to receive the numbers on the faces instead of on the sides, and the numbers will
be seen through a slit in the bottom edge of the lock. There would also be a flange
turned up on the concave face of the tablet and the ratchets cut therein. Other
modifications may be made in applying the device to other styles of locks without
departing from the Invention.
That part of the blank of the keys nearest the hand operates on the bolt of the
lock, which may be of any desired construction, while the other part operates the
registering apparatus. The key blank is marked with four rows of ten squares
each to correspond respectively with the number of levers and the numbers on the
tablets. The blank can be cut away to make the key avoid one or the other or all
of the levers, or points may be left to press upon one or all of the levers, and of
such length as to press them or any of them to the full or partial extent of their
range. The "master key" is cut away so that it avoids the registering apparatus,
and the keys may be cut that only one lever will be moved, and that so slightly as
to register only No. 1.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th July 1880.
"6
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. IMPROVEMENTS IN REGISTERING LOCKS, AND KEYS FOR
USE THEREWITH." A communication from abroad by Henry Lewis Russell, of
Bloomington, in the County of McLean, State of Illinois, United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a lock especially designed for fire
alarm boxes, railroad switches, &c., where it may sometimes be desirable to know
who unlocked it last, that must be opened with numbered keys, and will register
the number of the key that last unlocked it.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
plan of the lock; Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line x-x, Figure 1; Figure 3
is a plan of the lock with the back of the case and the registering levers, &c., 1
removed; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation on line yy, Figure 3; Figure 5 is a
plan of the inside of the lock; Figure 6 is a plan of the inside of the lock, showing
the position of the parts of the mechanism when registering No. 6753; Figure 7 is
a sectional elevation on line z-z, Figure 6; Figure 8 is a horizontal section on
line ww, Figure 6; Figure 9 represents the "master key;" Figure 10 represents a
key No. 1; Figure 11 represents key No. 1879; Figure 12 represents key
No. 9999; Figure 13 represents a key blank marked to indicate the system of
construction.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. The lock is provided
with the usual bolt A, which is held in its horizontal plane by the yoke a¹ and pin
b¹, and is thrown and held out by the spiral spring B and bent spring B². It is
also provided with three tumblers C, C, that are secured at c' to the inside of the
rim of the case, whose free slotted ends set over the boss d', which projects upward
from the lever D that is pivoted at f', and with three slides E that are held in
place over the bolt A, with their pointed upper ends g¹ engaging in corresponding
holes in the tumblers by the pins h' and that pass through their slots and are
secured in the front plate of the lock. When a key is put into the lock and turned
it will come in contact with the lower edge of one or more of these slides, and cause it
or them to move the tumblers to release the boss d¹ from the shoulder or shoulders k',
and hold them there until the key in its further turning is brought against the
lever D, which engages with the stud on the bolt A, and presses it back until the
bolt is drawn in; then the key slips past the end of the lever, when the action of
the spiral spring B restores the parts to their primary position. Though the effects
produced by their action resemble those of corresponding parts in other locks, it will
be seen that there is much novelty both in construction and arrangement of the
tumblers, slides, and lever, and this construction and arrangement makes easy the
construction and arrangement and the accurate working of the registering mechanism
of the lock.
The registering arrangement consists of four levers G, G, placed side by side, and
pivoted on the pin m², and they are kept from interfering with each other, and
their swing or movement is limited by the two sets of plates H and I, within
which they play, and which are secured to the front plate of the lock by the screws
n¹ and o¹. Secured also on screws n' and o¹, and by screw p¹ to the lug q' on the
inside of the rim, is the plate K provided with a central socket 1, in which the key
pivots when turned in the lock; or when a pipe or barrel key is used a pin will be
substituted for the socket, or the plate K may be altogether dispensed with, and
the pin or socket located in the back of the lock. The rectangular block L, which
is firmly secured to the front plate, is provided with four holes for the reception of

page_text: the ends of the springs M, M, that are bent around the studs s¹, and thence directed
between the plates Hagainst the levers G, G, to assist in operating them. To one
end of these levers G, G, are attached the parallel segmental tablets N, N, on each
of which are inscribed a cypher and the nine digits, and the other ends of the
levers are broadened into curved ratchets O, O, in which engages the spring pawl P,
each ratchet being provided with as many teeth as there are numbers on the corre
sponding tablet. A sliding plate Q, provided with an aperture t¹ that crosses the
tablets at about a right angle, covers or nearly covers the tablets, and is operated
by the lever R that is held on the pin u', and connected with the said plate by
means of the pin 71 that plays in a slot in the end of the plate. Through the
aperture in the plate and a corresponding one w¹ in the back of the lock may be
seen the figures registered each time a key has been applied. The lock herein
shown will register all numbers from 0001 to 9999, and for each number in this
range there is provided a separate key, whose application to the lock will invariably
register a certain combination of numbers, and none other, and each key will have
stamped upon it the number of the combination it will register, and in addition is
a key called the "master key" that does not change the register; once applied to the
lock and turned so as to pass the lever S, no key save the "master key
can be
withdrawn until it has been turned completely around, and has moved the tablets
to register its number under the aperture in the back plate of the lock. The
"master key" alone can move the plate Q to open the register.
"
In operating the lock care must be had that the slide or plate Q covering the
register is in its proper position; a key is then introduced into the keyhole and
socket ¹, pressing down the lever S against the pressure of the spring T as it
enters, so as to disengage it from the revolving ring U, and at the same time
engaging in the slot a³ in the edge of the ring. As the ring revolves to the right
with the key its eccentric edge 62 presses against the slide V, and forcing it against
the spring pawl P causes the pawl to release the ratchet ends of the levers G, G.
Still turning, the key then strikes one end of the lever W, and throws the other
end up against the levers G, G, to bring them again all parallel with each other, as
shown in Figure 5. Still turning, the key then releases the lever W, which falls
back to its primary position and comes in contact with the edges of one or more of
the levers G, G, and moves them so that their combined tablets shall register
immediately under the aperture in the back of the lock the number corresponding
with that imprinted on the key, at the same time the key is in contact with the.
slides E and is causing them to operate upon the tumblers C, C, to make them
release the lever D, by whose means the bolt A is drawn back; then the key comes
in contact with the lever D, and as it moves the lever backward the eccentric rim
of the revolving ring U releases the slide V, which permits the pawl P to re-engage
with the ratchets O and hold the levers G, G, in place. Continuing its movement
the key forces back the lever D and bolt until the lock is unlocked, and then still
turning it releases the lever and permits the bolt to be thrown out again by the
action of the spiral spring B and the spring B². The "master key" when put in
the lock and turned does not carry around with it the revolving ring U, but simply
draws back and then releases the bolt A until it comes in contact with the lower
arm d of the lever R, which it presses down until the lever draws down the
attached slide Q, so that the aperture in it is brought directly under that in the
lock plate, thus opening the register, and at this point the said lever is caught and
held by the shoulder f2 in the bent spring xl. Pressure down upon the stud z¹
will force the spring down at any time and release the lever R, when the spring Y¹
that bears against the arm d² will cause it to force the plate Q upward and close
the register. The addition of another lever and segmental tablet would make
100,000 combinations of numbers, but so large a number of keys would hardly be
required for one lock.
I do not confine myself to the precise form of registering tablets herein shown,
nor to the exact form of the tablet levers, for in a padlock for instance the
tablets will be thick enough to receive the numbers on the faces instead of on

page_text: the sides, and the numbers will be seen through a slit in the bottom edge of the
lock. There would also be a flange turned up on the concave face of the tablet
and the ratchets cut therein. Other modifications may be made in applying the
device to other styles of locks without departing from the Invention.
In the matter of the keys that part of the blank nearest the hand operates on
the bolt of the lock, which may be of any desired construction, while the other
part operates the registering apparatus.
Figure 13 shows a key blank marked with four rows of ten squares, each to
correspond respectively with the number of levers and the numbers on the tablets.
The blank it will be seen can be cut away to make the key avoid one or the other
or all of the levers, or points may be left to press upon one or all of the levers, and
of such length as to press them or any of them to the full or partial extent of their
range. The "master key," Figure 9, is cut away so that it avoids the registering
apparatus. The key in Figure 10 is so cut that only one lever will be moved, and
that so slightly as to register only No. 1; Figures 11 and 12 show keys that are
cut to register Nos. 1879 and 9999 respectively.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,
1st. The combination of the bolt A with springs B and B2, slotted tumblers
C, C, provided with shoulders ', lever D provided with boss d¹ and slides E, whose
pointed ends g', g', engage in corresponding holes in the tumblers, substantially as
herein shown and described.
2nd. In the construction of a lock, the combination of the levers G, G, segmental
tablets N, N, inscribed with figures, and ratchets O, O, with the plates H and I,
springs M, M, pawl P, and slide V, constructed substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3rd. In combination with the levers G, G, provided with tablets N, N, the
sliding plate or cover provided with an aperture t¹ and aperture w¹ in the lock
case, substantially as herein shown and described.
4th. The combination of the lever S, spring T, revolving ring U provided with
slot a³ and eccentric rim 62, slide V, pawl P, and levers G, G, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
5th. The combination of the lever W with the levers G, G, tablets N, N, and
ratchets O, O, substantially as herein shown and described.
6th. The combination of the lever R provided with a lower arm d², the slide Q,
spring ¹ provided with shoulder f¹ and stud z¹, and spring Y¹, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
7th. The within described keys, constructed as herein set forth, in combination
with the within described registering lock.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.