IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYHOLE GUIDES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Edward Hodges, of Southampton Row,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
KEYHOLE GUIDES."
Scaled the 2nd November 1869, and dated the 8th September 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Edward Hodges
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th September 1869.
I, RICHARD EDWARD HODGES, of Southampton Row, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN KEYHOLE GUIDES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in keyhole guides. For
this purpose I arrange guides on two or more sides of the keyhole, so
that by placing the key against one of such guides, and by causing such
key to follow such guide until it comes into contact with another or
other of such guides, it is brought correctly opposite the keyhole, and
is readily inserted therein. The form which I prefer consists of two

page_text: guides at right angles to each other, one of such guides being placed in
a line with one side of the keyhole, whilst the other is placed in a line
with the top or bottom thereof. By these means the key may be readily
inserted into the keyhole, even in the dark, as it will be only necessary
to feel the guides and then to cause the key to follow such guides, as
before stated, to ensure the key being readily placed in the keyhole.
The guides herein referred may be made to project, or may be
countersunk, and may be ornamented in any suitable manner, and in
order to prevent the key injuring the surface of the article to which the
lock is applied around the keyhole, I sometimes apply thereto a plate of
metal, against which the key may act whilst following the course of
the guides.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Edward Hodges in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
EDWARD HODGES, of Southampton Row, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-third
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Richard Edward Hodges, Her special licence
that I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, 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 KEYHOLE GUIDES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Richard Edward Hodges, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and

page_text: 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 Richard Edward Hodges, 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in keyhole guides. For
this purpose I arrange guides on two or more sides of the keyhole, so
that by placing the key against one of such guides, and by causing such
key to follow such guide until it comes into contact with another or
other of such guides, it is brought correctly opposite the keyhole, and is
readily inserted therein. The form which I prefer consists of two guides
at right angles to each other, one of such guides being placed in a line
with one side of the keyhole, whilst the other is placed in a line with
the top or bottom thereof. By these means the key may be readily
inserted into the keyhole, even in the dark, as it will be only necessary
to feel the guides, and then to cause the key to follow such guides, as
before stated, to ensure the key being readily placed in the keyhole.
The guides herein referred to may be made to project, or may be counter-
sunk, and may be ornamented in any suitable manner, and in order to
prevent the key injuring the surface of the article to which the lock is
applied around the keyhole I sometimes apply thereto a plate of metal,
against which the key may act whilst following the course of the guides.
And in order that my Invention may be more clearly understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same.
.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
in the various Figures of which similar parts are marked with similar
letters of reference.
Figure 1 represents a keyhole guide consisting of guides a and b, the
under surface of the guide a being in a line with the upper part, or if
desired it may be the under side of the keyhole, and the guide 6 being
in a line with one side of the keyhole.
At Figure 2 I have shewn a keyhole guide in which the angle of
junction of the two guides a and b is rounded to fit the key more
accurately at that part, whilst at Figure 3 I have shewn the angle to be

page_text: provided with a space around the upper part of the keyhole, to permit of
the use of a key having a shoulder or collar thereon. In Figures 1, 2,
and 3 I have supposed the guides a and b to be fixed to the outer
surface of the box or case of the lock, but they may be fixed on the
article carrying the lock, and if desired they may be formed on or fixed
to a plate c, as shewn at Figure 4, in which case when fixed to the outer
surface of the article to which the lock is fixed the plate ċ will serve to
prevent the key scratching or injuring such article.
At Figures 5 and 6 I have shewn a keyhole guide in which the
guide a is shewn to be mounted on an axis of motion, so that when
turned into the position shewn at Figure 6 it will serve as a cover to the
keyhole, but when in the position shewn at Figure 5 it will act as a
guide to the key.
At Figures 7 and 8 I have shown another arrangement in which the
guides a and b are both carried by a plate c, which is mounted on an axis
of motion, so that when placed in the position shewn at Figure 7 the
key may be readily inserted in the keyhole, but when turned into the
position shewn at Figure 8 the keyhole will be covered.
At Figures 9 and 10 is shewn another arrangement; in this case the
guide a is formed on the plate or cover d, which is mounted on an
axis d', so that the plate or cover d may serve as a cover to the keyhole;
if desired the plate or cover d may be fixed in the contrary direction,
and may carry the guide b.
At Figures 11 and 12 the guide 6 is formed by one edge of the sliding
cover 6', as shewn.
At Figure 13 I have shewn a keyhole guide in which guides a, b,
and e form three sides of the keyhole. By these means when the key is
placed against either of the guides by following the course thereof the
key will when it comes against another or other of such guides be
correctly guided to the keyhole.
I would here remark that in the Drawings hereunto annexed I have
shewn only a few examples of the forms which my keyhole guides may
be caused to assume; it is evident, however, that various other forms
and dimensions may be given to these guides, and they may be orna-
mented in any desired manner, whilst the guides may be applied so as
to project from the lock or article to which they are affixed, or they may
be countersunk if desired.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I propose to carry the same into effect, I would have it under-
stood that what I claim is, the employment of guides to facilitate the
entrance of keys into keyholes, in manner substantially as herein shewn
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Edward Hodges, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
FRED. HARRIS,
Patent Agent,
35, Southampton Buildings,
London.
R. E. HODGES. (L.S.)