AN IMPROVED LOCK, AND METHOD OF ACTING UPON LOCK BOLTS. LATCHES, TAPS, AND VALVES, RAILWAY AND OTHER SIGNALS, BELLS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUSES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Harris, of Hanwell, in the County of Middlesex.
Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LOCK, AND METHOD OF
ACTING UPON LOCK BOLTS. LATCHES, TAPS, AND VALVES, RAILWAY AND OTHER
SIGNALS, BELLS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUSES."
Sealed the 30th June 1857, and dated the 8th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Harris at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th January 1 57.
I, JAMES HARRIS, of Hanwell, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED LOCK,
AND METHOD OF ACTING UPON LOCK BOLTS, LATCHES, TAPS, AND VALVES. RAILWAY
AND OTHER SIGNALS. BELLS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the method of employing compressed air in
apparatuses constructed as follows, and for the purposes explained.
The apparatuses consist of two cylinders with air-tight pistons and valves,
or corrugated elastic air-tight cylinders, secured at the ends to wood or other
material, to expand or close as a bellows or elastic air-tight spheres or spherical
ended cylinders, worked by semi-spherical pistons, connections between the
cylinders being made by metal or other pipes. 1 also employ proof or test
signals, shewing to the operator that the object is effected.
My Invention also consists in an improved lock adapted to be worked by
my apparatus.
Supposing my Invention to be applied to working the bolt of a lock
[Price 8.1

page_text: of my improved construction in an apartment away from or other than
that in which the operator is placed. There are two cylinders, one fitted
with a piston, and made suitable for compressing air, and called hereafter
an air pump, placed in the operator's appartment, the other fitted with
a strong spring behind an air-tight piston, the rod of which forms part of
or is connected with the bolt of the lock. Communication is established
between the cylinders by an air-tight metal tube, which leads from the air
pump to the front of the piston in the lock cylinder.
A catch or projection on the back or continuation of the lock bolt is acted
upon by a self-acting stop, to keep the bolt back when necessary. A guide
rod, connected to the back of the piston, traverses the back end of the lock
cylinder; and at the back of the cylinder there is a safety bolt, made to rise
and fall by air admitted under a flexible diaphragm. This bolt has an
aperture through which the guide rod traverses when the bolt and piston
are driven back; but as soon as the luck bolt is shot the safety bolt fails
and prevents the return of the lock bolt, except when acted upon by the
person working the air-pump. In order to shoot the lock bolt the air is
compressed in the air pump, whereby the piston in the lock cylinder will be
forced back, and the stop will release the catch on the back of the lock
bolt; the air being no longer compressed, the spring insi 'e the lock cylinder
will force out the bolt, at the same time the safety bolt behind the cylinder
will be released, and will prevent the lock bolt being forced back by unfair
Upon the air pipe near the air pump I fix a whistle, equilibrium
valve gauge or flexible bag, which would indicate that the proper action had
been obtained in the lock cylinder.
It will be understood, from the foregoing, the method in which I act upon
lock bolts; and the same method is applied to railway signals, taps, valves,
bells, and other like apparatuses, substituting for the bolt the parts used in
such apparatuses.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Harris in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HARRIS, of Hanwell, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Fxcellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord

page_text: One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Harris, Her special licence that 1, the said James Harris,
my executors administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Harris, 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 "AN IMPROVED LOCK,
AND METHOD OF ACTING UPON LOCK BOLTS, LATCHES, TAPS, AND VALVES. RAILWAY
AND OTHER SIGNALS, PELLS, AND OTHER LIKE APPARATUSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Harris, my executors or admi-
nistrators, 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 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 James Harris, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:
My Invention consists in the method of employing compressed air in
apparatuses constructed as follows, and for the purposes explained. The
apparatuses consist of two cylinders with air-tight pistons and valves, or of
corrugated elastic air-tight cylinders, secured at the ends to wood or other
material, and made to expand or close after the manner of a concertina or
bellows; or of elastic air-tight spheres or spherical ended cylinders, worked
by semi-spherical pistons. The connections from one part of the apparatus
to the other are made by means of metal or other pipes. I also employ
proof or test signals, which indicate to the operator that the object is effected.
These proof or test signals are produced by means of diaphragms, pressure
gauges, elastic cylinders, and equilibrium cocks, valves, or whistles, either
separately or combined, these arrangements being well understood.
My Invention also consists in an improved lock, adapted to be worked by
my apparatus. And in carrying out this part of my Invention, I place in
the lock a cylinder furnished with an air-tight piston attached to the bolt.
At the back of the piston is a powerful spring for forcing the bolt forward,
and thereby effecting the locking; and when the bolt is forced forward by
the spring a tumbler working in a cylinder with a piston, with or without

page_text: a diaphragm at bottom, falls into a notch in the bolt, keeping it in position
as in an ordinary lock. A second tumbler is also provided, with a catch to
hold the bolt back against the spring when unlocked. The other part of
the apparatus connected with the lock consists of a small air pump, placed,
say, in a bedroom above, or in any other convenient place, the distance
being of no consequence. This air pump has applied to it a pressure gauge
and whistle, and an elastic air-tight bag or elastic corrugated cylinder, con-
nected with an alarm. The connections between the pump and the lock are
made of metal or other strong pipes. In unlocking, the handle of the air
pump
is worked one, two or three strokes, according to the length of the
pipes and the pressure required t act upon the piston and spring. The
slightest pressure under the piston or diaphragm of the first tumbler lifts it
out of the notch, to allow of the bolt sliding backwards, which, when the
pressure is increased it will do,until caught by the second tumbler, the proper
distance being indicated by the pressure gauge. To shoot the bolt of the
lock it is, necessary to produce increased pressure in the air pump to force
the bolt further back, thereby lifting the keeper or second tumbler on to a
eatch, where it is out of the way, but from which it is instantly liberated on
the bolt sliding forward, so as again to be ready for the unlocking process.
The compressed air when let into the corrugated elastic cylinder by a tap,
to allow of the piston and bolt s'iding forward, will shew by the space it
occupies on an index that the bolt is shot. The bolt may be shot by pressing
on a pin in the side, top, or bottom of the safe or strong room with the
finger; and other bolts of ordinary locks may be carried forward at the same
time to be unlocked by a key or keys only. There is at the air pump end
of the lock an alarm, acted on either by the elastic cylinder or by the piston
of the pump.
I use the same apparatus much simplified, that is, with a cylinder and
spring only, for latches of gates and doors. I also work the lock by means
of pressure, or of a vacuum, or both, either with or without springs in con-
nection with the bolt.
I further effect the opening and shutting of valves and cocks, and the
working of signals and other apparatuses by similar meaus, that is, by
compressed air and vacuums, in conjunction with an arrangement of two
valves and tappets, to destroy the vacuum at one end and to remove the
pressure at the other end of the stroke, thereby indicating to the operator by
the pressure or vacuum gauge,as the case may be, that the piston has travelled
the required distance.
For house, factory, and other signals, I employ corrugated elastic air-tight

page_text: cylinders with closed ends and air-tight pipes, communicating from the said
cylinders to one or more parts, in conjunction with self-acting equilibrium
valves and pointers, and indexes. On the operator pressing down his elastic
cylinder, which is elongated by a spring, a similar cylinder at the other end,
which is already down, is raised by the displaced air passing through the
pipe from the operator's end. The first movement rings a bell to call attention,
then pointers or indicators are worked,one reading upwards, the other down-
wards, and communication is thereby effected.
The same apparatus, with the addition of self-acting equilibrium valves,
and of catches, levers, and springs, may be applied for effecting the ringing
of ordinary bells or striking once upon a bell; or the ringing of bells may
be effected by means of elastic spheres or spherical ended cylinders, worked
with corresponding pistons,in connection with a self-acting equilibrium valve.
Similar apparatus suitably modified, as will be well understood, may be used
for opening and closing small valves, cocks, &c.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, the construction and employment of locks in which the bolts are
thrown out and withdrawn respectively by means of compressed air, or of
the exhaustion of air from suitable chambers, or of both, as herein-before
described.
Secondly, the method of acting upon lock bolts to throw them out and
withdraw them by means of cylinders, pistons, air pumps, connecting pipes,
and other suitable parts, or by means of elastic corrugated cylinders, con-
necting pipes, and other suitable parts, or by means of elastic spheres or
spherical ended cylinders, worked by semi-spherical pistons, with connecting
pipes and other suitable parts, all as herein-before described.
Thirdly, the method of acting upon latches, taps, and valves, railway and
other signals, bells, and other like apparatuses, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, 1, the said James Harris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of July. One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-seven.
JAMES HARRIS. (L.S.)