Improvements in Padlocks.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1888
Specification Accepted, 22nd June, 1888
Improvements in Padlocks.
We, JOHN MINORS, DENNIS MINORS, and ALBERT MINORS, trading together in
co-partnership as John Minors and Sons, of 26 Union Street, Willenhall in the County
of Stafford, lock manufacturers, and ENOCH RAYBONE, of 27 Union Street, aforesaid,
locksmith, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of
reference marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This invention has for its object a novel construction of shackle for a padlock and
means by which the same may be fastened or locked and also unlocked and opened, and
comprises also means by which the case and interior mechanism may be turned or
swivelled in relation to the position of the shackle so as to facilitate the insertion and
turning of the key under circumstances in which such would otherwise be impossible
or inconvenient.
According to this invention the shackle is formed in two parts one of which (herein-
after generally termed for convenience of reference the "main" portion) is connected
direct to a vertical bolt of the lock so as to move upwards and downwards therewith,
and the other part of the shackle (hereinafter generally termed for convenience of
reference the hinged" portion) is hinged to the main portion so that it may be opened
out therefrom or closed in thereagainst as desired. That part of the main portion
which is connected with the bolt forms a short vertical shank passing down through
the centre of the top of the case, and the remaining part of such main portion, and
also the hinged portion, are each formed, preferably, semi-circular, or approximately
so, so that when the hinged portion is closed in the shackle has the appearance of a
vertical ring carried upon the top of the short shank; the two portions are hinged
together at the upper side of the ring. The unconnected end of the hinged portion
has a downward projection which closes against or, preferably, fits into a recess in,
the shank aforesaid, and the shackle is fastened by first closing in the hinged portion
and then moving down and locking the vertical bolt, aforesaid, by which means the
downward projection of the hinged portion of the shackle passes within the top of the
case and is thus securely prevented from moving out sideways and thus the hinged
portion is prevented from opening; and the shackle cannot be drawn up to admit of
such opening until the bolt has been unlocked. A convenient form of mechanism for

page_text: locking the shackle consists in carrying an arm upon a pin fixed to the bolt, such
arm being formed with a toe-piece projecting outwardly from the fulcrum against
which toe-piece a spring constantly presses fending, when the shackle is unlocked,
to press the upper end of the arm sideways against a stud fixed in the case and to
maintain the bolt in its upward position.
When it is desired to lock the shackle, the shackle is pushed downwards and carries
down the bolt and arm against the pressure of the spring until the upper end of the
arm passes from off the side of the stud, whereupon the arm is forced inwards by the
pressure of the spring so as to lock under the stud. A lug on the top of the arm,
coming against the side of the stud, prevents the arm from being moved too far
inwards. The shackle is unlocked by simply moving the arm, by means of a key,
from under the stud, whereupon the arm, bolt, and shackle, are moved up by the
action of the spring, and the shackle may then be again opened. The lower end of
the shank of the shackle is, preferably, swivelled to the upper end of the bolt so that
the padlock may be used in almost any position in which the shackle can be passed
around a staple or other part for fastening a door, gate, or other part requiring to be
fastened, as the case can be turned upon the shackle, if necessary or desirable, to
admit of or facilitate the insertion and operation of the key.
.
This invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying drawings,
of which figure 1 is a front elevation, with the cap-plate removed, of a padlock con-
structed according to this invention, with the shackle shewn as open; figure 2 is a
corresponding view to figure 1, but shews the shackle to be closed in and locked;
figure 3 is a side elevation, of figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrow a, but
with the nearer side or rim of the case supposed to be cut away so as to expose the
interior mechanism; figure 4 is a sectional plan on line of figure 2; and figure 5
a plan of the case with the shackle cut off through the shank. The same letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the views. The shackle is formed
of a part A carried upon a shank B which passes down through the top plate of the
case C, and of a part A hinged to the part A at c. The shank B is connected with a
vertically-sliding bolt D D, and the parts d, ', and 2, of the shank B are, preferably,
formed cylindrical so that the shank may be capable of being turned or swivelled
within the top plate b of the case, and within a jaw ee formed outwards from the
bolt D D, whether the bolt is in its upward or downward position. A plan of the
bolt D D and section through the part d' of the shank B is shown by detached view
figure 6. When the shank is formed to swivel, as described, an opening is formed in
from the front edge of the top plate 6 of the case as shewn at figure 5, into which the
shank is pushed from the front, so that it may at the same time have the part d¹ pushed
sideways between the horns e e of the bolt D D and thus be swivelled to the bolt; and a
part is formed on the cap-plate 6 of the case and closes the forward or open side of
the opening in the plate through which the shank B passes, and fits easily around
the front half of the circumference of the shank. It will be observed that the part d'
of the shank is smaller in diameter than the parts d and d² so as to pass in between the
horns e e of the bolt. The hinged portion A¹ of the shackle has a tongue ƒ thereon
which fits, when such portion is closed in as shewn by figures 2 and 4, into a recess
formed therefor in one side of the shank B; and a part of such tongue projects
downwards below the ring formed by the parts A and A' of the shackle. It will be
seen that when the hinged portion A¹ is closed in, and the shackle is moved down into
the position shewn by figure 2, the lower end, shewn by broken lines, of the down-
wardly projecting part of the tongue is below the top of the plate of the case,
and thus the edge of such plate, and of the part 6 of the cap-plate, which is around
the shank B will prevent the tongue from being drawn out of the shank and thus
prevent the opening of the hinged portion A of the shackle. A stud g projects
forwards from the back plate of the case, and an arm his carried upon a pin i upon
the bolt D,D and is formed with an outward toe-piece & which is pressed against by
a spring so that when the bolt D D is in its upward position, as shewn by
figure 1, the upper end of the arm his pressed against the side of the stud and
the bolt D is maintained by the pressure of the spring in its upward position..
b
g

page_text: When it is desired to lock the shackle, the hinged portion A' is first closed in
as described, and the entire shackle is then pushed down by hand against the
pressure of the spring until it and the bolt have arrived at the position shewn
by figure 2, upon which the arm h having passed from off the side of the stud
moves in under, the pressure of the spring, beneath the stud and securely
prevents the shackle from being drawn up, and consequently locks it. A lug n on
the top of the arm forms a stop to the inward position of the arm, as shewn by
figure 2.
When it is desired to unlock the shackle, the arm is moved back by the
key until it clears the underside of the study, whereupon the pressure of the spring
moves the arm, bolt, and shackle, into their upward position shown by figure 1,
and the hinged portion A¹ of the shackle may then be opened out as shewn by such
figure.
It is not, of course, essential that the shackle be made to swivel, as the shank may
be otherwise fixed to or formed in one piece with the bolt D D, but it is preferred
that it be made to swivel, for the purpose above described. When not made to swivel
a stud on the hinged portion, may enter a secondary hole in the plate as the shackle
is moved down, in lieu of the tongue f closing within a recess in the shank and moving
down therewith, and in such case it is not essential that the hinged portion be made
to close against the main portion, though such is advisable.. The arrangement with
the tongue is however preferred.
The interior mechanism for raising and lowering the bolt may be varied. We find,
however, that the mechanism described and illustrated is very simple and convenient
for the purpose.
It will be obvious that, instead of the shank B being fixed or swivelled to the
vertically-sliding holt, it may be simply fixed or swivelled to the case, and the tongue f
be securely held to maintain the hinged portion of the shank in its closed position
by means of an upward projection on the vertically-sliding bolt slid up therewith so
as to come in front of such tongue; or, when the shank is fixed to the case, the
downward projection of the hinged part A may be dispensed with, and a pin or stud
on the bolt be shot up so as to enter a recess in the outer end of such hinged portion
to lock it. These modifications, however, are not recommended, as we consider the
means previously described to be simpler and more convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A padlock shackle formed in two parts one of which is hinged to the other and
is capable of being closed in thereagainst at a point near to the top of the case so as
to enclose a space between them, in combination with means by which the hinged
part may be fastened or locked in its closed position and unfastened or unlocked
therefrom, as desired, substantially as described."
2. A padlock shackle formed in two parts one of which is capable of vertical
movement through the top of the case and the other of which is hinged to the outer
end of such part and is formed with a projection which, when the hinged part has
been turned down and the entire shackle is moved downwards, enters an opening
in the top of the case, in combination with means by which such shackle may be
fastened or locked in its downward position and unfastened or unlocked, substantially
as described, for the purpose set forth.
3. A padlock shackle formed with a hinged portion capable of being closed in
against a main portion so as to enclose a space between them, the whole being
carried by a shank which enters the top of the case and is capable of being moved
up and down therein, with a downward projection on the hinged portion which
enters somowhat within the case when the shackle is in its downward position and
by the aid of which the fastening or locking of the shackle is effected, substantially
as described, for the purpose set forth.
4. A padlock shackle of the character referred to in the preceding claims, formed

page_text: to be capable of turning or swivelling within the case, substantially as described,
for the purpose set forth.
5. The mechanism, substantially as described, comprising a vertically-sliding bolt,
a fixed stud within the case, an arm pivotted upon the bolt, a spring operating
in combination with a part of the arm so as to move the upper end thereof under
the stud when the bolt is in its downward position, and to move such arm and
bolt into their upward position when the arm has been moved back from under
the stud, and with means by which a stop is formed to the inward position of the
arm, for the purpose of enabling a padlock shackle of the character described in
claims 2 and 3 to be fastened or locked and unfastened or unlocked, as desired.
6. A padlock shackle substantially as described with reference to the drawings
herewith, with means substantially as described by which the same may be fastened
or locked and unfastened or unlocked, and whether the shackle is made to swivel
as described, for the purpose set forth, or is otherwise fixed to or formed in one
piece with the vertically-sliding bolt which operates within the case.
7. A padlock, substantially as described with reference to the drawings herewith,
whether the shackle is made to swivel as described, for the purpose set forth, or
is otherwise fixed to or formed in one piece with the vertically-sliding bolt which
operates within the case.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicants.